Jay Slater was "the smileiest person in the room"

A friend of Jay Slater has paid tribute to “the happiest, smileiest person in the room” after a body was found during a search for him in Tenerife.

Lucy Law, who was last known to speak to Mr Slater in a phone call on June 17, paid tribute to him on her Instagram page.

She said: “I honestly have no words. You were always the happiest, smileiest person in the room. You were one of a kind, Jay, and we will miss you more than you know.”

The family of the 19-year-old are awaiting news of an autopsy following the discovery of a body near the last known location of the missing teenager’s mobile phone.

Spanish police said “all the evidence” indicated the body was that of Mr Slater.

They released video footage of rescuers scaling rock faces and battling brush as they carried out the search.

Part of the video shows two members of the search team being evacuated from the area by helicopter after the body was discovered.

They said Mr Slater, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, could have fallen in the steep and inaccessible area where he was discovered.

Ms Law’s tribute continued: “I’m sure you’ll have your dancing shoes polished and ready” waiting for us all.

“We all love you, buddy. Fly high.”

Sarah Smith, MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden, said she was working to ensure Mr Slater’s family received government support, “particularly to work as quickly as possible towards repatriation”.

General view of the Masca ravine where the search for the young British teenager Jay Slater is taking place — The Guardia Civil said the person whose body was found appeared to have died following a fall (Reuters)

Mr Slater had attended the NRG music festival with two friends before he disappeared, and his last known location was the Teno Rural Park in the north of the Canary Islands, about an 11-hour walk from his home.

He had checked into an Airbnb in Masca after a night out, but the two men who allegedly rented the property were later deemed “irrelevant” to the case.

The search for Mr Slater involved family, friends, police and specialist mountain rescue teams, as well as volunteers from several countries, including a Dutch mountain rescue group.

LBT Global, which supports families of Britons missing abroad, said that while formal identification had not yet been made, “the body was found with Mr Slater’s belongings and clothing”.

She added: “An autopsy and forensic investigations will follow.”

“The teams didn’t stop looking”

The search for the apprentice mason was called off by Spanish police in late June, but in a statement released Monday, police said teams had continued searching every day.

“The discovery was possible thanks to the incessant and discreet searches carried out by the Civil Guard during these 29 days, during which the natural space was preserved so that it would not be invaded by onlookers,” he added.

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Residents of Mr. Slater’s hometown offered their support and prayers to Mr. Slater’s family.

Reverend Matt Smith of West End Methodist Church said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with them. We are here to support them in their time of need.”

Blue ribbons were tied to trees and lampposts in Oswaldtwistle and on the railings outside the church to show support for the family.

Rev Smith said the church would be open from 7pm to 8pm BST “to give them the opportunity to come together and share their feelings, thoughts and prayers with each other”.

Two pieces of paper are attached to a blue ribbon with a clip. One says, “Pray that Jay is found alive,” and the other says, “Pray that you return home safely.” Everyone is thinking of you and your family. — Messages of support have been shared at West End Methodist Church in Oswaldtwistle (BBC)

He said the church would be open for people to say prayers, write messages, light a candle and “for people to just come and be here and we serve the community for them.”

A member of the Oswaldtwistle community told BBC Radio Lancashire: “I think it’s hit the community hard here because he’s obviously a local lad and he’s well known.

“I feel sorry for the family who are going through this.”

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