THE family of missing chef Claudia Lawrence have launched a stinging attack on police - and called for fresh personnel to be involved in the case.

They accused officers in the investigation of developing a "bunker mentality" and said police had, at times, been rude and dismissive.

The comments came after it emerged the North Yorkshire force had voluntarily asked for a further review of the investigation by the National Policing Improvement Agency - which first looked at the case last summer.

But Martin Dales, friend and spokesman of the missing woman’s father Peter Lawrence, said such a review was akin to the "police policing the police."

He added: "What is really needed now is an urgent independent inquiry with a public report. Nothing less will do and transparency is vital if trust is to be restored in North Yorkshire Police."

Despite a huge inquiry, Miss Lawrence, who would now be 36, has not been seen since she finished her shift at York University’s Goodricke College on March 18 last year.

Her parents are originally from Darlington and she was brought up in Malton, although at the time of her disappearance she lived in Heworth, York.

Mr Dales said: "Although the police continue to keep in touch with the family, they have now developed a bunker mentality whereby they are not engaging with either the public or the media.

"For instance, after many offers from broadcasters, Channel 4 have been selected and have been filming a documentary for the last eight weeks but North Yorkshire Police have so far declined to take part: this cannot be right in terms of accountability of a publicly funded service."

He added: "I have received numerous communications from both public and media over the last 13 months which I have always passed on to the police.

" Many of them have found that when they phone the police, attitudes towards them are, amongst other things, ‘uncivil, rude, abrupt and dismissive’."

But the man leading the inquiry, Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, denied there had ever been any complaints about incivility or rudeness from officers in the case.

"Despite hundreds of intrusive searches of people's homes and potentially difficult situations, no complaints about rudeness or incivility have been received," he said. "The force has voluntarily requested a further review of the investigation by the National Policing Improvement Agency. This is due to take place in the near future."

He said that such was the volume of information that has been provided by people seeking to support the search that a prioritisation process was essential.

*Anyone with information that could help is urged to ring police on 0845 6-060 247 or Crimestoppers, who are offering a £10,000 reward, on 0800 555111.