New lead in hunt for missing Claudia

Previously unseen CCTV footage of the missing 35-year-old York chef was shown on the programme on Thursday, although some shots pre-released to the media were retracted after it was admitted the images were of someone else.

Renewed appeals for information were also made by Claudia's father, Peter, and Det Supt Ray Galloway, who is leading the inquiry for North Yorkshire Police.

The detective said: "There was a new lead as a result of the Crimewatch appeal. It talked about a location. It's a location that is a line of inquiry for us.

"However, it's something that we need to develop and something that will take a number of days before we can get a definitive answer."

Mr Galloway said he took the call personally on the programme on Thursday night and it was a "credible witness".

"It is potentially significant," he said. "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."

During the programme, Det Supt Galloway said police wanted to trace a man seen on CCTV wearing a hoodie and walking along Melrosegate, on Miss Lawrence's route to work, just before 5am on the morning of March 18.

The footage included a silver-coloured car seen driving along Melrosegate, which was yesterday eliminated from the investigation.

Over the past 11 months, the detective said the force had put together a "comprehensive but definitely incomplete profile" of the missing chef's live. The investigation continues to centre on Miss Lawrence's relationships.

"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," he 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 March 19, between 5am and 6am, please come forward."

Miss Lawrence was last seen near her home in Heworth, York, after finishing work on March 18 last year. She spoke with her mother and father that evening and sent a text to a friend. But she failed to meet a friend for a drink and did not arrive for work the following morning.

Her bank cards, cash and passport were found at her home, but her mobile telephone, a silver Samsung D900, and a blue Karrimor rucksack in which she carried her chef's whites have never been recovered.

Police are treating the investigation as one of suspected murder but Claudia's family is clinging to hope she is still alive.

Friends and family gathered in the centre of York yesterday for a special "awareness day" on the eve of Claudia's 36th birthday.

Mr Galloway helped Mr Lawrence light a candle on a huge birthday cake and launch balloons with a "Find Claudia" message.

Family friend Martin Dales said: "The waiting is agonising for everyone who loves and cares for Claudia and someone or some people seem determined to pile on the hell of not knowing by not telling us where she is."

Mr Lawrence said: "We've had 35 years of Claudia being with us on her birthday. Unfortunately, this time she isn't. Someone out there does know what's happened and we need to know.

"She's been missing for 11-and-a-half months and we need a resolution. The idea was to do all these things here today to keep people aware of this."

Also present were the Lord Mayor of York John Galvin, and Miss Lawrence's close friend Suzy Cooper, who said: "It's been really, really tough for us all. We miss her deeply."