Funeral held for British teenager Jay Slater

The funeral of British teenager Jay Slater, who died while on holiday in Tenerife, has been held.

The 19-year-old, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, fell to his death after getting lost in a mountainous area of the island on 17 June.

His disappearance prompted a major search and widespread publicity until his body was found in a ravine a month later.

About 500 people attended a chapel service in Accrington, including many who watched it on a large outdoor screen in the rain.

Mr Slater's loved ones had asked that people donate to the LBT Global charity, which supports the families of British nationals who go missing overseas, instead of bringing floral tributes.

Well-wishers who attended the service wore blue in his memory, while his colleagues were in t-shirts emblazoned with the words "Forever 19".

Funeral director Sarah Barton, who officiated at the service, told the congregation that she wanted to thank "those who have helped bring Jay safely back to us".

Speaking on behalf of the family, she also thanked people who had sent "heartfelt messages and cards to them to help them get through this incredibly hard and sad time".

A family friend, who did not want to be named, told the BBC the service was "beautiful and deserved".

The teenager, who worked as an apprentice bricklayer, was previously described by his family as a "loving son" and "cherished brother", who loved dance, music and playing football.

Before his death, he had been on his first holiday abroad without parents to attend the NRG music festival at the tourist hotspot of Playa de las Americas.

• Why did it take 29 days to find Jay Slater?

His friends said he then got into a car with two men he met during the event, who reportedly drove him to their Airbnb in the village of Masca in the Rural de Teno national park.

Both men, who were spoken to by Spanish police, were ruled "irrelevant" to the investigation into Mr Slater's disappearance.

The teenager left the accommodation on the morning of 17 June and walked for about half an hour before calling a friend to say he was lost, thirsty and had 1% battery on his phone.

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.

Although there was no live stream for the service, a number of social media accounts had offered access to a fake stream in exchange for likes and money as part of a scam.

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