Claudia Elizabeth Lawrence 35, Msg 03/18/09, York UK

[sarahhod]

Parents’ emotional plea over missing chef Claudia Lawrence

11:27am Monday 23rd March 2009
By Nicola Fifield » (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/biog/4986)


http://www.thepress.co.uk/resources/images/856978/?type=display
Claudia Lawrence: Police have carried out extensive searches



A WORRIED couple have issued a desperate appeal to their missing daughter as police mounted a massive search operation in York.
Chef Claudia Elizabeth Lawrence, 35, of Heworth, has not been seen since she left work at the University of York last Wednesday afternoon.
Police said her disappearance was completely out of character. Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Pope, of York Police, said: “We can see no reason for her disappearance.”
She said more than a dozen police officers, assisted by police dogs, carried out an extensive search of the route between Claudia’s home and the university.
Claudia’s parents, Peter and Joan Lawrence, said in a message to their daughter that they were extremely worried about her.
They said: “Everyone just wants to know that you are safe and well. Please, please get in touch and let us know you are okay.”
“Each day you remain out of contact, the more concerned and anxious we are becoming.”
DCI Pope said Claudia set off from the university on foot at about 2.15pm last Wednesday and spoke to her parents on the phone in the evening.
“She had separate conversations with her mum and dad that night,” she said.
“They were general conversations, perfectly normal, nothing untoward, nothing out of the ordinary.
“They were thinking she was at home, but at this stage we can’t confirm where she was.”
On Thursday morning, Claudia, who was due to start her shift at 6am, never arrived at work. DCI Pope said: “There was no indication that she was going to go away. As far as we know she was happy. We have to keep an open mind. We are considering every possibility.
“We appeal to anyone who has seen Claudia, spoken to her or knows of her whereabouts to contact police urgently.
“Or better still, if Claudia hears or reads this appeal, please get in touch with friends, family or police and let us know that you are safe.”
Claudia, who is single and lives alone, is described as white, around 5ft 6ins tall, slim with brown hair and brown eyes.
She was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans and trainers.
One Melrosegate resident said the back garden of her home had been searched by two police officers on Saturday as they carried out door-to-door inquiries, and that residents had been shown a picture of Claudia by the search team.
“I saw the officers at one of my neighbours’ houses and when I saw them coming towards my house, I asked them what they wanted,” she said.
“When they said they were looking for somebody who had gone missing, I thought at first they meant a child or a teenager, so I was was quite surprised when they said it was a 35-year-old woman. They were going right along the street and asking for permission to look into everybody’s gardens, showing them the picture of the woman and asking if anybody thought they had seen her.
“We saw them starting to look in the playing fields off Melrosegate and then among the trees on the other side of the road.
“I suppose they must have something in mind about what might have happened to this woman, but we don’t know what it is – we just hope they find her.”
Anyone with any information is asked to phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247.



http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4225511.Parents____emotional_plea_over_missing_che f_Claudia_Lawrence/

[sarahhod]

A living nightmare: Was chef Claudia abducted?

http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/YPOS//TH1_233200944RPY_LAWRENCE_MISSING_GM02.jpg
Vanished: Claudia Lawrence

Published Date: 23 March 2009
By Paul Jeeves

THE father of a Yorkshire woman who is believed to have gone missing as she walked to work has described his daughter's disappearance as a "living nightmare".
Colleagues of chef Claudia Lawrence, 35, raised the alarm after she failed to turn up for work at 6am last Thursday - and the mystery has deepened since as police can find no clue to her whereabouts and fear she may have been abducted.

Miss Lawrence, of Heworth Road, York, was last seen on Wednesday afternoon at York University's Goodricke College and later spoke to her parents on the phone.

North Yorkshire Police detectives believe she disappeared at around 5.30am the next morning after she left home with no money, cards or passport to walk two-and-a-half miles to her job as a chef at the college.

Detectives today said they could not rule out the possibility that Miss Lawrence had been abducted.

Speaking at a news conference at Fulford Road Police Station, in York, her father, Peter, made an emotional appeal for his daughter to get in touch.

Mr Lawrence, a solicitor from Slingsby, near Malton, said: "As you can imagine, we are distressed and need your help. These past few days have been a living nightmare for us, not knowing what has happened, and we are sick with worry."

Mr Lawrence's voice broke with emotion as he described his daughter.

"Claudia is our lovely daughter and sister to Ali. She's very sociable, she's great with her friends and certainly not one who would go off with strangers," he said.

"Claudia, we just love you and we hope you're safe and there's absolutely no reason at all you shouldn't come back, wherever you are."
Mr Lawrence said his daughter had been walking to work recently while her car was being repaired.

He added that she did sometimes accept lifts from people she knew but would "run a mile" if approached by a stranger.

Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Pope said she was keeping an open mind about what had happened to Miss Lawrence.

But she added: "It's certainly a possibility that an abduction could be involved but I have got nothing to suggest that."

DCI Pope said there were currently 30 to 40 officers involved in the search for Miss Lawrence, who had no history of depression and was single at the time of her disappearance.

She said: "She has never been missing before and there is nothing to suggest that she had any concerns or worries that would make her want to leave. Her disappearance is completely out of character."

The detective added: "So far, we have not had any indications about where Claudia may be.

"Claudia's family are extremely distressed by her disappearance and we are anxious to put an end to their anguish."

Miss Lawrence is described as white, about 5ft 6ins and slim, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, blue skinny jeans and white trainers.

Police are appealing for help to find a small blue or green rucksack which Miss Lawrence used to carry her chef's whites to work.

Anyone with information about Miss Lawrence's whereabouts can contact North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/A-living-nightmare-What-happened.5099013.jp

[sarahhod]

Fears growing over missing woman

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45588000/jpg/_45588933_missingpersonclaudiaelizabethlawrence.jp g
Miss Lawrence was last seen at her work at Goodricke College

Detectives say fears are growing for a woman who has not been seen since she left work five days ago.
Claudia Lawrence, 35, was last seen by colleagues at the University of York's Goodricke College on Wednesday.
At a news conference police said her disappearance was "completely out of character" and her father made an emotional appeal for help to find her.
Detectives said they could not rule out the possibility that Miss Lawrence had been abducted.
Miss Lawrence is thought to have disappeared at about 0530 GMT on Thursday after she left home with no money, cards or passport to walk three miles to her job as a chef at the college.
Det Ch Insp Lucy Pope said: "It's certainly a possibility that an abduction could be involved but I have got nothing to suggest that."
She said Miss Lawrence was a "happy and sociable person" who had never gone missing before.


Peter Lawrence "We are distraught, and sick with worry"

The detective said: "There is nothing to suggest that she had any concerns or worries that would make her want to leave.
"Her disappearance is completely out of character.
"The investigation team has carried out extensive inquiries and these efforts will continue.
"However, so far we have not had any signs to confirm that Claudia is safe and well."
Miss Lawrence's father Peter, who lives in Malton, said: "On behalf of our family and everybody who loves and cares for Claudia, I am appealing to the people of York to help find her.
"Even the smallest piece of information or possible sighting could really help the police inquiry.
"These past few days have been a living nightmare for us and we are sick with worry.
"We keep hoping and praying that Claudia will walk through the door or telephone to let us know she is okay.
"But the longer this goes on the harder it is to cope with this distressing situation."
Miss Lawrence is described as 5ft 6in, slim, with brown hair. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and trainers.
Police are appealing for help to find a small blue or green rucksack which she used to carry her chef's whites to work.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7959167.stm

[sarahhod]

Police express concern for missing woman

Monday, 23 Mar 2009 12:36
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/photo/photo-x-$7030155$180.jpg
Claudia Lawrence was last seen on Wednesday



Police claim they have become "increasingly concerned" for the safety of a York woman who went missing last Wednesday.

Claudia Lawrence, 33, was last seen by work colleagues at York University around 14:15 GMT and has not been seen since.

Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Pope, who is leading the investigation for North Yorkshire police, said in a statement: "We are becoming increasingly concerned for Claudia's safety as it is completely out of character for her to be missing for so long.

"Claudia's family are becoming increasingly distressed at her disappearance and we area anxious to put an end to their anguish.

"We appeal to anyone who has seen Claudia, spoken to her or knows of her whereabouts to contact police urgently."

Police have described Claudia as being white, around 5ft 6in tall, slim with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and trainers.

Her father Peter told reporters today his daughter was not one to go off with strangers.

"We are distraught and we need your help," Mr Lawrence said, adding the family were in a "living nightmare" and "sick with worry".

Anyone with any information is urged to contact police on 0845 60 60 247.

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/crime/police-express-concern-missing-woman-$1282477.htm

[sarahhod]

Missing York woman may have been abducted

12:18pm Monday 23rd March 2009

POLICE say a York woman who has been missing for five days may have been abducted.
Claudia Elizabeth Lawrence, a chef at Goodricke College, at the University of York, was last seen on CCTV cameras in Melrosegate walking towards her Heworth home after leaving work at 2.15pm last Wednesday.
Police said the 35-year-old, of Heworth Road, was in high spirits when she spoke to her parents on the phone that night – but the next morning she never arrived at work.
Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Pope said: “On Thursday morning I believe she may have left for work, but never arrived, that’s what I’m concentrating my efforts on.
“I’m concerned about what has happened. It is a possibility that an abduction could have been involved, but I have nothing to suggest what has happened at the moment.”
Claudia’s father, Peter Lawrence, a solicitor from Slingsby, issued an emotional plea to the public to help find his daughter at a press conference held at Fulford Road Police Station this morning.
He said: “Claudia is a lovely daughter and sister. She’s very sociable. She’s great with her friends and certainly not one who would go off with strangers.
“On behalf of the family and everybody who knows and cares for her, I’m appealing to you to help find her.
“She’s someone who’s always on the phone by voice or by text, but all of a sudden there has been no contact since Wednesday evening and her phone is not contactable.
“As you can imagine we are distressed and we need your help. It’s been a living nightmare not knowing what happened and we are sick with worry.”
Det Ch Insp Pope said Claudia had never gone missing before and left the house on Thursday morning with no purse, credit cards or passport. Her shift was due to start at 6am.
She appealed for anybody who might have seen a small, light blue or green, Karimor rucksack, which she used to carry her white chefs to work.
If you have any information to help the inquiry, contact North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247.



http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4225723.Missing_York_woman_may_have_been_abducted/

[sarahhod]

Police probe after woman disappears


Police investigating the disappearance of a woman believed to have gone missing as she walked to work say they cannot rule out the possibility she has been abducted.
Claudia Lawrence, 35, of Heworth Road, York, was last seen on Wednesday afternoon at the University of York's Goodricke College and later spoke to her parents on the phone.
North Yorkshire Police believe Miss Lawrence disappeared at around 5.30am the next morning after she left home with no money, cards or passport to walk three miles to her job as a chef at the college.
Speaking at a news conference at Fulford Road police station in York, Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Pope said she was keeping an open mind about Miss Lawrence's disappearance.
But she added: "It's certainly a possibility that an abduction could be involved but I have got nothing to suggest that."
Ms Pope continued: "She may have decided that she's had enough of living around here and gone away of her own free will but I have to keep an open mind that there might be some criminal activity involved."
The detective described Miss Lawrence as "happy and sociable" and said she was not aware of any problems with depression or relationships.
She said: "She has never been missing before and there is nothing to suggest that she had any concerns or worries that would make her want to leave. Her disappearance is completely out of character."
Miss Lawrence had been walking to work recently after her car broke down but did not arrive on Thursday morning and later failed to keep an arrangement to meet a friend, who contacted her father, Peter.
Mr Lawrence said his daughter did sometimes accept lifts from people she knew but would "run a mile" if approached by a stranger.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5g4B1bhIbdy0tEXFm7T_OBJ9NptUQ

[sarahhod]

Woman chef who vanished as she walked to work may have been abducted, police admit

By Chris Brooke (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Chris+Brooke)
Last updated at 10:23 PM on 23rd March 2009

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/23/article-1164117-040E4DA8000005DC-518_233x371.jpg
Claudia Lawrence is believed to have gone missing as she walked to work in York



The last time Claudia Lawrence spoke to her father, he offered to lend her his car for the three-mile journey to work because her own had broken down.
'No, the weather is beautiful,' she told him. 'I am going to walk.'
Miss Lawrence, 35, never arrived for her 6am shift as a university chef the following morning.
Five days later, fears are increasing that she was abducted on the way.
She has 'disappeared off the face of the Earth' and by last night police had failed to find a single clue to her whereabouts.
Miss Lawrence, a solicitor's daughter, is single and lives alone. She works at York University's Goodricke College and lives in the city.
Detectives said she is popular, has no known personal or work-related problems which could explain her disappearance and did not take her passport, debit card or any clothes with her.
Normally she sends dozens of texts to her friends each day, but her mobile has been switched off. Yesterday her father made a tearful appeal for information as he spoke about the family's fears for his 'lovely daughter'.
Peter Lawrence said Claudia is 'sociable and great with her friends, but would not go off with strangers'. He added that she would not miss work without saying anything. 'Claudia is someone who is always on the phone by voice or text but all of a sudden there has been no contact.
'As you may imagine we are distraught and we need your help. It has been a living nightmare not knowing what's happening and we are sick with worry. This is no jaunt she has gone on.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/23/article-1164117-040D869D000005DC-687_468x338.jpg Plea: Peter Lawrence makes an emotional appeal for anyone who has seen his missing daughter

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/23/article-1164117-040EB666000005DC-348_468x815.jpg The route Claudia should have taken to get to work last Thursday


Mr Lawrence believes his daughter took her chef's outfit in the small rucksack she used for work and headed off from her mid-terrace home in Heworth Road, York, at around 5.15 to 5.30am last Thursday.
'We can't be absolutely sure, but I'm convinced of that,' he said.
He begged anyone with 'any small piece of information' to contact police and in a direct appeal to Claudia he urged her to 'contact us if you can'. He assured her: 'You are not in any trouble with us or the police for going off.'
Mr Lawrence, who lives in Slingsby, 15 miles from York, is divorced from Claudia's mother Joan and the couple also have an older married daughter, Ally.
'It seems unreal,' he said. 'We have had to keep going, hoping and praying. But you just feel drained. I hope she is out there somewhere safe and well, but it's difficult.'
A friend of Miss Lawrence, Peter Ruane, 49, said: 'Where she is now, it's not out of choice. She just wouldn't let work down and wouldn't let people down. Without a shadow of doubt she would ring home.'

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/23/article-1164117-040DB61C000005DC-627_468x328.jpg Police officers search St Nicholas Fields nature reserve for the missing woman


Miss Lawrence was last seen leaving work at 2.15pm last Wednesday. She spoke on the phone to her mother and father that evening.
She agreed to meet her father for a drink later in the week, and also arranged to meet her close friend Suzy Cooper at the Nag's Head pub close to her home on Thursday evening. When she failed to show up Miss Cooper, a 44-year-old office administrator, thought she must have fallen asleep because of her early hours.
The next morning she was concerned when Miss Lawrence was still not answering her phone and asked George Forman, the pub landlord, to knock on her door.
She then alerted Miss Lawrence's father who used his key to get into the house early on Friday afternoon. 'It looked as if she had left for work,' she said. 'Her handbag was on the bed and everything was tidy.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/23/article-1164117-040DF1FE000005DC-112_468x297.jpg Claudia Lawrence (left) pictured with friends Suzy Cooper and Jen King in the Nags Head pub in York, are concerned for her welfare

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/23/article-1164117-040E4E51000005DC-530_468x461.jpg Claudia Lawrence pictured with her father Peter who issued a heartfelt plea for her to come home today


Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Pope, who is leading the investigation, was familiar with the Lawrence family as a child and knew Claudia as a friend and fellow-pupil at school.
She said: 'She has never gone missing before and there is nothing to suggest that she had any concerns or worries that would make her want to leave. Her disappearance is completely out of character.
'It's certainly a possibility that an abduction could be involved, but I have seen nothing to suggest that.' North Yorkshire Police have around 40 officers working on the investigation.
They have conducted extensive house-to-house inquiries and looked into Miss Lawrence's background. They are examining CCTV and phone records.
Friends described Miss Lawrence as quietly spoken, happy and sociable. She has previously had boyfriends but is not in a current relationship.
Landlord Mr Forman said: 'We are really worried. We can't think of any explanation. She has just disappeared off the face of the Earth.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1164117/Woman-chef-vanished-walked-work-abducted-police-admit.html

[sarahhod]

York chef Claudia Lawrence may have been abducted, say police

By Lucy Thornton (http://www.mirror.co.uk/authors/lucy-thornton/) 24/03/2009 (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/03/24/)



A missing woman may have been abducted as she walked to work, police said yesterday.
Chef Claudia Lawrence, 35, has not been seen for five days. Her father Peter choked back tears yesterday as he told of the torment the family was suffering.
Peter, 62, added: "It just seems unreal. These past few days have been a living nightmare for us, not knowing what has happened. We are sick with worry.
"Claudia is certainly not one who would go off with strangers. We keep hoping and praying she will walk through the door or phone to let us know she is ok.
"But the longer it goes on it gets harder to cope. Claudia has never gone missing before. It really is completely out of character for her."
Peter, speaking at a police press conference in York, added: "She was always contacting us by phone or text but we have had no contact at all since she went missing.
"This isn't a jaunt. She didn't take money, her debit card or her passport."
"She is a loving friend as well as a loving daughter and is happy and sociable with lots of friends. I just hope she is out there somewhere, safe and well."
Appealing directly to his daughter, he said: "Claudia, we just love you and we hope you're safe and there's absolutely no reason at all you shouldn't come back, wherever you are." Det Chief Insp Lucy Pope, who went to college with Claudia and is an old family friend, said: "There is nothing to suggest that she had any concerns or worries that would make her want to leave.
"She may have decided that she's had enough of living around here and gone away of her own free will.
"But I have to keep an open mind that there might be some criminal activity involved."
Dci Pope said 30 officers have been searching for Claudia but they had found no signs of her. She added: "Claudia's family are extremely distressed and we are anxious to put an end to the anguish. It's certainly a possibility that an abduction could be involved but I have got nothing to suggest that."
It is believed Claudia, who is single, disappeared after leaving home around 5.30am on Thursday to walk three miles to York university.
She had spoken to her dad the night before and turned down his offer of a lift to work.
Her car had broken down but she said she wanted to walk because the weather was fine.
She never arrived at the university and the alarm was raised when she later failed to meet best friend Suzy Cooper.
Suzy, 44, said: "We had arranged to meet in the pub but Claudia didn't turn up. I presumed she had just fallen asleep."
The next day she and Peter went to Claudia's home but found it empty. She added: "Her bag was hanging from the bed and her coat was there. There was nothing suggesting she had gone away."


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/03/24/vanished-on-walk-to-work-115875-21223464/

[sarahhod]

Poster appeal over missing woman
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45593000/jpg/_45593805_claudiaanddad226.pol.jpg
Miss Lawrence last spoke to her father on Wednesday evening

The father of a missing York woman is handing out posters in the city appealing for information about his daughter.
Claudia Lawrence, 35, was last seen by colleagues at the University of York's Goodricke College on Wednesday.
Senior officers from North Yorkshire Police said her disappearance was "completely out of character" and her father has made an appeal for help.
Detectives have not ruled out a possible abduction.
Her father Peter Lawrence said the last few days had been a "living nightmare".

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif It's just been a living nightmare not knowing what's happening and we're sick with worry http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/end_quote_rb.gif


Peter Lawrence, father

Miss Lawrence last spoke to her parents by telephone on Wednesday evening.
Officers believe she disappeared about 0530 GMT on Thursday after leaving home without money, bank cards or her passport to walk three miles to her job as a chef at the college.
Det Ch Insp Lucy Pope, who was at school with Ms Lawrence, said: "It's certainly a possibility that an abduction could be involved, but I have got nothing to suggest that."
Miss Lawrence's father Peter, who lives in Malton, had made an emotional appeal to people in York to help find her.
"It's just been a living nightmare not knowing what's happening and we're sick with worry."
Miss Lawrence is described as 5ft 6in (1.7m) tall, slim, with brown hair. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and trainers.
Police are appealing for help to find a small blue or green rucksack which she used to carry her chef's whites to work.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7960719.stm

[sarahhod]

Dad's Fresh Appeal Over Missing Chef Claudia

1:21pm UK, Tuesday March 24, 2009
The father of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has made a fresh appeal for information about her.


http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Mar/Week4/15247523.jpg
Claudia Lawrence went missing on March 19


The 35-year-old, of Heworth Road, York, was last seen on Wednesday afternoon at the University of York's Goodricke College and later spoke to her parents on the phone.
North Yorkshire Police believe Miss Lawrence disappeared at around 5.30am the next morning after she left home to walk three miles to her job as a chef at the college.
Miss Lawrence did not take any money or her bank cards or passport and her family say her disappearance is out of character.
In a new bid to jog people's memories, her father, Peter Lawrence, visited a parade of shops in Melrosegate, on the outskirts of York, with family friend Martin Dales and handed out flyers to businesses and members of the public.

http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Mar/Week4/15247979.jpg Peter Lawrence

Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted.
Mr Lawrence said: "There is no reason for Claudia to be missing. She had no reason to go, no problems, no troubles.
"It appears from everything at the house as though she had set off for work with her little rucksack and left all the things at her home that she would leave if she was going to work like bank cards, jewellery and everything else.
"She tends to leave very early in the morning. There wouldn't be many people around but the more we can get this on a national and regional and local news in an ordered way then people may suddenly have their memories jogged.
"It's hellish difficult for me to do this but it has got to be done. I'm doing it because it needs to get out there. It's not something I want to do."
His A4 sized posters featured a picture of Miss Lawrence and the words: "Have you seen her?".
Sky's North of England correspondent Gerard Tubb said police currently had no strong leads.


http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Mar/Week4/15247987.jpg
Police search St Nicholas Fields nature reserve in York

He said: "All they know is that she simply vanished and that it was very out of character.
"She was popular, she was friendly, she had close friends in the area, she worked just a short way away.
"She was always in touch with people, texting and phoning. But her mobile has been off and her father has not been able to get in touch with her."
:: Anyone with information can call North Yorkshire Police (http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1) on 0845 6060 247.


http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Missing-Chef-Claudia-Lawrence-Fresh-Appeal-For-Information-From-Father-Peter-Over-York-Woman/Article/200903415247949?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_1&lid=ARTICLE_15247949_Missing_Chef_Claudia_Lawrence %3A_Fresh_Appeal_For_Information_From_Father_Peter _Over_York_Woman

[sarahhod]

Father of missing chef Claudia retraces daughter's walk to work in desperate plea for information

By Chris Brooke (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Chris+Brooke)
Last updated at 1:23 PM on 24th March 2009

The father of missing university chef Claudia Lawrence walked part of her route to work today, handing out posters appealing for the public's help to find his daughter.
Peter Lawrence visited a parade of shops in Melrosegate, on the outskirts of York, and handed out flyers to businesses and members of the public.

Solicitor Mr Lawrence took to the streets a day after he made an emotional appeal for help to find his daughter as detectives said they could not rule out the possibility she had been abducted.
Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen on Wednesday afternoon at the University of York's Goodricke College and later spoke to her parents on the phone.
North Yorkshire Police believe Miss Lawrence disappeared at around 5.30am the next morning after she left home to walk three miles to her job as a chef at the college.

Mr Lawrence said he was planning to spend some time walking around the area Miss Lawrence would have travelled on her way to work on the morning she vanished.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/24/article-1164117-0411EC03000005DC-207_224x336.jpg

Peter Lawrence, father of missing Claudia Lawrence, holds a poster of his daughter today during a photocall in Melrosegate, York.

The last time Claudia Lawrence spoke to her father, he offered to lend her his car for the three-mile journey to work because her own had broken down.
'No, the weather is beautiful,' she told him. 'I am going to walk.'
Miss Lawrence, 35, never arrived for her 6am shift as a university chef the following morning.
Five days later, fears are increasing that she was abducted on the way.
She has 'disappeared off the face of the Earth' and by last night police had failed to find a single clue to her whereabouts.
Miss Lawrence, a solicitor's daughter, is single and lives alone. She works at York University's Goodricke College and lives in the city.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/24/article-1164117-041231A3000005DC-264_468x286.jpg Police searching for missing Claudia Lawrence look in gardens near to her home



http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/24/article-1164117-04122D21000005DC-465_468x286.jpg Police search the ground looking for clues to Claudia's disappearance

Detectives said she is popular, has no known personal or work-related problems which could explain her disappearance and did not take her passport, debit card or any clothes with her.
Normally she sends dozens of texts to her friends each day, but her mobile has been switched off.

Yesterday her father made a tearful appeal for information as he spoke about the family's fears for his 'lovely daughter'.
Peter Lawrence said Claudia is 'sociable and great with her friends, but would not go off with strangers'. He added that she would not miss work without saying anything.

'Claudia is someone who is always on the phone by voice or text but all of a sudden there has been no contact.
'As you may imagine we are distraught and we need your help. It has been a living nightmare not knowing what's happening and we are sick with worry. This is no jaunt she has gone on.'
Mr Lawrence believes his daughter took her chef's outfit in the small rucksack she used for work and headed off from her mid-terrace home in Heworth Road, York, at around 5.15 to 5.30am last Thursday.
'We can't be absolutely sure, but I'm convinced of that,' he said.
He begged anyone with 'any small piece of information' to contact police and in a direct appeal to Claudia he urged her to 'contact us if you can'. He assured her: 'You are not in any trouble with us or the police for going off.'
Mr Lawrence, who lives in Slingsby, 15 miles from York, is divorced from Claudia's mother Joan and the couple also have an older married daughter, Ally.
'It seems unreal,' he said. 'We have had to keep going, hoping and praying. But you just feel drained. I hope she is out there somewhere safe and well, but it's difficult.'
A friend of Miss Lawrence, Peter Ruane, 49, said: 'Where she is now, it's not out of choice. She just wouldn't let work down and wouldn't let people down. Without a shadow of doubt she would ring home.'


Miss Lawrence was last seen leaving work at 2.15pm last Wednesday. She spoke on the phone to her mother and father that evening.
She agreed to meet her father for a drink later in the week, and also arranged to meet her close friend Suzy Cooper at the Nag's Head pub close to her home on Thursday evening. When she failed to show up Miss Cooper, a 44-year-old office administrator, thought she must have fallen asleep because of her early hours.
The next morning she was concerned when Miss Lawrence was still not answering her phone and asked George Forman, the pub landlord, to knock on her door.
She then alerted Miss Lawrence's father who used his key to get into the house early on Friday afternoon. 'It looked as if she had left for work,' she said. 'Her handbag was on the bed and everything was tidy.'
Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Pope, who is leading the investigation, was familiar with the Lawrence family as a child and knew Claudia as a friend and fellow-pupil at school.
She said: 'She has never gone missing before and there is nothing to suggest that she had any concerns or worries that would make her want to leave. Her disappearance is completely out of character.
'It's certainly a possibility that an abduction could be involved, but I have seen nothing to suggest that.' North Yorkshire Police have around 40 officers working on the investigation.
They have conducted extensive house-to-house inquiries and looked into Miss Lawrence's background. They are examining CCTV and phone records.
Friends described Miss Lawrence as quietly spoken, happy and sociable. She has previously had boyfriends but is not in a current relationship.
Landlord Mr Forman said: 'We are really worried. We can't think of any explanation. She has just disappeared off the face of the Earth.'


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1164117/Father-missing-chef-Claudia-retraces-daughters-walk-work-desperate-plea-information.html

[sarahhod]

Missing chef's father traces route


The father of missing university chef Claudia Lawrence has walked part of her route to work, handing out posters appealing for the public's help to find his daughter.
Peter Lawrence visited a parade of shops in Melrosegate, on the outskirts of York, with family friend Martin Dales and handed out flyers to businesses and the public.
Solicitor Mr Lawrence took to the streets a day after he made an emotional appeal for help to find his daughter as detectives said they could not rule out the possibility she had been abducted.
Miss Lawrence, 35, of Heworth Road, York, was last seen on Wednesday afternoon at the University of York's Goodricke College and later spoke to her parents on the phone.
North Yorkshire Police believe Miss Lawrence disappeared at around 5.30am the next day after she left home to walk three miles to her job as a chef at the college.
Miss Lawrence took no money, bank cards or her passport and her family said her disappearance is out of character.
On Monday Mr Lawrence said the family was trapped in a "living nightmare" as he appealed for his daughter's safe return at a news conference.
He is planning to spend some time walking around the area Miss Lawrence would have travelled on her way to work on the morning she vanished.
His A4 sized posters feature a picture of 35-year-old Miss Lawrence and the words: "Have you seen her?".
There is also a police telephone number for the public to call.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5g8wZtDBlbw13kIYpYaecXf9ow-9Q

[sarahhod]

Mother reveals her pain over missing Claudia, as fears for her safety grow

By Chris Brooke (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Chris+Brooke)
Last updated at 10:39 PM on 24th March 2009


The mother of missing Claudia Lawrence told yesterday how she offered to pay for taxis so her daughter wouldn't have to walk to work alone.
But the fiercely independent 35-year-old chef dismissed the idea out of hand and said she had no concerns about being out on her own.
Friends and family now fear Miss Lawrence may have been abducted as she walked the three miles to work at York University before dawn last Thursday.
Police know of no reason why she would disappear of her own accord. Miss Lawrence had no current boyfriend.
Yesterday her mother Joan Lawrence, 65, was at home in Malton, North Yorkshire, waiting for news.
She said: 'I just can't cope any more, it's so distressing.'


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/24/article-0-0413643C000005DC-762_468x345.jpg Friends: Claudia Lawrence with Jen King (left)


Speaking about her younger daughter, the mother of two said: 'We are very close, we see each other every week and talk all the time.'
Mrs Lawrence said Claudia's Vauxhall Corsa car broke down about a month ago and she was concerned about her walking to work when she was on the 6am shift in her job as a university chef.
'I was worried about her and I offered her the money for a taxi, but she wouldn't have it, she is so independent.'
A major police hunt continued yesterday with officers searching parkland, drains, hedgerows and gardens along Miss Lawrence's route to work.
And her solicitor father Peter Lawrence, 62, handed out missing posters to 'keep the hunt in the public eye'. He said: 'It's difficult for me to do this but it has to be done. I have to keep going for Claudia's sake.'
One of his daughter's friends, 24-yearold Jen King said: 'Nobody can just disappear, somebody knows what has happened to her. There are so many people that love, miss and care about her.
'She is so likeable and sociable, she had no enemies at all. It was impossible to dislike her. She was not promiscuous and completely old school.'



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1164608/Mother-reveals-pain-missing-Claudia-fears-safety-grow.html

[sarahhod]

Missing Claudia spurned offer of money for taxis

Published Date:
25 March 2009
By Paul Jeeves (paul.jeeves@ypn.co.uk)

THE distraught mother of missing Claudia Lawrence revealed yesterday she had offered to pay for taxis to take her daughter to work because she was worried about her safety.


Police believe Miss Lawrence may have been abducted last week as she walked from her home to start an early morning shift at York University, where she works as a chef.

Miss Lawrence declined her mother's offer and continued to make the two-mile walk at dawn each day from her terraced house in Heworth to the university.

The 35-year-old's Vauxhall Corsa has been off the road for several weeks with engine problems, and she also refused an offer from her father Peter only hours before her disappearance to use his car to get to work.

Miss Lawrence spoke to both her parents last Wednesday evening, and North Yorkshire Police believe she disappeared at about 5.30am the next day as she made her way to Goodricke College.

Mrs Lawrence, 65, who is divorced and lives in Norton, North Yorkshire, said: "I was worried about her and offered her the money for a taxi, but she wouldn't take it. She is very independent and likes walking a lot for the exercise.

"It's now all so distressing. I just can't cope with it any more.

"Last Wednesday she rang me as she walked home from work saying she was bored. In the evening we spoke again, while we were both watching the same television programme,
Relocation, Relocation. She was fine.

"Now I have to keep the fact that Claudia is still missing in the public eye. There is no reason for her to have gone missing – she had no reason to go, no problems, no trouble."

The search for Miss Lawrence was stepped up yesterday as her father handed out leaflets appealing for information along the route she would have taken to work.

The posters featured a picture of Miss Lawrence and the words: "Have you seen her?"

Asked how he was coping, an emotional Mr Lawrence said: "I don't know. I don't always have the strength. When you're not here I may be sat at home feeling particularly weak, but you
have to keep going for Claudia's sake."

Mr Lawrence, a solicitor from Slingsby, near Malton, said the support from family, friends and clients had been "fantastic", and added: "We are just so grateful to everybody."

Friends of Miss Lawrence, who has an elder sister, mother-of-two Ali, yesterday spoke of their anguish as no further clues had emerged as to why she had vanished. She took no money nor her bank cards and passport, which have been found at her
home. Childminder Linda Chapman, 50, a friend from the local pub, the Nag's Head, was the last person to see Miss Lawrence as she was walking back from work at about 3.10pm last Wednesday.

Mrs Chapman, who lives with her husband, John, in Heworth, said: "She seemed her usual happy, cheery self, then she disappeared round the corner.

"I didn't think anything more of it until I saw an item on the news about Claudia. It chills me to think I might have been the last person to see her."

Miss Lawrence's best friends, Jen King and Suzy Cooper, were yesterday waiting anxiously for any news. Miss King, 24, who lived with Miss Lawrence for 11 months, said her friend was a "creature of habit" who would get in touch if she had any problems.

She said: "When I split up with my boyfriend I didn't have anywhere to go and she took me in until I could find my feet. She was really kind and warm."

Miss King, an office administrator and part-time barmaid, said it was completely out of character for her friend not to get in touch, particularly on Mother's Day last Sunday.

Miss Lawrence had been making plans to go away on holiday with Miss Cooper to Zante after the two friends had stayed on the Greek island two years ago.

Miss Cooper, 44, who also works an office administrator in York, said: "It was our special place, and we were both looking forward to going away in the summer together again. Claudia had even mentioned some of the dates when she could go away, so it makes it all the more bizarre as to what has happened."

A team of 40 police continued their search yesterday in the streets surrounding Miss Lawrence's Heworth Road home.

Police are appealing for help to find a rucksack containing her chef's whites which she is thought to have been carrying and her mobile telephone.

Anyone with information can contact police on 0845 6060247.


http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Missing-Claudia-spurned-offer-of.5105333.jp

[sarahhod]

Missing chef 'has come to harm'



http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45598000/jpg/_45598885_claudia226.pol.jpg Miss Lawrence was last seen at her work at Goodricke College

A missing university chef may have "come to some harm", detectives investigating her disappearance have revealed.
Claudia Lawrence, 35, was last seen by colleagues at the University of York's Goodricke College last Wednesday.
Det Supt Ray Galloway said she had not been in touch with family or friends since 2030 GMT that night and appealed for the public's help.
"I have significant cause for concern [for] her well-being", he said.
Miss Lawrence's father Peter walked part of her route to work on Tuesday handing out posters appealing for the public's help.
Mr Lawrence, of Malton, said the last few days had been a "living nightmare".
He said: "There is no reason for Claudia to be missing. She had no reason to go, no problems, no troubles.
"It appears from everything at the house as though she had set off for work with her little rucksack and left all the things at her home that she would leave if she was going to work like bank cards, jewellery and everything else."
Miss Lawrence is described as 5ft 6in (1.7m) tall, slim, with brown hair. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and trainers.
Police are appealing for help to find a small blue or green rucksack which she used to carry her chef's whites to work.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7962743.stm

[sarahhod]

Timeline: The hunt for Claudia

Published Date: 25 March 2009


This is a timeline of missing university chef Claudia Lawrence's last known movements and the subsequent investigation since her disappearance:

WEDNESDAY MARCH 18

5.57am - Miss Lawrence is captured on CCTV arriving for work at the University of York's Goodricke College.

2.31pm - The chef leaves work to walk the three miles to her home on Heworth Road. A female colleague sees her as she drives past in her car and gives her a lift, dropping her off outside her house.

A short time later, Miss Lawrence leaves her house and walks past the Nags Head pub. She has a brief conversation with a woman with a pram.

3.05pm - The last sighting of Miss Lawrence as she walks back to her house.

8.10pm - Miss Lawrence has a telephone conversation with her father, Peter, and then another with her mother, Joan.

8.23pm - She sends a text message to a friend.

9.12pm - Miss Lawrence receives a text on her mobile phone but it is not known if she read the message.


THURSDAY MARCH 19

6am - Miss Lawrence fails to arrive for her shift at work.

Later in the evening, Miss Lawrence fails to keep an arrangement to meet her friend, Suzy Cooper, at the Nags Head pub. Ms Cooper discovers her friend did not attend work and rings Mr Lawrence, who contacts North Yorkshire Police.

At some point during the day, Miss Lawrence's mobile phone is either switched off or powers down. Police have not traced it.


MONDAY MARCH 23

Mr Lawrence, a solicitor from Slingsby, North Yorkshire, makes an emotional appeal for information about his daughter at a news conference at Fulford Road police station, in York.

He describes Miss Lawrence's disappearance as a "living nightmare".

Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Pope says police cannot rule out the possibility that Miss Lawrence has been abducted.


TUESDAY MARCH 24

Mr Lawrence walks part of his daughter's route to work, handing out posters appealing for the public's help to find her.

Friends describe Miss Lawrence as a "creature of habit" and appeal for her to come home.


WEDNESDAY MARCH 25

One week since the last sighting of Miss Lawrence.

Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, who is leading the investigation, says he believes Miss Lawrence may have come to harm after meeting up with someone she knew.

He confirms there are now upwards of 100 police officers involved in the search and says North Yorkshire Police are bringing in officers from other forces to help.

CCTV footage of the chef's last known movements are released.


http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Timeline-The-hunt-for-Claudia.5109165.jp

[sarahhod]

Hundreds call about missing chef

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45603000/jpg/_45603097_claudiacctv_226.jpg
CCTV footage shows Miss Lawrence arriving for work last Wednesday

Hundreds of calls have been received by police investigating the disappearance of a missing university chef.
Claudia Lawrence, 35, was last seen by colleagues at the University of York's Goodricke College last Wednesday.
Det Supt Ray Galloway, who is leading the inquiry, has voiced concerns she may have come to some harm after meeting up with someone she knew.
More than 100 officers have joined the search with extra officers being brought in from other forces.
'Tight community'
Det Supt Galloway said: "We've had hundreds and hundreds of calls, it's been an overwhelming response.
"Claudia was a very popular person in the locality, it's a very tight community and people have wanted to help us.
"I really, really would ask people to tell us more."
Miss Lawrence was last seen at about 1400 GMT when she left the college, where she worked as a chef.
She had separate telephone conversations within a few minutes with her divorced parents, Peter, 62, a solicitor, and Joan, 65, at around 2010 GMT that night.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45593000/jpg/_45593805_claudiaanddad226.pol.jpg Miss Lawrence last spoke to her father and mother on Wednesday evening

Police said she was a prolific sender of text messages and the last one she sent was to a friend at about 2023 GMT.
One was sent to her by another friend just before 2115 GMT, but it is not known if she read the message.
The next day her phone was switched off or powered down and has not been located.
The officer said she did not appear on any CCTV footage from her normal route to work on Thursday.
Public appeal
It was believed Miss Lawrence had left home to walk to work at about 0530 GMT on Thursday but the officer said it was not known if she had gone missing on Wednesday evening.
Police have released CCTV footage of her arriving and leaving Goodricke College, where she worked as a chef.
Mr Galloway said police had no "tangible" evidence of a crime but there was no reason to believe that she had harmed herself as she was depressed and had no financial problems.
He said: "I would appeal to anybody who knows of a historic relationship or association she might have had with somebody and that's where it will lie."
Miss Lawrence is described as 5ft 6in (1.7m) tall and slim, with brown hair. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and trainers.
Police need help to find a small blue or green rucksack which she used to carry her chef's whites to work.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7965213.stm

[sarahhod]

York students may hold vital clue in search for Claudia Lawrence

11:00am Thursday 26th March 2009

http://www.thepress.co.uk/resources/images/861434/?type=display
Claudia is caught on university CCTV as she leaves work last Wednesday


THOUSANDS of York students are being urged to help in the hunt for missing Claudia Lawrence.
Posters printed by The Press are now being displayed by Students’ Union officers across the campus at the University of York, where Claudia works as a chef.
The posters state: “Missing. Claudia Lawrence has been missing since Wednesday, March 18. Have you seen her?” They then urge anyone with information to call North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247.
Thousands of students who have gone home for the Easter break are also being alerted to Claudia’s disappearance through the social networking site Facebook. Students Union President Tom Scott said that more than 3,000 students who had left for Easter could be reached through Facebook, and one of them might have seen something important last week while they were still in York.
He told of the shock felt by students at the disappearance of Claudia, 35, who works at the Roger Kirk Centre canteen at Goodricke College.
He said some students lived in accommodation along the route taken by Claudia to work at the university, in roads such as Melrosegate, and it was possible they had seen something significant on the morning she was due to go to work but failed to turn up. “They might just have been returning from somewhere at that time,” he said.
“Students’ thoughts are with Claudia and her family. It has been a surprise because so many people know her just in passing.
“So many people have said they knew her because they have gone to the Roger Kirk Centre canteen and she has been there with a smile and served them breakfast or dinner.
“To have someone you know disappear has affected a lot of people.
“The posters will go up all over campus –we will make sure of that.
“That will catch the people still here – postgraduates and people staying on during the Easter break.”
He said that unfortunately, a lot of students had gone home for the Easter break, but more than 3,000 students could be contacted through Facebook, with a link created to thepress.co.uk.
“Hopefully, the posters or Facebook will result in just one person coming forward who saw something.”
Students who are still at the university told The Press of their shock at the disappearance.
Richard Wooller, 21, said: “I was surprised. I didn’t think this sort of thing happened in York. York is graded as a safe city by an insurance firm.”
Chelsey Sprong, 22, said: “I was watching TV when I heard about it and was shocked.”

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4235730.York_students_may_hold_vital_clue_in_searc h_for_Claudia_Lawrence/

[sarahhod]

Dogs join search for missing York woman

11:49am Thursday 26th March 2009

SPECIALIST search and rescue dogs were today being used by police looking for missing university chef Claudia Lawrence.
Police fear Miss Lawrence, 35, who has been missing for more than a week, may have come to harm after meeting someone she knew.
She was last seen close to her home in Heworth, York, after she finished work at the University of Yorks Goodricke College and was dropped off by a colleague on Wednesday March 18.
North Yorkshire Police said six civilian search teams from around the region had been drafted in to support police as efforts continue to locate the popular chef.
Searches will include the use of specialist dogs, a police spokeswoman said.
Yesterday, Det Supt Ray Galloway leading the search for Miss Lawrence, said it was extremely rare for someone to be abducted from the street by a stranger.
It was initially feared Miss Lawrence had been abducted during the three-mile walk from her Heworth home to Goodricke College on the Thursday morning, the day after she was last seen by someone.
But Mr Galloway said she did not appear on any CCTV footage from Thursday morning along her normal route to work.
The detective said it was possible she had met up with someone the night before she disappeared.
"My focus is on the people that she knew, he said.
"She would not have got into a vehicle that she didn't know and she wouldnt have gone to meet somebody that she didn't know.
"I believe that Claudia is with or has gone with somebody that she knows."
Mr Galloway said: "She was very, very social. She was speaking to her friends and family all of the time.
"That stopped around about 8.30 on Wednesday evening. Why did that stop?
"Seven days on I am extremely concerned. My professional judgment is that Claudia has probably come to harm."
Yesterday, police released CCTV footage of Miss Lawrence arriving and leaving Goodricke College.
Mr Galloway said police had no tangible evidence of a crime, but there was no reason to believe Miss Lawrence had harmed herself as she was not depressed and had no financial problems.
"I would appeal to anybody who knows of a historic relationship or association she might have had with somebody and that's where it will lie," he said.
Mr Galloway said North Yorkshire Police was bringing in officers from other forces to help with the search but the focus of the investigation was still on York.
Friends and family described Miss Lawrence as a creature of habit and said her disappearance was totally out of character.
Making a television appeal for her friend's return, Suzy Cooper said: "Claudia's a very sociable and popular person. Everybody likes her and she likes everybody.
"She's a very sweet-natured girl and she's also a creature of habit. She's not someone that's spontaneous and would just flit off somewhere, so the whole thing is totally out of character for her."
Police said Miss Lawrence had no money, bank cards or passport with her when she went missing.
She is described as white, around 5ft 6in and of slim build, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, blue skinny jeans and white trainers.
Police are appealing for help to find the small blue or green rucksack which Miss Lawrence used to carry her chef's whites to work.



http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4236774.Dogs_join_search_for_missing_York_woman/

[sarahhod]

Police search home of missing Yorkshire woman

Thursday, 26 Mar 2009 11:51
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/photo/photo-x-$7030418$180.jpg
Claudia Lawrence has been missing for over a week



Police officers have started searching the home of a missing woman in north Yorkshire, as investigations into her disappearance continue.

Claudia Lawrence, 35, was last seen by work colleagues at York University around 14:15 GMT on Wednesday and has not been seen since.

North Yorkshire police are said to have around 100 officers working on the investigation into her disappearance and six search and rescue teams from around the region have been drafted in to help with inquiries.

The fresh searches, which will include specialists rescue dogs, will begin near the university where Ms Lawrence worked as a chef.

Yesterday Superintendent Ray Galloway admitted he was "extremely concerned" for the 35-year-old's safety.

He said it was very unlikely she had been abducted during her walk to work on Thursday morning and instead believed she may have accepted a lift or met with someone she knew.

As a result, Supt Galloway said in his professional opinion he thought that she had come to harm.

Police are set to give an update on the search for Mrs Lawrence later.

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/crime/police-search-home-missing-yorkshire-woman-$1283194.htm

[sarahhod]

Search and rescue teams involved in hunt for missing Claudia Lawrence

11:29am Thursday 26th March 2009

SIX civilian search and rescue teams from across the region have been drafted in by North Yorkshire Police, as the hunt for missing Claudia Lawrence steps up a gear.
Specialist search and rescue dogs will also be used in today’s searches, which are due to begin on land at the University of York.
The last sighting of the 35-year-old chef was in Melrosegate, at around 3pm last Wednesday as she walked from the University of York, where she works, to her home in Heworth Road.
She spoke to her parents later that evening, as well as texting two friends.
It was initially feared that Claudia had been abducted as she walked back to work the following morning.
But Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway said yesterday that she did not appear on any CCTV footage from Thursday morning along her normal route to work and it was possible she had met up with someone the night before she disappeared.
“My focus is on the people that she knew,” he said. “She would not have got into a vehicle that she didn't know and she wouldn't have gone to meet somebody that she didn't know.
“I believe that Claudia is with or has gone with somebody that she knows. Seven days on I am extremely concerned. My professional judgment is that Claudia has probably come to harm.”
The vicar at Holy Trinity Church, in Heworth, is opening up his church between 4pm and 7pm every day for people to light candles and pray for the safety of Claudia.
Rev Michael Woodmansey said: “The people of Heworth, and all of York, are shocked and worried about the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence.
“In the midst of such anxiety, we want to make Holy Trinity Church available as a space for people to come and pray for Claudia and her family.”



http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4236665.Search_and_rescue_teams_involved_in_hunt_f or_missing_Claudia_Lawrence/

[sarahhod]

York students urged to help in the search for missing chef

March 26, 2009

http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/03/claudia-goodrickecctv.jpg-300

Thousands of students are being urged to help in the search for missing chef, Claudia Lawrence, who disappeared last Wednesday.
Students are being contacted through a heavy postering campaign around campus and through the networking site Facebook. It is believed that a student may have seen something important which could help in the search for Claudia, who normally works as a chef in the Roger Kirk centre.
YUSU President Tom Scott spoke about the shock that students have felt after the disappearance of Claudia. Scott is hopeful that student can be of some help with the investigation, pointing out that many students live along the route which Claudia normally took to and from campus. He believes it is possible that a student may have seen something significant on the morning of March 18th.
Scott extended the thoughts of the student body to Claudia and her family. He also spoke of the concern of students who knew her from meals eaten in the Roger Kirk Centre, where she is described as always “being there with a smile.”
YUSU has promised to ensure that posters go up all over campus, where they will be visible to students still working or staying over the Easter break. Students who have gone home will be contacted through Facebook where possible.
Any students with information are urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247.


http://www.nouse.co.uk/2009/03/26/york-students-urged-to-help-in-the-search-for-missing-chef/

[sarahhod]

Campus searched for missing chef


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45593000/jpg/_45593805_claudiaanddad226.pol.jpg Miss Lawrence last spoke to her father and mother on Wednesday evening

Specialist search teams and rescue dogs are combing land at York University looking for a missing chef who disappeared more than a week ago.
Claudia Lawrence, 35, was last seen after leaving the University of York's Goodricke College last Wednesday.
Detectives fear she may have come to some harm and said they had received hundreds of calls from the public.
Police said detailed searches were being carried out at Miss Lawrence's home and on land at the university.
More than 100 officers have joined the search as well as extra officers from other forces.
'Tight community'
Sixty five volunteers from mountain rescue teams have also been drafted in to help comb the university grounds.
Ch Insp Dave Hannan, North Yorkshire Police's Deputy Head of Operations, said the teams had been called in to help with the physical search.
Speaking earlier, Det Supt Galloway said: "We've had hundreds and hundreds of calls, it's been an overwhelming response.
"Claudia was a very popular person in the locality. It's a very tight community and people have wanted to help us.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45604000/jpg/_45604257_searchteams_226.jpg Volunteers from mountain rescue teams have been called in

"I really, really would ask people to tell us more."
Miss Lawrence left the college where she worked as a chef at about 1400 GMT.
She was last seen walking back to her house in Heworth Road just after 1500 GMT.
At about 2010 GMT that night she had separate telephone conversations with her divorced parents, Peter, 62, a solicitor, and Joan, 65, within a few minutes of each other.
Police said she was a prolific sender of text messages and the last one she sent was to a friend at about 2023 GMT.
One was sent to her by another friend just before 2115 GMT, but it is not known if she read the message.
The next day her phone was switched off or powered down and has not been located.
The officer said she did not appear on any CCTV footage from her normal route to work on Thursday.
Church invite
It was believed Miss Lawrence had left home to walk to work at about 0530 GMT on Thursday but the officer said it was not known if she had gone missing on Wednesday evening.
Police have released CCTV footage of her arriving and leaving Goodricke College, where she worked as a chef.
Mr Galloway said police had no "tangible" evidence of a crime but there was no reason to believe that she had harmed herself and she had no financial problems.
He said: "I would appeal to anybody who knows of a historic relationship or association she might have had with somebody and that's where it will lie."
People are being invited into a church near Miss Lawrence's home to light candles and pray for her safe return.
Rev Michael Woodmansey, the vicar of Holy Trinity in Heworth, said: "The people of Heworth, and indeed all of York, are shocked and worried about the disappearance of Claudia."
Miss Lawrence is described as 5ft 6in (1.7m) tall and slim, with brown hair.
She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and trainers.
Police need help to find a small blue or green rucksack which she used to carry her chef's whites to work.



Video at Link:-


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7965213.stm

[sarahhod]

Claudia Lawrence search operation ‘one of biggest’

9:48am Friday 27th March 2009


THE detective leading the search for missing chef Claudia Lawrence said it was North Yorkshire Police’s biggest operation since the week-long hunt for quadruple murderer Mark Hobson in July 2004.
As the search for 35-year-old Claudia enters its second week, more than 100 police officers and around 70 volunteers have now been drafted in.
Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway told The Press it was one of the largest operations ever launched by North Yorkshire Police.
He said: “Within the context of major crime investigations undertaken by North Yorkshire Police, it is a truly significant investigation.
“It is our biggest investigation since the hunt for (quadruple murderer) Mark Hobson.
“However, I’m certain that we have the skills, resources and equipment, together with partners and volunteers, to undertake the investigation effectively.”
Det Supt Galloway was speaking as he renewed his appeal for any information about Claudia’s disappearance. He said he was particularly keen to find out what Claudia, who works as a chef at the University of York, had been doing when she was seen returning to her home at about 3.10pm last Wednesday.
Just 25 minutes earlier, she had been dropped off at her home in Heworth Road by a colleague, who had spotted Claudia walking back from work and picked her up in her car.
Det Supt Galloway said: “The next sighting we have of her is 3.10pm, when she is seen walking along Melrosegate towards her home.
“She is not obviously coming from the shops and we don't think she’s been to the shops either.
“We would like to know what she was doing in Melrosegate.”
The last person to have spoken to Claudia was her mother, Joan, who phoned her daughter at around 8.10pm last Wednesday, when they had a conversation about the television programme they were both watching – Location Location Location.
At 8.23pm, Claudia sent her last text, making a loose arrangement with a friend to meet up for a drink in the next couple of days.
At 9.12pm, she received a text from a different friend, but police do not know whether she read this message.
Det Supt Galloway said: “We are in the process of investigating all of her telephone contacts, and there are lines of inquiry that have emerged from this.”
He said they had interviewed all Claudia’s known ex-boyfriends, including 24-year-old Daniel Whitehand, from Gateshead, whom she dated for 18 months after they met in 2005.
After police interviewed him on Wednesday, he said: “I helped them as much as I can. That’s all I can do.
“Claudia’s lovely. She’s outgoing and funny – everyone’s best friend. There’s not a bad bone in her body.
“This is out of character. She always told somebody where she was. I hate to think what might have happened. It’s staggering that she could just vanish like this.”
Det Supt Galloway said. “My professional judgement is that she is likely to have come to harm.
“There is no rational reason for the routine and regular habits of Claudia to have stopped completely, as they have since Wednesday evening.”
He said there was no CCTV footage of Claudia walking to work on Thursday morning.
He was considering the possibility she had gone to meet somebody she knew on Wednesday evening, taking a small rucksack containing her work clothes for the following day.
When asked if he thought Claudia was still alive, he said: “I very much hope so.”

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4239597.Claudia_Lawrence_search_operation____one_o f_biggest___/

[sarahhod]

Claudia hunt: Ex-Boyfriend tells of agony

http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/SEN//TH1_273200936Dan%20Whitehand.JPG
CONCERNED ... Dan Whitehand

Published Date: 27 March 2009

THE last known boyfriend of a missing woman has spoken of his anguish over her disappearance.
University chef Claudia Lawrence, 35, whose family lives in the Malton area, has not been seen for more than a week.

Dan Whitehand, a 34-year-old insurance broker from the North East, said it was out of character.

It was reported by the national press that he was interviewed by police earlier this week and he told officers he had visited Scarborough on business on the day of her disappearance, Wednesday March 18.

Meanwhile, Claudia's father was due to make a dramatic plea for her safe return today, with a live BBC interview.

Mr Whitehand said: "She always told somebody where she was. I hate to think what might have happened. It's staggering that she could just vanish like this.

"Claudia's a lovely girl. She's outgoing, sociable and funny – everyone's best friend."

Yesterday, six civilian search and rescue teams from across the region, including the Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue, were drafted in to support the police as efforts continued to find the missing University of York chef.

The search, using specialist search and rescue dogs, was on land near the university.

Miss Lawrence was last seen on Wednesday last week at around 2pm, when she left Goodricke College, and was later spotted on CCTV footage as she walked the three-mile route to her home.

Miss Lawrence spoke to both her parents on the telephone on Wednes-day evening but has not been in contact since then. She did not arrive at work on Thurs-day morning and later failed to keep an arrangement to meet a friend at her local pub, the Nags Head.

Police said she had no money, bank cards or passport with her.
On Thursday her phone was switched off or powered down and has not been located.

As she was walking home she was picked up by a colleague and dropped off at her home in Heworth.

The detective leading the investigation, Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, has said he feared she has "come to harm" because of the length of time she has been missing.

Miss Lawrence's father Peter, 62, a Malton solicitor, travelled to London last night ready for a live studio interview on BBC 1's Missing Live programme at 9.15 this morning.

Accompanying him was his friend of more than 20 years standing, Martin Dales, of Old Malton.

Mr Dales, who has supported his friend since his daughter was first reported missing more than a week ago, said: "Peter asked if I would go with him to London. I didn't want him going on his own because he's obviously in a fragile state, so I readily agreed.

"I think he's showing great courage and fortitude."

The programme does reconstructions of individual cases of missing people alongside live interviews with family and friends to explore the true life drama of missing person investigations. It has been featuring Miss Lawrence's disappearance throughout this week.

Born and bred in Malton, Miss Lawrence moved to York four years ago.
Mr Lawrence has been co-ordinating a leaflet campaign in a desperate bid to find his daughter.

A team of 40 volunteers, including members of Malton and Norton Rotary Club, of which he is a past President, joined people from the Nag's Head pub and neighbours at Heworth Road, York, where she lives, distributed leaflets in the area.

Mr Dales said they were produced by Malton's Fitzwilliam Estate – a client of Mr Lawrence – and Pearsons and Ward solicitors in Malton, where he was a partner. He now has his own practice.

He said: "They put leaflets through every door along the route from where Claudia lives to the college and that was no mean feat because it's nearly all houses.

"Peter is showing great fortitude but it's not knowing what's happened to Claudia that makes it so bad.

"We spend all the time conjecturing and we could write up a ream of paper on what could have happened, but we just don't know."

Meanwhile the police investigation is continuing and anyone with information about Miss Lawrence's disappearance is asked to call 0845 6060 247.

* The Archbishop of York yesterday spoke of his prayers for the safe return of Miss Lawrence.

Dr John Sentamu, who has returned from a four-day retreat, spoke to her father, Peter, who asked that the Archbishop pray for Claudia's safety.

"We will be lighting a candle of hope for Claudia in the chapel at Bishopthorpe where prayers will be said on the hour for Claudia and her family" said Dr Sentamu. "When I asked Peter Lawrence if there was anything I could do for him, his answer was simple: 'Pray'.

http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/news/Claudia-hunt-ExBoyfriend-tells-of.5115789.jp

[sarahhod]

Cops probe missing chef's private life

Friday, March 27, 2009

http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/claudialawrence_175x125.jpg
Claudia Lawrence

Detectives searching for a missing university chef are turning their attention to her personal life, in the belief she may have been abducted by someone she knew.

Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, who is leading the investigation, suggested Claudia Lawrence would have not have got into a stranger's car.
The Archbishop of York said today he was "lighting a candle of hope" for Ms Lawrence, who has not been seen for more than a week.
Dr John Sentamu said he had been asked by Miss Lawrence's father, solicitor Peter Lawrence, to pray for the vanished 35-year-old from York.
Police have said they believe Ms Lawrence has "probably come to harm".
Mr Galloway said police had no "tangible" evidence of a crime but there was no reason to believe Miss Lawrence had harmed herself as she was not depressed and had no financial problems.
Friends and family have described Miss Lawrence as a "creature of habit" and said her disappearance was "totally out of character".
Police said Miss Lawrence had no money, bank cards or passport with her when she went missing.
She was last seen close to her home in Heworth, York, after she finished work at the University of York's Goodricke College and was dropped off by a colleague on Wednesday March 18.
Yesterday, detectives leading the search drafted in civilian search and rescue teams to scour open ground.
It was initially thought Miss Lawrence had been abducted during the three-mile walk from her home to Goodricke College on the Thursday morning, the day after she was last seen by someone.
But she does not appear on any CCTV footage from that Thursday morning along her normal route to work.
Senior officers have said it was possible she had met up with someone the night before she disappeared.
The archbishop said prayers would be said throughout the day at his residence, Bishopthorpe Palace, on the outskirts of the city.
"We will be lighting a candle of hope for Claudia in the chapel at Bishopthorpe where prayers will be said on the hour for Claudia and her family," he said.
"When I asked Peter Lawrence if there was anything I could do for him, his answer was simple: 'Pray'."
Dr Sentamu urged anyone with information about Miss Lawrence's disappearance to call the police.



http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?Cops_probe_missing_chefs_private_life&in_article_id=600187&in_page_id=34

[packy]

Somebody must have seen or heard something. Maybe a knock-on-doors campaign by the students and friends might help to see if anyone saw a car parked along the route or heard anything that morning. Did dogs bark unusually loud that morning etc.

Sending my prayers out for her to be found soon.

[sarahhod]

Missing woman's father dismisses boyfriend link

12:00pm Friday 27th March 2009

By Matt Westcott » (http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/biog/2273)

THE father of missing university chef Claudia Lawrence today dismissed speculation that his daughter could have gone off with a new boyfriend.
Solicitor Peter Lawrence said the 35-year-old told her friends about everything she did and it was highly unlikely she would have met somebody and not let them know.
"It is just so unlikely. I think one of her friends would have known," Mr Lawrence told the BBC1 programme Missing Live.
"She's the sort of person who is bubbly, who's sociable, who chats to her friends, and so if I didn't know, her friends would have known and also she didn't have much time to do it, did she?"
Police fear Miss Lawrence might have come to harm after meeting someone she knew.
She was last seen close to her home in Heworth, York, after she finished work at the University of York's Goodricke College and was dropped off by a colleague on Wednesday last week.
Yesterday, detectives leading the search drafted in civilian search and rescue teams to scour open ground.
North Yorkshire Police said 65 people, some using search and rescue dogs, were deployed alongside 100 police officers who are working on the investigation.
Today, Mr Lawrence said his daughter talked to her mother at 8.30pm on Wednesday night and he believes she would have gone to bed at 9pm if she was going to work the following morning for a 6am start.
"She would have got up at 4am if she set off for work on the Thursday as she always takes a lot of care over her appearance," he said.
Mr Lawrence, who lives near Malton, North Yorkshire, said the family and police need to know what Miss Lawrence did between getting home on Wednesday and failing to turn up for a meeting with a friend on Thursday evening.
"Something has happened, she made that arrangement," he said.
"She spoke to me on Wednesday night. She arranged to meet me on Friday and she didnt turn up. And, of course, we had mothering Sunday and she's not been in contact with mum.
"Absolutely anything that anybody sees that they think is unusual or even if they dont think its important, somebody doing something strange, if somebody is getting extra food in, curtains are drawn, a car in an unusual place absolutely anywhere in the country - because it could be - just report it to North Yorkshire Police.
"There must be somebody out there that knows where Claudia is and hopefully wherever she is, she is safe. We just need her back."
Earlier, the Archbishop of York said prayers would be said throughout the day at his residence, Bishopthorpe Palace, on the outskirts of York.
John Sentamu said: "We will be lighting a candle of hope for Claudia in the chapel at Bishopthorpe, where prayers will be said on the hour for Claudia and her family.
"When I asked Peter Lawrence if there was anything I could do for him, his answer was simple: Pray."
It was initially thought that Miss Lawrence was abducted during the three-mile walk from her home to Goodricke College on the Thursday morning, the day after she was last seen.
But she does not appear on any CCTV footage from that Thursday morning along her normal route to work.
Senior officers said it was possible she had met up with someone the night before she disappeared.
Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, who is leading the investigation, said he was focusing on people she knew. He said she would have not have got into a strangers car.
Earlier this week, he said: "My professional judgment is that Claudia has probably come to harm."
Mr Galloway said police had no tangible evidence of a crime but there was no reason to believe Miss Lawrence had harmed herself as she was not depressed and had no financial problems.
Friends and family have described Miss Lawrence as a creature of habit and said her disappearance was totally out of character.
Police said Miss Lawrence had no money, bank cards or passport with her when she went missing.
She is described as white, around 5ft 6in and of slim build, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, blue skinny jeans and white trainers.
Police are appealing for help to find the small blue or green rucksack which Miss Lawrence used to carry her chefs whites to work.



http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4240281.Missing_woman_s_father_dismisses_boyfriend _link/

[sarahhod]

Somebody must have seen or heard something. Maybe a knock-on-doors campaign by the students and friends might help to see if anyone saw a car parked along the route or heard anything that morning. Did dogs bark unusually loud that morning etc.

Sending my prayers out for her to be found soon.

LE here in the UK tend to keep things very close to their chest in these types of investigations.

I pray they have a lot more information they haven't released.

They are still searching today with volunteers,dogs and frogmen and doing house to house enquiries.:sad0119:

[sarahhod]

Frogmen join search for Claudia Lawrence

11:49am Friday 27th March 2009


FROGMEN have been called in as part of the hunt for York chef Claudia Lawrence – who vanished without trace nine days ago.
Members of West Yorkshire Police’s underwater diving team are this morning searching the beck in Hull Road Park, off Melrosegate, looking for any clues to help police investigating her disappearance.
The 35-year-old has not been seen since around 3.10pm onWednesday, March 18.
Police believe that somebody Claudia knows is likely to be involved in her disappearance and they fear she may have come to harm.
Detectives are considering the possibility that, after speaking on the phone to her mother, Joan, at 8.10pm on the Wednesday she vanished, Claudia went to meet somebody she knew.
But they are also not ruling out the theory that she went missing as she walked to work at the University of York at around 5.30am the following morning.
Her usual route to work took her from her home in Heworth Road, along Melrosegate, Green Dyke’s Lane and University Road to Goodricke College, where her shift was due to start at 6am.



http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4240202.Frogmen_join_search_for_Claudia_Lawrence/

[packy]

I heard you, Sarah, about LE keeping things close to the vest.

They certainly should look at all possibilities. Although if the family is right that she took her rucksack then it would seem she was going to her job or would she take something like that to meet someone I wonder.

[sarahhod]

I heard you, Sarah, about LE keeping things close to the vest.

They certainly should look at all possibilities. Although if the family is right that she took her rucksack then it would seem she was going to her job or would she take something like that to meet someone I wonder.

The police seem to think she never left for work the next morning at all. They think that she either let someone into her house Wednesday evening or she went to someone's house that evening. Police are still searching her house for forensics. Maybe the killer took her backpack to make it look like she left for work as she carried this bag to work everyday with her chef's whites in it??

No contact on her phone since about 8.30pm Wednesday evening. A friend sent a text around 9pm but it's not known if she read it or not. Her phone has been off since Thursday am?

I really have a bad feeling here, I think she is deceased IMO:1222423:

[packy]

It does appear to be an abduction, and we do lose hope in cases like this but we can still hope that if someone is holding her they will finally give her up.

[sarahhod]

It does appear to be an abduction, and we do lose hope in cases like this but we can still hope that if someone is holding her they will finally give her up.

Aww Thanks packy. That is such a positive uplifting thought.:tender:

[sarahhod]

March 28, 2009

State of limbo: Paul Lamplugh on Claudia Lawrence's disappearance

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00511/page25_385x185_511282a.jpg
Divers from West Yorkshire Underwater Search Unit joined the 100 police officers and 70 specialists in the hunt for Claudia Lawrence

Andrew Norfolk

Eleven days ago, a young woman chatted on the phone to her mother before sending a text message to a friend. Then she vanished without trace.
There is no tangible evidence of a crime, yet North Yorkshire Police is conducting its biggest operation for five years as it tries to discover what happened to Claudia Lawrence. In the cathedral city that is home to the 35-year-old university chef, yesterday was a time for prayer, led by the Archbishop of York.
For Paul Lamplugh, an elderly man who has watched the story unfold on television, it has been a week of haunting memories. Suzy, his daughter, a 25-year-old London estate agent, disappeared in 1986 after arranging to show a house to a client. Her body has never been found.
Like Suzy, Ms Lawrence is single, with strong family bonds and close friends who know that her sudden disappearance is so out of character as to make it inconceivable that she has acted of her own volition.

Related Links


Missing chef's phone went dead at 8.30pm (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5975558.ece)



Missing chef ‘harmed by someone she trusted’ (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5977363.ece)



Father walks missing daughter's route to work (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5967877.ece)


As with Mr Lamplugh's daughter, the missing woman's silence is deafening. He spoke yesterday of “the awful state of limbo” into which Ms Lawrence's family have now also been plunged.
“As parents in that situation, all you can do is try to be positive,” he said. “My wife used to say that it feels as if you're on fire. All your systems are going, you're living every minute to try to find an answer, but the frustrating thing is that unless you've got a spark of information to work with, you can't actually do anything.”
Ms Lawrence, a solicitor's daughter, was educated at an independent girls' school in York, later gaining a college catering qualification and working at hotels in the city before joining the university 18 months ago.
A friend described her as “softly spoken, really kind and completely selfless”. She “had no enemies at all”. Home is a neat terraced house two miles from the Heslington campus of the university. Ms Lawrence normally made the trip by car but for the past few weeks had been on foot after her vehicle broke down.
She often worked 6am-2pm shifts, which meant a walk in the dark. Her mother offered to pay for a taxi; her father tried to lend her his car. She turned down both offers, saying that the exercise was good for her.
On Wednesday, March 18, Ms Lawrence left the university at 2.05pm. A work colleague offered her a lift, dropping her at her front door. A friend saw her near by at 3.10pm. That evening, she made phone calls to both her parents, who are divorced. All seemed fine. At 8.23pm she sent a text message to a friend to suggest meeting for a drink in a couple of days. At 9.12pm she received a text from another friend. No one knows if she read it because since then she has dropped off the face of the earth.
Peter Lawrence says that his daughter would normally have gone to bed at 9pm and left for work at 5.15am. She did not reach the university, nor did she meet a girlfriend, as planned, for a drink that evening. The alarm was raised on the Friday morning.
The house showed no sign of disturbance. Her purse, bank cards and passport were all there. No clothes were missing. She was not depressed and had no known personal or financial problems.
It was initially feared that she had been abducted on her way to work. Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, who is leading an inquiry with more than 100 officers and 70 members of specialist search teams, is now focusing on the events of the previous evening. More than 150 people have been interviewed, including former boyfriends.
Her family immediately feared something was wrong. They knew for certain last weekend, on Mothering Sunday. Ms Lawrence often took that day off work and had never before failed to phone.
The Archbishop, Dr John Sentamu, lit a “candle of hope” yesterday for Ms Lawrence. Prayers were said throughout the day in the chapel at his residence, Bishopthorpe Palace. The front page of the local newspaper carried a simple message: “Pray for her”.
Suzy Lamplugh never came home. But for years her parents refused to accept that she was dead. After speaking at length to The Times, Mr Lamplugh, 77, later phoned back. “You must tell the parents not to give up hope. They'll be exhausted but they must carry on believing that she's alive. They must carry on fighting.”
Record of Claudia's disappearance
Wednesday, March 18 5.57am: Filmed on CCTV arriving at work. 2.05pm: Leaves to walk home. 2.45pm: Colleague drops her off after stopping to give her a lift home. 3.05pm: Friend sees her walking back from nearby shops. 8.10pm: Phones her mother. 8.23pm: Sends text. 9.12pm: Receives text.
Thursday, March 19 6am: Fails to arrive for work. 9pm: Fails to meet friend for scheduled drink.
Friday, March 20 Morning: Police called after her father, contacted by her friend, goes to house.
Monday, March 23 Father appeals for help at press conference.
Tuesday, March 24 Father distributes leaflets on daughter's route to work.
Wednesday, March 25 More than 100 officers and 70 members of search-and-rescue teams on the case. Forensic search teams in house. Police search open ground near route to work.
Thursday, March 26 University students put up posters around campus.
Friday, March 27 Archbishop of York holds day of prayer.



http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5989077.ece

[sarahhod]

Missing Claudia Lawrence's last words to pal revealed

http://images.mirror.co.uk/design/transparent.gif

sundaymirror.co.uk (http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/) 29/03/2009 (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/03/29/)
Missing Claudia's last words to pals as she yearned for hol

http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/mar2009/5/8/claudia-lawrence-pic-pa-533483232.jpg

The best friend of Claudia Lawrence has revealed that the missing chef was desperate for a holiday and had booked one just days before she vanished.
As police began searching drains, sewers and a river near her home, Jen King told how Claudia had been planning an Easter trip to Cyprus with her.
Jen, 24, said: "She had been working really hard and had some holiday booked. She asked if I wanted to go. We were both really excited."
Hours before she vanished she sent Jen a text saying: "Bloody hell, I've got to do 12 days on the trot, early mornings too. No fun for me!"
Police have questioned a man Claudia had met on a holiday in Cuba about her disappearance. The York University chef met a group of men while on holiday and visited them in Hale, Cheshire.
Friends say the man has been quizzed and ruled out of the inquiry.
Claudia was last seen close to her home in Heworth, York, after working at Goodricke College on March 18.
Jen was with Claudia, 35, the weekend before. She said: "We took the afternoon off and spent it in the Nags Head pub, watching Cheltenham races."
"We all ended up quite tipsy and had a Chinese takeaway.
"She was embarrassed the next day because she'd been so drunk - but we all were." Jen insists Claudia had no secret boyfriend - and said she was her usual happy self in the days before she disappeared.
She added: "She's always so laid back and relaxed. And she is so beautiful. Everybody loves her."
A Facebook site set up to help find Claudia has so far attracted 11,000 members.
Yesterday, as a new pic of Claudia at the Nags Head was issued, police intensified their search, bringing in extra officers from West Yorkshire to search her home, wasteland, garages, outhouses and drains.
And the landlord of the Nags Head, Jim Melrom, said: "A man came in here on Friday night believing he had pictures of Claudia's bag, shoe and scarf. We told him to go to the police but he hasn't been seen since."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/03/29/missing-claudia-lawrence-s-last-words-to-pal-revealed-115875-21235771/

[sarahhod]

http://www.thepress.co.uk/resources/images/sitelogo/ (http://www.thepress.co.uk/)

Mar 30 2009
Missing Claudia to feature on BBC’s Crimewatch as prayers are said in church

10:27am Monday 30th March 2009

THE search for missing York chef Claudia Lawrence is set to feature on BBC’s Crimewatch tonight.
Millions of viewers across the UK will hear the very latest in the search for Claudia from detectives from North Yorkshire Police leading the investigation.
Meanwhile, prayers were said at church services across York yesterday for the missing 35-year-old.
As police officers searched the River Foss and Melrosegate for clues to her disappearance, Canon Glyn Webster conducted prayers before a 350-strong congregation at York Minster.
He made special mention ofthe University of York catering worker’s father, Peter Lawrence, who is a voluntary steward at the Minster, and her mother, Joan, and older sister, Alexandria.
He said: “We pray for the safety and well-being of Claudia Lawrence. As we pray for her, so we pray for her family. For Peter, for Joan, for Ali, for her family and many friends during this time of waiting and great anxiety.”
The hour-long service, presented by several senior members of the York Diocese, was made up of hymns, prayers and a moment’s silence before a procession of the Minster’s choir.
Mr Lawrence, a solicitor from Slingsby, did not attend the service but visited the Minster on Saturday evening instead to help prepare for the following morning’s service. Speaking after the service, Canon Webster said there was still hope.
He said: “It seems the whole city is behind Peter, Joan and their family, in terms of concern, compassion and praying for them.
“While there is no news, there is still hope.”
Claudia was also in the thoughts of parishioners at Holy Trinity Church in Heworth, close to her home, and in churches across the area.
Officers from North Yorkshire Police and neighbouring forces have continued to search Heworth and Tang Hall, looking in outbuildings and speaking to residents. Divers were also at the River Foss in Huntington Road yesterday.
Yesterday, police were also seen searching drains in Heworth Road, close to where Claudia lives, and in Tang Hall Lane.
On Saturday football fans also joined in the search. At York City’s home game against Kidderminster, spectators were handed posters printed by The Press which featured a photograph of Claudia and police officers were on hand to speak to fans.
An online campaign has also gathered pace.
As of yesterday, more than 13,000 people had joined a Facebook group publicising Claudia’s disappearance and trying to find her.
Claudia was last seen on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 18, after finishing her shift as a chef at the University of York.
She was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans and trainers.
Anyone with information should phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247.
Crimewatch will be broadcast at 9pm on BBC1 tonight.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4245058.Missing_Claudia_to_feature_on_BBC___s_Crim ewatch_as_prayers_are_said_in_church/

[sarahhod]

Police investigate Claudia Lawrence website

12:49pm Monday 30th March 2009


POLICE are investigating a new website - launched without the knowledge of the family of missing Claudia Lawrence - which is seeking donations to an appeal.
The website, www.claudialawrence.com (http://www.claudialawrence.com), is asking for payments by credit card to the “Claudia Lawrence Appeal.”
But North Yorkshire Police said today that neither the force nor Claudia’s family had had any involvement with the website.
“We strongly advise members of the public NOT to make donations,” said a spokesman.
Martin Dales, a close friend of Claudia’s father Peter, told The Press that the family had had no prior knowledge of the site and had not authorised it.
He said the family had decided not to set up an appeal in relation to the hunt for Claudia at this stage.
Although it was possible that the people setting up the site genuinely wanted to help trace Claudia, the family had reported the matter to the police.
The website carries photographs of Claudia and her father, and details of her disappearance, but then asks anyone with information to contact their local police or call the Metropolitan Police in London.
It features links to various news stories about Claudia’s disappearance, and am aerial Google image of the area around her home in Heworth. A guestbook has also been created, which features several messages of support from around the country.



http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4245630.Police_investigate_Claudia_Lawrence_websit e/

[sarahhod]

claudia search: police probe fresh leads

http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/images/5126487//TH1_MPM-0104-01-3103-150058.jpg
CRIMEWATCH PLEA ... Det Supt Ray Galloway

Published Date:
01 April 2009


THE search for missing chef Claudia Lawrence has gathered pace as police investigate 83 new calls about her disappearance.
An appeal on BBC One's Crimewatch has so far led to 37 calls to the programme, with North Yorkshire Police fielding a further 46.

The 35-year-old woman who was born and raised in Slingsby near Malton, has now been missing for two weeks with police believing she may have been abducted.

Family friend Martin Dales says the new impetus in the investigation into her disappearance is "encouraging".

He said: "We only need one out of the 80 to tell us something new. Let's hope it leads to the right resolution of this desperately sad situation."

Det Supt Ray Galloway, who is leading the investigation, renewed the appeal for information to millions of people watching the Crimewatch show on Monday night.

"I'm significantly concerned she has come to harm," he said. "The initial perception is that she may have been abducted and is more likely to have gone with someone she knows."

He showed replicas of Miss Lawrence's light blue Karrimor rucksack and her mobile phone – a silver Samsung D900 – which have yet to be recovered by police.

Det Supt Galloway added later: "We received some interesting calls relating to previous relationships in which Claudia was engaged.

"However, the police emphasis is on her current relationship or any person who may have been showing her some, potentially, unhealthy interest."

Monday also saw friends make a public plea for information at The Spotted Cow pub in Malton.

Liz Holder, 28, of Norton, first met Miss Lawrence, described as "sweet natured and very generous," when she worked at The King's Head pub in Malton, a dozen years ago.

"If anybody knows anything at all no matter how insignificant it may appear, just come forward to the police," she said. "Even if it's not worth saying, just come to the police and do what you can and hope to God she's okay."

Paddy Mcginty, of Norton, added: "Obviously we hope that someone is going to release her safely if she has been abducted. That's all we can hope and pray for now."

Miss Lawrence, of Heworth Road, York, was last seen on Wednesday March 18, as she walked home from work at York University's Goodricke College. She was last heard from at 8.30pm the same night.

One hundred police officers and civilian search and rescue teams have helped with the investigation as well as divers from West Yorkshire and forensics officers, who have searched Miss Lawrence's house for clues to her whereabouts.

Anybody with information is asked to call the police on 0845 6060247. Information will be treated in the strictest confidence.


http://www.maltonmercury.co.uk/news/claudia-search-police-probe-fresh.5126487.jp

[sarahhod]

TV appeal brings more leads in search for missing Claudia


Published Date:
01 April 2009
By Paul Jeeves (paul.jeeves@ypn.co.uk)


POLICE searching for missing Yorkshire university chef Claudia Lawrence were yesterday sifting through scores of potential new leads as fears grew that she had embarked on a new relationship just before her disappearance.


More than 80 calls had been received after the North Yorkshire officer leading the investigation, Det Supt Ray Galloway, made a nationwide appeal for information on BBC1's Crimewatch programme on Monday evening.

Afterwards, he said he had received some "very interesting calls" regarding the disappearance, including information about a previous relationship.

Despite close friends and family remaining adamant that there was no evidence Miss Lawrence had a new boyfriend, Det Supt Galloway stressed that the inquiry was focusing on a "current relationship".

A total of 37 calls were initially received via the Crimewatch studios before a further 46 calls were made to North Yorkshire Police following the broadcast.

Det Supt Galloway said: "We've had very interesting calls. We've had some calls regarding a previous relationship. That's a useful context to me, but my focus really lies on her current relationship.

"Who was Claudia going out with? Who was she seeing? Who was her boyfriend? Who was showing her maybe some unhealthy interest?"

Miss Lawrence was last seen a fortnight ago today after finishing work at York University's Goodricke College, where she is employed as a chef. She has not been in contact with anyone since about 8.30pm that night when she sent a text to a friend.

Miss Lawrence, 35, who lives alone in Heworth Road, York, vanished without taking any money, bank cards, or her passport. Friends and family have described her disappearance as totally out of character.

Det Supt Galloway admitted last week that Miss Lawrence could have come to harm after she had met with somebody she knew.

However, the missing woman's father, Peter Lawrence, a 62-year-old solicitor from Slingsby, near Malton, North Yorkshire, has already dismissed speculation that his daughter vanished after meeting a boyfriend.

He also rejected suggestions that Miss Lawrence had been looking for a new partner on an Internet dating site, as he said she did not have a computer and had "no practical knowledge" of how to use one.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed yesterday that a bogus website claiming to have been launched to help in the search for Miss Lawrence had been closed down.

Members of the public were warned by police not to donate money to the website, which was asking for cash for a so-called Claudia Lawrence Appeal.

Neither the police nor the missing chef's family had any involvement in the website. A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said officers were "satisfied" that it had now been shut down.

Inquiries are continuing to see if any offences have been committed, although no arrests had been made yesterday.

Police are still looking for Miss Lawrence's blue or green Karrimor rucksack and her silver Samsung D900 mobile phone.

Anyone with information is asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/TV-appeal-brings-more-leads.5128308.jp

[sarahhod]

THE father of missing estate agent Suzy Lamplugh today said friends and family of vanished university chef Claudia Lawrence must keep up hope.

Paul Lamplugh, 77, whose daughter disappeared 23 years ago, said Miss Lawrence’s family would be in a “terrible state of limbo” since she went missing in York 15 days ago.
Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen on March 18 near her home on Heworth Road and police fear she has come to harm after meeting up with someone she knows.

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00772/lamplugh180_772086a.jpgEstate agent ... Suzy Lamplugh


Miss Lamplugh was 25 when she disappeared in London in 1986 after arranging to show a house to a client. Her body has never been found but she is presumed murdered.
Mr Lamplugh said there was no evidence however to suggest this had happened to Miss Lawrence.
He said: “Claudia hasn’t necessarily been murdered, she may be kept somewhere.
“We do have to keep up hope, to hope that some information will be found.”
Mr Lamplugh said he empathised with the family of Miss Lawrence.
He said: “I have been most concerned for the Lawrence family.
Clues

"One is in a terrible state of limbo but they’re certainly doing the right thing, which is to keep the whole story in the media, encourage the media to stay with it, in the hope that someone will come forward with that scintilla of information which will lead to finding her.”
Mr Lamplugh said he sat down with his daughter’s friends after her disappearance and discussed Miss Lamplugh in the hope of finding some clues.
“If you sit round talking, some idea may come forward which you can give to the police,” he said.
“But it’s a desperate situation. One needs to carry on, try to get somebody to come forward and to put pressure on the police to continue their search.”
Mr Lamplugh set up the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to highlight the issue of personal safety.
He said: “We give advice for people to live to the full but to do so safely. It’s all common sense but common sense is not always common practice.
“But Claudia Lawrence, I must say, does sound an extremely sensible girl.”
North Yorkshire Police will hold a news conference in York today to appeal again for information.
Earlier this week, senior detectives made a television appeal on BBC1’s Crimewatch programme.
The show generated dozens of fresh calls to the incident room, the force said.
Miss Lawrence, who worked as a chef at the University of York’s Goodricke College, has not been in contact with anybody since around 8.30pm on March 18.
The police investigation is now the biggest the North Yorkshire force has conducted since the search for multiple killer Mark Hobson five years ago.



http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2356419.ece

[sarahhod]

By ALASTAIR TAYLOR
Published: 01 Apr 2009


A DUTCH conman was being hunted last night after he tried to cash in on the hunt for missing chef Claudia Lawrence.

The creep, going by the name of Norbert Van Vaalsen, set up a bogus website pleading for money to help in the search.
He gives his birth date on the site, claudialawrence.com, as April 1 — April Fool’s Day.
A phone number in Holland registered to the account went dead yesterday.
The site, since shut down, asked for “generous” donations through a Paypal account.
Claudia’s family and friends were furious and her solicitor dad Peter, 62, urged people not to send money.
The blonde, 35, vanished 14 days ago after a shift at York University, two miles from her home.
Cops yesterday released photos of the type of mobile phone she used — a silver Samsung D900.
It is still missing with her blue rucksack and chef’s whites.
Eighty-three people phoned in after an appeal on TV’s Crimewatch.
Det Supt Ray Galloway said there had been a number of “interesting calls” about Claudia’s previous relationships.
He added: “We also want to know about recent relationships.
“Who was Claudia going out with? Who was showing her maybe some unhealthy interest?”
Claudia’s family say her disappearance is “completely out of character”.



http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2350640.ece

[sarahhod]

Truck clue plea in hunt for Claudia


The detective leading the hunt for chef Claudia Lawrence appealed for the public's help in tracing the owner of a pick-up truck which was seen parked outside the missing woman's house.
Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway released CCTV footage showing a dark-coloured vehicle, probably a Ford Ranger Thunder, parked close to Miss Lawrence's home in Heworth, York, on Wednesday March 18.
The detective said the vehicle was seen close to Miss Lawrence's home at 9.01 on the Wednesday evening and was later seen driving away at 9.37pm.
Mr Galloway said he was anxious to trace the driver of the vehicle.
Miss Lawrence was last seen more than two weeks ago near her home. Despite extensive media appeals and police searches, detectives have failed to trace the popular 35-year-old chef.
Referring to the vehicle, Mr Galloway said: "I would ask anybody if they know who that vehicle belongs to, who it might belong to, if they have been offered that vehicle for sale...
"If they have been asked to clean that vehicle, if they have been asked to valet that vehicle over the past couple of weeks. Please come forward and assist the investigation.
"That vehicle may have nothing at all to do with the disappearance of Claudia. However, it is something I definitely need to establish who belongs to that vehicle, who was with it and why it was there at that time."


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jKNKy84B3DZyfvK2CSEDbo8IQETQ

[sarahhod]

Claudia Lawrence search police appeal for information about dark-coloured van

11:37am Thursday 2nd April 2009

A MYSTERIOUS dark-coloured van was captured on CCTV parked outside the home of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence on the night she disappeared.
Police have appealed for help in tracing the vehicle – which they believe is a Ford Ranger Thunder.
Speaking at a press conference this morning, Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, who is leading the investigation, said they had recovered CCTV of the vehicle at 9.01pm on Wednesday, March 18, outside Claudia’s home in Heworth Road.
He said that vehicle, which is described as a dark blue or black double cabbed pick-up van, was seen to leave the address at 9.37pm – heading in the direction of Malton Road.
“Our enquiries have failed to establish who this vehicle belongs to,” Det Sup Galloway said.
“If anybody knows who it belongs to, we would like to hear from them.
“Have you been offered that vehicle for sale, have you been asked to valet that vehicle in the past couple of weeks?
“If so, please come forward and assist the investigation. The vehicle may be nothing to do with the disappearance of Claudia, but it is something I definitely need to establish.”
He said the CCTV footage did not show anybody getting into the vehicle.
Claudia, 35, was last seen at around 3.10pm on that Wednesday, walking towards her home.
Later that night, she spoke to both her parents on the phone and sent text messages to various friends – but after 8.23pm all contact stopped.
She received a text message from a friend at 9.12pm – but she never replied and it is not known if that message was read.
Det Sup Galloway said he had not given up hope of finding Claudia alive.
He said: “There are chances. She is an adult, not a child and she can sustain herself alone and with other friends and maybe people we don’t know about.
“She could be anywhere. We need assistance to help her. I have not given up hope, nor have her family.”
Around 40 detectives are now involved in the investigation, with a further 60 police officers involved in searches around the city.
Chief Inspector Dave Hannan, deputy head of operations at North Yorkshire Police, said: “We are not scaling down the search for Claudia. Officers are going house to house. They are searching with the consent of the owners of the house.
“They are looking in lofts, behind bath panels – anywhere that we might find something that leads us to where Claudia is.”
Today a mobile police van displaying a large missing poster was touring the Tang Hall and Heworth areas.



http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4255561.Claudia_Lawrence_search_police_appeal_for_ information_about_dark_coloured_van/

[sarahhod]

Vehicle traced in connection to Claudia Lawrence disappearance

April 2, 2009

http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/truckcctv.jpg-300

The police have today released images of a vehicle which they intend to trace in connection with the disappearance of Goodricke chef Claudia Lawrence.
The vehicle was seen outside Claudia’s house at 21:01 on Wednesday the 18th March, the day when she was last seen or heard from. The vehicle then moved on at 21:37.
CCTV images reveal a dark-coloured two-cab pickup with chrome wheel arches and a chrome offside mirror. The vehicle also has a chrome foot-plate at the rear and a tailgate. There is also two or three vertical bars on the cab rear window.
Whilst police cannot be sure that the vehicle is connected they still need to trace the vehicle, driver and any other occupants.
Police ask that not only the owner or driver of the vehicle, but also anybody who may have been offered the vehicle for sale or who has cleaned or valeted it in the past two weeks to please contact the police.
Anybody with information should contact North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247
http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/cctv-pickup-1-300x272.jpg (http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/cctv-pickup-1.jpg)
http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/cctv-pickup2-300x227.jpg (http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/cctv-pickup2.jpg)
http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/cctv-pickup-3-300x271.jpg (http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/cctv-pickup-3.jpg)
http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/cctv-pickup-4-300x193.jpg (http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/cctv-pickup-4.jpg)

http://www.nouse.co.uk/2009/04/02/vehicle-traced-in-connection-to-claudia-lawrence-disappearance/

[sarahhod]

Pick-up driver ruled out in search for missing North Yorkshire woman

8:55pm Thursday 2nd April 2009

By Matt Westcott » (http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/biog/2273)

A DRIVER whose truck was spotted close to the house of missing North Yorkshire woman Claudia Lawrence has been eliminated from the enquiry.
Detectives had appealed today for help in tracing the dark-coloured pick-up captured on CCTV outside Miss Lawrences home on the evening of March 18 - the day she disappeared.
It was caught on CCTV at 9.01pm and was seen to move away, towards Malton Road, at 9.37pm.
Tonight, a North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Shortly after the media appeal was broadcast today, the owner of a vehicle matching the pick-up's description and location came forward. "Detectives have investigated the vehicle and the driver and have eliminated both from their enquiries."
Some 40 detectives are now working on the investigation along with another 60 uniformed officers who are carrying out intensive searches.
Today, they were carrying our house-to-house searches - with householders' consent - to examine lofts, cellars and bins.
"The public have been quite magnificent and I'd like to pay tribute to them for their response," said Det Supt Ray Galloway.
Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen shortly after leaving work at Goodricke College, part of York University, just over two weeks ago.
Police fear she has come to harm, most probably at the hands of someone she knows.
Meanwhile, the father of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, who disappeared 23 years ago, urged the missing woman's family not to give up hope that she would be found.
Miss Lamplugh was 25 when she disappeared in London in 1986 after arranging to show a house to a client. Her body has never been found but she has been presumed murdered.
However, her father, now 77, said: "Claudia hasn't necessarily been murdered, she may be kept somewhere.
"We do have to keep up hope, to hope that some information will be found."
Anyone with any information should contact police on 0845-6060-247.



http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4257437.BREAKING_NEWS__Truck_driver_comes_forward_ following_appeal_about_woman_s_disappearance/

[sarahhod]

Father in emotional plea for missing daughter


LONDON (AFP) — The father of missing university chef Claudia Lawrence on Tuesday pleaded with anyone with information to "search their consciences" and come forward.
Peter Lawrence said he felt "drained and empty" as he made an emotional appeal nearly three weeks after the disappearance of his 35-year-old daughter, a chef at the University of York.
Lawrence said he believed Claudia had disappeared on her way to work at the university's Goodricke College on the morning of March 19.
She was last seen the afternoon of the day before near her home in York and has not been in contact with anyone since around 8.30 that night.
Speaking at his home in Slingsby, North Yorkshire, Lawrence said he believed there were currently no clues about Claudia's whereabouts, but believed that she may have been taken by someone she knows.
"If Claudia was taken then someone, somewhere out there, must know that a person they know, perhaps even love, who was missing on the Wednesday, Thursday, or is behaving strangely but you haven't mentioned it through a misguided sense of loyalty," he said.
"We're now in Holy Week, leading up to Easter. Please search your conscience and report this. It could have been your daughter."
"And we don't know but Claudia, if you're out there, if you're seeing or hearing this, never mind all the searches that have been going on. Never mind all the media fuss. All we want is to know you're safe and to hope that you're able to come back to us and soon."
"Anybody at all, we just want Claudia back," he added.
Lawrence, a solicitor, said his family was determined to keep up the search for Claudia, and had received an "enormous number" of messages of support.
"It certainly drains me. I feel drained and empty. (But) I've got to be strong. I've got to keep going."
He described the police investigation of the local area as "marvellous and very thorough" but said he did not know if his daughter was still in York.
"There's absolutely no information they (the police) have given me which would lead us to think there's a clue," he added.
The North Yorkshire Police investigation into her disappearance is now the biggest the force has conducted since the search for multiple killer Mark Hobson five years ago.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hAxKfuIITv0T55_IiPFyLteSWmag

[packy]

It's good the owner of the truck that was seen near her house has come forward so that police won't be wasting precious time following that lead.

[sarahhod]

Claudia Lawrence’s friends in BBC show appeal

9:40am Wednesday 8th April 2009


FRIENDS of Claudia Lawrence are to appear on a national television show in another desperate appeal for information about her disappearance.
The University of York chef vanished without trace exactly three weeks ago and police fear she has come to harm after meeting somebody she knew.
But her best friend, Suzy Cooper, is determined not to give up hope of finding the 35-year-old alive.
Together with three other friends, Jen King, Pete Ruane and George Forman – landlord of the Nags Head pub – she has recorded an interview to be screened on BBC 1’s Missing Live programme on Friday, at 9.15am.
“The four of us get together most nights to go over and over everything we know, but we just can’t come up with anything,” she said.
“I can’t think of anybody who would want to harm her or make her life difficult.
“It is such a mystery and having no clues at all is something I’m finding really difficult to deal with.
“How I’m feeling right now is quite hard to describe – it’s a bit like torture not knowing and not having anything to go on.”
Claudia was last seen returning to her home, in Heworth Road, on Wednesday, March 18, at about 3.10pm.
Later that night, the popular chef chatted happily to both her parents on the phone and sent text messages to various friends – but after 8.23pm all contact stopped.
She was due to start work at the University of York’s Roger Kirk Centre at 6am on the Thursday morning, but never arrived.
“We have to keep the hope alive,” said Suzy, an office administrator, from Tang Hall.
“Three weeks is a long time when someone is missing, but I’m not ready to accept defeat.
“My life has just been catapulted into chaos. I’m just trying to hang on in there and keep hoping.
“My heart goes out to Claudia’s family because if I’m suffering like this, then I can’t imagine how they are feeling.”
About 100 officers are still involved in the search for Claudia – North Yorkshire Police’s biggest operation since the week-long hunt for quadruple murderer Mark Hobson in July 2004.
Police have received more than 600 calls in response to their appeal for information and have taken more than 500 statements from her friends, family, ex-boyfriends, acquaintances and members of the public.
A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police said: “Investigations are continuing into the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence, with intensive police activity ongoing to follow up the many calls and pieces of information received from the public since Claudia was reported missing.”




http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4275489.Claudia_Lawrence___s_friends_in_BBC_show_a ppeal/

[sarahhod]

Police seek a vital clue in search for Claudia Lawrence

9:24am Thursday 9th April 2009

POLICE are still looking for that vital clue that could help them find missing Claudia Lawrence.
The University of York chef was last seen walking towards her home, in Heworth Road, at around 3.10pm on Wednesday, March 18. Later that night, she chatted happily on the phone to both her parents and sent text messages to various friends, but after 8.23pm, all contact stopped.
More than 100 police officers are involved with the search for the 35-year-old – the biggest operation by North Yorkshire Police in five years.
A police spokeswoman said: “Police searches are set to continue over the coming weeks in the hunt for Claudia, alongside intensive activity by detectives as officers continue to check the vast amount of information provided by the public. Officers continue to praise the residents of York for their cooperation during what are quite intrusive searches of their property.
“We have had an overwhelming response to our appeals for information and continue to appeal to anyone who still holds that vital piece of information which will lead us to Claudia, to please contact police.”
If you are able to help the inquiry, phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060 247.



http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4279021.Police_seek_a_vital_clue_in_search_for_Cla udia_Lawrence/

[sarahhod]

Calls for renewed hope in search for missing Claudia

Published Date: 14 April 2009
By Staff Copy


The Archbishop of York has called for renewed hope in the search for missing university chef Claudia Lawrence and for Madeleine McCann.
John Sentamu said he could not imagine the pain and suffering endured by the families of the missing.

But he said Easter’s celebration of the triumph of life over death should inspire us never to give up hoping they will be found.

His Easter message came just days after a fresh appeal from Miss Lawrence’s father for help to find his daughter.

The York University chef, 35, has not been seen for more than three weeks despite a massive police operation to find her.

Detectives fear she may have come to harm after meeting someone she knew.

Speaking to a national newspaper, Archbishop Sentamu said: “In both Claudia and Madeleine’s cases, someone knows where they are.

“The message of Easter is a message of hope, and our hope that those who are lost may yet be found must not be diminished by the lack of media coverage that comes as time passes.”

In a statement released on behalf of her family, Miss Lawrence’s father Peter Lawrence said he was gaining strength from others’ prayers

The statement said: “Easter is a time of hope, a time when families can be together, a time in the Christian church for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“For Peter and the family, this is an impossibly difficult time when life is on hold.

“They are gaining much strength from the prayers of those who have a faith and the compassionate thoughts of those who do not.”

Miss Lawrence was last seen on the afternoon of March 18 near her home on Heworth Road, York, and has not been in contact with anybody since around 8.30pm that day.

The North Yorkshire Police investigation into Miss Lawrence’s disappearance is now the biggest the force has conducted since the search for multiple killer Mark Hobson five years ago.

http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/news/Calls-for-renewed-hope-in.5166405.jp

[sarahhod]

Missing Chef Claudia 'Had Secret Liaisons'

4:54pm UK, Wednesday April 15, 2009
Gerard Tubb, North of England correspondent

Claudia Lawrence has a "private and secretive" side to her character which is thought to be making the search for her more difficult, Sky News Online has learned.


http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Apr/Week1/15254982.jpg
Claudia Lawrence has been missing for four weeks


The 35-year-old chef was last seen close to her home in Heworth on the outskirts of York four weeks ago today.
Despite a massive police investigation into her disappearance, very little has so far been revealed about her life.
Now, some members of her family and friends have painted a picture of a woman who tended to be shy and private - traits which she is said to have inherited from her parents.
One friend, who has known Claudia for many years and who spoke on condition of anonymity, says Claudia has "a secretive nature", and would often arrange secret meetings.
"She was used to having secret liaisons," she said, adding: "She is a private person and not at all gregarious."
Meanwhile, a family friend who has known Claudia since she was a teenager, says she is "essentially" very private.

http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Apr/Week1/15256941.jpg Search for Ms Lawrence continues


Martin Dales, who has been acting as a spokesman for Claudia's father, said different people might have seen different sides to her.
"When she's with some of her friends she can be gregarious," he said. "But essentially she's a private person."
"The whole family is private," he explained. "They are coping with this as best they can, but they are finding it difficult."
So far the only member of Claudia's family to have made any public appeals for help in finding her is her father, Peter Lawrence, a prominent local solicitor.
"I can't believe that it is now virtually four weeks since Claudia disappeared," he said.
"She was constantly around and we were regularly seeing each other in York, very frequently, and then all of a sudden it's just nothing.
"As far as I am aware, there are absolutely no leads at all as to where Claudia is."

http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Mar/Week4/15247979.jpg Ms Lawrence's father, Peter


Mr Lawrence said Claudia had enrolled on a catering course at York Technical College after studying at York College for Girls.
After qualifying and getting her first job at the Kings Head pub in Malton, she bought a one-bedroomed modern house in nearby Norton.
She later bought a cottage in Old Malton. She gained further qualifications and worked at the Gold Cup Inn at Low Catton in East Yorkshire and the Monk Bar and Quality Inn hotels in York before joining York University's catering team two years ago.
Mr Lawrence said Claudia's older sister Ali had not made any televised appeals for information "to protect her young children".
Claudia's mother Joan declined to comment when contacted by Sky News.
North Yorkshire Police say they are not planning to give any updates about their inquiry to coincide with the one-month anniversary of her last sighting.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Missing-Chef-Claudia-Lawrence-Had-Secretive-Side-Which-Could-Be-Complicating-Search-For-Her/Article/200904215261914?lpos=UK_News_First_Home_Article_Te aser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15261914_Missing_Chef_Claudia_Lawrence _Had_Secretive_Side_Which_Could_Be_Complicating_Se arch_For_Her

[sarahhod]

Police scour undergrowth near Heworth Green for Claudia Lawrence clue

7:41am Thursday 16th April 2009
By Nicola Fifield » (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/biog/4986)


EXACTLY one month after Claudia Lawrence was last seen, search teams have been combing the undergrowth near a York cycle path for clues to her whereabouts.
Police officers with long sticks were yesterday scouring scrubland near the cycle path alongside the River Foss, near Heworth Green.
It is now four weeks since the popular chef vanished, and there are still no clues as to where she might be.
Police believe she has come to harm after going to meet somebody she knows.
A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “Despite intensive police inquiries and searches to locate her during the past four weeks, including personal appeals in the media by her family and friends, her disappearance remains unexplained.”
Claudia, who is single and lives alone, was last seen returning to her home, in Heworth Road, on Wednesday, March 18, at about 3.10pm.
Later that night, she was in high spirits when she spoke to both her parents on the phone.
She also sent text messages to various friends – but all contact stopped after 8.23pm.
The 35-year-old, who has an older sister Ali, was due to start work at the University of York’s Roger Kirk Centre on the Thursday morning, but never arrived.
She disappeared with no purse, bank cards, passport, or spare clothes – only with her silver Samsung D900 mobile phone and the Karrimor rucksack she used to carry her chef’s whites to work. Police are still keen to trace these belongings.
Nearly 25,000 people have now joined a Facebook group appealing for help in finding Claudia.
The group, called Missing Person – Claudia Lawrence, was set up on the social networking site by one of Claudia’s friends, Melanie Harrison.
Hollie Wiles, from Malton, is one of hundreds of people who have posted messages of support on the website.
She wrote: “I know a lot of people that know Claudia and they are in daily devastation.
“I hope she is found safe and if the worst has happened, I hope she is found. “She lived in our town for years and everyone here is either in shock or dismay. I pray she is found soon.”
If you have any information that might help police to find Claudia, phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4294033.Police_scour_undergrowth_near_Heworth_Gree n_for_Claudia_Lawrence_clue/

[packy]

I wonder how they mean secret liasons, just not telling about her activities with one set of friends to another set of friends or did they mean actual dates.

[sarahhod]

I wonder how they mean secret liasons, just not telling about her activities with one set of friends to another set of friends or did they mean actual dates.

The press are reporting that Claudia had several secret "Dates" with men unknown to her family and friends, so IMO if they can find these men it would help the case immensely.

[sarahhod]

Claudia Lawrence Cops Chase Two New Leads

11:53am UK, Thursday April 16, 2009


Detectives investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence are investigating two new leads - one involving a witness who saw a couple arguing in the street.



http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Apr/Week3/15262955.jpg
Claudia has been missing for over four weeks


Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway said police wanted to speak to two people seen arguing outside a car in University Road, York.
The 35-year-old chef (http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/Claudia_Lawrence) was last seen near her home on the city's Heworth Road on March 18 and has not been in contact with anybody since the evening of that day.
Det Supt Galloway said a witness has now told police they spotted a man and a woman having a "verbal altercation" beside a parked car which had its passenger door open just after 6am the following morning.
The witness could not give details of the car or descriptions of the people involved, but the timing meant it could be important, he added.
"That would be a key moment for us because that would be a morning when Claudia was supposed to turn up at (the) university (where she worked)," he said.
"It's a significant line of inquiry which we want to pursue... I would very much like to identify who those people are."
Another witness has also come forward to say they saw two men trying to get in to Claudia's house, either on March 10 or 13.
A woman has told police she was stuck in a traffic jam outside the property and saw two men trying the door.
One is described as Asian, about 5ft 8in, of slim build with a thin, pinched nose. The witness said he looked nervous.
His companion is said to be taller, of heavier build and with short, dark hair.
Det Supt Galloway made it clear that all the people described may well have no link to the investigation, but added police are keen to identify them.
He also said that people had been leaving posts on Claudia's Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/) page saying they had information which could be relevant, but officers could not trace them because they have used nicknames or remained anonymous.
He appealed for anyone with information to contact detectives on 0845 60 60 247.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Claudia-Lawrence-Missing-Persons-Inquiry-Police-Reveal-New-Leads-And-Appeal-For-Information/Article/200904315262946?lpos=UK_News_Top_Stories_Header_0&lid=ARTICLE_15262946_Claudia_Lawrence_Missing_Pers ons_Inquiry%3A_Police_Reveal_New_Leads_And_Appeal_ For_Information

[sarahhod]

April 16, 2009

Police link roadside argument to Claudia Lawrence mystery

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00508/Lawrence_02_185x360_508708a.jpg
(North Yorkshire Police/PA)
Claudia Lawrence


A couple were seen arguing by the roadside by a passing motorist shortly before a university chef went missing, the detective leading the search revealed today.
Claudia Lawrence, 35, the daughter of a solicitor, was last seen more than four weeks ago near her home after she finished work at the University of York's Goodricke College. She was carrying no money, bank cards or passport.
Police, who have already searched nearby waterways, fear that the woman described by family and friends as "sweet natured" might have come to harm after meeting someone she knew.
Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway suggested at a press conference in York today that the motorist's eye witness account could represent a significant line of inquiry.

Related Links



'Claudia Lawrence's parents must not lose hope' (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5989077.ece)


Facebook aids search for missing chef (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5993102.ece)


Missing chef's phone went dead at 8.30pm (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5975558.ece)



The witness was driving along the University Road at 6.10am on March 19 which would have been around the time Miss Lawrence walked to work. On one side of the road was a car with its passenger door ajar and on a bank on the opposite carriageway was a man standing over a woman apparently deep in an argument.
Mr Galloway said: "The man and woman appeared to be in some form of altercation. We think it was a verbal argument.
"He drives past and, as he looks in his rear view mirror he actually believes the man is stood above the woman, as if he is on some form of banking."
The detective suggested that the development could prove a key moment in the inquiry but acknowledged that there could be an innocent explanation for the sighting.
Mr Galloway also revealed that, in the days before Miss Lawrence's disappearance, a woman motorist had spotted two men standing outside the chef's home on the Heworth Road, in York. One of the men was described as an Asian man. "We obviously need to know who these men are," said Mr Galloway.
Miss Lawrence, a prolific texter, spoke to her parents on the evening of Wednesday March 18 and exchanged text messages with two friends. The last contact was at 8.23pm.
The following day her phone was switched off or powered down and has not been located. So far, the police inquiry has concentrated on her circle of friends. One described her as a sociable, popular and a creature of habit.
Her father, Peter Lawrence, 62, a solicitor from Malton, North Yorkshire, has made an emotional appeal and handed out leaflets on his daughter's usual route to and from work. "We keep hoping and praying that Claudia will walk through the door," he has said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6104911.ece

[sarahhod]

Facebook campaign 'is hampering search for missing chef', say police

By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 12:07 PM on 16th April 2009


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/04/16/article-1170460-042A8E1E000005DC-943_233x367.jpg
Claudia Lawrence has been missing since March 18th

A campaign on Facebook to find a missing chef is hampering the investigation into her disappearance, police said today.

Claudia Lawrence was last seen on March 18 after she finished work at the University of York's Goodricke College and has not been in contact with anybody since around 8.30pm that day.
Police fear she may have come to harm after meeting someone she knows.
The detective leading the hunt for Miss Lawrence today appealed for people using Facebook to pass on information about Miss Lawrence's disappearance to contact the police instead.

He said: 'There is a significant amount of people who are contributing to that site.

'Now some of them are making what could potentially be useful information appeals or claiming that they have information that could be useful to the investigation.'

'I don't have the ability to identify who they are. Some of them are by nickname, some of them are completely anonymous.

'I would urge anybody that has any information that they are imparting on the Facebook site, please use the police hotline and contact us and allow us to contextualise the information and help take it forward.'
Detective Galloway also revealed a motorist saw a couple involved in the roadside altercation hours after the missing 35-year-old was last seen alive and well.
He said the motorist was driving towards the university along University Road when he came across the couple at 6.10am on March 19.
He said the car, which he does not have a description of, was parked on the left-hand side with a passenger door open.
The witness told police he saw a couple on the other side of the carriageway involved in some form of verbal argument.
Mr Galloway told reporters in York: 'The man and woman appeared to be in some form of altercation. We think it was a verbal altercation.
'He drives past and, as he looks in his wing mirror, his rear view mirror, he actually believes the man is stood above the woman i.e. as if he is on some form of banking.
'It's a significant line of inquiry which we wish to pursue.
'Were you that person? Were you involved in that vehicle?
'It could have been someone just dropping off their partner, their friend, their son, their daughter and it's just an argument that's taking place.
'There might be an innocent explanation.'

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/04/16/article-1170460-047BA1B6000005DC-538_468x286.jpg Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, the North Yorkshire police detective in charge of the investigation, into missing chef Claudia Lawrence, speaks to the media at York Police Station today.

The detective said it was possible it was not Claudia and he had no description of the couple involved.
However, he said it was a 'key moment' for the inquiry team as it was the morning Miss Lawrence was due to turn up for work at the university.
Mr Galloway was asked if Miss Lawrence may have a more complicated private life than her friends and family were aware of.

The detective said he had no evidence of a new relationship, but he was keen to hear from anyone who had any information about her private life.

He stressed he was there to investigate, not judge, and appealed for people to come forward.

Asked how concerned he was for her wellbeing, he said he had "significant concerns for her safety".

Mr Galloway also revealed that, on March 10 or 13, a woman motorist passing by Miss Lawrence's home on Heworth Road in slow moving traffic saw two men outside the chef's front door.
One was described as an Asian male, while police have no description of the other man.
Mr Galloway added: 'We obviously need to know who the men are.'
The detective said the Asian male seen at Miss Lawrence's front door was described as aged in his early 20s, 5ft 8in tall, of slim build and with a thin, pointed nose and dark areas beneath his eyes. He was described as nervous.
The second man was taller, with dark hair and a heavier build. He was described as wearing a Crombie-style coat.
They were seen outside the front door in the early afternoon. One of the men appeared to be trying the door, either with a key or by turning the handle.

The North Yorkshire police investigation into Miss Lawrence's disappearance is now the biggest the force has conducted since the search for multiple killer Mark Hobson five years ago
Mr Galloway urged anyone with any information to contact the inquiry team.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1170460/Facebook-campaign-hampering-search-missing-chef-say-police.html

[sarahhod]

Was a roadside argument linked to Claudia's disappearance?

http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/YPOS//TH1_16420096claudia%20lawrence.jpg
Still missing: Clauria Lawrence
[/URL]
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Published Date: 16 April 2009

THE detective leading the hunt for York university chef Claudia Lawrence today revealed a motorist saw a couple involved in a roadside altercation hours after the missing 35-year-old was last seen alive and well.
Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway told reporters in York it was a "significant" line of inquiry with Miss Lawrence now missing for more than four weeks.

Miss Lawrence was last seen on March 18 after she finished work at the University of York's Goodricke College and has not been in contact with anybody since around 8.30pm that day.

Police fear she may have come to harm after meeting someone she knows.

Mr Galloway said the motorist was driving towards the university along University Road when he came across the couple at 6.10am on March 19.

He said the car, which he does not have a description of, was parked on the left-hand side with a passenger door open.

The witness told police he saw a couple on the other side of the carriageway involved in some form of verbal argument.

Mr Galloway told reporters in York: "The man and woman appeared to be in some form of altercation. We think it was a verbal altercation.

"He drives past and, as he looks in his wing mirror, his rear view mirror, he actually believes the man is stood above the woman i.e. as if he is on some form of banking.

"It's a significant line of inquiry which we wish to pursue.

"Were you that person? Were you involved in that vehicle?

"It could have been someone just dropping off their partner, their friend, their son, their daughter and it's just an argument that's taking place.

"There might be an innocent explanation."

The detective said it was possible it wasn't Claudia and he had no description of the couple involved.

However, he said it was a "key moment" for the inquiry team as it was the morning Miss Lawrence was due to turn up for work at the university.

Mr Galloway also revealed that, on March 10 or 13, a woman motorist passing by Miss Lawrence's home on Heworth Road in slow moving traffic saw two men outside the chef's front door.

One was described as an Asian male, while police have no description of the other man.

Mr Galloway added: "We obviously need to know who the men are."

[URL]http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Was-a-roadside-argument-linked.5177081.jp

[sarahhod]

Police: Two men seen outside missing Claudia's home

Thursday, 16 Apr 2009 11:09

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/photo/photo-x-$7031043$180.jpg
Police: Two men seen outside missing Claudia's home


Police have said two men were seen standing at the front door of missing chef Claudia Lawrence's house a few days before she disappeared.

Updating reporters on the investigation into her disappearance, Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, from North Yorkshire police, said an eyewitness had come forward saying she believed the men tried the door and spent a number of minutes in front of the property.

Ms Lawrence, 35, who worked at the University of York, has not been seen or heard from since March 18th.

DS Galloway said this morning a second eyewitness contacted police claiming to have seen a man and a woman engage in an argument or altercation on University Road on the morning of Thursday March 19th.

He said the couple were engaged in conversation on the side of the road by a car with its passenger door open.

DS Galloway said he thought the sighting was significant because it took place on the morning Ms Lawrence is thought to have walked to work.

The investigating officer previously said he thought it was unlikely she would have been abducted by someone she did not know.

One of the men spotted in front of the 35-year-old's house last month is described as being Asian, in his early 20s, 5ft 8in, and of slim build with thin pointed nose.

DS Galloway said he had "significant concerns" for Ms Lawrence's safety, adding: "I really do hope Claudia is alive."

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/crime/police-two-men-seen-outside-missing-claudia-s-home-$1288327.htm

[sarahhod]

Support of Christians helping father of missing chef

by Jennifer Gold
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009, 10:13 (BST)


The father of missing university chef Claudia Lawrence says he is being helped by his faith and the support of fellow Christians as police continue to investigate his daughter’s disappearance.
Speaking to Premier Radio, Peter Lawrence paid tribute in particular to the support of the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu.
"I think it would have been extremely difficult to get through the last four weeks without my faith and the help of all the Christian people I know," Peter Lawrence told Premier Christian Radio.
“Not only clergy, but friends. I get messages from all over the country. It's supporting. It doesn't make it any easier, but it is supporting. In particular, the Archbishop of York has been a great help.
"He telephoned me and asked what he could do. They set up a prayer candle and he asked what he could do, I simply said to him, 'Just pray.' He has been ever since."
Miss Lawrence has not been seen since she finished work at York University’s Goodricke College on March 18. Her last contact with anyone was at 8.30pm that day.
Dr Sentamu has invited anyone with information to contact him at his official residence, Bishopthorpe Palace, if they do not feel able to speak to the police.
Detectives are following two significant lines of enquiry, one involving the sighting of a couple rowing at the side of University Road in York at 6.10am on March 19, around the time Miss Lawrence would have walked to work.
Police are also interested in the claim of two men seen outside her house around one week before her disappearance.

Mr Lawrence told Premier: "I am sure there are things - like any father and daughter relationship, which she wouldn't tell me, but in general she told me what she was doing. We talked regularly and we saw each other regularly.
"Inside I feel absolutely dreadful and drained. There's part of my life missing. Outside I've got to keep strong to do things to keep Claudia's face out there so hopefully someone will see her."
Mr Lawrence issued a fresh appeal over Easter for help in finding his daughter.
"Easter is a time of hope, a time when families can be together, a time in the Christian church for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” read a statement from the family.
"For Peter and the family, this is an impossibly difficult and bewildering time when life is on hold.
"They are gaining much strength from, and feeling sustained by, the prayers of those who have a faith and the compassionate thoughts of those who do not.
"They know that someone out there knows where Claudia is and hopes that, whoever they are, they will search their conscience and inform either the police or Crimestoppers. They are very grateful for everyone's kindness and now just wish for the safe return of Claudia to them and to her friends."

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/support.of.christians.helping.father.of.missing.ch ef/23086.htm

[sarahhod]

Missing Claudia: Could Facebook Hold The Key?

10:07am UK, Friday April 17, 2009
Gerard Tubb, North of England correspondent


Detectives are scouring Facebook as they look for clues in the hunt for missing chef Claudia Lawrence.



http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Apr/Week3/15263671.jpg
A number of groups have been set up to help find Claudia Lawrence


The 35-year-old was reported missing by her father after failing to turn up for work at the University of York more than four weeks ago.
Officers based at the control room at York's police HQ in Fulford are logging onto Facebook (http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/Facebook) every day to pore through the thousands of messages left by friends and well-wishers.
Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, the officer leading Operation Cabin - the investigation into Miss Lawrence's disappearance - said someone using the website could have important information.
"Intelligence officers are checking the Facebook site every day," he told Sky News Online.
"Every time I've read it I've thought 'I'd like to speak to that person'."

http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Mar/Week4/15247522.jpg
Missing: Claudia Lawrence


A string of groups dedicated to helping to find Miss Lawrence have been set up on Facebook, including one which has more than 23,500 members.
Sky News has revealed how the chef could be more secretive and private than had previously been reported (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Missing-Chef-Claudia-Lawrence-Had-Secretive-Side-Which-Could-Be-Complicating-Search-For-Her/Article/200904215261914?lpos=UK_News_Article_Related_Conte nt_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15261914_Missing_Chef_Claudia_Lawrence _Had_Secretive_Side_Which_Could_Be_Complicating_Se arch_For_Her).
One friend who spoke on condition of anonymity said Miss Lawrence had been used to arranging "secret liaisons" with a boyfriend.
Superintendent Galloway said he is particularly interested in hearing from Facebook users who have posted messages suggesting they know things about her life.
"Facebook is considered to be a safe environment, but I'd like to say that the police are a safe environment too."
Detectives are keen to stress they need to find out everything about Miss Lawrence and any relationships she had, regardless of how they might be viewed by other people.

http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Mar/Week4/15247986.jpg
Police searching for the chef


"My job is to investigate these relationships, not to judge them," Superintendent Galloway said.
Fifty officers are involved in Operation Cabin, many of them assessing information and following up leads highlighted by the Home Office Large Major Enquiry System (HOLMES) which is at the heart of the investigation.
The computer system was designed in response to the Yorkshire Ripper investigation which became bogged down with too many pieces of paper for the inquiry team to handle.
Superintendent Galloway admitted the information coming from sources like the Facebook groups was challenging.
"I would be lying if I was to say that it wasn't difficult to manage such a huge amount of information," he said.
But he urged people to come forward with anything they know about Miss Lawrence or where she might be.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Claudia-Lawrence-Police-Searching-Facebook-Every-Day-For-Clues-In-Missing-York-Chef-Investigation/Article/200904315263654?lpos=UK_News_Top_Stories_Header_1&lid=ARTICLE_15263654_Claudia_Lawrence%3A_Police_Se arching_Facebook_Every_Day_For_Clues_In_Missing_Yo rk_Chef_Investigation

[sarahhod]

‘Significant’ new leads emerge in Claudia search

April 17, 2009

http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/claudialawrencejpg-3001jpeg2.jpg

Two new lines of inquiry in the police search for Claudia Lawrence have emerged, after two new witnesses came forward to give fresh evidence.
North Yorkshire Police say that they “wish to pursue” the two new “significant” lines of inquiry.
Interest has been aroused over the sighting of a man and woman arguing on University Road at 6.30am on 19 March, the day after Miss Lawrence’s disappearance. Detective Superintendent Mr Galloway said: “The man and woman appeared to be involved in some form of altercation. We think it was a verbal altercation. One of the doors is open, the passenger door of the vehicle. He [the witness] drives past and as he looks in his wing mirror, his rear view mirror, he actually believes the man is stood above the woman… as if he’s on some form of banking.” The police do not have a description of the man, the woman or the vehicle.
A second witness has also come forward to describe how she saw two men outside Miss Lawrence’s home on either 10 March or 13 March. One man has been described as acting with a nervous disposition, Asian, in his early 20s, 5ft 8in tall, of slim build, with a thin, pointed nose and dark areas beneath his eyes. The second man was described as taller, with dark hair and a heavier build.
At a news conference North Yorkshire police have described how the Asian male appeared to be trying the door, either with a key or through pulling the door handle. Mr Galloway said: “Now, we obviously need to know who the men are. They were watched by the witness for three or four minutes because she’s in very slow moving traffic as she approaches the roundabout at Malton Road. But we don’t know what they were there for. It could have been a legitimate reason, we don’t know.”
People who have been recording possibly significant information on Facebook groups dedicated to the search for Miss Lawrence have also been urged to use the police hotline to allow the police to “contextualise the information and help take it forward.”
Mr Galloway added: “There is a significant amount of people who are contributing to that site. Now some of them are making what could potentially be useful information appeals or claiming that they have information that could be useful to the investigation.”
Miss Lawrence has now been missing for almost a month, having last been seen leaving Goodricke College on 18 March.

http://www.nouse.co.uk/2009/04/17/significant-new-leads-emerge-in-claudia-search/

[sarahhod]

WHO WERE THE COUPLE ARGUING ON MORNING CLAUDIA DISAPPEARED?


By Lucy Thornton 17/04/2009 (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/04/17/)



Police have two significant leads into the disappearance of chef Claudia Lawrence, it was revealed yesterday.
Officers want to trace a man and woman seen in a "deep altercation" near the university where Claudia, 35, worked on the morning she failed to turn up.
Another witness reported seeing two men trying to get into the her house days before she disappeared.
Det Supt Ray Galloway told a press conference the report of the rowing couple - who were beside a parked car with its passenger door open just after 6am - could be important.
He said: "That would be a key moment because that would be a morning when Claudia was supposed to turn up at the university where she worked.
"I would like to identify who those people are. We don't even know if it was Claudia, but we need this couple to come forward."
Det Supt Galloway said the second witness reported two men - one of whom was Asian and looked "nervous" - trying to get into Claudia's home on either March 10 or 13 for two or three minutes.
He said: "One of the men, the Asian, appears to try the door. We need to know who the men are. We don't know what they were there for. It could have been a legitimate reason."
Det Supt Galloway also called on users of networking site Facebook to help as he revealed officers are scouring it for clues.
Claudia was last seen near her home in York on March 18. The alarm was raised after she failed to arrive at York University's Goodricke College on March 19.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/04/17/who-were-the-couple-arguing-on-morning-claudia-disappeared-115875-21284084/

[sarahhod]

Body found in York is not missing chef Claudia Lawrence

A body found in the River Ouse in York is not that of missing university chef Claudia Lawrence, police have confirmed.

Last Updated: 4:04PM BST 17 Apr 2009

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01374/missing-chef_1374393c.jpg
Body found in York is not missing chef Claudia Lawrence Photo: PA


Officers found the body in the water at Bishopthorpe Bridge in Fulford at 10.48am on Friday.
It had been thought that it could be 35-year-old Miss Lawrence, who has been missing since March 18.
She was last seen after she finished work at York University's Goodricke College and has not been in contact with anyone since around 8.30pm that day.
Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, who is leading the investigation, had previously disclosed that a motorist had come forward to report seeing a couple arguing in a car near the university in the hours after Miss Lawrence's disappearance.
Other significant lines of inquiry include a claim that two men were seen outside her front door around a week before she went missing.
More than 35,000 people have now signed up to groups on the social networking site Facebook dedicated to discussion about Miss Lawrence.
Hundreds of new messages have been posted on the groups' discussions boards every day, many of them including theories about the case and even possible new lines of inquiry.
But although police have been monitoring them closely, they have admitted struggling to process the volume of new information.
A police spokesman said the area where the body was found had been cordoned off while police investigated.
Inquiries were still continuing into the identity of the body.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5172065/Body-found-in-York-is-not-missing-chef-Claudia-Lawrence.html

[sarahhod]

Peter Lawrence goes on national television to help search for Claudia

8:10am Saturday 18th April 2009

By Nicola Fifield » (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/biog/4986)


Play Video (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/audiovideo/video/80172)

Updated: THE father of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence described the past four weeks as “hell” during a live appearance on ITV’s This Morning.
Peter Lawrence, who said earlier this week he believed his daughter could be anywhere in the country, said he was desperate to keep Claudia’s disappearance in the public eye.
He told the show’s presenters, Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, that he continued to hope that Claudia would be found safe and well.
“As long as there is no news there must be some hope,” he said. “But after four weeks it obviously gets difficult.
“Inside I feel absolutely dreadful, but you have got to keep going and have hope and fight.
“As long as we have got this we will keep going. If we didn’t have that I don’t know what I and the rest of our family would be like.
“We have got to keep this in the public eye because somebody might suddenly decide they have that piece of information that will make the difference.”
Around 60 police officers and 40 detectives are involved in the search for Claudia, in what is North Yorkshire Police’s biggest operation since the one-week hunt for quadruple murderer Mark Hobson in 2004.
Mr Lawrence, a 62-year-old solicitor who lives in Slingsby, near Malton, urged anybody who thought they might have information to help the inquiry to contact police.
He said: “The message is always, however insignificant somebody may think their piece of information is, it’s important because it will fit into a jigsaw that the police are trying to solve.
“Most of these missing people investigations get solved by a tiny piece of information that somebody thought was insignificant.”
Claudia, 35, who lives alone, was last seen returning to her home, in Heworth Road, on Wednesday, March 18, at about 3.10pm. Later that night, she was in high spirits when she spoke to both her parents on the phone.
She also sent text messages to various friends – but all contact stopped after 8.23pm.
The 35-year-old, who has an older sister Ali, was due to start work at the University of York’s Roger Kirk Centre on the Thursday morning, but never arrived.
She disappeared with no purse, bank cards, passport or spare clothes – only her silver Samsung D900 mobile phone, and the Karrimor rucksack she used to carry her chef’s whites to work.
Police are still keen to trace these belongings. If you have any information that might help police find Claudia, phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4299449.Peter_Lawrence_goes_on_national_television _to_help_search_for_Claudia/

[Claycat]

This is so sad! It doesn't matter how old we get; we are still our parent's children, and it hurts them so much to lose us! My heart goes out to this family!

[sarahhod]

Police say pictures used in Claudia Lawrence hunt are accurate

9:39am Wednesday 22nd April 2009
By Nicola Fifield » (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/biog/4986)


THE detective leading the investigation into the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence said he was satisfied that the image of the 35-year-old issued by his force was an accurate one.
Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway was responding to reports that the missing York chef dyed her hair brown shortly before she went missing exactly five weeks ago today.
The official photo of her issued by North Yorkshire Police appears to show her with a lighter-coloured style.
Claudia’s stylist, Nick Brignell, of the Harry Nicholas salon, in Colliergate, told Sky News he coloured her hair using a darker dye than usual, three-and-a-half weeks before she disappeared.
But Det Supt Galloway said: “I am satisfied that the photographs being used in relation to the public appeal for sightings of Claudia Lawrence are accurate, within the context of the fact that she was known to regularly dye her hair.
“Claudia’s family, friends and staff at her hair salon were consulted regarding the accuracy of the photographs and they were confirmed as accurate.
“The senior investigating officer (SIO) has to make a decision in terms of the images available to the investigation team and whether those images are an accurate representation of the person being sought.
“The SIO in this case is satisfied that the images being used are accurate.”
Det Supt Galloway also responded to further reports, which questioned the speed with which his officers have dealt with some information they have received from members of the public as part of the inquiry.
“The information received is considered and assessed, as part of a methodical and structured process, that is well proven and established in relation to the investigation of a major crime,” he said.
“Any subsequent action taken is within the context of all of the information known to the investigation team and the priorities of the SIO.”
Claudia, who works at the University of York’s Roger Kirk Centre, was last seen on Wednesday, March 18.
One of her closest friends, Jen King, has spoken to the glossy magazine, Closer, in a national appeal to anybody who is withholding vital evidence to come forward and end the agony of the past five weeks. The 24-year-old, who has known Claudia for three years, told the magazine: “Wherever she is, she won’t be there through choice.
“I only hope that Claudia’s been taken by someone who just wants to spend time with her.
“But we do worry that they might panic and do something drastic if there’s a breakthrough in the case.
“She’s so beautiful, I can’t believe anyone would hurt her.”
Yesterday, police officers searched the undergrowth around Common Lane, near the University of York, as the hunt continues for clues to Claudia’s whereabouts.
If you have information to help the inquiry, phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4309557.Police_say_pictures_used_in_Claudia_Lawren ce_hunt_are_accurate/

[sarahhod]

Search for missing Claudia Lawrence enters its fifth week

9:50am Thursday 23rd April 2009
By Gazette Reporter » (http://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/biog/1632)


THE search for missing former Malton woman Claudia Lawrence has entered its fifth week.
On Friday, friends and family of Claudia, 35, a chef at York University, faced an unbearable three-hour wait on the identity of a woman found in the River Ouse.
Police have since identified her as Pauline Armitage, a 68-year-old grandmother who had been missing from her Doncaster home since April 7.
Claudia’s father, Peter, from Slingsby, said that he was relieved, but that his thoughts went out to the family of Pauline Armitage.
This week has seen two witnesses come forward with information.
The first, a female driver, said she had seen two nervous-looking men at Claudia’s front door in the early afternoon on either March 10 or March 13. She said an Asian male appeared to try the door of Claudia’s home in Heworth Road.
The second witness, also a motorist, saw a man and a woman arguing near a parked vehicle in University Road, York, only minutes after Claudia was due to start work.
Over the course of the week, Claudia’s father, Peter, has continued his efforts to raise public awareness of his daughter’s disappearance. On Friday, he appeared on ITV’s This Morning.
Claudia, who lives alone, was last seen returning to her home, in Heworth Road, on March 18, at about 3.10pm.
Police believe she has come to harm after meeting somebody she knows.
Anyone who has any information that might help police find Claudia should phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

http://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/4313367.Search_for_missing_Claudia_Lawrence_enters _its_fifth_week/

[sarahhod]

Returning university students urged to help in search for Claudia Lawrence

10:18am Thursday 23rd April 2009
By Nicola Fifield » (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/biog/4986)


AS THOUSANDS of university students start returning to York following the Easter holidays, police hunting for missing chef Claudia Lawrence hope one of them might hold the key to her mysterious disappearance.
It is exactly five weeks today the 35-year-old failed to turn up for her 6am shift at the University of York’s Roger Kirk Centre.
She had been due to walk the two miles between her home in Heworth Road and the university because her car was being fixed at the garage – but she never arrived.
By the time her disappearance was reported to police, students had already started to leave York for the Easter holidays.
But now they are returning to the city – and police have renewed their appeal for any student who saw any suspicious activity on the university campus to come forward.
A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police said: “If any students returning to York can recall back to March 18 and 19 and think whether they saw anything suspicious or whether they saw Claudia on those days.”
Police fear Claudia might have come to harm after accepting a lift from somebody she knows while walking to work on Thursday, March 19.
But they have not ruled out the possibility she might have gone missing the previous night, as she has not been in touch with her friends or family since 8.23pm, when she sent a text to a friend arranging to meet for a drink later in the week.
Police have now received more than 900 phone calls from members of the public in connection with the investigation and have taken more than 860 statements and reports.
A spokesman for the University of York said: “Students have a university email address and they are also able to access the university intranet, where we have had appeals throughout the Easter holidays to anybody who has any information to come forward.
“However, there will be students who may not have picked up the message during the Easter holidays and we will be hoping that if any of these students have information they will now come forward.”
If you have information to help the inquiry, phone North Yorkshire Police in 0845 6060 247.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4313562.Returning_university_students_urged_to_hel p_in_search_for_Claudia_Lawrence/

[sarahhod]

Crimestoppers puts up £10,000 Claudia reward

8:02am Friday 24th April 2009
By Paul Cook » (http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/biog/2458)


A £10,000 reward has been offered to help police in the hunt for missing chef Claudia Lawrence – even though there is no evidence that a crime has been committed.
Crimestoppers representatives said the charity had taken the unusual step to offer the “enhanced reward” because of public interest in the case.
Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen by colleagues at the University of York’s Goodricke College on Wednesday, March 18.
Detectives originally treated her disappearance as a missing person’s inquiry. However, police believe she may have come to harm after meeting someone she knew.
Crimestoppers has put forward a £10,000 reward in the hope someone has vital information.
Dave Hunter, Crimestoppers regional manager for the North-East and North Yorkshire area, said: “Crimestoppers has put in an enhanced reward of £10,000 for information relating to this case.
“It is quite unusual because at this moment in time, no crime has been committed. However, it is such a big issue and the public have been captivated by the case.
“From a Crimestoppers point of view, we hope this will generate specific information relating to Claudia, which can help police with their inquiries.”
He said Crimestoppers offered a sliding scale of rewards depending on the severity of the case. The last time the charity had offered a £10,000 reward in the region was last August, after Chinese couple Xi Zhou and Zhen Xing Yang, were found mutilated in their groundfloor flat in Croydon Road, Newcastle.
Mr Hunter said: “Hopefully, somebody out there knows something.
If, for whatever reason, they feel they cannot talk to police, they can certainly talk to us in absolute confidence.”
The hunt for Miss Lawrence is the biggest investigation North Yorkshire Police has conducted since the search for multiple killer Mark Hobson five years ago.
The search was launched after Miss Lawrence failed to arrive for her 6am shift at the University of York’s Roger Kirk Centre the day after she was last seen.
Police have received more than 900 phone calls and taken 868 statements and reports. A total of 270 properties have been searched.
Miss Lawrence has not been in touch with friends or family since 8.23pm on March 19, when she sent a text to a friend arranging to meet later in the week. Police hope students returning to York following the Easter holidays may have information.
Detectives are also following up lines of inquiry after new witnesses came forward.
North Yorkshire Police can be contacted on 0845-60-60-24-7.
Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800-555-111.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4316313.Crimestoppers_puts_up___10_000_Claudia_rew ard/

[sarahhod]

Lawrence now suspected murder case

Published: Friday, 24 April 2009, 11:32AM

The case of missing chef Claudia Lawrence is now a suspected murder investigation, police have said.
Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen on March 18 near her home after she finished work at the University of York's Goodricke College and has not been in contact with anybody since around 8.30pm that evening.
At a news conference in York, Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway said: "At the moment we have no proof of Claudia's death. However, five weeks on from her disappearance we also have no proof of her life.
"The investigation is now being formally classified as one of suspected murder."
Detectives have previously said they are investigating the sighting of a couple involved in a roadside argument in the early hours of March 19.
A driver saw a man and a woman arguing near a car with its passenger door open on University Road at around 6.10am. Miss Lawrence was due to start work at 6am on March 19 but never arrived.
And on March 10 or 13, a woman motorist passing by Miss Lawrence's home in Heworth Road in slow-moving traffic saw two men outside the chef's front door. One of the men appeared to be trying the door, either with a key or by turning the handle.
The investigation is now the biggest the North Yorkshire force has conducted since the search for multiple killer Mark Hobson five years ago.

http://www.itv.com/News/Articles/Lawrence-now-suspected-murder-case-44681119.html

[sarahhod]

Claudia’s father apologises for unauthorised searches

April 26, 2009

http://www.nouse.co.uk/wp-content/article_images/body/2009/04/peterlawrence.png-300

The father of missing Goodricke chef Claudia Lawrence has apologised following an unauthorised search of University accommodation by North Yorkshire Police.
In a statement published on the University’s York Extra service, Peter Lawrence apologised for the searches which took place in student accommodation both on and off campus on April 3 but maintained that they were a “necessary” part of the investigation.
The searches came under fire from YUSU representatives after it was learned that the police had acquired neither an official warrant nor express consent from students to enter their accommodation while they were away.
In the statement, Mr Lawrence said: “I am sure that most of you will realise that it had to be ascertained that Claudia was not there. Please accept our apologies for any intrusion you may have felt by [the searches].”
The head of the inquiry into Claudia’s disappearance, Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, has suggested that the University would continue to play a significant role in the investigation.
Claudia Lawrence has not been in contact with friends or family since Wednesday, March 18.
Mr Lawrence is appealing for any students who may have noticed anything unusual at around 2pm on March 18 around the Goodricke area to inform North Yorkshire Police (0845 6060247) or Crimestoppers (0800 555111).

http://www.nouse.co.uk/2009/04/26/claudias-father-apologises-for-unauthorised-searches/

[sarahhod]

Fresh appeal following new information in Claudia case

April 25, 2009

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A potential sighting of Claudia Lawrence on the morning after she disappeared has sparked a fresh appeal from North Yorkshire Police.
The police, who are now treating the case as suspected murder, received information from a cyclist with a potential sighting of 35-year-old Lawrence on the morning that she failed to turn up for work as a chef in the Roger Kirk Centre.
According to Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway a young woman was sighted on Lawrence’s route to work talking to a man wearing a dark hooded top. The sighting occurred at 5.35am on Thursday March 19.
The man and woman were seen on the left side of Melrosegate bridge by the cyclist, who was crossing the bridge at the time. Det Supt Galloway stated that “We don’t know if it was Claudia. All we know is that she has mousey brown hair, though we don’t know the length.”
He also added that “She is also wearing a blue, waist-length jacket with buttons and pockets and we know Claudia had similar clothing to that. She is a young woman and it is a significant sighting at the right time in the right location.”
The woman was standing with her back to the grey railing by the electricity station, and was facing the man who was about three or four feet away. The man was holding a cigarette in his left hand, thought to be unusual behaviour, and he took a drag from the cigarette as the cyclist passed. The man is described as skinny with undetermined age.
The man was dressed in a “black or dark-coloured hooded top, with the hood up, and dark combat trousers with pockets and buttons on either side.” There was no specific trauma or agitation noticeable.
Lawrence has not been in contact with friends or family since 8.23pm on Wednesday, March 18.
Crimestoppers have this week offered a reward of £10,000 in an attempt to encourage people to help the police in their inquiries.
Anybody with information should contact North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247

http://www.nouse.co.uk/2009/04/25/claudia-lawrence-may-have-vanished-from-melrosegate/

[sarahhod]

Claudia Lawrence: the story so far

http://www.theyorker.co.uk/photos/medium/3233 (http://www.theyorker.co.uk/photos/full/3233)

Monday, 27th April 2009
Ben McCluskey (http://www.theyorker.co.uk/news/archive/reporter/318/)

The Yorker brings you up to date on the case of Claudia Lawrence, the Goodricke College chef who has been missing for more than five weeks, with a timeline of the story so far.
18th March: Claudia Lawrence left work around 2.15pm, wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans and trainers. She was last seen on CCTV in Melrosegate, York, walking towards her Heworth home at 3pm.
21st March: Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Pope appealed for the public to help the police's investigation, saying: "We are becoming increasingly concerned for Claudia’s safety as it is completely out of character for her to be missing for so long."
23rd March: After more than a dozen police officers, assisted by police dogs, carried out an unsuccessful search of the route between Claudia's home and the university, Claudia's parents appeal to their daughter. In a joint statement, Peter and Joan Lawrence said: "Everyone just wants to know that you are safe and well. Please, please get in touch and let us know you are okay. Each day you remain out of contact, the more concerned and anxious we are becoming."
24th March: DCI Pope admits she is unable to rule out the possibility that Claudia has been abducted, saying: "I'm concerned about what has happened. It is a possibility that an abduction could have been involved, but I have nothing to suggest what has happened at the moment. I have to consider every possibility of what may have happened. I have to consider that there is some third party involved." Claudia's father Peter appealed for the public's help, saying: "It just seems so unreal, but we have got to keep going, hoping and praying. I just feel drained. I'm convinced, maybe wrongly, that she left for work on Thursday morning and for some reason didn’t arrive there. I hope she’s out there somewhere safe and well, but it’s difficult."
26th March: Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway said he thought it was likely that Claudia had been abducted by someone he knew. Galloway said: "It’s very unlikely she would have had a lift with someone she didn’t know, particularly at that time of the morning. My focus is on the people she knew. She would have got into a vehicle or met someone she knew, not someone she didn’t know. I believe she is with or has gone with someone she knows." Six civilian search and rescue teams from across North Yorkshire were drafted in by the police to search for Claudia.
30th March: Claudia's disappearance was featured on BBC's Crimewatch and prayers were said at church services across York. The same day police said they were investigating the website, claudialawrence.com, which asked for payments to the 'Claudia Lawrence Appeal' but was not linked to Claudia's family. The website has since been removed.
2nd April: Police appealed for help tracing 'a mysterious dark-coloured van' captured on CCTV outside Claudia's home the night she disappeared. The owner of the vehicle came forward, and police ruled him out of their investigation.
3rd April: Following a message on York Extra announcing that police would be searching student accomodation on campus despite not having an official search warrant, YUSU released a statement criticising the move. YUSU President Tom Scott said: "YUSU strongly opposes the University giving access to students' rooms without a search warrant. While students who were in their accommodation were able to decline consent, anyone who was out of their bedroom - or away for Easter - was given no warning and no ability to refuse. A warrantless, consentless search is unconscionable even in these circumstances."
10th April: Friends of Claudia Lawrence appeared on BBC1's Missing Live programme to appeal for information about her disappearance. One of the friends, Suzy Cooper, said: "We have to keep the hope alive." Labour prospective parliamentary candidate Paul Blanchard causes controversy by dismissing prayers for Claudia, saying: "Like praying is going to achieve anything. Of all the pointless things to do here, praying wins the prize. Time would be better spent out looking for her, surely."
17th April: As Claudia's father Peter made an appearance on ITV's This Morning show, police revealed two new witnesses had come forward. The police also found a body in the River Ouse, which turned out to be 68 year old Pauline Armitage, who had been reported missing ten days earlier.
24th April: Crimestoppers offered a £10,000 reward was to help police find Claudia. Dave Hunter, Crimestoppers regional manager for the North-East and North Yorkshire area, said: "We hope this will generate specific information relating to Claudia which we can help police with their inquiries." Detective Superintendent Galloway said the police were now treating the case as suspected murder, saying: "Any murder investigation has to prove a death and at the moment we have no proof of Claudia’s death. But five weeks on we have no proof of her life and I’m investigating her disappearance as one of suspected murder." A message from Peter Lawrence was posted on York Extra, in which Peter apologised for the police's unauthorised accomodation searches but said "I am sure that most of you will realise that it had to be ascertained that Claudia was not there." He also appealed for students' cooperation with the investigation.
25th April: Detective Superintendent Galloway said a significant new witness had come forward in the hunt for Claudia, who had seen a woman who looked like Claudia stood on the left-hand side of Melrosegate bridge with a man wearing a dark hooded top at 5.35am on Thursday 19th March.
Click here (http://www.theyorker.co.uk/news/campusblog/2921) for a news comment on the Claudia Lawrence story. Anyone who has information to help the inquiry is urged to phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

http://www.theyorker.co.uk/news/uninews/2922

[sarahhod]

Claudia's mother tells of six-week nightmare

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Claudia Lawrence
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Published Date:
29 April 2009
By Paul Jeeves (paul.jeeves@ypn.co.uk)


THE mother of missing Claudia Lawrence has described her ordeal as "every parent's worst nightmare" as she broke her silence yesterday to make an impassioned plea for information.


Joan Lawrence made the emotional appeal in the hope of finding her 35-year-old daughter, who was last seen six weeks ago today.

Mrs Lawrence, 65, a town councillor from Norton, near Malton, has kept a dignified silence as she has struggled to cope with her daughter's disappearance, but yesterday issued a statement through North Yorkshire Police.

The grandmother-of-two, who has another daughter, Ali, 38, said: "The situation I find myself in is every parent's worst nightmare. Our children, no matter how old they are, are still the most precious things in our lives.

"I am blessed with two beautiful daughters, not only beautiful on the outside but inside as well.

"I wish to appeal for help to all of you, whoever you are. The response so far has been fantastic but unfortunately, as we speak, our attempts have been unsuccessful in finding Claudia.

"I wish to make a further appeal to everyone to come forward with any information no matter how insignificant or trivial they think it may be."

She added: "Someone, somewhere knows where Claudia is. We are devastated and miss and love her so much. We just want her home with us all, safe and well."

Claudia's father, Peter Lawrence, yesterday claimed a witness sighting which was disclosed by detectives on Friday could prove key to establishing what has happened to her.

A cyclist contacted police after seeing a man and a woman in Melrosegate, York, which is on Miss Lawrence's route to work, at 5.35am on March 19. She was due to start a 6am shift that day at York University, where she is employed as a chef, but never arrived.

The man was skinny and wearing a dark hooded top with the hood up, dark combat trousers and was smoking a cigarette with his left hand. The woman had mousy brown hair and was wearing a blue jacket.

Speaking from his home in Slingsby in North Yorkshire, Mr Lawrence, 62, stressed the man may have a totally innocent explanation, but urged him to come forward.

The solicitor, who is divorced from Miss Lawrence's mother, said: "Someone out there knows who that is. If he gets this message and there was absolutely nothing untoward, if would be extremely helpful if we knew that. Somebody else must know who that is from the description – husband, partner, brother, neighbour, workmate. We really need to know, even if it is just to eliminate."

Mr Lawrence also urged students returning to York after the Easter break who could hold vital information to "search their memories".

He said: "Really we are just seeking some information to try and get a clue as to what has happened to Claudia.

"It is six weeks now and it certainly doesn't get any easier."

The investigation into Miss Lawrence's disappearance is now classified as suspected murder, and the charity Crimestoppers has put up a £10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.

Miss Lawrence, who lives alone in Heworth Road, York, was last seen on her way back from work on March 18.

She has not been in contact with anyone since about 8.30pm that night when she sent a text message to a friend. She vanished without taking any money, bank cards, or her passport. Friends and family have said her disappearance is "totally out of character".

Anyone with any information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

[URL]http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Claudias-mother-tells-of-sixweek.5215470.jp

[sarahhod]

Claudia Lawrence's mother makes emotional appeal

8:49am Wednesday 29th April 2009
By Jennifer Bell » (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/biog/16474)


THE mother of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence has spoken of her torment as the wait to discover what has happened to her daughter goes on – describing it as “every parent’s worst nightmare”.
Joan Lawrence today made an emotional appeal for help to find the “beautiful” 35-year-old, who vanished almost six weeks ago.
As she paid tribute to the “fantastic” public response to the search for her daughter, whose disappearance is now being treated as suspected murder, she pleaded for fresh information, saying: “Someone, somewhere knows where Claudia is”.
Mrs Lawrence’s appeal came as Claudia’s father, Peter, said his own agony refuses to ease – and his hopes were pinned on a potential sighting of her talking to a hooded man on the morning she failed to turn up for work In a statement to The Press, Mrs Lawrence said: “The situation I find myself in is every parent’s worst nightmare.
“Our children, no matter how old they are, are still the most precious things in our lives. I am blessed with two beautiful daughters, not only beautiful on the outside, but inside as well.
“I wish to appeal for help to all of you whoever you are. The responses so far have been fantastic but unfortunately, as we speak, out attempts have been unsuccessful in finding Claudia.
“I wish to make a further appeal to everyone to come forward with any information, no matter how significant or trivial they think it may be.
“We are devastated and miss and love her so much. We just want her home with us, safe and well.”
Mr Lawrence – who is separated from Claudia’s mother – also called on a man who may hold vital information about his daughter’s disappearance to come forward.
A witness reported seeing a man and a woman fitting Claudia’s description on Melrosegate Bridge in York – which is on Claudia’s route to work – at 5.35am on March 19, the day she failed to arrive for her 6am shift at the University of York.
He is described as white, about 5ft 5ins to 6ft tall, skinny, wearing a black or dark-coloured hooded top and dark combat trousers with pockets and buttons on either side, and smoking a cigarette.
Speaking at his home in Slingsby, near Malton, Mr Lawrence said his pain remains as stark now as on the day his daughter disappeared.
“Six weeks on and it is not getting any easier,” he said, urging the man seen on the bridge to contact police.
“If he gets this message and there was absolutely nothing untoward, it would be extremely helpful if we knew that.
“Somebody else must know who that is – husband, partner, brother, neighbour, workmate.
“We really need to know, even if it is just to eliminate them.”
Anybody with information should phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4328007.Claudia_Lawrence_s_mother_makes_emotional_ appeal/

[sarahhod]

Missing chef's mother makes fresh appeal for information


http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/crime/missing-chef-s-mother-makes-fresh-appeal-information-$1291577.htm

[sarahhod]

Claudia Lawrence: Mum speaks of her "nightmare"


http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/images/5213655//TH1_MPM-2904-01-2804-141336.jpg
Joan Lawrence
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Published Date:
29 April 2009
By Sheila Elgey (sheila.elgey@yrnltd.co.uk)


THE mother of missing university chef Claudia Lawrence has spoken for the first time about the "nightmare" since her daughter disappeared six weeks ago.
Police are treating the case as suspected murder, but Joan Lawrence says she believes Claudia is still alive.

And in a statement to the Mercury she urged anyone with information to come forward.

Mrs Lawrence, 65, of Welham Road, Norton, said: "The situation I find myself in is every parents' worst nightmare. Our children, no matter how old they are, are still the most precious things in our lives.

"I am blessed with two beautiful daughters, not only beautiful on the outside but inside as well."

Police say they have received 900 calls to the incident room and more than 860 statements and reports have been taken while officers have searched 270 properties and 1,000 university dorm rooms.

"I wish to appeal for help to all of you whoever you are," said Mrs Lawrence. "The response so far has been fantastic but unfortunately, as we speak, our attempts have been unsuccessful in finding Claudia.

"I wish to make a further appeal to everyone to come forward with any information no matter how insignificant or trivial they think it may be. Someone, somewhere knows where Claudia is."

She added: "We are devastated and miss and love her so much. We just want her home with us all, safe and well."

Mrs Lawrence, who is a member of Malton Town Council, has been inundated with support from well-wishers.

"I wish to say a big thank you to everyone for their love, support and prayers over the past few weeks," she said. "I am also very truly grateful for the letters, cards and flowers that have been sent to me."

Speaking at his weekly press conference at his home in Slingsby yesterday, Claudia's father Peter believes the sighting of a man and woman outside the electricity substation on Melrosegate at 5.35am on March 19 may be an important lead because it "is the only sighting that might have been about the right time".

Claudia used the route on her way to work at Goodricke College on York University's campus.

Police want to speak to the man described as around 5ft 5in tall, skinny and wearing a dark hooded top and dark combat trousers, who was smoking with his left hand.

"Someone must know who that is from the description," said Mr Lawrence. He added police need to know, if only to eliminate him from inquiries.

And he joined the police in their appeal to York University students returning from their Easter break this weekend, to cast their minds back to Wednesday March 18 when Claudia was last seen.

He added: "We're really just seeking some information to try and get a clues to what's happened to Claudia. It's been six weeks and it certainly doesn't get any easier"

Anyone with any information is asked to call the police on 0845 60 60 247.

[URL]http://www.maltonmercury.co.uk/news/Claudia-Lawrence-Mum-speaks-of.5213655.jp

[sarahhod]

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Apr 29 2009

Father unveils new poster in search for Claudia Lawrence

8:05am Wednesday 29th April 2009

“PLEASE cast your mind back for clues” – that was the message that father of missing Claudia Lawrence has sent to thousands of university students following their return to York after the Easter break.
Peter Lawrence said he hoped the return of those studying at the city’s two universities would bring more evidence to light which could help trace his missing daughter.

At yesterday’s press conference, a new poster was also launched under the banner “Claudia Lawrence Where Are You?”.
Mr Lawrence said: “Claudia was a neighbour of York St John University, which she used to park her car on a daily basis,” he said.
“The University of York students are now back, and a lot of people would recognise her face or know her.
“I would ask them to search any memories at the end of term that can help.”
Although no fresh leads about what has happened to Claudia have emerged following a press conference last Friday, Mr Lawrence said police had now received almost 1,000 calls from the public regarding her disappearance.
A £10,000 reward for information is also being offered by Crimestoppers.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/resources/images/894352/?type=display
APPEAL: Peter Lawrence, right, at a press conference with family spokesman Martin Dales at Mr Lawrence’s home in Slingsby

[URL]http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4327889.Father_unveils_new_poster_in_search_for_Cl audia_Lawrence/

[sarahhod]

Claudia Lawrence detectives focus on mystery smoker


Mother of missing chef appeals for help as man seen with woman near Claudia's route to work fails to come forward

Martin Wainwright (http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/martinwainwright)
guardian.co.uk (http://www.guardian.co.uk/), Wednesday 29 April 2009 10.41 BST


http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/4/4/1238879200686/Claudia-Lawrence-001.jpg Claudia Lawrence, a chef at York University, has been missing for six weeks. Photograph: North Yorkshire Police/PA




A mystery man smoking a cigarette with his left hand has been asked to come forward by detectives hunting for the missing university chef, Claudia Lawrence, whose mother today made her first appeal for help in the six-week search.
The man was seen with a woman at 5.35am close to the route in York which the 35-year-old used for her early-morning walk to work. Police are concerned that a detailed description of the man has not prompted anyone to come forward.
Claudia's solicitor father, Peter Lawrence, 62, said the couple might have had nothing to do with his daughter's disappearance, but it was crucial to find out. Claudia was last seen near her home on the evening of 18 March, on her way back from her catering shift at York University. The sighting in Melrosegate was made the next morning.
Lawrence said: "If the woman was Claudia, she didn't go past the CCTV camera which is approximately 200 yards further down the road. So we need to know, and if anybody doesn't want to give that information to the police they can always do it anonymously on Crime (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/ukcrime)­stoppers." The charity is offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone linked to Claudia's disappearance.
The man was described by an eyewitness as being skinny, wearing dark combat trousers, and having a distinctive way of smoking using his left hand. "If he gets this message and there was absolutely nothing untoward, if would be extremely helpful if we knew that," Lawrence said. "Somebody else must know who he is from the description – husband, partner, brother, neighbour, workmate. We really need to know, even if it is just to eliminate."
Claudia's mother, Joan, 65, who has stayed out of the limelight until now, issued a statement todayappealing for more information. "The situation I find myself in is every parent's worst nightmare," she said. "Our children, no matter how old they are, are still the most precious things in our lives.
"I am blessed with two beautiful daughters, not only beautiful on the outside but inside as well. I wish to appeal for help to all of you, whoever you are. The response so far has been fantastic but unfortunately, as we speak, our attempts have been unsuccessful in finding Claudia.
"I wish to make a further appeal to everyone to come forward with any information, no matter how insignificant or trivial they think it may be. Someone, somewhere, knows where Claudia is. We are devastated and miss and love her so much. We just want her home with us all, safe and well."
The inquiry was upgraded last week from a missing person case to a suspected murder. Students returning from the Easter break to York University and York St John University, which has many student residences near Claudia's home in the suburb of Heworth, have been asked to think back and come forward with any information, however small.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/29/claudia-lawrence-chef-missing

[sarahhod]

Missing women' rumour dismissed


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45598000/jpg/_45598885_claudia226.pol.jpg
Claudia Lawrence was last seen making her way home from work


Detectives investigating the suspected murder of Claudia Lawrence have dismissed rumours that more women have gone missing in York.
Police said "spurious" text messages and entries on the Facebook website were being circulated, claiming more women have disappeared.
"That is not the case," a police spokeswoman said.
Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen on her way home from work at the University of York's Goodricke College.
A police statement added: "The circumstances of Claudia's disappearance are extremely unusual and as previously stated by detectives investigating her disappearance, we believe that Claudia has gone with someone she knows.
"York and North Yorkshire are among the safest areas of the country and cases of this nature are very rare.
"If you are concerned by the content of any text messages you receive, please contact police."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/8026324.stm

[sarahhod]

Claudia: Police renew mystery smoker appeal

12:28pm Thursday 30th April 2009

By Mark Foster » (http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/northyorks/biog/2444)

DETECTIVES investigating the disappearance of university chef Claudia Lawrence have again turned to the public for help.
They have renewed their appeal to identify a left-handed smoker seen with a woman on Melrosegate Bridge in York.
Officers launched an appeal to trace the mystery couple last week, but so far no-one has come forward with any information.
The man and woman were seen by a passing cyclist at around 5.35am on March 19 - the morning that Miss Lawrence failed to turn up for work at York University’s Goodricke College.
The cyclist was travelling from Rawdon Avenue towards Heworth Road and they were seen to the cyclist's left. The woman had her back to the railings - but not up against them.
The man was around 5ft 6in tall, of skinny build and was wearing a dark-coloured hooded top with the hood up and was holding a cigarette in his left hand. He was wearing dark-coloured combat trousers with pockets on the side.
The woman was smaller than the man with mousy-brown hair and was wearing a blue, waist-length jacket with buttons and pockets detail.
Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway said: "We are appealing to any other members of the public who were in the are on the Thursday morning and may have seen two people in the bridge, or anyone who knows a left-handed smoker who matches the man’s description to come forward as a matter of urgency.
"It may be that the man and woman are totally unconnected to the enquiry, but we need them to come forward to enable us to eliminate them."
Miss Lawrence’s disappearance is now being treated as an suspected murder investigation and Crimestoppers have offered a £10,000 reward.
Anyone who can help, please contact police on 0845 6060 247 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
[/URL]
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/resources/images/896589/?type=display
The man and woman were seen about half-way between the cycle-path sign post and the first tree on the verge.


[url]http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/northyorks/4332920.Claudia__Police_renew_mystery_smoker_appea l/ (http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/northyorks/4332920.print/)

[sarahhod]

Peter Lawrence launches findclaudia.co.uk to help search for York chef Claudia Lawrence

10:28am Saturday 2nd May 2009

The father of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence has launched a new website appealing for information about his daughter’s disappearance.
Peter Lawrence set up findclaudia.co.uk in the hope of generating clues as to the whereabouts of his daughter, who has been missing since March 18.
North Yorkshire Police are now treating the case as suspected murder and Crimestoppers is offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Claudia’s disappearance.
In the website’s opening message, Mr Lawrence writes: “It is every parent’s worst nightmare when something such as this happens and the times the family are living through are indescribably difficult.
“We have, however, been much supported by people’s prayers and compassionate thoughts and now our only desire is for Claudia to return to her family and friends.”
The site also carries a prayer from the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, for Claudia and for Madeleine McCann, who disappeared two years ago in Portugal.
The prayer reads: “Lord, please keep Claudia and Madeleine safe; take away their fear and anxiety; guard and protect them.”
Mr Lawrence is a member of the congregation at York Minster.
The website was designed free of charge by David Wakeley, a businessman from Malton.
Mr Wakeley said: “I was delighted to be able to help them.
“I registered the domain and it’s up and running now.
“I hope it helps. We all know Peter and anything the community in Malton can do to help we will do.”
Police continue to focus on a reported sighting of a man and a woman on Melrosegate bridge in York on March 19.
Crossing the bridge was part of Claudia’s normal route to work at the Roger Kirk Centre.
The man, dressed in a black or dark-coloured hooded top, with the hood up, and dark combat trousers with pockets and buttons on either side, was holding a cigarette in his left hand.
The woman was wearing a blue, waist-length jacket with buttons similar to a jacket owned by Claudia.
Police have described the report, made by a passing cyclist, as “a significant sighting, at the right time in the right location”.
Anybody with information should phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4338459.Peter_Lawrence_launches_findclaudia_co_uk_ to_help_search_for_York_chef_Claudia_Lawrence/

[sarahhod]

Claudia's Dads website for her.

http://www.findclaudia.co.uk/

[sarahhod]

Website takes hunt for missing Claudia to global audience

Published Date: 04 May 2009
By Mark Branagan
THE father of missing Claudia Lawrence has made a global appeal for help tracing his missing daughter by launching a website to publicise her disappearance.


Launching www.findclaudia.co.uk (http://www.findclaudia.co.uk), Peter Lawrence said: "It is every parent's worst nightmare when something like this happens and the times the family are living through are indescribably difficult.

"We have, however, been much supported by people'[/URL]s prayers and compassionate thoughts and now our only desire is for Claudia to return to her family and friends.

"If you can help us in our search, we would be most grateful and the police will appreciate every piece of information you might be able to give them."

Claudia's disappearance has already generated a number of web pages, not all of them to the liking of North Yorkshire Police, who are investigating her disappearance.

However, Claudia's family says that many of the pages have been spawned by social networking sites such as Facebook, to which not everyone has access.

Family spokesman Martin Dales said there were also practical reasons for having a site that journalists could refer to with the story of Claudia's disappearance becoming world news.

Mr Dales said: "What happens is I field phone calls galore and not from this country. So now I can tell people to go to the site to get all the background and then they come back.

"It is mainly journalists. Calls from the public with information are asked to call police. It is also to support people who are doing events for Claudia.

"It is designed to be informative and accurate and up to date information from Peter and myself and the campaign to find Claudia which separate to what the police are doing.

"The police are doing what they have to do. But this website is for the public appeal to find Claudia which is separate."

The site would provide a touchstone for information because it will be controlled entirely by Mr Dales and Peter Lawrence.

It follows concern about some of the things being said on the unofficial Claudia sites. Errors have also started to creep into some reports of the case.

A national newspaper has reported that Claudia was seen on the evening before her death, when police say they were satisfied Claudia had been spoken to on the phone that evening. The last confirmed sighting was earlier in the day.

Mr Dales said: "The Facebook type sites are social networking this is an information site for people wanting genuine factual information. We are trying to engage the public in the story."

The site includes a prayer from Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu for Claudia and for Madeleine McCann, who disappeared two years ago in Portugal.

The prayer reads: "Lord, please keep Claudia and Madeleine safe; take away their fear and anxiety; guard and protect them."

The website was developed by Malton businessman David Wakeley. It will be officially launched tomorrow at the weekly press briefing held by Mr Lawrence and Mr Dales although the site went live last Thursday.

Claudia, 35, has been missing since March 18. She was last seen at 2.15 pm that day when she finished her shift as a chef at York University.

[url]http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Website-takes-hunt-for-missing.5231559.jp (http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/jump/yorkshire.jp/news;channel=editorial;pos=mpu;sectionid=55;sz=300 x250;mtfIFPath=/template/expandables/;ord=123456789?)

[sarahhod]

Father of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence disappointed by poor response to request for information

12:18pm Tuesday 5th May 2009


THE father of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence has voiced his disappointment that nobody has come forward to identify a hooded man seen with a young woman near his daughter’s home on the morning she failed to turn up to work.
It is now exactly seven weeks since the 35-year-old was last seen and police are treating her disappearance as suspected murder, with a £10,000 reward being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for her disappearance.
Claudia’s solicitor father, Peter Lawrence, said that he found it “incredible” that nobody had offered any information to the police about the reported sighting of a man and a woman on Melrosegate bridge in York at 5.35am, on Thursday, March 19.
Crossing the bridge was part of Claudia’s normal route to work at the University of York’s Roger Kirk Centre and police have described the report, made by a passing cyclist, as “a significant sighting, at the right time in the right location”.
Speaking at a press conference this morning, Mr Lawrence said: “I spoke to the police just two minutes ago. They told me nobody at all has come forward and I just find that incredible.

“There was a very good description of that man and somebody must know who he is. There aren’t going to be many people of that description in Melrosegate at 5.30am in the morning.”
The man, dressed in a black or dark-coloured hooded top, with the hood up, and dark combat trousers with pockets and buttons on either side, was holding a cigarette in his left hand.
The woman was wearing a blue, waist-length jacket with buttons similar to a jacket owned by Claudia.
Mr Lawrence, 62, of Slingsby, said he was also disappointed the £10,000 reward offered by Crimestoppers had not created any significant lines of inquiry.
“I’m disappointed that there has not been a great response,” he said. “I find it strange that people need an incentive to give information, but we live in a world where they do and I’m disappointed there hasn’t been more response.
“Not knowing anything at all about Claudia’s whereabouts is a most strange and dreadful feeling.
“My message is because of the feeling we are all going through, will someone out there please respond to those sightings, either to say it was us and we are nothing to do with it, or to say anonymously to Crimestoppers, that the person on the bridge was my neighbour, my work mate, or whatever – just something to relieve us of part of that dreadful feeling.”
Mr Lawrence, who is separated from Claudia’s mother, Joan, was speaking at the official launch of a new website appealing for information about his daughter’s disappearance.
The site, findclaudia.co.uk, has an opening message from Mr Lawrence and also carries a prayer from the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, for Claudia and Madeleine McCann, who disappeared two years ago in Portugal.
There is also a guestbook, where internet users are invited to leave messages of support for Claudia’s friends and family, and a link to a new Twitter page, called Find_Claudia.
Anybody with information about Claudia’s disappearance should phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4342904.Father_of_missing_York_chef_Claudia_Lawren ce_disappointed_by_poor_response_to_request_for_in formation/

[sarahhod]

Missing Claudia: Father's 'Dreadful Feeling'


2:30pm UK, Tuesday May 05, 2009

The father of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has launched a new website dedicated to finding her, as he spoke of having a "dreadful feeling".


http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Mar/Week4/15247484.jpg Peter Lawrence pictured with his daughter Claudia


It is close to 50 days since she vanished and police say the investigation into her disappearance is now one of suspected murder.
Ms Lawrence (http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/Claudia_Lawrence) was last seen near her home in Heworth, York, on March 18.
She then failed to arrive for her 6am work shift at the University of York's Goodricke College (http://www.york.ac.uk/univ/coll/good/) the following day.
Her father Peter Lawrence (http://video.news.sky.com/sky-news/app/flash/SkyvideoWrapper.swf?playerType=embedded&type=sky_production&videoSourceID=1302399&flashVideoUrl=feeds/skynews/latest/flash/lawrence_website_050509.flv)said: "Not knowing anything at all about Claudia's whereabouts is a most strange and dreadful feeling.
"And connected with that, there has recently been published various sightings reported of people who may or may not be Claudia on the Thursday morning, 19th of March."
He went on: "My message is, because of the feeling we are all going through, will someone out there please respond to those sightings... Just something to relieve us of part of this dreadful feeling."


http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/May/Week1/15275505.jpg
Website dedicated to finding Claudia Lawrence

Mr Lawrence said he was "disappointed" that not many people had come forward after Crimestoppers offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible.
He said he thought it was "strange (that) people needed an incentive".
However, he reiterated his belief that Claudia was still alive, saying: "I very much do believe that Claudia is still alive."
Mr Lawrence launched the website www.findclaudia.co.uk (http://www.findclaudia.co.uk/) in a fresh effort to find his daughter.
The site contains images and a description of the chef, a message from Mr Lawrence and a prayer from the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu.
There is also a guestbook section, where people can leave messages, a section containing latest news and links to police, Crimestoppers and media outlets.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Missing-Claudia-Lawrence-Father-Peter-Lawrence-Launches-Website-And-Tells-Of-Dreadful-Feeling/Article/200905115275466

[Claycat]

This is so sad! She looks like her father.

[sarahhod]

Father's plea for information about disappearance of Claudia Lawrence

11:07am Wednesday 6th May 2009


THE silence on the mystery disappearance of Malton woman Claudia Lawrence is “a most strange and dreadful feeling”, said her worry-stricken father yesterday.
Speaking at a press conference, Peter Lawrence said that while there had been reported sightings of a man and a woman about the time Claudia was last heard of in the early hours of March 18 in York, noone had come forward to give more information.
Mr Lawrence said: “Someone must have information about those sightings.”
He added: “We just want something to relieve us of this dreadful feeling.”
While the disappearance of Claudia, a 35-year-old chef at York University’s Goodricke College, was now being treated by police as suspected murder, and he accepted the possibility that she may be dead, he still believed she was alive.
It was, said Mr Lawrence, “incredible” that no one had come forward as a result of the reported sightings of the couple, who had been seen about 5.30am in Melrosegate, York, near Claudia’s home.
Mr Lawrence also launched a website – www.findclaudia.co.uk (http://www.findclaudia.co.uk) – which has been created by Malton businessman David Wakeley, who runs Massers Camera and Gents’ Hairdressers in Wheelgate.
Mr Lawrence said the family was living through “indescribably difficult times”, but added: “We have been much supported by people's prayers and compassionate thoughts.
“Our only desire is for Claudia to return to her family and friends.”

http://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/4345872.Father_s_plea_for_information_about_disapp earance_of_Claudia_Lawrence/

[sarahhod]

Find Claudia Lawrence website appeal

May 6, 2009


A website has been set up by the father of Claudia Lawrence, the 35-year-old University of York chef who vanished 50 days ago.

The site at www.findclaudia.co.uk (http://www.findclaudia.co.uk/) features the latest news on the search, posters and photos, together with links to North Yorkshire Police and the Crimestoppers charity, which has offered a £10,000 reward for information.


Peter, the father of Claudia Lawrence, launched the website in a fresh effort to find his daughter who went missing from York on Wednesday 18/ Thursday 19 March 2009. There is also a guestbook section, where people can leave messages and a prayer from the Archbishop of York.


In March, police warned people not to donate to a fake website (http://www.webuser.co.uk/news/279691.html) appealing for money towards the hunt for missing chef Claudia Lawrence.


The site, which has since shut down, claimed to be a Claudia Lawrence Appeal and asked for donations via PayPal, but North Yorkshire Police said the site was not genuine.


Police investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence have also warned people to ignore fake text messages and Facebook updates that claim more women have disappeared.


In a statement, North Yorkshire Police said: "It has been brought to the attention of police that spurious text messages and Facebook entries are being circulated, claiming more women have disappeared. This is not the case."

http://www.webuser.co.uk/news/news.php?id=281974

[sarahhod]

Missing Claudia: Men Spotted Outside Home


6:15pm UK, Wednesday May 06, 2009
Police searching for missing chef Claudia Lawrence say they have new information about two men seen outside her house before she disappeared.


http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/May/Week1/15276607.jpg Police released this new picture of Claudia with their appeal for information


Information from a witness has led investigators to believe the men were at Claudia's (http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/Claudia_Lawrence) house on March 10, 10 days before the 35-year-old was reported missing.
One man was looking in the downstairs window and the second was looking up at the first floor window.
A statement from North Yorkshire Police (http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1) described the first man as Asian, 5'5" to 5'6" tall, with a long, jutting jaw and dark, straight hair with a fringe. He was in his 20s or early 30s.
The second man is also described as Asian. He is said to have a heavier build, to be 5'7" to 5'8" tall, and to have been wearing a waist-length jacket and jeans.
Police are now appealing for the men themselves or anyone who saw them to come forward.
A new photograph of Claudia has been released to coincide with the fresh appeal for information.
So far, North Yorkshire Police has received more than 1,000 calls about Claudia's disappearance.

http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Apr/Week1/15256941.jpg Missing Claudia appeal

The police statement said: "The response to our appeals for information has been excellent and we would again like to thank the residents of York, visitors and members of the public who have come forward with information or assisted us with the investigation."
Investigators are continuing to look into reports of a couple seen arguing on University Road, but have not yest received information that could lead to identification of the people involved.
Claudia Lawrence has been missing since she failed to arrive for work at the University of York on March 19.
She was last seen heading towards her home at the junction of Heworth Road and East Parade at 3.05pm on March 18.
Crimestoppers is offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone who may be responsible for Claudia's disappearance.
:: Anyone with information is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police incident room on 0845 60 60 247 or call Crimestoppers (http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/) anonymously on 0800 555 111.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Missing-Chef-Claudia-Lawrence-Police-Discover-Information-About-Two-Men-Seen-Outside-Her-House/Article/200905115276596?lpos=UK_News_Top_Stories_Header_1&lid=ARTICLE_15276596_Missing_Chef_Claudia_Lawrence %3A_Police_Discover_Information_About_Two_Men_Seen _Outside_Her_House

[sarahhod]

Fresh clues in hunt for missing chef

http://itn.co.uk/story4b7d253605e033747143c9e172c6342c.jpg
Police investigating the disappearance of university chef Claudia Lawrence say they have new information on two men they are trying to trace.

Officers had already released some details about the men, who were seen outside the 35-year-old's home in York one week before she vanished in mid-March.

But detectives say another witness has since come forward and they have now pinpointed the sighting to March 10. They also now believe both the men were Asian.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "One of the men was looking towards the downstairs window, even though the curtains are always drawn, while the second male was looking up at the first floor window."

He went on: "Police are appealing for anyone who saw these men in the area of Claudia's house or for the men themselves to come forward as they may have been at the house for an entirely innocent reason."

There have been more than 1,000 calls to the investigation's incident room and enquiries so far have generated 1,096 reports and statements.

Miss Lawrence was last seen near her home in Heworth, York, on March 18. She failed to arrive for her 6am shift at the University of York's Goodricke College the following day.

North Yorkshire Police have now formally classified the investigation into her disappearance as one of suspected murder.

On Tuesday, Miss Lawrence's father, Peter, spoke of a "strange and dreadful feeling" as the 50-day anniversary of her disappearance approached.

Solicitor Mr Lawrence was speaking as he officially launched a website dedicated to finding his daughter.

"I very much do believe that Claudia is still alive," he said.

http://itn.co.uk/10e2a91b5741d5a958b4a1a741e86090.html

[Claycat]

Where are you, Claudia?

[sarahhod]

'Unbearable sorrow' over Claudia


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45742000/jpg/_45742637_claudianewpic2.jpg Police have issued this new picture of Miss Lawrence

The father of missing York woman Claudia Lawrence has spoken of his "unbearable sorrow" as he marked 50 days since his daughter was last seen.
Peter Lawrence made a direct appeal to whoever has taken his daughter to search their conscience.
The investigation in to her disappearance is being treated as one of suspected murder.
Police want to speak to two men seen outside Miss Lawrence's home in Heworth Road on 10 March.
She was last seen near her home on 18 March and failed to arrive for her early morning shift at the University of York's Goodricke College the following day.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif You know who you are. Search your conscience. We want Claudia back http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/end_quote_rb.gif

Peter Lawrence

Mr Lawrence, 62, said: "It is now 50 days that Claudia has been away from us.
"The longer it goes on, the worse it gets for myself, the family and her friends.
"The strain is intolerable and the sorrow unbearable.
"I want to make yet another appeal to whoever is responsible for taking her away from her life in York to come forward so that she can be reunited with all of us who love her dearly.
"You know who you are. Search your conscience. We want Claudia back."
On Wednesday, police released more details of two men, who are thought to be Asian, they want to trace.
Thousands of calls
The fresh information came to light after a witness came forward following an earlier appeal.
A police spokesman said one of the men seen outside Miss Lawrence's front door "was looking towards the downstairs window, even though the curtains are always drawn, while the second male was looking up at the first floor window".
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45666000/jpg/_45666523_claudiasearch.jpg Searches for Miss Lawrence have taken place across York

The spokesman said one of the men was described as 5ft 5in to 5ft 6in tall, with a distinctive, long, thin face with a pointy nose and dark circles under his eyes.
He had dark, straight hair with a fringe, was aged in his 20s to early 30s, and was wearing what appeared to be a heavy coat, even though it was a hot day.
The second male was of a heavier build, 5ft 7in to 5ft 8in tall, wearing a waist-length jacket and jeans that had rivets around the back pockets.
The spokesman said: "Police are appealing for anyone who saw these men in the area of Claudia's house or for the men themselves to come forward as they may have been at the house for an entirely innocent reason."
He said there had been more than 1,000 calls to the incident room, about 1,270 properties had been searched and the investigation had generated 1,096 reports and statements since Miss Lawrence was reported missing on 20 March.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/8037300.stm

[sarahhod]

Where are you, Claudia?

Hi Claycat. :kissyface4:

Do you have any feelings about what may have happened to Claudia?

I think she may have met someone that evening in secret and it turned bad, no body has been found yet though.

[sarahhod]

10,000 in web hunt for missing chef Claudia Lawrence

May 10 2009 (http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/uk-and-international-news/2009/05/10/)
Fiona Young


A WEBSITE set up in a bid to find missing chef Claudia Lawrence has had more than 10,000 hits.
The site - www.findclaudia.co.uk (http://www.findclaudia.co.uk) - includes a message from her dad Peter begging for her safe return.
He said: "It is every parent's worst nightmare when something like this happens." Claudia, 35, was last seen near the house where she lived alone in Heworth, York, on March 18. She failed to turn up for work at York University's Goodricke College the next day.
North Yorkshire Police are treating the investigation as suspected murder and there is a £10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.
Since its launch on Tuesday, the website has received more than 400 hits to the guest book page.
Mr Lawrence's spokesman Martin Dales said yesterday: "Peter and the family are very grateful for the care, support and feelings expressed through the guest book and on social networking sites." Detectives want to trace two Asian men seen outside Claudia's home on March 10.
A police spokesman said: "One of the men was looking towards the downstairs window, even though the curtains are always drawn, whilst the second male was looking up at the first-floor window."

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/uk-and-international-news/2009/05/10/10-000-in-web-hunt-for-missing-chef-claudia-lawrence-78057-21347406/

[Claycat]

Hi Claycat. :kissyface4:

Do you have any feelings about what may have happened to Claudia?

I think she may have met someone that evening in secret and it turned bad, no body has been found yet though.

no,i,haven't.
i,should,meditate,on,it.
sorry,keyboard
hugs

[Claycat]

i just had an image of her body covered with debris, large sheets of paper.

like butcher paper. :confused:

[annalyzer]

Police release CCTV of man seen near home of missing Claudia Lawrence

Police searching for Claudia Lawrence, the missing chef, have released CCTV footage of a man seen near her home on the morning after she was last seen.

Last Updated: 2:03PM BST 15 May 2009
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01403/Claudia-Lawrence-s_1403869c.jpg
A man seen walking past a Costcutter shop in Heworth Road, York, near the home of missing chef Claudia Lawrence the morning after she was last seen

The images show a man going to the rear of the terrace where the 35-year-old lived, in Heworth Road, York, before returning to the front of the property at about 5.50am on March 19.

Miss Lawrence was last seen near her home on March 18 and failed to arrive for her 6am shift at the University of York's Goodricke College the following day.

Yorkshire Police have now formally classified their investigation as one of suspected murder and Crimestoppers has offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.

The new footage shows the man in Lime Court, which is off Heworth Road.

The man is seen to walk from Heworth Road towards the rear of the terrace in which Claudia's house is located. He disappears from view for around one minute, then reappears and walks back on to Heworth Road.

Officers said they also want to speak to another man captured on CCTV in the area.

The second man can be seen for a few seconds walking on the opposite side of Heworth Road.

He was wearing a light-coloured top and carrying a light-coloured item, which could possibly be a bag or a newspaper.

Police said he was also picked up on CCTV a few minutes later walking past the Costcutter shop in Heworth Road, which is at the junction with East Parade and Dale's Lane.

Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, who is leading the inquiry, said: "I am hoping that the two people featured in the CCTV footage will come forward as a matter of urgency to help the investigation.

"I need to ask these two men if they recall seeing anything unusual or suspicious that morning, or even if they possibly saw a woman matching Claudia's description or any other person who was out and about at that early time of day.

"Even the smallest, seemingly insignificant piece of information could prove vital in our efforts to find Claudia. So, please, if you recognise yourself in the images, get in touch with North Yorkshire Police as soon as possible.

"If anybody else can identify the men then let the police know so we can make inquiries to trace them."

Speaking at York police station in Fulford Road, Mr Galloway described the man seen heading for the rear of Miss Lawrence's house as "walking purposefully". He is believed to be white and around 5ft 8in.

Mr Galloway said: "We have made inquiries to try to identify whether this is somebody with an innocent explanation. With all the local people that we have discussed the matter with, we can't identify him."

He continued: "What was he doing acting in a strange way at that particular time? It might be completely innocent but if it's not explained away innocently, it heightens my suspicion."

The detective said they were trying to trace the second man as a witness as he is seen on CCTV walking down Heworth Road while the first man is in the road behind Miss Lawrence's house.

He said: "He's being appealed for on the basis of being a witness to the person who walks into Lime Court."

Mr Galloway said he also wanted to trace the driver of a car which passed the entrance to Lime Court as the man re-emerged on to Heworth Road.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5329330/Police-release-CCTV-of-man-seen-near-home-of-missing-Claudia-Lawrence.html

[sarahhod]

TV reconstruction in Claudia hunt


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45719000/jpg/_45719507_melrosegatebridgesubstationrailings.jpg
Police want to trace a couple seen on the Melrosegate Bridge


A reconstruction of the events leading up to the disappearance of York University chef Claudia Lawrence is to feature in a Crimewatch appeal.
The programme will show a re-enactment of a man and a woman who were seen talking at Melrosegate Bridge on Ms Lawrence's route to work.
The woman had a similar jacket and hair to Ms Lawrence and the man was wearing a hood and smoking, police said.
The 35-year-old has now been missing for two months.
Police are also looking for information about a couple who were seen arguing at the side of a road on Ms Lawrence's route to work, and two men who were outside her home on 10 March.
They have also released CCTV footage of another two men spotted near her York home the morning after she was last seen.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45593000/jpg/_45593805_claudiaanddad226.pol.jpg Miss Lawrence's father has set up a website to help find her

Ms Lawrence was last seen near her home in Heworth, York, on 18 March and failed to arrive for her early morning shift at the University of York's Goodricke College the following day.
The investigation into the disappearance is now the biggest the North Yorkshire force has conducted since the search for multiple killer Mark Hobson five years ago.
Ms Lawrence's father, Peter Lawrence, has set up a website, www.findclaudia.co.uk (http://www.findclaudia.co.uk), in a fresh effort to find his daughter.
The site contains images and a description of the chef, a guestbook section where people can leave messages and a section containing latest news and links to police, Crimestoppers and media outlets.
In April, Crimestoppers took the unusual step of offering an "enhanced reward" of £10,000 because of strong public interest in the case.
The investigation into Ms Lawrence's disappearance is being treated as suspected murder. The Crimewatch appeal will air on BBC One on 2 June at 2100 BST.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/8055191.stm

[sarahhod]

Claudia reconstruction filmed in York

3:00pm Wednesday 20th May 2009

CAMERA crews have filmed a reconstruction of the last known movements of missing chef Claudia Lawrence for the BBC’s Crimewatch programme.
The shoot at Melrosegate Bridge in York recreated the moment a passing cyclist saw a woman fitting Claudia’s description standing with a mystery man, at 5.35am on the morning she failed to turn up for work on March 18.
Filming began on Tuesday night and continued yesterday, with presenter Rav Wilding following the route that Claudia took to reach work at the University of York from her home on Heworth Road.
The actress at the shoot wore slim-fitting jeans, a white T-shirt, an overcoat and white trainers – the outfit worn by the woman fitting Claudia’s description on the morning of her disappearance.
She stood by the steel railings outside a sub-power station, chatting to the unknown man, who wore a dark hooded top, with the hood pulled over his head, concealing his face, smoking a cigarette in his left hand, echoing the description given by the cyclist.
Crimestoppers have offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for Claudia’s disappearance but nobody has come forward.
The Crimewatch report will be shown on June 2, at 9pm on BBC1.
Anyone with information can call North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/northyorks/4383190.Claudia_reconstruction_filmed_in_York/

[sarahhod]

Claudia father’s information fury

9:20am Tuesday 19th May 2009
By Nicola Fifield » (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/biog/4986)



Play Video (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/audiovideo/video/83675)


THE father of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence says he feels angry that somebody in York is withholding key information about what has happened to his daughter.
Peter Lawrence said he found it “incredible” that nobody has come forward to identify a man seen with a woman fitting his daughter’s description on the day the 35-year-old failed to arrive for her 6am shift at the University of York.
A passing cyclist told police he saw the man and woman standing facing each other on Melrosegate Bridge – which is on Claudia’s route to work – at 5.35am on March 19.
Mr Lawrence said: “I am angry. Somebody out there does know something and I just wish they would say so.
“I can’t see any reason for somebody not responding even if they choose to do so anonymously on the Crimestoppers numbers.
“I think the Melrosegate Bridge sighting is the key one in terms of timings, the description, and the CCTV camera on Melrosegate shops that doesn’t pick her up that morning.
“There are fairly good descriptions and somebody must know who these people are.
“Why doesn’t someone come forward and say it was me, but I wasn’t with Claudia. Or if it was Claudia, why doesn’t a neighbour or workmate of the man phone in anonymously and say it was him?”
The man is described as about 5ft 6ins tall, of skinny build and wearing a dark-coloured hooded top with the hood up.
He was holding a cigarette in his left hand and was wearing dark-coloured combat trousers with pockets on the side.
The woman was smaller than the man with mousy brown hair and was wearing a blue, waist-length jacket – similar to one Claudia owns.
Mr Lawrence, a former Crown prosecutor who now works as a commercial solicitor, said he was hopeful a reconstruction of her disappearance – to be screened on BBC1’s Crimewatch at 9pm on June 2 – could lead to a breakthrough in the investigation.
He said: “We are very pleased that Crimewatch has chosen to make a very big feature of this, as it’s very competitive with all the police bosses in the country trying to get their cases on to the programme.
“It’s a national programme with a big audience, so let’s hope it will persuade somebody to say something.”
The 62-year-old, of Slingsby, who has given regular press conferences since his daughter vanished, said he found speaking to the media extremely difficult.
“I may well be a solicitor advocate, but this is totally different to standing up in front of some judge,” he said.
“I feel very churned up inside.”
Claudia’s disappearance is being treated by police as suspected murder and Crimestoppers has offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.
If you have information to help the inquiry, phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247 or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4378542.Claudia_father___s_information_fury/

[Claycat]

I don't blame him for being angry! That is his little girl! :(

[sarahhod]

Appeal for Claudia Lawrence information goes international

11:12am Saturday 23rd May 2009
By Nicola Fifield » (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/biog/4986)


ITALIAN television is to broadcast an appeal for information about the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence, as the search for the York chef goes international.
Claudia’s father, Peter Lawrence, has travelled to Sorrento, in Italy, to record an interview for the missing persons’ programme, Chi L’Ha Visto.
It is a weekly show, which translates as “who has seen them?”, and is broadcast on the Italian TV channel Rai Tre.
The aim of the appeal is to ask Italian viewers to be alert for any possible sightings of Claudia.
Mr Lawrence, a solicitor, has previously told The Press he believed his daughter could be “absolutely anywhere”.
Martin Dales, a friend and spokesman for 62-year-old Mr Lawrence, said: “Naturally, we are trying every avenue open to us in our quest to find Claudia and it seemed a good opportunity to take our message to the Italian people, whom we ask to be vigilant and to report any unusual activity or sightings to the police.
“It is good that Italian television has a weekly programme on missing people, but it is both disappointing and short-sighted that excellent programmes such as the BBC’s Missing Live are only broadcast on an occasional basis on UK television when there are so many missing people in our country at any one time.”
It is now more than nine weeks since Claudia, 35, vanished without trace, disappearing without her purse, bank cards, passport or spare clothes. She was last seen on March 18 returning to her home in Heworth Road, at about 3.10pm.
Claudia phoned her parents later that night and sent texts to various friends, the last one at 8.23pm.
The following morning she failed to turn up for her 6am shift at the University of York’s Roger Kirk Centre. Police are treating her disappearance as suspected murder and Crimestoppers has offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible.
Mr Lawrence’s interview can be viewed in English and Italian on the programme’s website, www.chilhavisto.rai.it (http://www.chilhavisto.rai.it), and is due to be broadcast in the next few weeks. Anyone who has information that may help the inquiry, should phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247, or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4391857.Appeal_for_Claudia_Lawrence_information_go es_international/

[Sioux_Girl]

I don't blame him for being angry! That is his little girl! :(


Yes its his little girl but - i dont think it helped much when the wrong description of her was given out for her for the first few weeks she was missing - the time which is the most critical IMO.

I find the case pretty weird. MOO

[Claycat]

http://www.the-rock-of-gibraltar.com/UK-News/4481/crimewatch-appeal-for-claudia-lawrence

[sarahhod]

CLAUDIA LAWRENCE: Claudia's father makes a renewed appeal

Published Date: 12 June 2009



The father of missing Malton chef Claudia Lawrence says there is "no excuse" for covering up for someone who may have information about her disappearance.
Peter Lawrence said it was possible a member of the public was shielding someone who had vital information about the 35-year-old's disappearance.

Speaking at a press briefing in Malton, Mr Lawrence said: "There is no excuse for covering up for what is potentially a serious investigation – and it is not doing us any good either."

Mr Lawrence, 62, said he was disappointed that no-one had come forward to say he was the person depicted in a BBC Crimewatch reconstruction.
He added: "I'm expressing my disappointment. I'm sure the rest of the family feel the same on this particular issue."

Asked if someone could be shielding a witness, he added: "That's always a possibility. But this is unfortunately potentially a criminal investigation and whoever it is should come forward."

The detective leading the hunt for Miss Lawrence has urged men who had a relationship with her to come forward if they wanted their information to be handled in a "discreet, confidential and controlled" manner. Det Supt Ray Galloway said Miss Lawrence, who disappeared nearly 12 weeks ago in York, was involved in relationships of "complexity and mystery", and kept those relationships secret from friends and family.

Mr Lawrence said there was "no rift" with the detective but questioned the language he used in the Crimewatch appeal.

He added: "I obviously knew the theme Mr Galloway was going to come out with on Crimewatch and why he was doing it. I take issue with him on the use of the language he used on Crimewatch."

Miss Lawrence was last seen near her home in York on March 18, and did not arrive for a 6am shift at a University of York kitchen the following morning. North Yorkshire Police have classified their investigation into her disappearance as one of suspected murder.

http://www.maltonmercury.co.uk/news/CLAUDIA-LAWRENCE-Claudia39s-father-makes.5361864.jp

[Nut44x4]

I won't post the article because I am not sure if the source is like our 'Globe/Enquirer', but this is interesting nonetheless....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1192871/The-secret-life-missing-chef-Claudia-Lawrence--numerous-liaisons-married-men.html

[annalyzer]

Landlord denies Claudia kidnap

By STAFF REPORTER
Published: 20 Jun 2009

THE landlord of missing Claudia Lawrence's local pub said yesterday: "I had nothing to do with her disappearance."
George Forman, 42, spoke out to dismiss gossip that he had been arrested over Claudia's murder.

Rumours swept her home city of York that her body had been found in the Nag's Head pub after cops and forensic experts searched it for a second time.

Two dogs trained to find bodies were also used in the search and cops took away two bed sheets from a guest bedroom for tests.

But no body was found and nobody has been arrested in the 13-week-old inquiry.

Married dad-of-one George, 42, a close friend of Claudia's, said: "Everything that is being said about me is a load of rubbish. No matter what is being said, I had nothing to do with her disappearance.

"I have not been arrested and I am pretty sick of everything at the moment. These false allegations have really upset my wife.

"All I want to do is get on with running my pub and do everything I can to help the police find Claudia.

"I have no idea what happened to her, I only wish I did."

Claudia, 35, was last seen on March 18th after leaving work as a chef at York University's Goodricke College.

Cops have said she had a complex private life and they believe she was murdered by someone she knew.

On Wednesday a team of 11 officers swooped on George's pub at 9am armed with a warrant.

The pub had been checked once before in the inquiry but detectives wanted a second search carried out.

Every room and cupboard in the pub was checked and bed linen was taken away for further tests. They were still being carried out yesterday.

George has previously spoken out over claims that Claudia had a string of relationships with married men.

He said: "She is a friend of mine and I don't like her name being dragged through the mud like this.

"Everybody in the Nag's Head is doing everything they can to help police with their investigation.

"There isn't one person in the pub who hasn't co-operated.

"As people's names come up in witness statements, the police come in to see if I can help with phone numbers, and I've done everything I can to help."

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said the rumours relating to George and Claudia's body being found were "completely unfounded".

He added that the search of the pub was the "latest element of what is a continuously developing investigation".

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2490705/Claudia-dad-in-new-appeal.html

[sarahhod]

Chef being held against will, says dad

8:20am Tuesday 21st July 2009

By Andy Walker » (http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/biog/16528)
THE father of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has marked the four-month anniversary of her disappearance by repeating his belief that she is being held against her will.
Peter Lawrence said yesterday that he still had faith the 35-year-old, who disappeared in March, would be found alive.
Mr Lawrence described Claudia, from York, as “happy, straight-forward, hardworking and smiling”, and pleaded for anyone who knew where she was to come forward.
He said: “You can’t begin to imagine what the past four months have been like for me, for Claudia’s mum and for her sister.
“Despite intensive campaigns, there have really been no leads at all as to Claudia’s whereabouts.
“Massive searches have been carried out by the police over a considerable period of time and Claudia has not been found.
“It has led me to the conclusion that Claudia is being held somewhere against her will.
“As far as I’m concerned, Claudia is still alive, unless we hear otherwise.
“The fact she has not been found dead is something which makes me feel that she is still alive.
“It is something that we just have to hope and continue to pray for.”
Miss Lawrence has not been seen since March 18 and police are treating her disappearance as suspected murder, with a £10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible.
Mr Lawrence, 62, a solicitor, who is separated from Claudia’s mother, Joan, said officers were struggling without that vital piece of information from somebody who knows where the university chef is.
Mr Lawrence once again dismissed recent reports in the national media speculating about her private life.
He said: “One of Claudia’s previous managers came up to me in the street and said she didn’t recognise Claudia from certain reports.
“She said Claudia was a diamond, was helpful, always friendly, always hardworking.
“There have been stories about her past, but those relationships that the police have mentioned to me related to people that I have known about through Claudia.”
A website set up by Mr Lawrence to help find his daughter – findclaudia.
co.uk – has received nearly half-a-million hits.
Anyone with information about Miss Lawrence is asked to call police, on 0845- 60-60-24-7, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555-111.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4503310.Chef_being_held_against_will__says_dad/

[sarahhod]

Father's New Appeal For Missing Chef Claudia

10:17am UK, Monday July 20, 2009



The father of missing chef Claudia Lawrence will make a new appeal for information about her disappearance four months after she went missing.

The last confirmed sighting of Miss Lawrence was on Melrosegate, York

The 35-year-old has not been seen since March 18, after she failed to turn up for work at the University of York's Goodricke College.
The last confirmed sighting of her was at 3pm that day as she made her way home from work.
Miss Lawrence's father Peter is due to hold a news briefing later today to mark the passing of four months since she disappeared.
Police released CCTV pictures of a man they wanted to speak to last week, but he later came forward and was eliminated from inquiries.
The footage prompted Miss Lawrence's friends to accuse detectives of acting too slowly in their search to find the missing chef.
They questioned why it had taken nearly four months for the images to be released.
North Yorkshire Police admit they have been inundated with information since the chef went missing and say they are working through it in a "consistent and methodical manner".
Officers are treating her disappearance as a case of suspected murder.
Miss Lawrence's father launched a YouTube video appeal last month, to mark 100 days since she went missing. (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Claudia-Lawrence-YouTube-Appeal-Missing-Chefs-Father-Peter-Makes-Web-Plea/Article/200906415320432?lid=ARTICLE_15320432_ClaudiaLawren ceYouTubeAppeal:MissingChefsFatherPeterMakesWebPle a&lpos=searchresults)
The video included a message from her dad and a Crimewatch reconstruction of her route to work on March 19.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Claudia-Lawrence-Four-Months-Since-Chef-Went-Missing-From-Home-In-York/Article/200907315341625?lpos=UK_News_Second_UK_News_Articl e_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15341625_Claudia_Lawrence%3A_Four_Mont hs_Since_Chef_Went_Missing_From_Home_In_York

[Claycat]

Claudia, where are you?

[Sioux_Girl]

I live around 23 miles or so from where she went missing. There are no posters up here or anything.

The case was weird from the start. When she went missing a picture was published only for it to be said some time later well the picture didnt even have the colour hair she had when she disappeared. Although the case has been on Sky news - i wouldnt say its been a massive story here ...there seems to be conflict between her dad and the cops. They say Claudia was involved in a secret life and advised these men to come forward who she was supposedly involved with and her dad denied she was that sort of person. Its only really her dad keeping this story in the public eye IMO.

[Sioux_Girl]

Police Search Property In Hunt For Claudia
6:43pm UK, Tuesday August 04, 2009

Police investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence have been searching a run-down property close to where she went missing.

Claudia Lawrence still missing five months on



The university chef was last seen near her home in Heworth Road, York, on March 18.

The 35-year-old is believed to have been murdered.

The property being searched, in East Parade, York, is less than a mile away from where she disappeared.

North Yorkshire Police said it was part of an "on-going and continuously developing investigation".

A number of other properties in the Heworth area of York have been looked at by police in the past few months.



Claudia's property in York

A police spokesman said: "The searches are the latest aspect of the search strategy that is a central feature of the on-going investigation into the suspected murder of Claudia Lawrence.

"The searches will be detailed and are being conducted as a result of the information and material gathered during what is a broad-ranging investigation."

Miss Lawrence spoke to both her parents on the phone on the evening of March 18 but failed to turn up for work the next day.

One theory about what happened to the chef is that she could have been attacked or abducted as she walked to her workplace in a kitchen at York University on March 19.

Her father, solicitor Peter Lawrence, has mounted a relentless campaign to try to find her.



http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Missing-Claudia-Lawrence-Police-Search-Run-Down-Property-In-York-In-Hunt-For-University-Chef/Article/200908115354076?lpos=UK_News_News_Your_Way_Region_ 4&lid=NewsYourWay_ARTICLE_15354076_Missing_Claudia_L awrence%3A_Police_Search_Run-Down_Property_In_York_In_Hunt_For_University_Chef



Interesting comment underneath the article.

[sarahhod]

Claudia cops search houses

By JAYNE WHITE
Published: 09 Aug 2009

A MAN at the centre of the hunt for Claudia Lawrence was a wealthy loner who died within weeks of her disappearance.

Detectives believe grainy CCTV footage shows landlord Richard Cartwright wandering on the street at the back of the missing chef's home at 5.50am on the day she disappeared.
Fingertip searches of his homes are being carried out by police desperate for clues as the mystery deepens over what happened to the 35-year-old.
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00863/SNN1026C-180_863362a.jpgLoner ... Richard Cartwright


Cartwright worked at a railway carriage factory but also built up a property empire in York that he owned outright, including two houses near Claudia's home.
Cops were struggling to identify a man spotted in the area just half an hour after she would have left for work.
It was only after the video was shown on Crimewatch in June they became convinced it was him - but it was too late to quiz the 57-year-old as he had been found dead from natural causes at his home two months earlier.
Friend Colin Molloy, 57, said: "He was a bit of a loner and never went out drinking with the lads.
"He had lived with his mother until she died and cared for his elder brother who had learning difficulties.
"He was a workaholic who had a sideline in sweets, cigarettes and sandwiches down at the works.
"He never married but as far as we were all concerned it was just the way he was."
Claudia has been linked to dozens of men and had a "mysterious and complex" love life.
But Cartwright's neighbour Edward Bacon insists the dead man was not involved.
"He owned a property at the rear of the missing girl's home.
"He was often up and about at that time.
"I could never imagine him having anything to do with the disappearance of that girl.
Claudia went missing on March 18 and murder squad detectives are trawling through phone records trying to piece together her complicated life.
The £500,000 hunt involved 100 officers at its height and there is still a full time team of 40 on the case.
Det Supt Ray Galloway said: "Richard Cartwright's name was one of a number provided to the investigation team in June following an appeal on Crimewatch.
"The search of his properties is just one element of the process of eliminating him from any involvement in Claudia Lawrence's disappearance."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2578508/Claudia-cops-search-houses.html

[sarahhod]

Ex-workmates defend Richard Cartwright, owner of Heworth houses in Claudia Lawrence search

8:52am Monday 10th August 2009
By Mark Stead » (http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/biog/16476)

EX-WORKMATES of a man whose homes have been searched by detectives leading the hunt for Claudia Lawrence say they do not believe he had anything to do with her disappearance.
Richard Cartwright, 57, who spent his working life at York Carriageworks, died a few weeks after the 35-year-old chef from Heworth vanished in March.
Two of Mr Carwright’s properties – only yards from Claudia’s home – have come under the spotlight of the huge probe into her suspected murder.
Police believe Mr Cartwright, who was found dead on April 9, was the man seen on CCTV walking to the rear of Claudia’s house when she failed to arrive for work on March 19.
Last week, detectives began searching two houses owned by unmarried Mr Cartwright in East Parade, Heworth.
An inquest has been opened and adjourned into his death which is not being treated as suspicious, and a toxicology report is currently being prepared. Paul Cooper, who worked with Mr Cartwright at the carriageworks, said: “I knew him quite well – he was a personable chap, but he kept his own life to himself.
“At work, he was outgoing, popular and a bit of a joker. He had a real passion for his job – he used to bring sandwiches in and sell them even though you weren’t really supposed to. I was at his funeral and his death came as a real shock because I’d seen him at the funeral of one of our former colleagues a few weeks before and he looked really well.
“I would never have thought Richard could have any aggression in him towards anybody and I can’t believe he would ever be involved in something like this – that’s not the person I knew. It’s a shame his name has come into the investigation in this way because he is not around to speak for himself, and I also feel sorry for his family.”
Another friend of Mr Cartwright, 57-year-old Colin Molloy, described him as a “workaholic” who bought properties to let before it became common practice. He also had a night job, cleaning railway carriages at York Station.
Since Claudia, who worked as a chef at the University of York, disappeared, police have searched a string of properties including her local pub, The Nag’s Head.
Last week, The Press exclusively revealed North Yorkshire Police have so far spent £485,000 on the hunt for her, one of the largest operations in the force’s recent history.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4537221.Ex_workmates_defend_owner_of_houses_in_Cla udia_Lawrence_search/

[sarahhod]

MISSING CHEF'S DAD: DON'T STOP LOOKING FOR MY DAUGHTER


http://images.dailyexpress.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/285x214/119429_1.jpg

SEARCHING: Claudia and her father Peter. The search for the chef has already cost £500,000


Sunday August 9,2009


DETECTIVES leading the search for missing chef Claudia Lawrence believe a prime suspect in the case died three weeks after she vanished.


Police continue to search the properties of wealthy landlord Richard Cartwright, 57, and think that CCTV images place him at the back of Claudia’s house at around 5.50am on the day she disappeared.
Following a BBC Crimewatch appeal, officers are “almost certain” the footage identifies Cartwright who was found dead at his home from natural causes in East Parade, York on April 19.
Claudia was last seen near her home in York on March 18. She failed to turn up for work at the University of York the next day.
Police have described Claudia, 35, as having a ”wild and secret” sex life and believe that she was murdered.
Colin Molloy, 57, who was a friend of Richard Cartwright, said he was a “bit of a loner.”

He added: “He had lived with his mother until she died, and cared for his elder brother who had learning difficulties.
“He never married, but as far as we were all concerned it was just the way he was. He had bought properties and done them up for rent long before anyone else had any idea.
“They were all paid for – he didn’t owe a penny. I’d put money on it that he’s worth over a million but he would never have known it.
“We all feel sorry for his family having had his name brought into this when he cannot defend himself.”
Neighbour Edward Bacon said Cartwright was an early riser and it was “pure coincidence” that he was seen on CCTV in the area.
Claudia’s father last night begged police not to scale down the search that has already cost £500,000.

In a veiled plea to police not to give up on finding daughter Peter Lawrence said: “You cannot put a cost on a life.”
Police have offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for the death of Claudia.
Martin Dales, spokesman for Mr Lawrence, said: “The search for Claudia has been ongoing for five months now and it has been costly financially, but it has been costly emotionally too.
“What I want to say is that you cannot put a price on a life. I would pose the question to anyone: ‘Wouldn’t you do it for your loved one?’
“We don’t know how long the search will go on for, but we will continue to search for her whatever the cost because there is no other option.”
Just last week North Yorkshire Police were criticised by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Police for being unable to handle major murder inquiries.
But yesterday acting Assistant Chief Constable Steve Read said: “From the outset, the disappearance of Claudia was taken extremely seriously and the appropriate level of resources were allocated to the investigation.”
So far officers have received more than 1,200 calls from members of the public offering information regarding the missing chef. At the height of the investigation, 100 police officers were working on the case.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/119429/Missing-chef-s-dad-Don-t-stop-looking-for-my-daughter

[Sioux_Girl]

Mother Defends Missing Claudia's Reputation
2:41pm UK, Friday September 04, 2009

Alex Watts, online reporter

The mother of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has spoken out to defend her daughter's reputation following lurid claims about her private life.


Claudia Lawrence was last seen near her home on March 18


Joan Lawrence, 66, said the time had come to "stand up" for Claudia, who has not been seen since she vanished while on her way to work in March.

She said: "It's time to stand up for Claudia. Anyone who really knows her knows that 90% of what's been said about her isn't true.

"Imagine what it's like, losing your daughter and then all this rubbish coming out.

"It's bad enough that she's missing without blackening her name. What good is it going to do?"

Mrs Lawrence, who runs a catering firm, spoke out after detectives revealed Claudia, 35, was involved in relationships of "complexity and mystery".

They said she kept those relationships secret from friends and family.

Claudia was last seen near her home in York on March 18 and did not arrive for a 6am shift at a University of York kitchen the following morning.

Police have classified their investigation as one of suspected murder.

Despite a huge operation, a string of appeals and the offer of a £10,000 reward the brunette's disappearance remains a mystery.

Mrs Lawrence said Claudia's birthday a few weeks ago had hammered home the pain of her disappearance


http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Claudia-Lawrence-Mother-Defends-Missing-Chefs-Reputation-After-Private-Life-Claims/Article/200909115375021?lpos=UK_News_Top_Stories_Header_2&lid=ARTICLE_15375021_Claudia_Lawrence%3A_Mother_De fends_Missing_Chefs_Reputation_After_Private_Life_ Claims




I cant help wondering though - how many of us actually tell our parents all about our private lives. If she really was sleeping with ppl like the cops claim maybe her parents wouldnt have known anyhow.

In addition when she went missing her parents released a picture of her and it turned out months later that Claudia had in fact dyed her hair some months before her disappearance and yet her parents didnt know so i kind of wonder how close she was to them anyhow.

[Sioux_Girl]

Police investigating the disappearance of missing chef Claudia Lawrence say they have extended their investigation to Cyprus.

Police have released a new picture of Claudia six months after she vanished



North Yorkshire Police said detectives have been sent to the Mediterranean island to try to find a man the 35-year-old knew.

Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, who is leading the investigation, was speaking at a news conference to mark six months since the York University chef was last seen.

Mr Galloway said the last text message Miss Lawrence received at 9.12pm on March 18 was from a man in Cyprus.

Mr Galloway said: "Officers from the team investigating the suspected murder of Claudia Lawrence have been sent to Cyprus as a result of lines of inquiry that have developed over the course of the investigation.


What I read and what I hear is not the girl that I've known for 35 years. She was open about relationships.

Claudia's father Peter Lawrence

"It is not known whether Claudia ever opened this last text message; therefore there has always been a link to Cyprus.

"However, over the course of the investigation it has become apparent that Claudia knew several people who live on the island.

"It is believed that during her visits to Cyprus she has also received job offers. Hence the need to pursue these lines of inquiry."

Miss Lawrence was last seen on March 18 near her home in the Heworth area of York.

She was due to walk the three miles to work on March 19 for a shift beginning at 6am but she never turned up.


Det Supt Ray Galloway On Claudia Case

Miss Lawrence left her cards, cash and passport behind.

But her mobile phone - a silver Samsung D900 - and blue Karrimor rucksack in which she carried her chef's whites, have still yet to be located.

Detectives have said they are convinced Miss Lawrence has come to harm and they have focused on her complex relationships with a number of men.

Earlier today, her father, Peter Lawrence, said he did not recognise "the girl I've known for 35 years" from accounts of her complex personal relationships.

He told BBC Breakfast: "There are really no leads at all as to how and why Claudia disappeared.

"What I read and what I hear is not the girl that I've known for 35 years. She was open about relationships."

Her sister Ali Sims added: "Six months on and we are no closer to knowing where Claudia is or what happened to her.

"As a family we can't face another six months of this."

Mr Lawrence, 63, from Slingsby, North Yorkshire, is due to hold a news conference later.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Claudia-Lawrence-Cyprus-Is-Focus-Of-Investigation-Into-Missing-Chef-Who-Vanished-Six-Months-Ago/Article/200909315384066?lpos=UK_News_Top_Stories_Header_1&lid=ARTICLE_15384066_Claudia_Lawrence%3A_Cyprus_Is _Focus_Of_Investigation_Into_Missing_Chef_Who_Vani shed_Six_Months_Ago

Two things i cant help wondering - how safe it was to even be walking three miles before 6am with it being so dark and deserted..it would put the creeps up me and secondly why would you leave your purse and cards behind to go to work? Unless she had no money..you would usually take some for drinks or something.

[Claycat]

A Cyprus connection?!

Yeah, it bothers me about her leaving her purse behind, too!

A woman got raped in Austin the other night. She was going to a friend's house at 3 AM. Woman should not be out walking when it is still dark outside. I agree.

[Sioux_Girl]

A Cyprus connection?!

Yeah, it bothers me about her leaving her purse behind, too!

A woman got raped in Austin the other night. She was going to a friend's house at 3 AM. Woman should not be out walking when it is still dark outside. I agree.

I live in Yorkshire..the same county that Claudia lives/lived. I live around 23 miles from there. We have a cash point machine across the road about 100 or so meters from my house and my husband wont even let me go over there at 11 pm ..let alone 5 am or so.

[FoolsGold]

Despite the use of polite euphemisms and elegant expressions, there has long been some speculation in this case.
It is well known in many circles that "adventuresome work abroad" is a euphemism for employment as a mercenary soldier.
Perhaps a term such as "adventuresome travel abroad" might be used to refer to the well known practices of females who seek to travel to destinations where the attentions of local males are easily attained.
I think the "cypress travel connection" is a false path and that perhaps the police would be more hesitant to explore it if Cyprus was a less pleasant vacation spot.

[Faith]

Missing Claudia not believed to be in Cyprus
By Bejay Browne

POLICE investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence say they are on the island trying to connect the pieces of her life together and do not believe her to be in Cyprus.

Sources close to the investigation believe 35-year-old chef Lawrence had a number of holiday romances when she was here. Police say they are trying to track down 10 men who may have got to know her during her holidays. Claudia had been to Cyprus five times in recent years.

Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway of North Yorkshire police confirmed to the Sunday Mail that he was heading up the team. Lawrence is believed to have been in touch with some of the locals.

The Detective Superintendent also admitted that there was no reason to believe the missing woman had arrived in Cyprus, as her passport was found in her house.

“I don’t think she seems to be the type of person who would travel on another passport, she is just a normal woman.

“But as she has been missing for so long and missed key events in her family, we have to cover all options and try and establish a picture of what happened to her, as she appears to have vanished.”

When shown Claudia’s picture, many local bar owners and taxi drivers in Coral Bay said they recognised her as a holidaymaker, but hadn’t seen her in the vicinity for at least six months.

A barman at one Coral Bay pub said he thought he remembered Lawrence coming into the bar with a male friend, but he couldn’t describe him or say exactly when the visit could have been. But he did state that it was more than six months ago.

A team of four British police officers spent yesterday following up leads related to Lawrence, who has been missing from her UK home for six months. The officers will spend a week here working alongside their Cypriot counterparts, after it was revealed on Friday that the missing woman had regular contact with the island.

Police officers from Cyprus are now working alongside their British colleagues, who are staying at the Coral Beach Hotel and resort in Paphos.

Cypriot police constable Panayiotis Pelopida, who is working on the case said, “There appears to be no evidence after the last sighting of Claudia. It’s as if she is a ghost.”

He added, “We are helping the British police as much as we can and we are talking to people here who she had befriended.”

One such person is believed to be 35-year-old Steve Sammons but attempts by the paper to find him proved fruitless.

A local Peyia councillor said, “I don’t remember his name being on the electoral roll.”

It’s now known that Lawrence had made a number of good friends in Cyprus, believed to be in the Peyia area. She is thought to have frequented the Coral Bay area.

Galloway stressed that nothing is known about Lawrence’s movements after leaving work at the University of York on March 18, 2009.

“Most of us leave a footprint – but she didn’t. We are using this trip to Cyprus as a means of tracing witnesses, not to search for a suspect.

“We need to get a complete picture of her personal life, which appears to have been complicated,” he said.

Lawrence had been planning a trip to Cyprus and had received a text from a man on the island at 21.12GMT the night she disappeared.

“We know she received a text, but there is no way of knowing if she opened the message as we are not in possession of her phone,” said Galloway.

Constable Pelopida was quick to point out that some sections of the Cyprus media were wrongly reporting that police were questioning a Cypriot man.

“I can categorically you that no Cypriots are wanted in connection with this case,” he said.

Galloway confirmed, “Claudia’s friends were almost all British people living and working on the island.”

He concluded, “This is a very difficult case as there was no evidence left at the crime scene and no signs of life. It’s by far the most likely scenario that she has come to harm.”


http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=47918&cat_id=1

[FoolsGold]

I've never much believed Cyprus might be her location since her passport was here and I doubt any of the men in Cyprus cared one whit about her or any of the other female tourists who visit Cyprus.

[sarahhod]

Claudia appeal taken to Scotland


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46446000/jpg/_46446978__46400595_claudianewpic-1.jpg Police believe Miss Lawrence has come to harm

The father of Claudia Lawrence is to make his first public appeal for information outside of England to mark seven months since her disappearance.
Peter Lawrence will hand out leaflets to people at Edinburgh's Waverley railway station on Friday.
Posters appealing for information about Miss Lawrence will be displayed there and at Glasgow Central railway station.
Mr Lawrence, a solicitor from York, North Yorkshire, believes his daughter could be anywhere in the UK or abroad.
Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen leaving the University of York's Goodricke College, where she worked, in March.
Her disappearance is being treated as suspected murder.
Mr Lawrence's spokesman, Martin Dales, said: "For 200 days now Peter has thought that, back in March, Claudia probably took a lift with someone she knew or vaguely knew.
"He believes she is being held against her will and that she could be anywhere un the UK or abroad given the 36-hour gap before anyone spotted she had disappeared.
"Although he finds it very hard, emotional and painful to talk about Claudia, he is determined to keep her name in the public's mind at this difficult time and he'll be asking the people of Scotland to be vigilant for suspicious activity wherever they may be."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/8301316.stm

[sarahhod]

Missing Claudia had 12 lovers but they aren't willing to help with the case, say police

By Chris Brooke (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Chris+Brooke)

Last updated at 7:16 AM on 12th October 2009

The police chief searching for missing chef Claudia Lawrence yesterday criticised her secret lovers who are desperate to avoid their affairs being exposed.
Miss Lawrence, 35, had around 12 sexual relationships with men in the five years up to her disappearance in March.
Some were married and others were men she originally met on holiday abroad.
But Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, who is leading the inquiry, admitted the lack of co-operation from the men in her life was causing a problem for detectives.
'Some people have been less than candid when they've been approached. I understand why they might resist the suggestion that they've been in a relationship with Claudia if they themselves are in a relationship, but we're not making any moral judgement.

'We're just trying to clarify the content.'
He confirmed that Miss Lawrence kept some of her relationships secret from her family and close friends in York, who believed they knew everything about her.
'It is clear that some of Claudia's best friends and family did not know about many of these relationships. It isn't a criticism of them in any other way, it's just the way she would compartmentalise her life.'

Miss Lawrence returned home on Wednesday 18 March after finishing her shift at a canteen in York University. She spoke to her parents in separate phone calls early that evening and received a text on her mobile from a friend in Cyprus shortly after 9pm.

She was due to walk to work the next morning, but she failed to arrive for her 6 am shift. A couple seen arguing at 5.30 am on her normal route to work have never been identified.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/11/article-0-040E4E51000005DC-148_468x465.jpg Peter Lawrence with his daughter Claudia. He still holds hope that his daughter could be alive


North Yorkshire Police have been to Cyprus to investigate people she knew from holidays on the island and the investigation is still focused on her close personal relationships.
'The vast majority of victims of female homicide will die at the hands of someone they know,' said Mr Galloway.

Speaking about the pattern of her male friends becoming lovers, he added:'These friendships would develop to the point where she would either be visited in York or she would go to various parts of the country to visit them.

'Claudia was the kind of person who would sustain a friendship or relationship, some of which developed into sexual relationships. We continue to trace these people, some of whom have been reluctant to talk to us.'
Mr Galloway dismissed the wild speculation about the number of lovers she had and said the number of sexual partners in the last five years was 'just into double figures.'
Her father Peter Lawrence, a solicitor, still holds hope his daughter could be alive. He will mark the seventh anniversary of her disappearance by holding a press conference in Edinburgh on Friday to help keep the case in the public eye.




Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1219632/Missing-Claudia-12-lovers-arent-willing-help-case-say-police.html#ixzz0TihARxLB (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1219632/Missing-Claudia-12-lovers-arent-willing-help-case-say-police.html#ixzz0TihARxLB)

[FoolsGold]

It may be difficult for the police to wade through a sea of secretive former-lovers. It reflects far more on the character of the former lovers than on her character. I guess if they didn't really care much for her when she was alive they are not going to help the police at all once she is dead. That shows their values far more than it shows her values, but that is the way it is.

I don't know if the men fear some sort of media exposure, it may just be that in some cultures, its simply a matter of no consequence whatsoever. They don't replace their golf divots, they don't worry about dead former lovers. If you ask them to chang,,, they just might replace the divot.

[Sioux_Girl]

To be honest its a weird case..and not really been that publicised over here.

But then you get the case of Luke on the other thread..and that one has had even less publicity so...i dont know.

[Claycat]

It may be difficult for the police to wade through a sea of secretive former-lovers. It reflects far more on the character of the former lovers than on her character. I guess if they didn't really care much for her when she was alive they are not going to help the police at all once she is dead. That shows their values far more than it shows her values, but that is the way it is.

I don't know if the men fear some sort of media exposure, it may just be that in some cultures, its simply a matter of no consequence whatsoever. They don't replace their golf divots, they don't worry about dead former lovers. If you ask them to chang,,, they just might replace the divot.

That's kind of funny in a very sad way! Poor Claudia!

[FoolsGold]

That's kind of funny in a very sad way! Poor Claudia!Yes. I intended it to be humorous and I'm glad that you enjoyed it, but I also meant to emphasize that in some cultures and in many relationships there is little, if any, concern for the female. Any such concern for a foreign female is often feigned by the male due to her cultural beliefs, but if the police come around asking questions the police might as well be asking questions about some of those golf divots. The male never really noticed the divots or differentiated one divot from another divot. And when it comes to the females, its pretty much the same attitude.

[Claycat]

I understand what you mean FoolsGold. My Dad was a golfer, so I totally get the divots.

I feel a connection to this case, because my father and I were so close. When I see that photo of Claudia and her father, it makes me sad. I think, "Daddy's little girl!"

[FoolsGold]

I try to avoid "mixing cases" but I'm sometimes struck by various unifying themes in an investigation.

In Ms. Lawrence's case there was what is referred to as "an active sex life". Its the same situation in the famed "Beuty in the Bath" murder case in the UK.
Police had a difficult time when male visitors were so frequent. Figuring out who killed her was difficult and ofcourse the discovery of one visitor who had asked his wife to provide him with a false alibi just about clinched the case. It now seems the seeker of the false alibi did indeed leave the woman alive and well as the focus now shifts to a visitor of about two hours later.

Ofcourse in the Beauty in the Bath case most of the men were cooperative with the police if not particularly thrilled to be having such inquiries made about them. In the Lawrence case,,, most of the men, particularly the foreigners, seem to be totally unconcerned and are most definitely non cooperative.

[Sioux_Girl]

Claudia's Dad In Christmas Video Appeal
3:05pm UK, Thursday December 24, 2009

Lulu Sinclair, Sky News Online

The father of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has left a direct message to his daughter in a Christmas and New Year appeal on YouTube.

Peter Lawrence, 63, of Slingsby, North Yorkshire, looks directly into the camera as he tells the 35-year-old: "All we want is for you to be back with us."

Miss Lawrence was last seen near her home in Heworth, York, on March 18 and was reported missing after she failed to arrive at work at the University of York the following morning.

North Yorkshire Police have since classed the investigation into her disappearance as one of suspected murder.

Mr Lawrence, a solicitor, has made continued appeals to try to find his daughter since she went missing.

In the video, he tells Miss Lawrence: "Claudia, if you are out there and able to see this but for some reason not able to contact any of us, we love you dearly, we miss you so very, very much and all we want is for you to be back with us."



Peter Lawrence has not given up hoping of finding his daughter alive


He also appeals for anyone with information about his daughter's disappearance to come forward.

"It is really important for this message to keep coming out that Claudia is missing, that we miss her very much, and we believe that some people, or some person, has a piece of information which they may not think is important, but could be the final link that allows the police to get somewhere with this investigation," he said.

"Nine months now the family have suffered this loss greatly, and it's very hard to keep this message coming but I will keep the message coming until such time that we have a resolution to this.

"So if you are the person who has this piece of information, it may not be important at all to you but for everyone's sake, for our sake, please give that information to the police or to Crimestoppers."

Mr Lawrence uses the video to thank those who have visited and left messages on the Find Claudia website.

He said: "When we set up the Find Claudia site, we had no idea how successful it would be but it's had an incredible number of visits, and I would like to thank everybody who has visited, and is visiting, the site. It means a lot for their contributions."

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Claudia-Lawrence-Missing-Chefs-Father-In-Christmas-Appeal/Article/200912415507568?lpos=UK_News_First_UK_News_Article _Teaser_Region_3&lid=ARTICLE_15507568_Claudia_Lawrence%3A_Missing_C hefs_Father_In_Christmas_Appeal

[Claycat]

Poor man!

[Sioux_Girl]

New Lead In Claudia Search After TV Appeal

3:44pm UK, Friday February 26, 2010

Ruth Barnett, Sky News Online
Police searching for missing chef Claudia Lawrence have received a "potentially significant lead" involving a location.

Claudia Lawrence's friends and family mark birthday

Friends and family mark missing chef Claudia Lawrence's birthday

It follows a television appeal about the 35-year-old, who disappeared on March 18 last year.

Officers received more than 30 calls after CCTV footage of Miss Lawrence was screened on BBC Crimewatch.

"It's a lead that will call upon us to check a specific location but it is a highly credible piece of information and something that we intend to act upon quickly," Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway said.

The new line of inquiry comes as family and friends of the missing woman held an awareness day on the eve of her 36th birthday.

Miss Lawrence was last seen walking near her home in Heworth, York, but did not arrive at for her shift the next day.

In the appeal, officers said they wanted to trace a hoodie-wearing man who was caught on CCTV walking along Melrosegate just before 5am on March 18.

The road is on Miss Lawrence's route to work.

Peter Lawrence, the father of Claudia Lawrence, with Det. Supt. Ray Galloway

Claudia Lawrence's father Peter and Det Supt Galloway release balloons

They also want to find a pale car, which may be a Mercedes C-Class, which was seen waiting for two or three minutes on the same street on March 18, 19 and 25.

"We have been as far as Cyprus and recently to southern Ireland and traced people that she either was a friend of or a partner of," Det Supt Galloway said.

"But, frustratingly, we are also finding people who were on Claudia's route to work on Melrosegate and were waiting for police to come to them.

"My appeal is please, if you were in that area on 19 March, between 5 and 6am, please come forward."

Miss Lawrence's disappearance is being treated as a suspected murder case.

The investigation continues to focus on the chef's relationships with a number of men, police said.


http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Claudia-Lawrence-Police-Searching-For-Missing-Chef-Have-Fresh-Lead-After-BBC-Crimewatch-Appeal/Article/201002415560485?lpos=UK_News_Top_Stories_Header_2&lid=ARTICLE_15560485_Claudia_Lawrence%3A_Police_Se arching_For_Missing_Chef_Have_Fresh_Lead_After_BBC _Crimewatch_Appeal

[Claycat]

I sure wish they could solve this case and give her family closure.

[Nut44x4]

A year since Claudia Lawrence disappeared, mother Joan reflects on her loss
10:10am Wednesday 17th March 2010

The mother of missing Malton woman Claudia Lawrence has spoken of the awful moment when she heard her daughter was missing and the year of anguish the family has lived though.

Joan Lawrence, who lives in Norton, stayed with her daughter, Ali, and her grandchildren in Derbyshire, last weekend, as the painful anniversary approached.

“It was on Mothering Sunday weekend last year that Claudia disappeared. I have never spent it on my own in the past, and I certainly didn’t want to this year.”

Mrs Lawrence recalled how she had spoken to Claudia twice within a few hours the day before she disappeared.

They had spoken on the phone for about 20 minutes in the afternoon in what she described as a “girl talk” conversation, and then again in the evening when she needed information about a coach company.

“I remember we were both watching the same television programme – “Location, Location, Location” said Mrs Lawrence.

“She was perfectly all right that night.”

It was the following morning that Claudia disappeared.

“I find it hard to believe we are a year down the line from the date which will be in my mind for the rest of my life. I can’t begin to describe the feelings that went through my mind when we received the call that Claudia had disappeared. I was numb at first, stunned, this sort of thing happens to other people. You don’t expect it to happen to you and your family.”

Mrs Lawrence added: “I keep going every day, there is always something that needs doing. The support from family, friends and local people is wonderful, it’s a huge comfort to me and I am so grateful. The pain never goes away, the emptiness inside me. The reminders are all over my flat, presents, notes, cards, photographs. Many is the time I come across something by accident and stop and shed a tear.

“I have now to find a way forward once these painful anniversaries are past. It must be kept in the public eye and I shall do my best to do that. We can’t let people forget her – someone, somewhere knows something.”

Mrs Lawrence described how her religious faith has played a major part in sustaining her during the past year.

She attends St Mary’s Priory, Old Malton, St Peter’s Parish Church, Norton, and evensong at York Minister from time to time.

“My faith has helped me through. I am never alone,” she said.

She had special praise for the Rev Bill Ankers of St Peter’s.

“He has been so supportive for which I am very grateful.”

Another good friend is Canon John Manchester, who recently retired as vicar of St Mary’s, where Claudia went to Sunday School.

Mrs Lawrence said she was intending to contact the Susie Lamplugh Trust which was set up after the young estate agent disappeared 25 years ago, and who has never been found.

Family and friends live in hope of news

When Claudia Lawrence disappeared a year ago tomorrow, her family and friends never imagined they would still have no idea what has happened to her 12 months on.

Claudia, who turned 36 last month, has seemingly vanished into thin air. Not even a £600,000 police investigation has shed any light on where the University of York chef is.

Police suspect she has been murdered, but there is nothing to prove this – and her family and friends are still clinging on to the hope that she will come home.

“I miss her more than I can say,” said Claudia’s father, Peter Lawrence, speaking at yet another press conference. “We always saw quite a lot of each other and not being able to do that is very difficult.

“One word sums up how I feel and that is ‘dreadful’. Claudia is a very big part of my life and for the past year she’s been missing.”

In the early days the solicitor held weekly press conferences at his home in Slingsby and he continues to make a monthly appeal to the public for help.

He said: “At the beginning I thought it would be a few days, a week. I never thought we would be here a year on.

“I suppose I’m an eternal optimist and I thought that first press conference would bring out the information we needed and we would get a resolution.”

The police, who still have 20-30 officers dedicated to the case, believe the most likely theory is that Claudia has come to harm after meeting someone she knew as she walked to work that morning.

Her cottage remains just as she would have left it had she set out at about 5.30am on March 19.

The only belongings that appear to be missing from her home are the Karrimor rucksack she carried her chef’s whites in and her mobile phone.

Mr Lawrence, 63, said: “There was no apparent reason for Claudia to go off and if there had been, she would have told me first – she certainly wouldn’t have been daft enough to go off without her passport, her bank cards and any spare clothes, it’s just a nonsense.

“I think she was taken, whether it was by someone she knew or not I have no idea, but the police’s argument is that in a place like York she is more likely to have been taken off by someone she knew than by a complete stranger.”

Most new lines of inquiry are swiftly eliminated but one that does remain is a possible sighting of Claudia standing with a hooded man who was smoking with his left-hand, on Melrosegate bridge at about 5.10am on either March 18 or 19.

Mr Lawrence said: “Somebody can’t literally disappear into thin air in this country. Somebody must know something.”

If you have information which could help the inquiry, phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247. Alternatively, phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
http://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/5065515.A_year_since_Claudia_Lawrence_disappeared_ _mother_Joan_reflects_on_her_loss/

[Nut44x4]

Timeline 2009-2010

March 18: 3.10pm: Claudia is last seen by an acquaintance walking towards her home.

8.10pm: Claudia speaks to her mother on the phone.

8.23pm: Claudia sends her last text message to a friend, arranging a meeting later that week.

9.12pm: The last text message is received by Claudia’s phone – police do not know if she read it.

March 19: 6am: Claudia fails to turn up for work.

12.08pm: Claudia’s phone either runs out of battery or is switched off.

Evening: Claudia does not arrive at the Nags Head pub, where she had arranged to meet her friends.

March 20: Friends are worried when they still can't contact Claudia and call her father. Police are alerted and searches around Claudia’s route to work begin.

March 23: Claudia’s father, Peter Lawrence, makes his first emotional plea for public help in finding his daughter.

March 25: Det Supt Ray Galloway reveals he believes Claudia has come to harm after meeting somebody she knows.

March 26: Police call in specialist search and rescue teams, while the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, leads prayers for Claudia’s safe return.

March 30: The search for Claudia is featured for the first time on BBC’s Crimewatch.

April 4: A mysterious black pick-up truck seen outside Claudia’s home is eliminated from the inquiry.

April 16: Police appeal for help in investigating two significant leads, including a man and a woman seen arguing at the roadside near the University of York.

April 17: Claudia’s family face an agonising wait for news after the body of a woman is found in the River Ouse. The body is later identified as that of missing grandmother, Pauline Armitage.

April 24: Police upgrade the investigation to suspected murder, as Crimestoppers offer a £10,000 reward for information. Police also reveal a major new line of inquiry – a possible sighting of Claudia with a hooded man on Melrosegate bridge.

April 29: As the search enters its sixth week, Claudia’s mum, Joan Lawrence, breaks her silence.

May 2: A new website is launched by Peter Lawrence, findclaudia.co.uk

May 5: Police release CCTV footage of a man acting suspiciously near Claudia’s home the morning she failed to turn up to work.

June 2: Crimewatch broadcasts another appeal for information, during which Det Supt Galloway urges anyone who was in a relationship with Claudia to get in touch.

June 18: Police officers carry out an extensive search and remove items from the Nag’s Head pub in York.

July 10: Police teams and sniffer dogs search four York houses in the Heworth area of the city.

August 4: Police search two properties in York belonging to a man who died shortly after Claudia disappeared.

August 20: North Yorkshire Police told to concentrate more on the missing chef’s personal relationships by the National Policing Improving Agency.

September 19: A team of detectives flies out to Cyprus to speak to a people Claudia befriended during frequent holidays.

September 25: Search teams return to the University of York, where they scour the biology department for clues in connection with a possible new lead.

October 29: A jogger’s concerns about a van she repeatedly saw in Melrosegate prior to Claudia’s disappearance are made public. She said the van driver had tried to talk to her and she had seen him try to speak to other women passing by.

November 11: A Facebook message claiming to be from Claudia is posted on the social networking website saying “hi everyone just to let you be aware that i am ok and i am safe and sound. speak to you all soon. claudia xxx”. Family and friends say they believe it is a “sick hoax”.

December 22: Det Supt Galloway reveals that when Claudia’s mobile phone was either switched off or ran out of battery at 12.08pm on March 19, it was within the area of York that includes her home and route to work.

February 17: A teenager is arrested and cautioned by police for posting the bogus message on Facebook.

February 25: New CCTV footage showing the last recorded movements of Claudia is released by police prior to a fresh appeal on. Following the appeal, police say they have been given information about a “location” in North Yorkshire, which could be a “potentially significant new lead”.

February 26: Family and friends of Claudia hold an awareness event in York, to mark the eve of her 36th birthday.

March 2: Police reveal they have discarded a potentially significant lead that emerged after Crimewatch.

March 14: TV investigator Donald MacIntyre raises questions about the police inquiry. He questions why it took police nine months to contact drivers who had used a Shell garage on Claudia’s route to work.

http://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/5065515.A_year_since_Claudia_Lawrence_disappeared_ _mother_Joan_reflects_on_her_loss/

[packy]

What a shame that someone posts bogus messages saying they are the missing person. And a shame too that the local garage customers were not interviewed sooner.

If her phone was still in the area the next day then either she was or the phone was dropped there. I wonder if anyone found the phone and just kept it.

Hope the new lead pans out.