Jay Slater refused a lift back to his hotel because he was hungry, a former detective has claimed.

Mark Williams-Thomas, who interviewed convicted drug dealer Ayub Qassim after he was seen with the 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer, claimed Slater turned down a lift and "wanted some scran".

The ex-copper, known for his work exposing the vile sex crimes of Jimmy Savile, revealed Qassim stressed Slater was eager to leave the property.

He said: "Qassim said to him ‘Chill, mate, I'll drop you off later, when I wake up' but he said Jay said 'nah, I need some scran, I'm hungry’.

"Jay said he had been told by the woman the bus to Los Cristianos was every ten minutes and Qassim said there was no bus and added 'Do what you like' before going to sleep."

Williams-Thomas added: "Qassim says the next thing he remembers is getting a call from one of Jay's friends to say he is lying in a ditch somewhere and that he's been 'bitten by a cactus’."

Slater, who is from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, vanished on June 17.

Police spent 13 days searching through the Masca village in search of the missing teenager.

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Spanish authorities ruled out Qassim and a second man from the search following initial investigations.

Slater is believed to have decided to walk back to his own accommodation in Los Cristianos.

The 19-year-old reportedly missed a bus and decided to make the return journey, which takes about 11 hours, on foot.

Tenerife's Guardia Civil suspended the search for the teenager after helicopters, drones and search dogs were deployed to find him.

The Slaters have been putting pressure on local police to resume the search.

A source told The Sun: "They are desperate for permission to be granted that will allow them to use the specialist equipment they’ve identified.

"They’ve been speaking to experts who have suggested items that could help.

"Things like [radar] tracking gear, drones and kit which can help at night-time too."