The funeral service might be relayed by loudspeaker to crowds expected to gather outside Clarence Park Baptist Church in Ms Dando's home town of Weston-super-Mare.

The service begins at 1500 BST on Friday and is expected to last about an hour. It will be restricted to mourners with personal invitations from Ms Dando's family.

Police are still hunting the killer

Avon and Somerset Police said that after the service the funeral cortege would travel four miles to a private burial ceremony at a private ceremony.

The hearse and three cars will travel from the church in Walliscote Road, a short distance from the beach, into the town centre.

From the town centre the cortege will travel along Francis Fox Road, Winterstoke Road, Herluin Way, Flowerdown Bridge and Somerset Avenue to Ebdon Road cemetery. There Ms Dando will be buried next to her mother, Jean.

Police spokesman Inspector Keith Jones said: "The family would like a private funeral but they appreciate that in the circumstances that will not be possible.

"The service in the church will be private for family and close friends who have had a personal invitation from the family.

"I am exploring the possibility that the service will be relayed to people who have gathered outside the church."

Under-cover presence

Ms Dando was shot dead on the doorstep of her west London home last month.

Police are still searching for killer gunman has not been caught.

Detectives are even considering sending plain-clothes officers to mingle with the crowds at the Ms Dando's funeral this week.

They are still unclear as to the murderer's motives but it is thought possible that the gunman might attend the ceremony.

Thousands of mourners are expected to line the streets to watch the three-mile cortege, before a private service is held at the Clarence Park Baptist Church.

Only close family and her fiancé will attend the burial. The chief mourners will be Dando's father Jack, her journalist brother Nigel and her fiancé Alan Farthing.

TV appeal

Three days before the funeral police will make a national appeal for information on the BBC's Crimewatch UK, a programme once presented by Jill Dando herself.

The broadcast will begin with a reconstruction of the shooting with an appeal for sightings in Fulham and Putney of possible suspects.

Although the film will show actors there will be no scenes featuring any Jill Dando lookalike.