Jay Slater's heartbroken mum 'hasn't slept for nine days' as more friends fly to Tenerife

Debbie Duncan, 55, said the nine days of uncertainty have been "awful" and that she has "barely slept" since her son disappeared after attending a rave on the island.

Debbie Duncan and Jay Slater

Debbie Duncan, left, said Jay Slater's disappearance has left her at her 'wits' end' (Image: Facebook)

Missing teenager Jay Slater's mum has said she has barely slept since his disappearance nine days ago, as friends flew to Tenerife to join the frantic search.

Jay, 19, went missing last week after attending a rave in Tenerife, sparking a desperate search by his family and local authorities.

Debbie Duncan, 55, told MailOnline: "It's been a week now and it's been awful. I've barely slept and I'm at my wits' end.

"The Spanish police are doing a good job and we are getting updated from the consulate so we just put our faith in them.

"I know people in the UK have come forward as well who were at the festival and they are giving details of what they know but I'm not being told about that."

She added that the apprentice bricklayer's friends from home "have also been over and have put up posters. They are good kids and like me just want him home".

Jay Slater

Jay Slater has been missing for over a week (Image: Supplied)

The teenager attended a music festival in the north-west of the island before leaving the event with two people he had just met, according to reports.

He ended up a 10-hour walk from his accommodation. An Airbnb owner told Jay there was a bus due at 10am, but she later told police that she saw him walk off that morning.

Jay called his friend Lucy just after 8am that morning, telling her he was running low on phone battery and needed water.

It was the last contact anyone is known to have had with Jay.

The search continues for missing Jay Slater in Tenerife

Despite the global attention his disappearance has attracted, search crews have been unable to find any trace of him so far.

On Tuesday, police announced more officers and sniffer dogs would join the search north of the Masca Gorge, where Jay's phone is last thought to have been detected. 

Sources told MailOnline that Debbie was was "on the verge of a breakdown" after over a week with no news and or leads.

The last confirmed sighting of her son was by a local woman at 8.15am last Monday.

According to the woman, he was walking briskly uphill towards Masca Gorge some 19 miles from Playa de las Americas, in the Parque Rural de Teno.

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