THE heartbroken mum of missing Claudia Lawrence has vowed to keep looking for her daughter as police say they will stop 'proactively' investigating the case.

Cops launched a murder investigation after the 35-year-old chef went missing on her way to work in York in March 2009 but today said they will start to scale down the operation.

Today her devastated mum Joan, 72, vowed to “never give up” looking for her girl – adding that not knowing what happened to Claudia ‘takes over her every waking thought’.

Joan, from Malton, North Yorkishire said: “I’m absolutely stunned. Words can’t express enough how upset I am.

“As Claudia’s Mum, I will never give up trying to find my daughter and attempting to discover what has happened. As a parent, that is what I have to do."

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She added: “Not knowing is incredibly hard and takes over my every waking thought.

“I don’t know the answers but I feel I somehow have to carry on searching for Claudia – I can’t let her be forgotten about.”

Nine people have been arrested or interviewed as part of a £1 million three-year-reviewof the investigation in autumn 2013 – but none charged.

Now, cops say the review has now moved to a "reactive phase" from a "proactive phase" and will start to scale down next month unless one outstanding line of enquiry relating to DNA profiling provides a breakthrough.

Police said Claudia's parents Peter and Joan attended a meeting with detectives last week where they were informed of the scaling down.

But Joan said she was not led to believe the investigation was being scaled down.

She added: “This has hit me very hard, this isn’t what I was led to believe. I never heard them say in the meeting they were scaling down the case.

“Again I am appealing for anyone who knows anything about what has happened to Claudia to please please come forward. Even if you don’t feel comfortable talking to the police, contact me – I will always listen. I need to know what has happened to Claudia.

“I realise the recent police team have worked very hard to try and get answers, and I know they feel people are still lying to them, but I can’t allow Claudia’s name to be forgotten.

“I will do everything in my power to ensure people keep searching for my beloved and precious daughter.”

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy said: "This case is an extremely challenging and complex one, and he and his team have been utterly professional, extremely thorough and steadfast in their determination to find that one vital piece of information that would help solve this case.

"It is not for the want of trying that a breakthrough has not yet come, but rather the result of the continuing refusal of those who know what happened to Claudia to come forward and tell us the truth.

"The case will not be closed until those responsible for Claudia's disappearance and, we believe, her murder, are brought to justice.

"Whilst the current review team will and has been scaled down, the new Cleveland and North Yorkshire cold case dedicated team will still have responsibility to review any information that is considered relevant.

"Disappointing news though this is for Claudia's family, we have not given up hope, and I do believe that one day we will be able to tell them what happened to Claudia."

During its review, the North Yorkshire Police team, led by Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn reviewed CCTV from local council and private premises – leading to the image of a man in Limes Court which police still believe to be of significant interest.

Despite extensive enquiries and media appeals, it has not been possible to identify this individual.

The team – made up of 627 police officers over the investigation – also looked at mobile phone records, Claudia's finances, forensics in her house, took 2,517 statements, received 457 messages and 678 emails.

No crime scene has ever been identified, and based upon the forensic work undertaken and in the view of experts, it does not appear that Claudia was subjected to a violent attack in her home involving the loss of blood.

Unusually, Claudia did not have a computer, did not access the internet via her phone and did not have a social media presence. Those facts precluded extensive investigative opportunities that normally feature in most missing person cases.

During the review the team focused on a number of people who – for different reasons – came to attention.

In total, 159 people were fully reviewed.

Det Supt Malyn said: "I acknowledge how sad Claudia's parents and sister feel that we have been unable to give them the answers they want, and everyone in the team shares their frustration.

"We have worked tirelessly for three years and we are sorry that we have not been able to prove what happened to Claudia, or to find her.

"It remains the case that people close to Claudia have not always been entirely truthful with us and have withheld information. And this has made our task extremely difficult.

"The review team will now be reduced in line with the reduced demand, but the investigation will always remain open – and regularly reviewed – until Claudia is found and those responsible for her disappearance and murder are brought to justice."

What Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy, who attended the family meeting, had to say

"Step by step, we have explained to Claudia's family the extensive work the review team has conducted in an attempt to determine precisely what happened to Claudia.

"The team has reviewed the entirety of the initial investigation into Claudia's disappearance in 2009, and as a result, has identified many new lines of enquiry which have been pursued with vigour and determination.

"Despite their exhaustive efforts, the support of national experts, the application of the very latest forensic techniques to exhibits recovered many years ago, and despite the team tracing and speaking to many people who did not come forward in the first enquiry, we have sadly not been able to find that crucial piece of information.

"A total of nine people were arrested or interviewed under caution during the course of the review, and in the summer of 2014, in early 2015 and in December 2015, we submitted files to the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to a number of individuals.

"The CPS concluded we had gathered insufficient evidence to be able to bring any charges against those people."

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