Two British girls, including a baby, have been found 'abandoned' in a car near to the site of the search for Jay Slater in Tenerife.
They were left alone in a rented white Volkswagen Polo parked in blazing sunshine by a local on the Spanish isle, Arona police reported. The car was noticed by a 34-year-old local who saw the girls, aged seven and just months old, with no adult present.
The elder child explained that their dad had stepped out to get his hair cut at a nearby shopping centre. Despite the ability to open the car door, they chose to remain in the car, CanarianWeekly reported.
READ MORE: Jay Slater's dad claims 'everything stinks' as he questions Tenerife search
The situation caught the attention of alarmed locals who alerted emergency services. Upon arriving at the scene a search begin for a man at the shopping centre, having found items linked to him in the car, including a bag with yoghurts and juices.
Police later questioned a 38-year-old man, who initially denied any connection to the children. Following instruction from the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office, the girls were transferred to Nuestra Senora de la Paz Maternal Centre in La Laguna, reports the Mirror.
Eventually, the man admitted responsibility for the car before allegedly making a quick exit from the facility. Following a police investigation, a 27-year-old British woman was confirmed as the mother of the girls and they were returned to her.
The 38-year-old man remains missing and an arrest warrant has been issued in his name. It comes as the hunt for missing Oswaldtwistle teenager Jay Slater could be aided by the upcoming partridge hunting season, locals hope.
The Guardia Civil called off the search last week for the apprentice bricklayer after helicopters, drones and search dogs were deployed to find him. However friends, family and volunteers are continuing to look for him in the treacherous, mountainous region.
And locals say those efforts will likely be aided by the partridge hunting season which begins soon, as there will be more people with dogs walking through the area.
"There will be different people in the area and a better chance of finding him" a woman in the tiny, picturesque village of Los Carrizales told Sky News.
On Sunday, two huntsmen, with their pack of dogs, were spotted in the same area that was searched by a local hiking group, along with members of Mr Slater's family, the previous day. The team, led by local hiker Juan Garcia, also included Jay's uncle Glen Duncan, father Warren Slater and older brother Zak.
It focused on an area of a gorge close to where his phone was last located. Afterwards Mr Garcia said the area was a "labyringth" and "like looking for a needle in a haystack.
"He could be nearby, two metres away, and we wouldn't see him" due to the terrain, he added.
