Mum selling possessions to afford flight to find missing son through fear of fundraising backlash

Ben’s mum Felix has been trying to find him after he went missing for a second time.

A mum has been forced to sell her possessions to afford to find her missing son - because of a fear of backlash and abuse like that faced by the family of Jay Slater.

Felix Robinson needs to pay for a flight to Majorca to look for Ben Ross who has disappeared for the second time.

The 26-year-old from Golborne, Wigan, turned up at the British consulate in July, 12 days after going missing from the tourist hotspot of Palma City.

The trainee barrister disappeared again on 3 August as his mother planned to leave the Spanish island because of her limited funds during the peak holiday season.

She had been trying to find support from the authorities whilst looking after her son.

Carla Speight, who has set up a crowdfunder to support her friend, said, "Felix will put every penny she has into finding her son. We know with the astronomical costs she won’t be eating and drinking properly.

"She’s sold loads of her clothes just to pay for flights."

Ben Ross travelled to Majorca in June to visit a friend and take a break from studying to become a barrister in Manchester.

Despite searches following the filing of a missing person’s report, Felix was forced to return home before finding her son.

A statement from friends said, "Whilst here in the UK, due to the significant backlash Jay Slater’s mum faced around asking for more donations to her GoFundMe, Felix unsuccessfully attempted to secure a loan.

"To avoid any further trolling and nasty comments online, Felix also started to sell her possessions to pull together enough money to afford a flight out to the island again in the hopes she will find her son and convince him to come home to recover."

Flights back to Palma De Mallorca, the nearest airport to where Ben went missing, currently start at £200 one way.

Friends say prices for food and accommodation have all nearly doubled during the summer.

Friend Anne Marie O’Neill said "No one thinks this will happen to them. No one has a spare pot of cash lying around in case this horrendous nightmare happens to them.

"Getting support is incredibly difficult and we are just making sure she has everything she needs to stay safe, find Ben and get him home”.

Friends are hoping that there will be enough raised to support Felix.

They say any surplus funds will be donated to Andy’s Man Club.