THE mother of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence has spoken of her torment as the wait to discover what has happened to her daughter goes on – describing it as “every parent’s worst nightmare”.

Joan Lawrence today made an emotional appeal for help to find the “beautiful” 35-year-old, who vanished almost six weeks ago.

As she paid tribute to the “fantastic” public response to the search for her daughter, whose disappearance is now being treated as suspected murder, she pleaded for fresh information, saying: “Someone, somewhere knows where Claudia is”.

Mrs Lawrence’s appeal came as Claudia’s father, Peter, said his own agony refuses to ease – and his hopes were pinned on a potential sighting of her talking to a hooded man on the morning she failed to turn up for work In a statement to The Press, Mrs Lawrence said: “The situation I find myself in is every parent’s worst nightmare.

“Our children, no matter how old they are, are still the most precious things in our lives. I am blessed with two beautiful daughters, not only beautiful on the outside, but inside as well.

“I wish to appeal for help to all of you whoever you are. The responses so far have been fantastic but unfortunately, as we speak, out attempts have been unsuccessful in finding Claudia.

“I wish to make a further appeal to everyone to come forward with any information, no matter how significant or trivial they think it may be.

“We are devastated and miss and love her so much. We just want her home with us, safe and well.”

Mr Lawrence – who is separated from Claudia’s mother – also called on a man who may hold vital information about his daughter’s disappearance to come forward.

A witness reported seeing a man and a woman fitting Claudia’s description on Melrosegate Bridge in York – which is on Claudia’s route to work – at 5.35am on March 19, the day she failed to arrive for her 6am shift at the University of York.

He is described as white, about 5ft 5ins to 6ft tall, skinny, wearing a black or dark-coloured hooded top and dark combat trousers with pockets and buttons on either side, and smoking a cigarette.

Speaking at his home in Slingsby, near Malton, Mr Lawrence said his pain remains as stark now as on the day his daughter disappeared.

“Six weeks on and it is not getting any easier,” he said, urging the man seen on the bridge to contact police.

“If he gets this message and there was absolutely nothing untoward, it would be extremely helpful if we knew that.

“Somebody else must know who that is – husband, partner, brother, neighbour, workmate.

“We really need to know, even if it is just to eliminate them.”

Anybody with information should phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.