POLICE have dismissed a national newspaper story which has claimed that they are questioning 'crossbow cannibal' Stephen Griffiths over the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence.

The York chef vanished two years ago and today's Daily Mirror said police were speaking to Griffiths in the hope of obtaining a "deathbed" confession.

Griffiths, from West Yorkshire, is in the fourth month of a prison hunger strike after being handed three life sentences for the murder of three prostitutes.

However, this morning North Yorkshire Police rubbished the story, saying: "This is simply not the case and whoever has provided the information is wrong.

"The reality is that neither West Yorkshire Police or North Yorkshire Police have spoken to Griffiths about the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence as he has refused to be interviewed since he was imprisoned. "And as North Yorkshire Police has stated previously, there is no evidence to connect the two investigations together."