Jay Slater's GoFundMe reaches £40k in donations as mum announces plans to withdraw funds

Jay Slater's GoFundMe has reached over £40k in donations after his mum issued an update on withdrawing part of the funds.

The search for the missing teenager, 19, from Lancashire, continues as it's been nearly two weeks since he told his friend he was lost.

While on a holiday in Tenerife with his friends, they decided to attend the New Rave Generation festival earlier this month.

However, Jay got split up from his mates and decided to stay out with a group of people he had just met on Sunday (16 June) evening.

Jay Slater was last seen in Tenerife. (Family Handout)

On Monday (17 June) morning, he called his friend and told her that he was in the middle of a mountainous area after having missed a bus back to the resort.

A GoFundMe page was set up shortly after he went missing and £40,065 has been raised of a £30,000 target at the time of writing.

In an update on Thursday (27 June), his mum, Debbie Duncan, opened up on her plans to 'withdraw part of the funds'.

She wrote: "First, I would like to thank everyone for your support, kind messages, and good wishes.

"It’s difficult to wrap our heads around what is happening right now, but we are not losing hope that we will find Jay and return home together.

Jay's mum his mum has issued an update on withdrawing part of the GoFundMe funds. (ITV News)

"We are currently working with GoFundMe to withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held.

"I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay.

"Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses.

"I'm surrounded by wonderful people who are by my side, but far from their loved ones, so we'll also be using part of these funds to fly them to Tenerife so we can support each other during these dark times.

"Thank you again for all your donations and support, this means the world to us."

The final Snapchat Jay is believed to have posted. (Snapchat)

She had previously issued a statement in response to questions about the fund.

When Jay called his friend Lucy Law on 17 June, she said he'd told her that he had 'cut his leg on a cactus and had no idea where he was'.

Lucy further told Sky News that Jay had also said that his phone was on one percent battery.

Before he got cut off, she claims he said that stayed out with people he met on Sunday night, who were renting a holiday home apartment 'miles away from civilisation and in a very secluded location'.