THE worried family of a missing woman have issued a plea for her not to be forgotten - a year after she vanished.

Lisette Dugmore has not been seen since CCTV captured her walking through the centre of her home city of York on July 6 last year.

Her sister Dion Smith fears the disappearance has been overshadowed by the high-profile case of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence.

"Don’t forget Lisette is missing as well as Claudia," said Mrs Smith, 43.

"We know what her family is going through because we are in that situation where someone has gone missing without trace.

"It’s the not knowing which is the worst thing, not being able to do anything – just being in limbo."

Miss Dugmore had fallen and hurt her head the day before she was reported missing and police have not ruled out that the former RSPCA kennels assistant, who was 36 when she disappeared, may have run away.

But they fear she entered the River Ouse on the night she vanished - and have carried out an extensive, if fruitless, search of the river from York to the Humber.

A police spokesman said: "The police investigation into Lisette’s disappearance will remain open until she has been found.

"A number of possible sightings have been investigated over the course of the inquiry, unfortunately they turned out not to be Lisette. Should any new information come to light, it will be fully investigated."

He added: "We have prepared Lisette’s family for the worst. We hope ultimately to be able to provide some closure on what has been and continues to be a deeply distressing time for them."