THE York sister of a student nurse who vanished during a trip to Germany has travelled to the Continent in the hope of tracing her.

Francesca Kerton, 27, from Heslington Lane, Fulford, joined the rest of her family to hunt for 24-year-old Louise.

Francesca, a chemistry lecturer at the University of York, left the city a few days ago and the family travelled to the Continent on Saturday.

The Kertons walked the streets of Ostend until the early hours handing out leaflets and putting up posters.

Francesca was expected back in York tonight.

Louise, who was a close school friend of kidnap and murder victim Lucie Blackman, went missing after visiting her fiance's mother two weeks ago.

She disappeared after being dropped off at Aachen railway station, Germany, to make her way home to Broadstairs, Kent.

The family is now visiting some of Belgium's major cities in a bid to find clues about her disappearance.

Today they were taking a train from Aachen to Ostend, which Louise was waiting for when she was last seen two weeks ago.

They will then visit cities along the route, including Bruges, Brussels and Ghent.

They have cancelled a two-week holiday in America to search for Louise. Her father, Phil, 56, said: "The more time goes by without any news, the more worried we get.

Phil, 56, of New Ash Green, Kent, head of information for Blue Circle Industries, said the parents of Lucie Blackman had been a great help. "We have spoken a number of times to both parents of Lucie who told us useful people to get in touch with for help," he said.

The family have also been encouraged by the positive response from locals in bars and shops, who have taken leaflets to give out.

Louise Kerton, who is dyslexic, went to a private school for girls, Walthamstow Hall in Sevenoaks, Kent, with Ms Blackman.

Updated: 13:18 Monday, August 13, 2001