Detectives investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence have released new CCTV footage which shows two people walking near her home on the evening she vanished.

Police believe the footage - recorded just one hour before she spoke with her parents for the last time - could 'hold the key' to unlocking the six-year-old mystery.

This afternoon, on the sixth anniversary of the chef's disappearance, the previously unseen clip was broadcast on a giant screen near Miss Lawrence's house in York.

In a determined attempt to locate the two murky figures seen on camera, officers have marked the footage with the words 'Is this you?' and 'who is this?'.

Police investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence have released CCTV footage showing two people walking near her home on the night she vanished. The first man is seen walking near the rear of her home

One minute later, the man, who is carrying a bag, comes into view again. He stops as a second man walks past before carrying on to Heworth Place, from where the back of Miss Lawrence's home could be accessed

The university chef, 35, was last seen on Wednesday March 18, 2009 and reported missing by her father two days later, when she failed to turn up for her 6am shift at York University. Police believe she was murdered.

The new CCTV footage, taken at about 7.15pm, shows a tall man walking down Heworth Place, which leads to the rear of Miss Lawrence's house.

The person then returns just over a minute later, with what appears to be a bag over their shoulder.

The same figure is then seen stopping in the glare of the streetlight, as someone else walks past. He then continues onto Heworth Place, in the same direction as the second man.

The five-minute footage, taken from a security camera on student flats, focuses on the area near the alleyway at the back of Miss Lawrence's terraced house.

That area was searched by police last month and is said to be of 'growing significance' to the investigation.

The footage was filmed at 7.15pm on Wednesday 18 March 2009, an hour before Miss Lawrence, 35, spoke to her parents on the phone. for the final time

The footage, taken from a security camera on nearby student flats, shows a second man walking nearby

North Yorkshire Police is now appealing to residents for help in identifying the people seen in the footage.

Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, who is leading the investigation, said: 'The footage shows two people who we need to identify.'

He continued: 'Of particular interest to the investigation team is the person who is seen walking down Heworth Place which leads to the back of Claudia's house.

The university chef was last seen six years ago. Police believe she has been murdered

'The person goes out of camera shot but reappears just over a minute later. They appear to be carrying a bag over their shoulder.

'As the person heads back towards Heworth Road they suddenly stop when another unknown person walks past.

'Who is this? Do they live locally? What were they doing?

'If you can help to identify either person, please contact us as soon as possible. We are waiting to hear from you.'

Yesterday, the detective said his team had made ‘significant progress’ since the force began reviewing the case in 2013.

He said the team may make more arrests in the coming weeks and months. He warned anyone who had not yet disclosed details about their relationship with the chef or the events in the days leading up to her disappearance to come forward - or risk arrest.

The detective said some people locally knew Miss Lawrence but have kept their relationship secret and some have deliberately lied about a number of issues concerning their association with the chef.

The original probe is thought to have worked on the theory Claudia was attacked on her way to work early on the 19th.

But the new team believe she may have let someone into her home, who then escaped through the alley.

A number of new searches have been carried out since 2013, including a detailed re-examination of Miss Lawrence's house in Heworth, York, and a fingertip search of the alleyway that leads to the back of her home.

A 60-year-old man was arrested last year in connection with her disappearance and suspected murder but was later released without charge, while a 47-year-old man remains on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

The previously unseen footage was broadcast this afternoon on a giant screen near Ms Lawrence's house in York in in a bid to try and obtain further clues about the missing chef

The footage shows an area near an alleyway at the rear of Miss Lawrence's terraced house, which was searched by police last month and is said to be of 'growing significance' to the investigation

Police leafleted the area around Miss Lawrence's home earlier this week to encourage residents to attend Heworth Place to watch the footage on the sixth anniversary of her disappearance.

Speaking in York, Miss Lawrence's father, Peter, said: 'This clearly shows someone who is very distinctive.

'Whoever it is is very tall. If it's not a man then it's an extremely tall woman. They're acting very strangely, but it could be completely innocent.

'I only hope that whoever it is comes forward and speaks to the police. I think this person could hold the key to finding out what happened that night.

Police believe Miss Lawrence - seen on CCTV on her way home from work in 2009 - was murdered

'Even though this footage was taken earlier on in the evening before I spoke to her on the phone, it doesn't mean it's not someone involved in Claudia's disappearance, or someone who may know something vital.

The map showing Miss Lawrence's usual route to work. She did not turn up for her shift

'The whole purpose of releasing it is to find who was in the area that night and interview them.'

Mr Lawrence added: 'If anything, this CCTV shows that the investigation is still very much active and that police are getting the public to look and say something.

'Everything is another step forward to finding out what happened. 'This person in the footage may still be walking around unaware they're part of a major investigation, so as I've said consistently for the past six years anyone who knows anything or was in the area that night should just come forward.

'The fact that this new police team are very experienced has given us more confidence than ever.

'But the fact that anyone might be hampering the investigation by staying silent is just dreadful.'

He said: 'To have had six years without her company, without her chat, her smile, her laugh, meeting her for a drink, days out and meals out - it tells. I just miss that companionship, that love so much that it just really hurts so much.

'It galls me that someone out there knows what happened Claudia but has not said anything.'

He added: 'Six years on, it does not get any better. All we can hope is that we find out what happened to Claudia. If she was murdered, as the police believe, then I want to be able to bury her.