LOVING friends of missing Claudia Lawrence held a charity gig in her honour as they told how they “100 per cent” believe she is alive.

The event at the York’s chef’s local, the Nag’s Head, in Heworth, featured The Dunwells – Claudia’s favourite band.

Suzy Cooper, one of Claudia’s closest friends, said the event was to show Claudia that her friends and family would continue with the search until she is found.

“I just hope somewhere she will have access to newspapers, the radio or the internet and hear about this gig and know we are still very much looking for her,” she said.

“The message I want to say to Claudia is hang in there – because we are going to find you. The main reason why I organised the event is to keep Claudia’s face in the public eye.

“Things have gone quiet now and there has been no new information that hints to where she might be – but all her friends truly believe she is alive and out there.”

Jen King, who lived with Claudia last year, described the “bubbly and social girl whom everyone liked” as “magnetic”.

“Everyone wanted to know her,” she said. “When she was sad you desperately wanted to cheer her up, when she was happy you wanted to be near her.”

Brothers David and Joe Dunwell who made up the acoustic band – played a host of Claudia’s favourite tacks, including hits from Snow Patrol and Coldplay.

They said: “It is sad to be part of the event, but we are honoured to be here to help the search. We have met Claudia three or four times and while she was shy at first she came out of her shell and was a really bubbly and smiley person. She was one of those people who just stood out from the crowd.”

Friends of Claudia – who was last seen on Wednesday, March 18 – wearing t-shirts emblazoned with ‘Reaching out to Claudia’, collected money during the gig for the charity Missing People.