Detectives probing the suspected murder of a landlady who disappeared 17 years ago have dug up the patio of her pub . Deborah Steel , 37 , who ran the Royal Standard pub in Ely , Cambridgeshire , was last seen alive just after 1am on 28 December 1997 . Police believe she was killed and recently reclassified the investigation as a murder inquiry , but the 37-year-old 's body has never been found . The search has the full consent of the present landlord who is not connected with the investigation . Deborah Steel , 37 , who ran the Royal Standard pub in Ely , Cambridgeshire , was last seen alive just after 1am on 28 December 1997 . Detectives probing the suspected murder of the landlady have dug up the patio of her pub - the Royal Standard ( pictured ) A 73-year-old man is on bail until 29 April and two others , aged 70 and 50 , have since had theirs cancelled . Officers carried out a preliminary search of the area outside the pub earlier this year . A team revisited the pub earlier today and dug up the patio but said they found no clues . Last September officers carried out another unsuccessful dig at a house in the town where Deborah once lived . Police believe the 37-year-old was killed and recently reclassified the investigation as a murder inquiry . The search has the full consent of the present landlord who is not connected with the investigation . The same month Deborah 's sister Gini Secker , 47 , from Nottingham said the unsolved case was a 'heavy burden ' for her family . She said : ' I find it so very sad that our father went to his grave without knowing the truth of Debbie 's whereabouts . 'It has been a heavy burden to carry all these years and all we wish for is the answers so we can lay Debbie to rest at last . ' A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Police today said : 'The search is being undertaken with the full consent of the present landlord , who is not connected with the investigation . ' Anyone with any information should call 01480 425880 or Crimestoppers , anonymously , on 0800 555111 . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article .
Deborah Steel , 37 , was last seen alive on 28 December 1997 . Police have dug up the patio of the Royal Standard pub where she worked . A 73-year-old man is on bail and two others have had theirs cancelled . Detectives believe she was murdered , but body has never been found .