THE father of Claudia Lawrence has spoken for the first time publicly of the agony he suffered when a hoaxer claimed he knew where her body was.

Richard O’Rourke, 48, formerly of York, was jailed on Monday for 18 months for wasting police time.

Officers searched land on The Outgang, Heslington, near the University of York for four days after he gave them precise directions to where he said he had buried the missing York chef. Speaking on Channel Four’s Fern programme yesterday, Claudia’s father, Peter, said: “I was waiting, just waiting on tenterhooks. It was awful.”

Claudia has not been seen for two years, since she finished her shift as a chef at the University of York on March 18.

“Every day since then has been a nightmare because we still don’t know what happened. People think I am being too calm, I’m not,” he said.

Police believe she left for work early on March 19 after spending the night at her Heworth home.

“What happened since then I have no idea. I wish I did. But someone does know,” said Mr Lawrence.

He and chat hostess Fern Britton appealed for anyone with information to phone police on 0845 6060247.