The UK Foreign Office has issued a statement as the search for Lancashire-born teen Jay Slater continues.
The 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle went missing after a night out in Tenerife last week and was last heard from around 8am on Monday morning.
Slater had attended the NRG music festival over the weekend and his last known location is said to have been near the Rural de Teno Park in the northwest of the island, according to a location pin sent to his friend Lucy, informing her that he was lost in the middle of the mountains with no clear landmarks.
A spokesperson for the government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has now issued an update, stating that they are “providing consular support to the family of a British man who has been reported missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Jay’s friends contacted the British Embassy in Tenerife yesterday (Credit: Zak Slater (via Facebook)/Instagram).
Speaking to local outlet The Lancashire Telegraph, Lucy said “I have never been so worried in my life”, adding that it is very out of character for him to wander off on his own.
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He told her he had initially tried to catch a bus from the apartment where he had been staying but ultimately had to walk instead. She had spent all day trying to find him and now his mother and brother have flown out to try and help with the search.
The pin location indicating his last known whereabouts disappeared after his phone battery died; Lucy went on to add that “he might have a cut on his leg as he mentioned he hurt his leg on his cactus”.
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Local police also informed her that they intended to send mountain rescue to find the missing Lancashire teen but hadn’t heard any new information from them. Slater is slim with brown hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, trainers and a black bag.
Family and friends are sharing this poster with crucial contact details for anyone with information on the missing Lancashire teen.
Keeping his loved ones up to date in a Facebook group created to help find him, Jay’s sister-in-law Jessica Rogers said there have sadly been “no updates” as yet.
Another person wrote: “Hoping Jay is found soon, every mother’s worst nightmare.”
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Rural de Teno National Park where his location last pinged is popular amongst hikers and fortunately features live 24-hour webcams, which may help in locating him.
Our thoughts go out to all of his friends and family during this difficult time, and we hope he is found safe and sound soon.
Glitzy Spinningfields bar famed for its bottomless deals shuts down
Daisy Jackson
Popular cocktail bar group Banyan has suddenly closed its glitzy bar in the heart of Spinningfields.
The restaurant and bar, which is part of the Arc Inspirations group that also operates Manahatta and Box, has shut down with immediate effect.
A sign has been posted in the window of the Spinningfields site of Banyan confirming its closure.
Banyan opened in 2018 and was the second site for the brand, which has been operating out of the Corn Exchange since 2015.
Inside, the huge 7,000sq ft space was split into spaces for drinking, dining and dancing, including a large mezzanine and a huge white marble bar.
Banyan is famed for its bottomless deals, whether that’s a classic bottomless brunch or their bottomless Sunday roast (endless Yorkshire puddings, gravy, wine, and roast potatoes).
It also offered two-for-one cocktails, all day every day.
The bar stands on the side of Spinningfields, directly opposite The Ivy and alongside The Alchemist.
Banyan in Spinningfields has shut downThe note in the window of Banyan
But now it has permanently closed its doors, thanking people for their custom over its almost-decade in Manchester.
The sign on the door says: “Banyan Spinningfields is now permanently closed.
“Thank you so much for your custom over the years, we’ve loved being part of this wonderful city and have made so many friends.
“Don’t be a stranger, we’d love to continue to welcome you to our Banyan bar in the Corn Exchange. Team Banyan.”
Council seized £4.3m worth of counterfeit goods from Manchester’s streets in 2025
Emily Sergeant
A whopping £4.3 million of counterfeit goods were seized from Manchester’s streets in 2025, the Council has revealed.
Now that 2025 has come to end, Manchester City Council has announced that its Trading Standards Team seized and destroyed more than 43,500 counterfeit items in the last year – ranging from everything like fake handbags, trainers, and jewellery, to electronic items, sportswear, children’s toys, sunglasses, and much more.
Through ‘exemplary partnership work’ with Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the Council says this criminal industry has taken a ‘substantial hit’ over the past 12 months.
It’s also estimated that the goods seized would have lost the industry up to £43 million.
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, who is the Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council, said the Council hopes this action ‘sends a message that we will not tolerate this harmful trade.’
The Council seized £4.3m worth of counterfeit goods from Manchester’s streets in 2025 / Credit: GMP
“The counterfeit industry was substantially embedded in our communities, but through their diligence and the support of our valued partners we have driven away some of the worst offenders and are beginning the process of regenerating the areas of Manchester that were long blighted by this sort of crime,” she added.
It’s not just counterfeit goods that’ve been targeted either, as a substantial push was also made throughout the year to crack-down on the sale and distribution of illicit tobacco.
In total, 316,625 cigarettes – which is equivalent to nearly 16,000 individual packs – were seized by the Council and police.
258kg of hand rolling tobacco was also seized, as well as more than 18,000 illegal vapes that don’t comply with UK laws or regulations.
Detective Chief Inspector Melanie Johnson, who is the lead coordinator of Operation Machinize for GMP, says the police takes any information it receives about counterfeit trading ‘very seriously’.
“We will continue to investigate all aspects of this criminality to protect our communities from the harms of illegal products.”
Danny Jones -
18th June 2024 
