Revealed: Missing Jay Slater and friends were ambushed by trio of thugs who jumped out of a car and attacked them when he was just 12 years old

Missing teenager Jay Slater was ambushed by three thugs who jumped out of a car and beat him and his two friends up when he was just 12 years old.

The apprentice bricklayer, who has been missing on the island of Tenerife since June 17, was left 'shaken up' and with a 'massive lump on his head' after the attackers assaulted him and his 13-year-old friends in 2017.

Jay, who is now 19, and his two mates were walking together on Haworth Street in their hometown of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, when they were attacked by the three men.

Jay's mother Debbie Duncan, who is desperately searching for her missing son in Tenerife, said her son was 'absolutely terrified' after the attack.

'He was really shook up and had a massive lump on his head,' she told LancsLive at the time. 'He said they were kicking them when they were on the ground.'

Jay had initially hidden under a car to evade his attackers until they left, which left Debbie fearing her son had been taken. 'They rang me to say Jay had been attacked and they think they've taken him in a car. I was hysterical on the end of the phone,' she explained.

Debbie, 55, added: 'People are saying there are gangs of youths in Oswaldtwistle, but I know Jay wasn't involved in that. He had only been out of the house for about half an hour.' 

It comes as: 

• Jay's mother said she was in talks to withdraw money from GoFundMe for her missing son to pay for rescue and living expenses;
• MailOnline revealed new photos of Jay chatting with friends at a hotel pool party just two days before he went missing;
• Spanish police sent up drones as they continued their search for the missing British teenager;
• Jay's mother said she's at her 'wit's end' and revealed his ex-girlfriend Jessica Ingham was among those who had travelled to Tenerife with him;
• True crime internet sleuths with no connections to Jay flew to Tenerife to join the hunt;
• Jay's father accused Spanish police of keeping the family in the dark. 

Four years later, Jay was part of an eight-strong gang that split the skull of Tom Hilton, then 17, during an attack with a machete, golf clubs and an axe in Rishton, Lancashire, in 2021.

After Spanish press revealed Jay had been involved in the machete attack that left Mr Hilton fighting for his life, MailOnline learned that detectives on the holiday island were trying to determine whether his disappearance was linked to his criminal past.  

Details of the machete attack were posted on social media sites appealing for help in tracking Jay down and many have described his disappearance as 'karma'. 

Mr Hilton was left with injuries to his head which left his skull exposed as well as wounds to his shoulders and legs in the 2021 attack when he was 17.

In court he described the gang as a 'pack of wolves' and he was forced to run for his life through nearby woods before being set upon.

A report of the attack in the Manchester Evening News from last August describes how throughout the case all eight laughed and joked with Judge Philip Parry telling Preston Crown Court they had found the trial 'amusing'.

Jay was given an 18-month community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 150 hours unpaid work for violent disorder - and he went on holiday to Tenerife last week after completing most of his sentence. 

Despite the attack, Mr Hilton backed the search and hit out at online trolls, saying: 'Whoever is writing on these TikToks, give it a rest. This young lad's missing and his family's heartbroken.

'Put yourself in their shoes. Stop talking nonsense on social and get this lad found, mentioning my name all this and that. Have some respect and help find this boy and get him back to his family.'    

It comes as Debbie revealed she is in talks with GoFundMe to release some of the £36,000 in donations given to an appeal in order to help finance rescue efforts and 'living costs' in Tenerife.

Jay's mother said the money would be used for mountain rescue, accommodation and food expenses as she declared: 'It's difficult to wrap our heads around what is happening right now.'

Jay, 19, vanished without trace on the morning of Monday June 17 after enjoying the last night of a three-day rave at the Papagayo Beach Club. He was last seen at 8.15am walking uphill from the village of Masca in the Parque Rurale Teno in northwest Tenerife. 

After going back to an Airbnb near the remote village of Masca with two men he had met on holiday, Jay phoned his friend Lucy Mae Law at 8.50am to tell her that he was 'tired, thirsty and disorientated' with only one per cent battery on his phone.

As the search involving helicopters and drones enters its 11th day, MailOnline today revealed new photos of Jay chatting with friends at a hotel pool party just two days before he vanished.

It comes as the case took a strange twist yesterday when the Tenerife mayor revealed police were quizzing locals who claimed to have seen Jay 'watching the Euros' in a bar in Puerto de Santiago - another coastal resort on the island.

In a statement posted on GoFundMe on Thursday, Jay's mother Debbie said: 'This is Debbie again. First, I would like to thank everyone for your support, kind messages, and good wishes. It's difficult to wrap our heads around what is happening right now, but we are not losing hope that we will find Jay and return home together.

'We are currently working with GoFundMe to withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held. I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay.

'Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses.

'I'm surrounded by wonderful people who are by my side, but far from their loved ones, so we'll also be using part of these funds to fly them to Tenerife so we can support each other during these dark times.

'Thank you again for all your donations and support, this means the world to us.'

The appeal was started last week by his friend Lucy and astonishingly reached its £30,000 target within three days although some contributors have expressed concerns over where the funds will go.

One woman named as Charlotte C wrote: 'Unfortunately I have to donate the minimum of £5 in order to leave a comment. However, I feel this is important to highlight the concerns regarding this GoFundMe.

'These feelings are not baseless; they are a product of observations, inaccuracies and experiences that are shared by many.

'Some of the key concerns regarding the GoFundMe are - 1. There is no detailed plan on how this money will be used. 2. The family said they did not want/need a GoFundMe then later set up a GoFundMe. 3. If it's for accommodation and car hire. The family have already stated that this has been gifted to them for there stay. 4. The beneficiary - Jay's mum keeps showing up and disappearing on the GoFundMe page. This has happened multiple times over the past few days. Which is unusual and concerning.

'It is essential that all funds going towards Jay Slater's GoFundMe page are put on hold until further details or evidence from the police are released and pending a thorough and meticulous investigation.'

Another donor Andy S, who also contributed £5, said:'I echo Charlotte C's concerns. I have raised these on numerous platforms (as have many, many others) and no action has been taken.

'I understand that advice may have been given not to interact but there has not been one update on this GFM to address such concerns. It is really not difficult to update the bio.

'The media have even highlighted the public's concerns in this respect. Common sense tells me that Organisers/Beneficiaries would have responded to this on this platform at least.

'The general public have raised almost £30k for this cause which has obviously touched the nation. Therefore, please, please address the points raised. My thoughts remain with those concerned.'

It comes after fresh pictures emerged of the missing British teenager today.

The photos show the apprentice bricklayer in party resort Playa de las Americas on the Spanish holiday island alongside dozens of other tourists including his friend Lucy.

They were taken at a pool party on the second day of the NRG festival on June 15 - just two days before he vanished.

The pictures were posted by a Scottish female holidaymaker, who we are not identifying. 

She wrote: 'Just came across these in my camera roll. Not sure if they could be of any help, Jay sort of looks like he's standing (by) himself while Lucy is speaking to his other friends.'

Since Jay vanished police and mountain rescue teams have combed a vast area of the park using drones, dogs and helicopters but found no trace of him.

His parents Debbie Duncan and Warren Slater, 58, plus brother Zak Slater, 24, have all travelled to Tenerife to help in the hunt and are said to be at 'breaking point'.

They flew in from their home in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire and have vowed to remain in Tenerife until they find Jay but as time goes on and with no sighting fears are growing for his safety.

TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas, who is in contact with the family, said he has two working theories - that he either had an accident and is on the mountain, or a criminal party is involved.

He has also appealed for the two men who were with Jay to come forward or he will 'release a picture of one of them'.

Spanish police, who have rejected an offer of help from British police, have not commented on any of the speculation or Mr Williams-Thomas' presence.

The disappearance took a bizarre twist yesterday when the search shifted to the town of Puerto de Santiago after a mayor said locals had seen someone matching his appearance in bars there. 

Emilio Jose Navarro Castanedo gave an interview saying he had spoken to locals who said they had 'seen him watching the Euros on the coast.' Mr Navarro Castanedo said he didn't know which bars locals had seen the man in or what time or date.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Mr Navarro Castanedo said: 'There has been a lot of fake news and misunderstanding of what I said.

'To be clear, I did not say I saw him watching football, locals have told me that they have heard from others that they saw someone looking like the boy in a bar at Los Gigantes further along the coast.

'I have no idea if it was him, but holidaymakers of his age all dress the same and I have no idea in which bars he was seen, I don't know if the police have been there they are not telling me about their investigation.

'I know that local police have spoken to these people who said they saw him cheering in a bar watching football.

'I don't know when he was supposed to have been seen but it was supposedly certainly in the days after he disappeared but I have to underline this is unconfirmed information and only what I have been told.'

The development came as one of Jay's pals lashed out at internet sleuths and online trolls who have accused him of being connected to the disappearance.

Bradley Hargreaves, 19, arrived on the Spanish sunshine holiday island with Jay, for their first lads holiday abroad and attended the high-octane NRG festival.

It was following an after-party at Papagayo's nightclub in the hotspot of Playa de las Americas that the apprentice bricklayer vanished on June 17.

Posting on social media, Bradley said: 'Don't know why l've to jump on here to explain myself to the Facebook world but if any of yous believe me his best mate has anything to do with him going missing you're honestly not all there.

'I've known Jay most of my life go to all these raves and what not together and this was our first lads holiday with him. Nobody actually knows the true story not even me because there isn't a factual story that has come out just a load of s*** that has been said by different people.

'Anyway won't be saying much more on here but just thought l'd get that out.'

Among those who commented on his post was Lucy, the last friend who Jay was in touch with and who spoke with him at 8.50am the day he disappeared. She posted a praying hands and heart emoji adding: 'We will find him.'

Jay's mother revealed she's at her wits' end with worry. Speaking out, Debbie revealed how among those who had travelled to the Spanish holiday island was her son's former girlfriend, Jessica Ingham.

School finance officer Debbie, 55, told MailOnline: 'It's been a week now and it's been awful. I've barely slept and I'm at my wits' end.

'The Spanish police are doing a good job and we are getting updated from the consulate so we just put our faith in them.

'I know people in the UK have come forward as well who were at the festival and they are giving details of what they know but I'm not being told about that.'