THE detective leading the investigating into the disappearance of York chef Claudia Lawrence says he is now treating the case as suspected murder.

Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway also revealed that a significant new witness had come forward with a potential sighting of the 35-year-old on the morning she failed to turn up at work.

He said a young woman had been seen standing with a man wearing a dark hooded top along Claudia’s route to work at 5.35am on Thursday, March 19.

Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway said the man and the woman were seen on the left-hand side of Melrosegate bridge by a cyclist who was riding over the bridge in the direction of Heworth. He said this location was significant because it was before the CCTV camera that would normally have captured Claudia as she walked to the University of York.

“We don’t know whether it is Claudia,” he said. “All we know is that she has mousey brown hair, though we don’t know the length. “She is also wearing a blue jacket with buttons and we know Claudia had similar clothing to that.

“She is a young woman and it is a significant sighting at the right time in the right location.” He said the woman was standing with her back to the railings, facing a man who was about two feet away. “There is no specific conversation, no trauma or agitation. They are stood looking at each other.

He is wearing a black or dark-coloured hooded top, with the hood up, and dark combat trousers with pockets and buttons on either side.

“He has a cigarette in his left hand, which is apparently unusual, and he is seen to take a drag from the cigarette as the witness passes by.

“He is skinny, but we don’t know his age and if anybody knows who this person is, we would like them to come forward.”

Det Supt Galloway said he had upgraded the inquiry to a suspected murder case because more than five weeks after the 35-year-old vanished, he had no evidence she was still alive.

“Any murder investigation has to prove a death and at the moment we have no proof of Claudia’s death,” he said. “But five weeks on we have no proof of her life and I’m investigating her disappearance as one of suspected murder.

“To support that appeal, Crimestoppers have agreed to support the investigation with a £10,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of those responsible.”

Det Supt Galloway said neither he nor Claudia’s family had given up hope of finding Claudia alive. But he said potential witnesses were more likely to come forward if the investigation was being treated as suspected murder rather than a missing person case. If you have information to help the inquiry, phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247.