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Claudia Lawrence’s mum vows to ‘never give up hope’ 13 years after she vanished

Claudia Lawrence, right, disappeared 13 years ago today - as her mum vowed to 'never give up hope' (Picture: ITV/SWNS)
Claudia Lawrence, right, disappeared 13 years ago today – as her mum vowed to ‘never give up hope’ (Picture: ITV/SWNS)

The mum of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has vowed to never give up hope of finding her daughter on the 13th anniversary of her disappearance.

Detectives, believe Ms Lawrence was murdered, although no body has ever been discovered.

The 35-year-old, who worked at York University and lived in the Hemsworth area of the city, was last seen on March 18, 2009.

Her mum, Joan Lawrence, said this morning: ‘I can’t believe it’s 13 years. It shouldn’t be.

‘We really should have had had answers before now,’ she told BBC Radio York.

North Yorkshire Police has questioned nine people over Ms Lawrence’s disappearance and suspected murder after she failed to turn up for work, but no one has ever been charged.

Police sent specialist teams to search Sand Hutton gravel pits, about eight miles outside York, in August last year.

Sadly ‘nothing of obvious significance’ was found – dashing the family’s hopes of learning the truth and prolonging their agony.

EMBARGOED TO 1730 TUESDAY AUGUST 24 Police officers searching the land at Sand Hutton Gravel Pits near York in connection with the disappearance of missing university chef Claudia Lawrence. Ms Lawrence went missing 12 years ago and police believe she was murdered, although no body has ever been found. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday August 24, 2021. See PA story POLICE Chef . Photo credit should read: Mark Brickerdike/PA Wire
Police officers searching the land at Sand Hutton Gravel Pits near York last year (Picture: PA)
Embargoed to 1730 Tuesday August 24 Undated handout file photo issued by North Yorkshire Police of Claudia Lawrence. Police looking for the missing university chef have begun a major search operation in gravel pits about eight miles from her home in York. North Yorkshire Police confirmed on Tuesday an operation has begun to search the gravel pits at Sand Hutton, to the east of York. Issue date: Tuesday August 24, 2021. PA Photo. Ms Lawrence went missing 12 years ago and police believe she was murdered, although no body has ever been found. See PA story POLICE Chef. Photo credit should read: North Yorkshire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Claudia disappeared exactly 13 years ago today (Picture: PA)

Mrs Lawrence said: ‘It’s the not knowing.

‘Despite the fact she was 35, she is my child.

‘You can’t say goodbye, you don’t know whether she’s dead, you don’t know if she’s alive, you don’t know where she is, you don’t know what’s happened to her, there’s no grave.

‘It’s still pretty awful, it really is.’

But she is determined to ‘never give up on hope’.

‘If you give up on hope, you might as well give up altogether,’ Mrs Lawrence said.

Now the grieving mum is trying to solve the mystery for herself and is reviewing what happened ‘with a fine-toothed comb’ for ‘simple things that have been missed’.  

Tragically, the majority of unsolved murders across the UK ‘involve female victims’, Metro.co.uk exclusively revealed.

Undated handout file photo issued by North Yorkshire Police of Claudia Lawrence with her father Peter. Police looking for the missing university chef have begun a major search operation in gravel pits about eight miles from her home in York. North Yorkshire Police confirmed on Tuesday an operation has begun to search the gravel pits at Sand Hutton, to the east of York. Issue date: Tuesday August 24, 2021. PA Photo. Ms Lawrence went missing 12 years ago and police believe she was murdered, although no body has ever been found. See PA story POLICE Chef. Photo credit should read: North Yorkshire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Claudia Lawrence pictured with her father, Peter, who campaigned tirelessly for answers (Picture: PA)

Ms Lawrence’s dad, Peter, died aged 74 in February last year without finding out what happened to his daughter.  

He spent years campaigning for what became the Guardianship (Missing Persons) Bill – also known as Claudia’s Law – which allows relatives to take control of their missing loved ones’ financial matters.  

The family said of Mr Lawrence in a statement: ‘He was a very private person thrust into the full glare of the media and, despite a tireless campaign to find her, he also selflessly devoted himself to helping others with missing relatives.’  

Detective Superintendent Wayne Fox, who took over as senior investigating officer last year, reiterated that several people may know or have suspicions about what happened to Ms Lawrence.

Anyone who can help is urged to get in touch with the force by calling 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.



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