A double murderer feared linked to the Claudia Lawrence investigation was "unlikely" to have been in York at the time she went missing, police have said.

The 35 year-old chef was last seen on her way to work at the University of York in 2009, with major investigations in the years since to bring answers to her family.

Now, after renewed claims that convicted killer Christopher Halliwell may have links to the area, police have issued a statement to say it is "unlikely" he was in York at the time.

Halliwell, a Swindon taxi driver, is serving life sentences for murdering Becky Godden, 21, in 2003, and Sian O'Callaghan, 22, in 2011.Ms Godden's mother Karen Edwards told The Mirror that she fears he killed Claudia Lawrence too.

The 62-year-old said a witness told her he wanted to relocate to the region, while she has been approached by women claiming Halliwell stalked them in Yorkshire.

Detective Superintendent Wayne Fox is head of the Major Investigation Team at North Yorkshire Police. He said teams have been "engaging closely" with colleagues in Wiltshire since any possible link with Halliwell was first suggested by a former Wiltshire detective in 2016.

His movements at the time have been closely examined, he said, while officers have pursued lines of enquiry to focus on any link with the North Yorkshire area.

He said: “The results of those enquiries, which included examinations of digital devices and the interviewing of several witnesses, indicated that Halliwell continued to operate as a taxi driver in the Swindon area within the relevant time parameters.

“Both investigation teams reached a position in which we concluded it to be unlikely that Halliwell left the Wiltshire area, or was present in North Yorkshire, at the time of Claudia’s disappearance."

Det Supt Fox said he was "mindful" of recent suggestions that Halliwell had links to Yorkshire and may have stalked women in the area.

“Steps have been taken to conduct interviews with these witnesses and that information has been thoroughly assessed against known facts," he said.

“However, I continue to keep an open mind and repeat that North Yorkshire Police is committed to finding the answers that Claudia’s family deserve and need."

Claudia Lawrence: 'Unlikely' convicted killer was in York when chef went missing