Jay Slater’s family are seen for the first time since the teenager’s body was found in the mountains of Tenerife as they gathered at church

JAY Slater’s distraught family today paid an emotional visit to a church near where the teenager tragically died.

Devastated mum Debbie Duncan, dad Warren Slater and brother Zak were spotted in Santiago del Teide – the gateway town to mountainous Masca.

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Warren, wearing a black top, spoke at length with a man in khaki pants, believed to be from the Signi Zoekhondon search team, outside the San Fernando Rey church.

Meanwhile, Debbie, 55, sat on a bench with sunglasses covering her face while Zak, wearing a blue t-shirt, stood nearby.

The family and some other people then went to a cafe opposite.

Jay’s loved ones were heartbroken when police recovered his body on Monday in a treacherous ravine, 29 days after he disappeared.

While the family was in Santiago del Teide, the specialized search team from the Netherlands were seen in the rocky terrain with sniffer dogs.

They descended into the ravine where Jay’s body was discovered, which police described as “inaccessible.”

The group of volunteers Signi Zoekhondon flew to the island on Sunday night, hours before Jay’s body was found the next morning.

But they remained in Tenerife and are expected to return later this week.

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Debbie said today: “The wonderful Signi Zoekhondon team have remained in Spain all week and have continued to support us since Jay was found.

“They are expected to return home in the next few days and we are so grateful for their dedication and support.”

She also asked for more donations on the GoFundMe page for Jay’s funeral, to give him “the send-off he deserves.”

The family remained in Tenerife and are making arrangements for Jay’s body to be repatriated to the UK.

Distraught, Debbie, Warren, 58, and Zak, 24, hope to board the same flight – which is due to take place early next week.

Apprentice bricklayer Jay, 19, traveled to a remote Airbnb in Masca with two men in the early hours of June 17.

He spent the entire night partying in Playa de las Americas, about an hour’s drive away.

In the morning he attempted the 11-hour walk back to his accommodation, miles away.

Jay made one last tragic phone call to his friend Lucy Law to say he was lost, needed water and only had one percent battery left on his phone.

That was the last time Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, was heard from and a massive search mission was launched.

Jay’s father, Warren, and brother Zak spent weeks searching for a discovery in the unforgiving terrain after the teenager went missing on June 17.

They retraced the apprentice bricklayer’s steps in the scorching heat for days on their own after Spanish police suspended the search.

But his body was finally discovered by a helicopter crew on Monday, at the bottom of a ravine near where his cell phone last rang.

Jay’s body revealed that he had suffered multiple injuries consistent with an accidental fall from a considerable height.

Spanish authorities in the Canary Islands used fingerprints to confirm his identity.

His body has already been handed over to his family so that repatriation arrangements can be made.

A family spokesperson said: “There are a number of complex issues that need to be addressed before he can finally return home to the UK.

“But the plan is for his family to travel on the same flight. They want to bring him home.” His body is expected to be repatriated early next week, the spokesman added.

It is possible that a UK coroner may order a second autopsy before being released for a funeral.

After authorities confirmed the identity, Jay’s family left moving tributes in the area where the teenager is feared he fell.

A teddy bear with English flags and a bracelet with the letter J were also placed on a rocky track where Jay last stood.

Debbie described Jay as her “beautiful boy” in a touching handwritten note.

She wrote: “I’m so sorry I never found you.

“I miss you so much. You will always be young and I will miss you forever. I love you so much.”

Warren left a message that simply said: “To my son. I love daddy.”

Zak promised to look after his parents, writing: “Love you bro. Never in a million years did I think I would do this.

“I will take care of mom and dad. Hope you’re partying there with grandpa. Hope to see you again someday. Keep calm, bro. I love you.”