THE father of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence says he lives in hope that she is still alive – saying he would have known if she had been murdered.

Claudia, 35, vanished from her home in Heworth on March 18 last year and has not been seen since, despite one of the biggest hunts in North Yorkshire’s policing history.

Peter Lawrence, 64, was speaking about his turmoil for the Channel 4 documentary Missing – The Claudia Lawrence Story, which will be aired on Friday, August 13.

“I would have felt something different if she had been killed,” he said. “I haven’t had that sort of feeling; therefore I continue to hope she is alive.”

Close friend Martin Dales said of the documentary: “They spent three months making the half-hour programme and I must say they have done a brilliant job in capturing what Claudia is like.”