Jay Slater’s devastated uncle compares Tenerife case to missing Madeleine McCann as he vows family will ‘cling to hope’

JAY SLATER’S worried uncle has compared the desperate search for his missing nephew to the years-long hunt for Madeleine McCann.

Glen Duncan, 41, spoke to The Sun from the Tenerife mountains as he returned to retrace Jay’s final steps alongside his dad and brother.

Jay’s dad Warren and uncle Glen, searching for him in the mountains of Tenerife

Jay Slater, 19, vanished on June 17

Madeleine McCann vanished in May 2007 on holiday with her parents

Jay’s dad Warren points to something in the mountains today

Joined by Jay’s dad Warren and his brother Zak, a team of 10 spent hours in the unforgiving 25C heat retracing his steps in the hope of finding a breakthrough.

Glen said: “He’s not been found so you’ve got to cling on.

“I’m sure Madeleine McCann’s parents still cling onto that hope, that she’s somewhere on the other side of the world 20 years later.

“She’s never been found and there’s no proof of whatever has happened to her.”

Jay’s devastated uncle vowed: “We’re still holding onto hope – we have to because we don’t know. 

“It’s just torture every day. It’s got to a point now where the sadness has gone and it’s just anger.”

Madeleine McCann vanished on May 3, 2007 while on holiday with her family in Portugal.

Jay’s family were devastated when Spanish police called off their daily search for the teen last Sunday.

They vowed to remain on the island to find out what happened to the apprentice bricklayer.

Before the GoFundMe set up by Jay’s friend Lucy Law hit £50,000 on Friday night, Jay’s mum Debbie said she would use the money to fund sleuths over there helping in the search.

Spanish cops confirmed to Jay’s loved ones yesterday that they are allowed to bring in their own search teams to find him.

The family has been urged to use some of the GoFundMe money to pay for their own search after they said they felt “left in the dark” by cops.

Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, has not been seen since he called Lucy in a panic from the remote mountainous Rural de Teno park on the morning of June 17.

On Thursday, Debbie slammed cruel online trolls for their twisted jibes, conspiracy theories and jokes since Jay vanished on June 17.

Jay’s dad Warren and brother Zak, trekking through the hills looking for Jay this week

Ian Whittaker

Cops search the parkland in Tenerife[/caption]

Jay’s dad Warren, in Tenerife