A group of York students has won the opportunity to have their very own I-phone application developed after winning The App Challenge final, held at the Ron Cooke Hub on Wednesday, January 18.
YUSU Welfare officer Bob Hughes has warned students to be vigilant after a student loans phishing scam has been revealed.
Her Majesty the Queen will be visiting York on Maundy Thursday, 5th April, as part of the 800th anniversary of York’s Charter for the traditional “Royal Maundy” ceremony.
A flood caused by a heating system “failure” forced the university IT services to shut down many essential systems on Sunday night, causing problems for many students on the eve of their exams and assignment due-dates.
18th March: Claudia Lawrence left work around 2.15pm, wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans and trainers. She was last seen on CCTV in Melrosegate, York, walking towards her Heworth home at 3pm.
21st March: Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Pope appealed for the public to help the police's investigation, saying: "We are becoming increasingly concerned for Claudia’s safety as it is completely out of character for her to be missing for so long."
23rd March: After more than a dozen police officers, assisted by police dogs, carried out an unsuccessful search of the route between Claudia's home and the university, Claudia's parents appeal to their daughter. In a joint statement, Peter and Joan Lawrence said: "Everyone just wants to know that you are safe and well. Please, please get in touch and let us know you are okay. Each day you remain out of contact, the more concerned and anxious we are becoming."
24th March: DCI Pope admits she is unable to rule out the possibility that Claudia has been abducted, saying: "I'm concerned about what has happened. It is a possibility that an abduction could have been involved, but I have nothing to suggest what has happened at the moment. I have to consider every possibility of what may have happened. I have to consider that there is some third party involved." Claudia's father Peter appealed for the public's help, saying: "It just seems so unreal, but we have got to keep going, hoping and praying. I just feel drained. I'm convinced, maybe wrongly, that she left for work on Thursday morning and for some reason didn’t arrive there. I hope she’s out there somewhere safe and well, but it’s difficult."
26th March: Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway said he thought it was likely that Claudia had been abducted by someone she knew. Galloway said: "It’s very unlikely she would have had a lift with someone she didn’t know, particularly at that time of the morning. My focus is on the people she knew. She would have got into a vehicle or met someone she knew, not someone she didn’t know. I believe she is with or has gone with someone she knows." Six civilian search and rescue teams from across North Yorkshire were drafted in by the police to search for Claudia.
30th March: Claudia's disappearance was featured on BBC's Crimewatch and prayers were said at church services across York. The same day police said they were investigating the website, claudialawrence.com, which asked for payments to the 'Claudia Lawrence Appeal' but was not linked to Claudia's family. The website has since been removed.
2nd April: Police appealed for help tracing 'a mysterious dark-coloured van' captured on CCTV outside Claudia's home the night she disappeared. The owner of the vehicle came forward, and police ruled him out of their investigation.
3rd April: Following a message on York Extra announcing that police would be searching student accomodation on campus despite not having an official search warrant, YUSU released a statement criticising the move. YUSU President Tom Scott said: "YUSU strongly opposes the University giving access to students' rooms without a search warrant. While students who were in their accommodation were able to decline consent, anyone who was out of their bedroom - or away for Easter - was given no warning and no ability to refuse. A warrantless, consentless search is unconscionable even in these circumstances."
10th April: Friends of Claudia Lawrence appeared on BBC1's Missing Live programme to appeal for information about her disappearance. One of the friends, Suzy Cooper, said: "We have to keep the hope alive." Prospective Labour parliamentary candidate Paul Blanchard caused controversy by dismissing prayers for Claudia, saying: "Like praying is going to achieve anything. Of all the pointless things to do here, praying wins the prize. Time would be better spent out looking for her, surely."
17th April: As Claudia's father Peter made an appearance on ITV's This Morning show, police revealed two new witnesses had come forward. The police also found a body in the River Ouse, which turned out to be 68 year old Pauline Armitage, who had been reported missing ten days earlier.
24th April: Crimestoppers offered a £10,000 reward to help police find Claudia. Dave Hunter, Crimestoppers regional manager for the North-East and North Yorkshire area, said: "We hope this will generate specific information relating to Claudia which we can help police with their inquiries." Detective Superintendent Galloway said the police were now treating the case as suspected murder, saying: "Any murder investigation has to prove a death and at the moment we have no proof of Claudia’s death. But five weeks on we have no proof of her life and I’m investigating her disappearance as one of suspected murder." A message from Peter Lawrence was posted on York Extra, in which Peter apologised for the police's unauthorised accomodation searches but said, "I am sure that most of you will realise that it had to be ascertained that Claudia was not there." He also appealed for students' cooperation with the investigation.
25th April: Detective Superintendent Galloway said a significant new witness had come forward in the hunt for Claudia, who had seen a woman who looked like Claudia stood on the left-hand side of Melrosegate bridge with a man wearing a dark hooded top at 5.35am on Thursday 19th March.
Click here for a news comment on the Claudia Lawrence story. Anyone who has information to help the inquiry is urged to phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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