Claudia Lawrence’s mum says the search near her home for has caused nightmares and flashbacks again.
Joan Lawrence, 81, said she had “a hell of a shock” when she saw an appeal for who disappeared last week. And she said the sight of police searching the River Derwent, at the bottom of her road, left her fearing they
Joan has offered to meet Victoria’s family, saying she does not want another family to go through her ongoing torment. Mum-of-one Victoria, 34, vanished a week last Monday after leaving her home in Malton in North Yorkshire around 9.30am.
She was caught on camera a few hours later buying some soft drinks in a BP garage and again then walking near the bus station. It is believed she walked along a children’s play area to the banks of the river. Scattered belongings were found nearby.
Police have been scouring the river using sonar and kayaks, and say there is no evidence of “third-party” involvement. But the search has brought back horrifying memories for Joan, whose daughter vanished in 2009.
Claudia, a university chef who grew up in Malton, was just a year older than Victoria when she vanished from her home in nearby Heworth. Joan said of Victoria’s disappearance: “When I heard the news bulletins, I got a hell of a shock. I could not believe it was happening again. It’s been frightening and brings it all back.
“I’m having nightmares and flashbacks again. Seeing them search the river, I’m wondering all the time, ‘what if they find Claudia?’ I drive over that bridge most days. Now missing posters are everywhere. Victoria has such beautiful eyes and a lovely smile.
“It made me think of all Claudia’s missing posters. Her picture was on drip mats in pubs, one was outside my house.”
Joan, whose car still has a poster of her daughter, says she feels for Victoria’s loved ones. She added: “They can ring me in the middle of the night if they can’t sleep. I want them to know I’ll be here for them and I’d meet them in private.
“I’ve had 15 and a half years of not knowing, I don’t want another family to go through that.”
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