POLICE were trying today to identify the body of a woman who was found in a river.

Officers from North Yorkshire confirmed the discovery was not missing university chef Claudia Lawrence, 35, from York.

The force later added that the body was not that of Lisette Dugmore, 36, from the same city, who vanished last July.

Police said they did not know the identity of the body which was found yesterday in the River Ouse close to Archbishop of York John Sentamus residence, Bishopthorpe Palace, But a spokesman said it was not that of Miss Lawrence, who went missing more than a month ago.

The results of a post-mortem examination will be released later.

Miss Lawrence's father Peter appealed yesterday for users of online social networking groups to pass any information about her disappearance to police.

Police said a driver saw a man and a woman arguing near a car with its passenger door open at around 6.10am on the day she was reported missing.

The investigation into Miss Lawrence's disappearance is now the biggest the North Yorkshire force has conducted since the search for multiple killer Mark Hobson five years ago.