A TV detective says “significant new information” has been passed onto British and Spanish police regarding the disappearance of Jay Slater.

Mark Williams-Thomas, a former police officer, said Jay was “clearly worried about his own safety” after being driven to a holiday rental, Casa Abuela Tina in Masca, in the early hours of June 17.

Jay, 19, from Oswaldtwistle, left the rental “in a rush” hours after arriving, without charging his phone.

Mark, who also looked into the disappearance of Lancashire mum Nicola Bulley, said: “On the morning of June 17, on arrival back to the rental, Jay spoke to a number of different people on his phone. They would describe him as very much awake.

“As a result of the information we have received we now know that Jay took certain actions while at the rental because he was clearly worried about his own safety. This was shortly before he decided to leave.

“Over the last few days, I have received a significant new piece of information which I have shared with both the British and Spanish police.

"This provides some clarity as to why he may have left in a hurry and did not want to return to the rental even though his phone was about to [run out of charge].”

Mark did not divulge any further details about what this “significant piece of information” is.

According to Mark, evidence “strongly suggests” that Jay is likely to be in or around the mountains.

He said: “The internet is awash with theories, some are massively wild speculation. Others have elements of the truth. Overwhelmingly, many are made up.

“We are uniquely placed, having spoken to nearly all the key witnesses to cross-check their accounts and evidence, thus building the clearest picture.

“The evidence we have been able to collect, including the significant new intelligence, strongly supports that Jay is most likely to be in or around the mountains. We suspect [he is] some distance from the last phone location drop.

“Even after extensive searching by highly experienced personnel [in the] the rugged and dangerous areas. It’s not possible to rule out that he isn’t still there.”

Mark said there is no evidence of third-party criminal involvement in Jay’s disappearance “although [the research] has opened up links with dangerous criminal underworld of drugs and associated crime.”

Mark said some people may not have told investigators the full truth due to their “their own involvement in criminal activity”.

He said: “With people we have spoken to, we are aware that not everything they have told us will be the truth. There are a number of reasons for this, including their own involvement in criminal activity.

“Some of Jay’s closest friends have fully engaged with us and discussed things that could cause them to be unfairly judged by the public.”

Anyone involved in search for Jay has been asked to email enquiry@specialinvestigations.com. Mark is putting a map and timeline together.