THE FATHER of Claudia Lawrence says he is encouraged by assurances that investigators will again sift through all the information since her disappearance.

At 2.30pm today (Thursday, October 10) Peter Lawrence stood outside York Minster to mark the passing of 40,000 hours since his daughter was last seen.

The chef vanished from her home in Heworth, York, in March 2009 as she walked to her job in the York University kitchens. 

She was born in Darlington and raised in Malton, North Yorkshire

Her disappearance has been treated by North Yorkshire Police as a murder investigation is one of Britain's highest profile unsolved crimes.

Today, Mr Lawrence reiterated his belief someone still has a key piece of information that could solve the case.

Earlier this week, he met the new Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police, Dave Jones.

Mr Jones has overseen significant alternations to the force’s Major Crime Unit, which is being expanded and relaunched later this month.

In July, Mr Lawrence called on him - and the major crime unit - to renew their efforts.

One of the unit’s remits will be to review a number of unsolved investigations in the county.

Mr Lawrence said today (Thursday, October 10) he had been given assurances that a meticulous review of the case would take place.

“The new chief constable obviously has a lot of very relevant experience in Manchester and Northern Ireland in this type of crime.

“He assured me that a new team of detectives with the Major Crime Unit will be looking at Claudia’s case over the coming weeks, sifting through absolutely everything that has happened over the last four years.”

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police said Mr Jones has now met with both Claudia’s parents – he met Joan Lawrence earlier this year - and has reaffirmed North Yorkshire Police’s commitment to find out what has happened to their daughter and to end her family’s distress.

Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Mason, Head of Crime at North Yorkshire Police, said: “Both Detective Superintendent Malyn and I will be assessing the evidential and intelligence material gathered during the Claudia Lawrence investigation to satisfy ourselves that all lines of enquiry have been exhausted or whether new lines of enquiry can be progressed.

“I hope Claudia’s family and friends will take some comfort from knowing that North Yorkshire Police will never close this case until a definitive conclusion has been reached for them."