Hundreds of mourners have attended the funeral of British teenager Jay Slater. The 19-year-old died while on holiday in Tenerife after falling to his death in a mountainous area of the island on June 17. His body was discovered a month later in a ravine. The funeral, held in Accrington, was attended by approximately 500 people, with many watching the service on an outdoor screen in the rain. Guests were asked to wear blue in memory of Mr Slater.
Mr Slater’s family requested that instead of floral tributes, well-wishers donate to the LBT Global charity. The charity supports the families of British nationals who go missing overseas. The teenager’s colleagues attended the funeral in t-shirts that said “Forever 19”. Funeral director Sarah Barton thanked “those who have helped bring Jay safely back to us”.
Before his death, Mr Slater had been on his first holiday abroad without his parents, attending the NRG music festival at the tourist hotspot of Playa de las Americas. Friends say he got into a car with two men he met during the event, who drove him to their Airbnb in the village of Masca. The men were questioned by Spanish police but were ruled “irrelevant” to the investigation into Mr Slater’s disappearance.
Mr Slater, who worked as an apprentice bricklayer, was described by his family as a “loving son” and “cherished brother”, who loved dance, music and playing football. A post-mortem examination revealed his body had injuries consistent with a fall from height onto rocky ground. His disappearance drew intense speculation and conspiracy theories, with his family and friends also becoming subject to online abuse. A number of social media accounts, offering access to a fake stream of the service in exchange for “likes” and money, were exposed as part of a scam
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