Peter: We'll never stop looking for Claudia

This week, North Yorkshire Police announced they would begin scaling back Operation Essence - the review into the investigation into Claudia’s 2009 disappearance - within weeks, after almost all avenues of investigation had been exhausted since it was set up in 2013.

Only one element - a new DNA investigation - remains active, but could be closed within the next six weeks, and police said the lack of honest information from the public was one reason for the scaling back of the review.

The investigation into Claudia’s disappearance has cost police more than £1m.

Speaking to The Press, Peter Lawrence said he accepted the decision by police to scale back Operation Essence, but he and Claudia’s family would not stop appealing for answers.

He said: “Following the detailed briefing which police have given to the family, the police may stop looking for Claudia and that is quite understandable at this stage.

"But we will never stop looking for Claudia, until we find her or find out what happened to her.

“We know that there is someone who is withholding information which will help us and even friends or relatives of that person who wrongly feel that they should protect them.”

Mr Lawrence said Claudia’s disappearance had taken a terrible toll on her family, and he hoped that even as the police investigation began a ‘reactive phase’ - rather than an ‘active phase’ - they could still find some closure.

He said: “The stress the family has been under for eight years is enormous and it is only fair that we should know what happened to our lovely daughter. If she really was murdered it is only right that we should be able to give her a decent burial.

“After eight years, two investigations and everything else they have done, it is understandable. They are reliant on information coming forward which is why we still need to keep people thinking about Claudia and deciding that it is high time that the family was put out of its misery.”