CLAUDIA LAWRENCE: Police - including underwater divers - search gravel pits near York

Detective Superintendent Wayne Fox of North Yorkshire police, who took over as senior investigating officer in the case earlier this year, said the searches of the gravel pits at Sand Hutton were expected to last 'a number of days'.

Uniformed officers were this afternoon searching a wooded pathway leading to the pits.

But Det Supt Fox said underwater search teams and forensic experts would also be involved in the search over the next few days.

Det Supt Fox refused to answer questions today - or to confirm what had lead police to the gravel pits.

Click here for a timeline of events since Claudia Lawrence disappeared.

But in a prepared statement given at the scene, he said: "The searches which have commenced here today at Sand Hutton Gravel Pits are in relation to the disappearance and suspected murder of Claudia Lawrence more than 12 years ago.

“While I cannot say at this stage how long the search may take, I do anticipate that a number of specialist officers and staff, including underwater search teams, and forensic experts are likely to be at this location for a number of days.

“Whilst I am unable to disclose what brought us to this location, I would like to stress that the searches that you will see in coming days are just one of several active lines of inquiry which are currently being investigated and pursued by North Yorkshire Police Major Investigation team in our efforts to establish what happened to Claudia and to identify any person responsible for causing her harm.

“I can confirm Claudia’s family are aware this activity is taking place.”

Ms Lawrence went missing 12 years ago and police believe she was murdered, although no body has ever been found.

The chef, then 35, who lived by herself in the Heworth area of York, was last seen on CCTV on her way home from work at the University of York on March 18, 2009.

Her father Peter Lawrence, who never gave up his search for his daughter, died earlier this year without knowing what happened to his daughter.

But Claudia's mother Joan said today: "I have been waiting for closure for a long time, but I am still in the dark about what sparked this latest investigation and it is obviously a very distressing time."

Mr Lawrence had campaigned tirelessly to get answers to the puzzle of her disappearance and spent years arguing 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.

North Yorkshire Police has conducted two investigations and questioned nine people in relation to her disappearance and suspected murder but no charges have ever been brought.

Earlier this year, Det Supt Fox repeated North Yorkshire Police’s belief that several people know, or have suspicions about, what happened to the 35-year-old.

He said some of the information received by the force “appears extremely interesting and sparks a whole new line of investigation”, and he urged anyone providing this information to get back in touch with as much detail as possible.