THESE dramatic drone shots show the progress of a police search as officers probing the disappearance of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence dredge two fishing lakes.

As revealed by The Press earlier this week, a team of underwater divers has began searching the waters in Sand Hutton, a village eight miles from York, after police said they had launched a fresh search for Claudia, who vanished 12 years ago. Pictures taken from a drone show the divers searching for any clues.

North Yorkshire Police detectives have not revealed why they have began searching the area, but are expected to continue examining the lakes for a “number of days".

Detective Superintendent Wayne Fox, who is leading the investigation, refused to confirm why the area was being combed for clues, but said: “Whilst I am unable to disclose what brought us to this location, I would like to stress that the searches that you will see in coming days are just one of several active lines of inquiry which are currently being investigated and pursued.”

Sand Hutton Gravel Pits are two private fishing lakes owned by the York and District Amalgamation of Anglers. A public bridleway runs alongside the angling site and a science park is also nearby.

Claudia, 35, vanished without a trace 12 years ago after she failed to arrive for work at the University of York and police believe she was murdered, despite never finding her body.

No-one has heard from Claudia since she called her mother Joan on the evening of March 17, 2009.

The chef failed to arrive for work the next day and was reported missing by her father, Peter. Tragically he died earlier this year aged 74 without finding out what had happened to his daughter.

Nine people have been questioned in relation to Claudia’s disappearance, but no charges have ever been brought.