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.
Landlady 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 .