Parents of missing woman speak of agony ahead of another Christmas without ‘darling daughter’

Denise Jarvis’ family are desperate for answers after she went missing in Bristol in August 2022

Denise Jarvis has not been seen at her home on 3 August 2022 (PA Media)

The parents of a woman who went missing more than a year ago have spoken of their agony as they face another Christmas without their daughter.

Denise Jarvis was last seen leaving her family home in Bristol in August 2022. A major police operation was launched to find the 44-year-old, with no trace found so far.

Every sighting is investigated, and river searches and an archeological dig have taken place, but senior officers admit concerns over what has happened to Ms Jarvis deepen with every month.

CCTV of Ms Jarvis shopping in the months before she disappeared - she was last seen wearing a similar distinctive sleeveless coat (Avon and Somerset Police)

For her parents, Bernadette and Dave Lake, the wait for news on their “darling daughter” is tormenting them as they hold out hope she will one day walk through their front door in Kingswood.

Their agony was only increased when Mr Lake thought he spotted her at a bus stop while driving in the Stapleton area of the city - only for the person to be gone when he returned, and there being no CCTV available.

“We just want her back,” Mrs Lake told The Independent. “It’s been so long but we think about her every day, we long for her to walk back inside our home and for everything to be okay again.

“How can you celebrate Christmas when you don’t know where your daughter is? It’s only her we want.”

Ms Jarvis went missing when she said she was going to camp in a park near the family home “to get her head sorted” after an argument. She took with her five bags - with just two of the bags since recovered.

Ms Jarvis, 44, from Kingswood, was last seen on the evening of Wednesday 3 August (Avon and Somerset Police)

Earlier this year, her family revealed she had been struggling mentally and had recently broken up with her husband.

Mrs Lake said the family were not giving up hope, and that Ms Jarvis’s clothes and bedroom had been left as they were when she disappeared.

Mr Lake said: “I haven’t a clue what has happened - that’s the hardest part.”

Avon and Somerset Police recently called in an archaeology team as part of the search, after a sniffer dog picked up a scent in an area near Bristol.

Det Insp Ben Lavender told The Independent the investigation was still live with officers responding to every piece of information, but he said, as time went on, the force was receiving fewer responses to its appeal.

He said: “Whilst we hope for the best, we have to also prepare for the worst which is why we have carried out river searches and called in an archaeology team. It would be negligent of us to ignore that, and as time goes on from the last proof of life, our concerns do grow deeper.”

He said the investigating officers in the case were still keen as ever to hear from anyone with information on her disappearance, or current whereabouts.

He added: “And if she has gone off the grid and is staying with a friend, just to get some information to provide to her family to say she is safe is so important.”

Ms Jarvis was last reported to be wearing a navy floral dress, a sleeveless puffer-style jacket and white shoes. A similar coat was seen on her in CCTV images released of Ms Jarvis shopping before she vanished.

Anyone with information on Ms Jarvis’ whereabouts is urged to call 999 quoting reference 5222186376, or call 101 with any other information. There is also an online portal featuring the appeal which can be accessed here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/5222C16-PO1