(Image: Discovery + UK)
To many, Tresco is a paradise. Situated 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall in the Isles of Scilly, this car-free island features transparent waters and stunning beaches.
All properties are owned and managed by the Dorrien-Smith family, acting on behalf of the Duchy of Cornwall. The island spans just two miles in length and one mile in width, and has become closely associated with the affluent, serving as a beloved vacation destination for Prince William and Kate Middleton. ‘Tresco is one of those places you wish to keep hidden,’ has been stated previously by Tatler.
For Tracey Clayton, the island is far from a dream — it embodies a nightmare, as it is where her 23–year-old son, Josh, went missing in 2015 and was later discovered deceased.
‘Josh adored Tresco; he referred to it as paradise,’ Tracey recounts Metro over Zoom from her residence in Somerset, her Weimaraner lounging at her side as she converses. ‘He would send me videos and share with me the enjoyment of seeing the wealthy and famous, or would excitedly point out unique birds.
‘However, my initial visit to Tresco was the Tuesday after Josh disappeared, making it extremely stressful. I could never return there now; it holds too many painful memories.’
Josh was employed at the Ruin Beach Café, a well-liked dining spot where patrons gazed upon the pristine sands while enjoying their meals. It was his second season on the island, and he was well-liked and respected by his colleagues.
On a rainy Sunday, September 13, 2015, Josh made his way to ‘The Shed’, a green structure in a remote area of the island, where Tristan Dorrien-Smith, the son of the wealthy island proprietor Robert, was hosting an exclusive gathering. After spending several hours at the party, Josh departed around 1:30 am, preparing for a shift at the café at 7 am. The night was characterized by heavy rain and a new moon, resulting in completely dark pathways lined by trees that led from the Shed to the staff accommodations.
The following morning, the ordinarily reliable Josh was absent from his shift. Alarmed messages circulated among his friends on a WhatsApp group chat referred to as ‘The Raft’ and a search was initiated. His bicycle, found with its saddle rotated 180 degrees and the pedal covered in mud, was located in a hedge along a trail near The Shed. His personal items, including a portable phone charger and an unopened pack of Lambert and Butler cigarettes, were scattered across the forest ground. Josh’s phone, an iPhone 6, remains missing to this day.
Speculation arose suggesting he may have entered the sea voluntarily — potentially due to suicidal ideations or as a drastic response to illicit substances.
This is a notion Tracey has consistently rejected. Mere hours prior to her son attending The Shed, he had called to share his enthusiasm for plans to relocate to Japan with his boyfriend after finishing his season at Tresco. In terms of substance use, he was known to occasionally smoke cannabis, but he had never used anything stronger to her knowledge.
‘Initially, they kept portraying him as merely a drugged-up drunk,’ recalls Tracey, 60, regarding the early police investigation into her son’s disappearance. ‘It seemed as if the police were attempting to undermine the depth of my knowledge and love for my son.
‘Josh was intimately familiar with the island and had established a buddy system to encourage his peers to walk home with someone else for added safety. He was also very much aware that if he were even half an hour late [for a shift], they would deduct the entirety of that morning’s pay. It was incredibly harsh. Josh in no manner would have wanted to be late to work.’
On September 23, after a harrowing ten days of searches, the young man’s remains were discovered by a French yachtsman washed ashore on Teän, a deserted island less than a mile away from Tresco.
Heartbroken
Through her revelation, there were mornings when Tracey found it challenging to rise from her bed. Yet, on other occasions, she felt resolute to uncover the truth behind her son’s tragic demise and, akin to a ‘lioness safeguarding her young’, she insisted on obtaining answers.
An inquiry was initiated, and attendees of the party were questioned regarding Josh’s demeanor on September 13, 2015. They described him as appearing ‘capable’ and not excessively intoxicated. However, toxicology results indicated he was 2.5 times over the legal limit for driving at the time of his death.
During an inquest, jurors at Plymouth Coroner’s Court determined that Josh’s passing was accidental and potentially induced by a head injury. Their verdict read: ‘We believe Josh made his way onto the beach … consequently Josh experienced either dry drowning, traditional drowning, or possibly struggled to make his way out of the water.’
Tracey felt disheartened; she had anticipated an open verdict that could have warranted additional investigations. The Clayton family has expended over £67,000 in legal fees and enlisting a private investigator in their quest for further clarity regarding Josh’s passing. They highlight shortcomings in the police investigation following his death, including the destruction of a bloody t-shirt he had been wearing without examination, and the fact that one witness—who asserted they witnessed Josh arguing outside the Shed—provided five contradictory accounts of the same incident.
This year, Josh’s brother Ashley returned to Tresco to learn more about his younger brother’s last moments. He was participating in a new documentary titled ‘The Last Party: Death on Tresco,’ which revisits the case.
‘It felt like I was stepping back onto a movie set from a film I’d seen 50 times,’ Ashley tells Metro. ‘It was an odd experience. I first learned about Tresco and the Isles of Scilly when I was around nine or ten, from When the Whales Came by Michael Morpurgo. When Josh secured work on the island, I knew its location, but I had no clue about the operations there until the day he disappeared.’
In “Last Party: Death on Tresco,” Ashley explores the Shed and notes how challenging the surrounding terrain is to navigate, even during daylight hours. If Josh had been intoxicated, his brother suggests he would have found it difficult to descend to the beachfront.
‘People aren’t aware of the various issues surrounding the police investigation,’ Ashley, 42, adds. ‘Upon speaking with some witnesses from the party, many expressed that they were not even interviewed by the police. There’s uncertainty about what was thoroughly investigated. The narrative suggesting Josh fled into the bushes and took his own life is entirely untrue.’
Ashley has felt he carries a ‘burden’ since 2015, which is marginally alleviated by the impending release of “The Last Party: Death on Tresco” on December 28. He and his mother Tracey fervently hope that someone with information may come forth to fill in a missing piece of the enigma surrounding Josh’s death.
Until such information emerges, they strive to navigate life without the ‘charming and humorous’ Josh.
Ashley, who operates AC Digital Technology Limited in Taunton, remarks: ‘My son Sebastian was an infant when Josh disappeared. He’s nine now and bears a striking resemblance to him. Managing the grieving process of losing Josh while raising a child has been challenging. You reach a point where you must stop fixating on it; otherwise, it would drive you mad. I no longer visit his grave, nor do I have the recurring thoughts that once occupied my mind. Yet, the closure still eludes me.
(Picture: Discovery + UK)
‘It has often felt like a struggle, an instinct for survival. I urge anyone experiencing that inner feeling that something is amiss to remain steadfast and not let anyone dissuade you,’
Tracey, employed at The Ship Inn in Taunton, cherishes visits from Josh’s friends who share their anecdotes. She reminisces about a ‘perfect’ vacation to Cuba when he was 15, proudly highlighting his generous nature. Josh possessed a strong moral compass and often encouraged his family and friends to advocate for causes close to his heart, such as refugee charities.
However, cherished memories are insufficient for Tracey, who refers to Ashley as her ‘rock,’ to fully escape the trauma associated with the uncertainty of how her son’s last moments transpired.
‘Before I draw my last breath, I long to understand what transpired with Josh,’ she confesses. ‘I hope this documentary evokes some feelings so that individuals feel prompted to assist our family. We are in desperate need, there’s no denying it. I grieve not only for the love and affection I miss, but also due to the enigma surrounding his fate.’
‘I simply yearn for answers. I have numerous images in my mind of what might have occurred, and I want someone to identify the right scenario and inform me of what took place. I wish I could lay my hand on Josh’s gravestone and ascertain what happened to my precious son.’
A spokesperson for Tresco Estate, managed by the Dorrien-Smith family, conveyed to Metro: ‘Our heartfelt condolences extend to Josh’s family and friends. His tragic passing continues to resonate within our community among those who knew him. Josh cherished Tresco, and his love for the locale was clear in his return for multiple seasons, as is the case with most of our seasonal staff. The Clayton family will always be welcome on Tresco should they choose to return to commemorate Josh and honor his life.’
In response, a representative from Devon and Cornwall Police informed Metro that the department had ‘apologized for the areas in which we did not meet the exalted levels of service we aimed for during this investigation’ and confirmed that officers had met with the Clayton family on several occasions to relay findings.
The spokesperson continued: ‘Multiple extensive investigations have been conducted regarding the disappearance and death of Josh Clayton in 2015. None of these investigations have established verified third-party involvement in Josh’s death. Although there are lessons to be learned for Devon & Cornwall Police in terms of how the Force conducts investigations, we do not believe that any of the issues identified would have significantly impacted the outcome of any of the investigations.
‘We fully comprehend that a family will invariably have inquiries when confronting a death under such circumstances. Nevertheless, comprehensive investigations and a coroner’s verdict have scrutinized all the available evidence and concluded that no other individual can definitively be associated with Josh Clayton’s death.’
The Last Party: Death on Tresco will be available for streaming starting Saturday, December 28, exclusively on discovery+
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