Our hearts are broken

>> Mother's grief as body identified >> Jay 'died instantly' in fall onto rocks

- ADAM ASPINALL

The Canary Islands’ High Court of Justice found his injuries to be consistent with a fall in a rocky area.

It confirmed the identity of the body with the use of fingerprint technology after the remains were found near the village of Masca in Tenerife on Monday.

In a statement issued through missing persons charity LBT Global, Jay’s mother Debbie Duncan said: “I just can’t believe it. We’re here with the embassy staff waiting for an update and now it’s come – the worst news.”

She added: “I just can’t believe this could happen to my beautiful boy. Our hearts are broken.”

Matthew Searle, chief executive of LBT Global, said it is working with the family to arrange taking his body home and recovering his belongings.

He said Jay’s family have taken “very small comfort” in the likelihood that he died instantly after falling from a significant height.

Mr Searle said he had been speaking with Debbie, 55, at length after Spanish authorities concluded her son’s injuries were consistent with an accidental fall.

NIGHTMARE

Mr Searle, whose charity has been supporting the family, said they had looked closely at the area where the rescue teams found Jay’s body.

He said: “Chances are if he did fall from a height where we saw the recovery teams then it’s very unlikely he would have known much about it.

“That takes away the horrible nightmare idea that he fell and was waiting for help that never came. It’s very small comfort, but it is some.”

Jay’s friend Lucy Law, the last known person to speak to him during a phone call on June 17, issued a tribute on her Instagram page.