THE massive hunt for missing chef Claudia Lawrence is finally being scaled down, 16 months after she was last seen alive.

From next month only seven officers will be working on the case - down from a peak of more than 100 when the investigation was at its height.

But police have pledged the inquiry - which they are treating as a suspected murder - will continue, despite the reduced resources now being deployed.

Miss Lawrence, was 35 when she was last seen in March last year, after finishing her shift at York University’s Goodricke College.

Although both her parents were originally from Darlington she was brought up in Malton and at the time she went missing was living in Heworth, York.

Her disappearance sparked a huge police operation - the biggest in North Yorkshire since the hunt for quadruple killer Mark Hobson in 2004 - and so far it has cost in the region of £770,000.

Assistant Chief Constable Tim Madgwick said specialist resources had now been concentrated on the case for a "considerable period of time."

He said: "During the past sixteen months, as leads are followed, investigated and actions completed, we are now in a position where there is no longer a requirement for the level of resources allocated to the inquiry."

He said the decision to scale back had followed several months of review and detailed scrutiny.

He added: "Claudia’s family have been fully informed about the current position of the investigation.

"They have been assured that our overriding desire is to bring the person or persons responsible for Claudia’s disappearance to justice."

And he insisted: "The investigation remains open and will be continuously reviewed with the necessary resources allocated should any new evidence or lines of enquiry emerge."

The missing woman’s father, solicitor Peter Lawrence, 64, accepted the police decision and yesterday described it as a realistic one - although he still clings to the hope his daughter is still alive.

His friend and spokesman Martin Dales said: "It is both regrettable but quite understandable that after 16 months searching for Claudia, police have to be realistic about the number of officers that can be devoted to her disappearance.

"It is clear that other police forces might well have given up on a case such as hers and it is good to hear that there is no let up in their determination to find out what has happened to Claudia."

Channel Four is to air a documentary - Missing, the Claudia Lawrence Story - at 7.30pm on August 13 and police are allocate a dedicated response team and telephone number for calls reacting to the programme.

Meanwhile anyone with information that could help the inquiry is asked to contact police on 0845 6060 247 or Crimestoppers - who are offering a £10,000 reward - on 0800 555 111.