DETECTIVES investigating the suspected murder of Claudia Lawrence have released a York man from custody.

North Yorkshire Police arrested the man, aged in his 50s, in the York area on Monday morning on suspicion of the missing York chef's murder, and he was released on police bail yesterday.

Police originally said searches at a property near the city could last several days, but confirmed this morning the searches at that site had concluded.

A spokesman said police would not confirm whether further searches would take place at other locations in connection with the arrest, but said the investigation remained ongoing.

Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, head of North Yorkshire Police’s Major Crime Unit and the senior investigating officer in the Claudia Lawrence case, said: "I am very grateful to the media and the public for supporting my request that this individual should under no circumstances be identified, either in traditional media or on social media platforms.

"That is because identification is an issue, and publishing this man’s identity could cause serious harm to my investigation. This continues to be the case, even though the man has been released on bail, and I must ask that the media and public continue to support me and make no attempt to identify him, his place of work or his home address."

The man is the second to be arrested on suspicion of Claudia's murder, following the arrest of a 59-year-old man last May, who was later released from police bail.