Amateur sleuths taking over search for missing Jay Slater, 19, claim they have found new clue after Spanish police call off rescue mission

Amateur sleuths who have taken over the search for Jay Slater claim they have found a pair of sunglasses that could belong to the missing teenager.

On Sunday, police announced that their two-week search of the Masca gorge where Jay's mobile last pinged had ended but they were keeping the 'investigation open with all avenues being maintained'.

However, they refused to elaborate and TikTokkers have started their own investigations.

Now, one of the sleuths says a pair of sunglasses has been found on a remote Tenerife mountain that could belong to missing raver Jay Slater.

The alleged discovery was revealed by TikTok climber Paul Arnott, 29, who has been working with the family in searching for Jay since he disappeared two weeks ago.

However, the video on his channel has since been deleted. 

On day 14 of the search for missing Jay:

• Family and friends have vowed to continue Tenerife hunt for missing 19-year-old as volunteer plans to target new areas; 
• An ex-Scotland Yard officer has said Spanish police should re-examine Airbnb where he was hours before disappearing and allow British officers to help;
• Jay Slater's father revealed he is 'disappointed' after just six volunteers turn up to join the hunt for his son in Tenerife;
• The missing teenager's family have accused Spanish police of keeping the family in the dark. 

Family members have been handed the sunglasses, which were found by an army expat named only as Chris who lives on the Spanish holiday island.

Paul told MailOnline: 'There have been some new developments and these sunglasses could be key.

'They were found by an army guy called Chris who lives here. I don't want to go into too much detail yet but the family have them and are looking at them.

'They could be Jay's they are very similar to ones he has and we are waiting to see. It could be very significant.'

Mr Arnott, from Flitwick, Bedfordshire, told MailOnline: 'The police say they have searched everywhere but I'm not happy with that.

'If they had searched everywhere they would have found him, but they haven't and I'm convinced he is on that mountain.

'I've been along ridges and gullies they haven't been down and now I intend to look at two other ravines.

'They say they have searched everywhere but in my opinion that haven't and that's why I am carrying on.'

Mr Arnott also revealed he had refused help from Jay's family and said: 'They are so amazing and lovely. They just want to find Jay and I want to help them.

'They keep offering to pay for my food and accommodation, but I keep telling them no. I don't want anything and I don't want anything from the Go Fund Me site.

'What I would be interested in doing is setting up my own fund to pay for a team from Scotland mountain rescue to come out here.'

Today it emerged that Spanish authorities say there is 'no current evidence of criminality' in the Jay Slater case. 

The female investigating judge who is being kept informed of developments has been told the Civil Guard sees nothing at this stage pointing to Jay being the victim of a crime.

As is standard procedure in Spain, the police force is reporting to a court which has opened a routine judicial investigation and has declined to comment on what it is doing behind the scenes as part of a 'parallel probe' which has continued despite the ending of the visible mountain search.

A judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity as is normal in Spain, said: 'There is no evidence of criminality at this stage in this case.

'That's not to say things won't change because the case remains open and investigations are ongoing. But right now that's the situation.'

Another said: 'This missing persons' case has been judicialised as is normal in Spain and it's been lodged at Court of Instruction Number One in Icod de los Vinos.

'The Civil Guard don't have to tell the judge about everything officers are doing but will be keeping her updated on case progress and of course update her on any significant developments.'

In line with the revelation that the Jay Slater probe is being treated at the moment as a missing person inquiry and not a crime, officials confirmed investigating judge Maria Goya has not declared it 'secret' to protect the judicial proceedings.

An order called in Spanish a 'secreto de sumario' is often slapped on a criminal probe in its infancy, preventing even defence lawyers and prosecuting attorneys from accessing case files.

Such orders also prevent public officials from revealing details of any case files with breaches punishable by heavy fines.

Judges who make their investigations secret when cases are still in their infancy act out of a desire to avoid them being compromised by minimising the risk of leaks.

The judicial source said: 'The Jay Slater case that has been opened at the Icod de los Vinos court is not under any secrecy order.'