Special church service for missing Claudia Lawrence

A special church service has been held to remember missing York woman Claudia Lawrence.

Ms Lawrence, who worked as a chef at York University, disappeared from her house on Heworth Road in March 2009.

She was 35 when she vanished and no trace of her has been found, despite numerous arrests and extensive police searches.

The service was held at the All Saints Church in Darlington, the home town of her mother Joan Lawrence.

Mrs Lawrence said the service was to help people who have missing family members.

"Christmas is a very, very difficult time for people in my situation," she said.

"It's also to make people think. Because quite honestly I don't know how anyone can get through some of this without having some sort of faith."

The event has been organised by Peter Barron, editor of the Northern Echo, external newspaper, who has become friends with Mrs Lawrence since the paper began reporting on her daughter's disappearance.

The service featured unseen photos from the family archive of Ms Lawrence as a child and a message was read from the Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu.

Despite her daughter being missing for six years, Mrs Lawrence said she was still hopeful that her daughter will be found alive.

"There's been nothing to say otherwise," she said.

"There has been no evidence to say otherwise and I'll never give up hope.

"And this is about hope at Christmas."