FRIENDS of Claudia Lawrence lit candles at York Minster to mark the 10th anniversary of her disappearance.

But her father, Peter Lawrence, was unable to attend the ceremony under doctor's orders, after he was suddenly taken ill last week.

Martin Dales, Mr Lawrence’s friend and spokesman, said: “Unfortunately, Peter was taken ill last week and the outcome of that is he’s under doctor's orders to do very little.

“He’s as frustrated as anybody he couldn’t be here, but he definitely gave instructions, as only a lawyer will, to keep this event happening. The anniversary is the anniversary and he wanted Claudia’s name out there rather than his.”

Mr Dales and his wife, along with Claudia’s friends Suzy Cooper and Jen King lit 10 candles to mark the 10 years since Claudia disappeared.

Jen said: “It’s been strange, I can’t believe it’s been 10 years and we’re still no closer to knowing what’s happened.

“Today was an important day for Peter Lawrence. This place and his faith have been things which have rooted him and guided him over the last 10 years. Unfortunately, he can’t be with us today, but it was important for Suzy and I to still come and mark the day where we remember that 10 years ago we last saw Claudia. She can’t be here to support her dad when he’s unwell, so we’re here to take the reins as it were. We would desperately love to know where she is and for her to be back with us.”

York Press:

Suzy said she had struggled to deal with Claudia’s disappearance, adding: “I hear lots of people talking in the past tense, and I sort of switch between past and present. I guess that’s because of the uncertainty of where she is. It’s kind of a dilemma in my head. Sometimes I think she’s not with us, sometimes I think she’s still alive, so that’s why, I guess.

“Anniversaries are obviously very significant and poignant but for me every day is the same, another day without Claudia.

“This is just something that we can do for her and I feel like today, this is probably the only thing that’s left that I can do for her, and that’s just to reach out to whoever has done this and say please do it anonymously, I don’t care if I don’t know who you are, just do it anonymously and let us know so we can move on and we can bury Claudia or bring her back and, as Jen said earlier this morning, put her back together.

“It’s incomprehensible.

“It’s so selfish and we need answers. It’s been 10 years now, we’re still looking and we won’t give up looking.”