Raj Freshway, 33, who owns Freshways convenience store, in Hull Road, said: “We’ve put posters up in the shop in case any of our customers have seen her. We want to do anything we can to support the police investigation.”

Keith Rodham, 49, of Hewley Avenue, York, a fork lift driver at Nestlé, said: “What has happened is awful. You just can’t imagine anything like that happening here in York. I really hope they find her – they’re doing everything they can.”

Supriya Sachamitr, 22, of Constantine Avenue, a student at the university, said: “It’s really sad. It just doesn’t seem right. You expect a town like York to be safe. I often have to walk back from University late at night and I feel really wary now.”

Carol Guildford, 48, of Hull Road, York, a kitchen assistant at Fulford Secondary School, said: “My husband drinks at the Nags Head and he knew Claudia. He said she was a really lovely girl and this is just awful. We are really worried.