Pilots search for missing Claudia

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The charity Skywatch, based at Rufforth, trains pilots in search and rescue skills

Amateur pilots in North Yorkshire are to help in the search for Claudia Lawrence, who has been missing for more than 10 weeks.

Voluntary charity Sky Watch trains pilots to carry out air search and rescue during civil emergencies.

Pilots from the Rufforth-based unit will be watching out for signs of activity around derelict buildings as part of the hunt for the 35-year-old.

Detectives are treating Miss Lawrence's disappearance as suspected murder.

Arnold Parker from Sky Watch said light aircraft pilots were able to fly lower than other larger aircraft.

£10,000 reward

He said: "Basically what we're looking for is something like a large old van that's parked a long way from the road or we're looking for a deserted building with signs of activity around it - tyre tracks and things like that, that shows for some reason it's been used.

"If we spot anything we contact the police and they check it out. It's a continual co-operation between us and North Yorkshire Police."

Last week a poster campaign was started at train stations across Yorkshire in the hope of triggering new leads in the inquiry.

Police want to trace a man seen in Lime Court, off Heworth Road

Rail companies National Express East Coast and Grand Central Railways have put up posters of Miss Lawrence and leaflets are being distributed on trains.

Miss Lawrence was last seen near her home in Heworth, York, on 18 March and failed to arrive for her early morning shift as a chef at the University of York's Goodricke College the following day.

Police have released CCTV footage of a man going to the rear of Miss Lawrence's home at about 0550 BST on the morning after she was last seen.

They are also trying to trace a couple seen arguing near a car in University Road early on 19 March while a man and woman were spotted on Melrosegate Bridge at about 0535 BST on the same day.

A reconstruction of the events leading up to her disappearance is to feature in a new Crimewatch appeal on Tuesday.

Crimestoppers have offered an "enhanced reward" of £10,000 because of strong public interest in the case.