Updated: THE tearful father of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence said he hoped a forthcoming television documentary about her would move someone to come forward.

Peter Lawrence, 64, was speaking at the Palace Cinema in Malton yesterday, for the screening of “Missing – The Claudia Lawrence Story”.

Fighting back tears as he spoke to the invited press audience, Mr Lawrence said it was the most difficult conference he had given in the 16 months since his daughter vanished.

He said: “Sixteen months is quite a stretch, and I try not to show it at press conferences, but this morning was just too much.

“Seeing the finished version is more than a bit moving,” he said. “It’s moving… and I hope it moves somebody else who sees it.

“Somebody out there knows something and has information – I hope this film will prick their conscience.”

He said: “What we hope from this film, though it was a bit of a struggle at times, is that being broadcast on Channel Four at 7.30 on a Friday night, it will reach a huge audience.”

The half-hour film features interviews with Claudia’s father and her sister, Ali, reporters at The Press and her best friends Jen King and Suzy Cooper, who criticised some national media coverage which they said likened Claudia to a “call girl”.

Jen King said: “Things that are so irrelevant to finding her have been used to sell a 20 pence newspaper.”

On the disappearance itself, she said: “Someone has created this and it’s a real tragedy for her and her family.

“I would just give anything for it to come to an end.”

Mr Lawrence said: “I miss her so much.”

Missing – The Claudia Lawrence Story will be shown on Channel Four at 7.30pm on August 13.