DETECTIVES are trawling through new information in the wake of a nationwide police appeal to help solve the continuing mystery surrounding the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence.

They are responding to a number of calls after several new leads were revealed by senior investigators from the North Yorkshire force on BBC TV’s Crimewatch.

They included CCTV images of a light-coloured Ford Focus braking by her York home on the morning she disappeared five years ago and a white Astra van parked opposite her home the night before.

They also want to trace a man carrying a rucksack seen nearby in the week of the disappearance and another man seen outside Miss Lawrence’s home on the morning she vanished.

Some 20 calls have now been received following this week’s media blitz, each one of which is being followed up by officers.

A new police microsite - www.northyorkshire.police.uk/claudialawrence - only went live at 9.30pm Wednesday but has already been viewed more than 6,600 times with the number still rising.

And an appeal on the North Yorkshire Police Facebook page has now been seen by 9,272 people and counting.

“The response to Crimewatch and the wider media appeal has been very encouraging,” said a spokesman.

“We hope people will continue to support the Claudia Lawrence investigation by looking at the new appeals contained on the microsite.”

He added: “The investigation team is now taking the necessary time to assess the fresh information and will issue an update in due course.”

Darlington-born Miss Lawrence, who was brought up in Malton, North Yorkshire, was reported missing on March 20, 2009, after friends became concerned she had not been seen since March 18. Police are convinced she has been murdered.

A university chef, she had been due to walk to work from her home on Heworth Road for a 6am shift on March 19 but failed to turn up and despite a huge investigation there has been no trace of her since.

However new information – including fingerprints found in her home and DNA on a discarded cigarette butt in her car – has emerged following a review of the case using forensic techniques not available five years ago.

Crimestoppers is offering a £10,000 reward for information which leads to an arrest and conviction.

Anyone with information should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option o0ne and ask for the force control room.

Information can also be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org and filling in an on-line form.