Jay Slater's friend says 'we ain't drug mules' as missing 19-year-old's mother issues update on day 20 of Tenerife search

Jay Slater's friend has insisted they are 'not drug mules' as the search for the missing 19-year-old nears the end of its third week.

As conspiracy theories and fake videos have swirled around on social media, Brad Hargreaves - who went on holiday to Tenerife with Slater and described him as his 'best mate' - has tried to set the record straight.

After flying out to the island for the three-day NRG music festival, Mr Hargreaves said he has experienced vile trolls on social media, The Sun reports. 

'Thinkin' I'm involved in it all is beyond me,' he said. 'We've been mates for years, came on our first holiday together and unfortunately this has happened.

'We ain't drug mules or whatever.... people need to know the facts before talking s*** on the internet...'

Slater's heartbroken mother Debbie Duncan has also issued a fresh update. 

A post on an official Facebook group read: 'Debbie and family would like to thank the local hiking group who have worked tirelessly planning routes and searching for Jay they are extremely overwhelmed with the kindness of them all. Thank you.'

This comes after it was revealed that Jay's family can use their own search-and-rescue teams in Tenerife, Spanish police have said.

The teenager disappeared after attending a rave in Playa de las Americas which he left in the morning of June 17. He then travelled back to a £40-a-night Airbnb cottage in the remote village of Masca with two older British men.

As he tried to walk the 11 hours back to his hotel, Jay called best friend Lucy to say he was lost, in desperate need of some water and his phone battery was on 1 per cent. 

His devastated family previously told Sky News they were waiting for authorities to allow them to use some of the £50,000 of donations, raised through a crowdfunding page, to pay for specialist search and rescue teams. 

Now the Guardia Civil has confirmed such teams can be brought in from elsewhere 'without any problem' to help with the hunt for the 19-year-old.

Spanish police previously focused their search for the teenager on the mountainous village and Rural de Teno National Park in north-west Tenerife where his phone last pinged.

Earlier this week, Ms Duncan hit out at trolls accusing her of being 'on holiday' while she looks for her son in Spain.

The missing teenager's family revealed earlier this week that they were planning on using GoFundMe donations to remain in Tenerife after Spanish police called off the land search 14 days after the 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer first went missing.

Now, Debbie Duncan has asked for people to realise that they are a 'normal working family from Lancashire going through hell'.

In a post on social media, she said: 'I feel the need to post this to your group and then I shall remove myself. I joined this group to share the positivity and love from the British public. 

'It seems through no fault of my own you have all decided to make up your own minds. It is really sad I have felt the need to do this. My beautiful son Jay is still missing and believe me this is no holiday.'

'He came on his first holiday to Tenerife to attend the NRG music event. What mystery surrounding his disappearance may never surface. We as a family are truly devastated,' she continued.

'I did not ask for publicity from the start and was not aware that the first missing poster had my telephone number on it. It should have had the SOS Guardia Civil but like I say this was out of my control. 

'Whatever decision you have in your minds I cannot control this either. We are a normal working family from Lancashire going through hell. I would like to thank the genuine people for their love and support at this difficult time and to continue to pray for Jay to be found. 

'For those of you who are more concerned around the Gofundme page I can assure you that up to now it has not been used and our stay up to now has been financed by ourselves. 

'I do have proof of transactions and transfers to other persons but I should not have to justify this. So you can make up your own minds. If any of you in this group have donated I am thankful For the other mothers out there. Please continue to pray.'