The mother of missing Lester McLennan has said she believes it is “very likely” that her son is dead after he went missing in the north coast area earlier this month.
The 20-year-old Londoner has been missing since November 1, when he boarded a bus in Belfast to the Giant’s Causeway.
He was last seen making his way towards Dunservick Castle by a tour guide, it is understood.
Lester had travelled to Northern Ireland with his mother, Lalitha McLennan, to visit family.
Since he was reported missing, an extensive Coastguard-led search of the north coast area has failed to turn up any trace of Lester.
In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, his mother renewed her appeal for anyone with information on her son to get in touch with police.
She also expressed her fears that Lester is no longer alive.
“It would be good to find him, but I don’t expect to find him alive,” she said.
“It would be good to know what happened to him. I don’t hold a lot of hope. Initially I had been pushing to find out where his backpack was found - it feels very likely that he’s not alive.”
A black backpack was handed in to staff at the Giant’s Causeway visitors centre after Lester was reported missing, prompting an appeal by police for the member of the public who found it to contact them.
Ms McLennan has praised the PSNI for their work in trying to find her son.
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“The police have been really quick,” she added of their response time to reports of possible sightings.
“When I was handing out leaflets in Ballycastle someone there thought they’d seen someone who looked like Lester.
“After they managed to get through on the phone the police were there within half an hour. I was there and met them and it was very evident they were actively following things up.”
She added of the public: “People were so kind and warm.”
Police have said Lester is around 6 feet 3 in height, of slim build with light brown hair and was last seen wearing a black glasses, light beige trousers with a dark belt, walking boots, a long grey coat to below the knee, a dark zip-up jacket, and was carrying a black backpack.
Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101.
