THE father of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has asked police if his or his daughter's mobile phone was hacked.

Peter Lawrence has contacted North Yorkshire Police looking for reassurances that no voicemail messages on phones connected with the murder investigation were intercepted.

The request comes as the Prime Minister backs calls for a public inquiry into "absolutely disgusting" phone hacking claims.

Martin Dales, spokesman for Mr Lawrence, said: "It's not clear who has or hasn't been hacked.

"Peter asked if his phone, Claudia's or anybody's phone involved in the investigation was involved.

"It was for his own piece of mind as much as anything. He is still awaiting a response."

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman told The Northern Echo: "We have no reason to believe that Claudia's mobile phone was accessed in this way."

Miss Lawrence, a chef at York University, was 35 when she disappeared in March 2009.

Police are treating her case as suspected murder, but her father Peter, a solicitor originally from Darlington who now lives in Ryedale, North Yorkshire, is convinced she is still alive.