THE siblings of missing animal-lover Lisette Dugmore who disappeared without trace nearly 17 months ago will attend The Press’s Absent Friends carol service next week.

The 36-year-old former RSPCA kennels assistant from Clifton has not been seen since she was captured on CCTV walking through the centre of York on July 6 last year.

Fears Lisette may have gone into the River Ouse that night led to search teams scouring miles of water – but what happened to her remains a mystery.

Now, as Lisette’s devastated family prepare to spend their second Christmas without her, one of her sisters, Dion Smith, said she fears the worst.

Dion, 44, a shop assistant at Farmfoods, in Clifton, said: “In my mind I believe something has happened to her and I don’t think she’s alive.

“Our Lisette, she would not have let mum and dad suffer like this. To not hear from her for 17 months, it’s not her character.

“If she had gone anywhere and didn’t want to come back, she would have phoned to say ‘I’m fine, I’m safe, don’t worry about me, but I’m not coming back’.

“It’s the not knowing that’s so hard. If only we could find her body so we could put her to rest. It doesn’t get any easier. It’s still as hard as the first day she went missing.”

Dion, who will read a lesson at The Press’s carol service, will also be joined on the day by Lisette’s other sister, Elaine Richmond, and her brother, David Dugmore.

She said: “The carol service will be a chance to sit and think how much we all miss her. She’s my little sister and we want her back so desperately, but unfortunately we don’t think that’s going to happen.

“She was a cheery person. She talked to everybody and anyone. She loved animals and if there was ever a sick animal she would always nurse it – my mum and dad used to end up with their house full of all sorts.

“She was such a fun-loving person and I still have people asking me if we have heard anything and saying how much they miss her.”

The service at St Denys’ Church, in Walmgate, on December 9, aims to offer those who will be separated from their loved ones during the festive season an occasion at which they can officially remember them.

All are welcome, but the public is asked to bear in mind the church is small and worshippers should arrive early for the best chance of attendance. We would like to invite people to email the names of absent friends they would like us to read out during the service to nicola.fifield@thepress.co.uk by December 7.

Every care will be taken to collect names faithfully, but The Press cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions.