Seasons & episodes

The village gears itself up for the verdicts in the Kim and Steve trial. Steve is accused for the robbery and hit and run, while Kim just escaped having set Steve up. In the end, Steve is sentenced to 10 years. Seth and his dog Charlie make a startling discovery finding Chris's body lifeless at Home Farm. Graham is full of remorse for his angry outburst against Rachel and confesses that he loves her. He agrees once and for all that living together would be a great idea and even suggests moving his things in straight away. Graham explains that his first wife was always putting him down in front of other people and felt that Rachel was doing the same. But he now realises that he over-reacted and they have a solid future in front of them. Ned goes on a shopping errand with Sarah and bumps into old flame Dawn. She reveals that she's been widowed and the two clearly get on like a house on fire.

Scott shows little or no consideration for his mum Viv when he ups and leaves - to get his head together. With the shock of Vic's death still weighing heavily on her mind Viv needs to re-open her business. But her offer to Terry to help out is met angrily by Kelly who believes the two of them may want to rekindle their one-time affair. Graham moves in to Rachel's and immediately stamps his impression on the place. Rachel comes home to find her CD's stacked in alphabetical order and dinner cooking on the stove. Kathy approaches Stella to ask if it's possible for Chris to stay at Home Farm a little longer. Eric is apprehensive and tries to speak of her, but Stella says she'll consider the request, given the circumstances. Both Laura and Kathy are fussing round Chris while his sister Zoe has a few harsh words for him following the whole affair with Kim. Seth enjoys a parting gift from Kim.

Will receives bad news that his father has been injured in a climbing accident in Germany - and makes plans to fly out there immediately. But the Farewell bash his mates throw in The Woolpack turns into a fiasco as Will gets drunk and one by one propositions each of their girlfriends. And to compound the situation he unknowingly insults Eric, tells Biff he was mad to let Lady Tara go and says that Paddy was never the right person for Mandy. Suddenly the lads' pounce, and to a chorus of laughter from the pub, Will is carried, bodily, outside to sober up. Stella makes Biff and Kathy laugh when she extols the virtues of Eric's business acumen. Dawn asks Ned to go with her to Ibiza, where she's bought a bar. When he breaks the news to the Sugdens, they're delighted. But Ned says he has no money, so won't be going. Chris patches things up with Zoe and Graham continues to amaze Rachel with his cooking and cleaning.

Employment problems dominate the lives of the villagers. Lisa wants to take on Roy at the garage but when she suggest it must be above board - National Insurance and all - Zak nearly has kittens about it. Chris is joined by Kathy and Laura, for the grand opening of the new Tate Haulage company, only to discover that they lead vehicle in the convoy has had its petrol tank spiked with sugar and Tricia gets the wrong end of the stick when Alan tells her he wants to employ a bar manager. She believes the job's hers and wastes no time telling an incredulous Mandy. But there's disappointment for both girls when Alan says he's going to advertise. Will takes an early morning taxi to the airport while the rest of the lads sleep off their hangovers. Terry is the only one up and about. He wishes him well and gives him and video of his rugby trial as a memento. Ned is moping around having decided not to go to Ibiza with Dawn.

The day has finally arrived when devious Eric can realise the worth of the Steiff teddy bear he swindled from Ned. Ned's far from a happy man having had an earful from Sarah the night before about his over-extended stay at the farm - and the loss of Dawn who flies out to Ibiza later that day. He's collected his things together to leave the farm but can't find the bear that belonged to his dead daughter Linda. He sets off to try and find it and a series of clues lead him to Eric and the auction. Bidding for the bear reaches £13,000 just as Ned enters the auction room. Eric is helpless to argue over the destiny of the money with Stella at his side - and Ned takes the cash with glee. Now he has the money to go to Ibiza with Dawn, but with time running out it will take a miracle for him to catch the flight. Roy and Biff try their best to get him there.

Mandy and Tricia have been at each other's throats since Alan announced he's looking for a new bar manager. But when Betty instigates a role playing exercise for the two girls, the whole situation turn to farce. Later Mandy and Tricia continue to make snide comments to each other until Tricia takes it one step too far. Mandy drags her outside and the two girls roll around fighting, egged on by some of the pub regulars. But Alan's not far behind - and he's far from happy. He is furious, and says he has never seen anything like it in his entire life. He threatens them both with the sack of they do not get back in the pub right now. Life at the Windsors gets no better. Terry has agreed to help out while Scott is away, but Kelly convinced her stepmother is trying to start up their affair again. Zak takes to begging but is spotted by Sarah. Feeling sorry for the Dingles she calls on Lisa and gives her a box of blankets and food. Lisa is puzzled but accepts them not knowing the background.

Mandy and Tricia are crestfallen when Alan announces neither of them will be the new manger - he's hiring Bernice. Zoe meets up with Denise again and invites her back home for the night. Laura upsets one of the haulage firm drivers who immediately quits. But when the driver comes back to officially hand in his notice, Kathy follows him out and persuades him to stay. Chris is delighted much to Laura's annoyance. Scott arrives home and tells Kelly secretly, it's because of her. She says she wants to put the illicit Christmas kiss behind them and never speak of it again. Scott agrees, but there is clearly something between them. And Sarah tells Butch of Zak's begging. He's horrified and tracks his dad down in Hotten to give him a roasting. Zak's had a good day with Belle, playing on the sympathy of passing shoppers. He's made £15, but Butch forces him to hand it over to a real beggar. Later Zak begs Butch not to tell Lisa - or he'll be in for it.

Zoe feels a complete failure after her date tells her it was just a one-night stand. She turns to Chris for comfort and meets him for a drink at The Woolpack. But after one too many she leaves him deeply embarrassed by revealing hidden desires for Kathy - In front of her. Bernice makes a grand entrance tot the pub and immediately puts the girls' backs up. Mandy is reproached for being late and Tricia finds herself moved into a smaller bedroom to accommodate the new bar manager. Kelly is desperate for someone to talk to about her father's death and turns to Roy. Kelly comes on strong to him, but Roy says he's loved her for so long they should wait before taking their relationship any further. Kelly is moved by his words and kisses him. Zak spots some copper wire on a building site and decides to steal it. But when a security guard looms, Belle whimpers and Zak is able to get away undetected with his booty. He reckons his daughter has all the hallmarks of a true Dingle.

The Vets practice is in turmoil when Zoe fails to turn up, nursing a giant hangover. Paddy is trying to hold things together but when Jack phones to say he's an emergency on his hands, he finds himself stretched. He tells Lyn to get out there with the equipment. The sheep is getting worse and Lyn has seen Paddy do the procedure before. So she decides to administer the injection. She's just finished as Jack walks into the barn. Seconds later the sheep dies leaving Jack consumed with rage. Kathy tackles Chris about Zoe's drunken revelation but tells him there's no way they will get back together. Later Chris reveals this to Laura and is shocked by he reaction. Roy turned down the chance to sleep with Kelly and is deeply upset when she tells him how right he was not to take advantage of her. They're great mates and that's the way they should stay. And for the first time in weeks Mandy and Tricia appear to be united again. They now have a common enemy, their overbearing boss Bernice.

Zoe appears to have lost her sense of judgement following the episode with Kim. She fires poor Lyn, who receives a second blow when she receives her mock A' level results. Then she clumsily tries to smooth things over with Jack causing another furious row, and the irate farmer to withdraw his business from her. Even partner Paddy can't seem to get through - although at least Jack will allow him a few words. Kelly asks Roy to teach her to drive - much to Scott's annoyance. And Kathy ponders reconciliation with Chris. In a phone conversation he admits he does love her, but she begs for a little more time to consider her own feelings. Meanwhile, Laura waits in the wings, unaware that Chris is playing the odds.

Kathy leaves Chris heartbroken when she says they cannot get back together again. But Zoe gives him pause for thought when she says that the fact it took Kathy three days to make up her mind means she's not sure. Zoe staggers Paddy by saying they'll give Jack £1000 compensation. Paddy reckons this will be construed as bribery by a man of principles, such as Jack. Zoe is immovable. Mandy and Tricia have a laugh at Bernice's expense. They reckon her boyfriend Gavin, an oil rig worker, must be made to put up with her. Roy gives Kelly a driving lesson that ends in disaster, as she gets the car stuck in mud. Both end up covered in the stuff and in fits of giggles. Kelly tells Roy to come back to her place to clean off as there's no hot water at his cottage. But when Scott comes in an sees them both he gets totally the wrong end of the stick. And Marlon's plan to woo back Lyn misfires after he gets her a job at the diner. She gives him a peck on the cheek for his thoughtfulness.

Chris proves he can be just as manipulative in love as he can in business. He's still working on getting back with Kathy and visits Alice's birthday party to make his latest play. He tells Kathy that he's got a date with Laura, a move calculated to make her jealous. When he arrives for a drink with Laura he says it's her he really wants to be with. He hadn't realised how strong his feelings for her were. The couple fall into an embrace. Paddy smoothes things over with Jack unawares that Zoe plans to visit him later that day to offer him the compensation money. When she makes her offer Jack goes ballistic and accuses her of trying to bribe him. Stella moves into Home Farm with Eric fawning round her. But he's soon put in his place when she invites Seth and Butch in for a spot of dinner.

Lyn has Marlon wrapped around her little finger. She knows he's desperate to get back with her and sets him some tasks to prove he really does care for her. First she tells him to phone into work sick, then order him to sit out in the freezing cold until she tells him he can leave. And having passed that test, she then says he'll have to dye Eric's moustache pink. Poor Marlon hardly knows where to turn. Kathy tells Biff that she isn't bothered by Chris' relationship with Laura; meanwhile, Laura persuades Chris to make holiday plans with her. Stella upsets Eric when she invites the village to a getting-to-know-you party. He'd envisaged a more up-market gathering. Viv is also unhappy, as Stella had invited her to what she thought was an exclusive party. Roy is late for his driving lesson with Kelly, so Scott nips in first. But after scaring her with his high-speed driving, she's less than impressed.

Scott is determined to get Kelly to admit she is attracted to him. And he's equally determined to nip any possible chance of a relationship between his step-sister and Roy in the bud. Kelly is desperately resisting him, but the strain is beginning to cause he sleepless nights. Will he ever drop the subject? Marlon astounds Lyn, and causes much mirth in the village by sneaking into Eric's bedroom and dabbing his moustache with cochineal. Poor Eric doesn't realise and tries to conduct a serious business meeting with an upmarket client. When he realises what's happened he goes mad - but nobody knows, apart from Lyn and Tricia that Marlon was behind it. But Lyn has one final task for Marlon, which he is definitely not going to like. She tells him he must do a Full Monty at the bash being thrown by Stella at Home Farm. It's not Eric's day.

Stella's party at Home Farm turns into a riotous romp as Marlon carries out Lyn's orders and does a 'Full Monty'. Scott and Kelly find themselves alone in the bedroom that once belonged to Kim. After their Christmas kiss will the stepbrother and sister be able to keep their hands to themselves? Eric is appalled that the whole village has been invited to the party and cooks up a devious plan to show Stella the error of her ways - and how much she needs him. Lyn realises Marlon - down to his underpants and vest - really would do anything for her and as the revellers cheer the couple embrace.

Eric's little plan - to damage Stella's car and blame the rowdy villagers - worked a treat. She tells him she wants him as her estate manager. Chris needs a service contract for his haulage business. Stella suggests he use Lisa. But when Laura arrives at her workshop, she discovers Lisa's business is not registered. Laura offers her help with paperwork and Lisa decides to go legitimate. Zak will not be pleased - neither will be too happy when he discovers Lisa intends to have a baby Belle christened in church, rather than go through the usual Dingle naming ceremony. And Kelly turns on all her womanly charms to seduce Roy after one of their driving lessons. Could this be to mask her hidden feelings for her stepbrother Scott?

Mandy and Tricia have had enough of bullying Bernice and decide to take a peek in her room to find the little book she keeps writing notes in. They find the book under the mattress and are in hysterics at its contents - a fully mapped-out life-plan. But the smiles are wiped from their faces when Bernice returns early. Scott is beside himself when he discovers Kelly spent he nigh with Roy. He talks to both of them individually trying t find out what happened. Eric signs on the dotted line and immediately exercises his new authority as estate manger by sacking Seth. And Lisa remains on a collision course with Zak over her desires to make her business legitimate and have Belle properly christened.

There's a real Dingle-wrangle in the offering when Zak finds out Lisa's gone against his wishes and booked a christening for Baby Belle. He wants a traditional naming ceremony and has invited Dingles from all over the country. What would they think if he breaks with tradition? Zak takes the bull by the horns and cancels Lisa's plans. But when she finds out she storms out and tells Ashley, the ceremony will go ahead. Home Farm estate manager, Eric, has some quick thinking to do when Stella confronts him with Chris's revelation that he paid £1 million over the odds for Home Farm. Donna returns to school causing anxious moments for Andy and the Sugdens. Kelly stuns Viv with an apology for the way she behaved towards her after Vic's death. It's clear her relationship with Roy is having a marked effect. And Bernice winces when Tricia casually makes mention of 'plans' in a loud conversation with Mandy. She quickly realises the girls saw her 'life-plan' when she caught them in her room.

Bernice takes the girls by surprise and calls a team meeting. And both Mandy and Tricia are left shame faced when she tells them of the heartbreak of a broken marriage and how her hopes of happiness were wrecked. She says they are both young and carefree, why mock her plans? Zak has conceded to Lisa in the battle over the christening. But when she discusses godparents, Zak jumps the gun again. They ask Mandy to be godmother and Zak assumes Butch will be godfather - which provokes a withering look between Lisa and Mandy. Later Lisa confesses to Mandy that she really wants Paddy to do the job. Marlon nearly chokes on his pint when loves-young-dream Roy admits he's got something important to say to Kelly. Meanwhile, Scott is aghast when Mandy tells him Kelly has admitted she's in love with Roy. And Viv takes decisive action over Donna and school.

Roy takes Kelly to a night club with the bonus Lisa paid him. But he's got much more than dancing and drinking on his mind. Chris give Laura a shock when he reveals he's leaving Home Farm, and invites her to his new home - the cottage once owned by Kim and Steve. Seth gets a real boost when Stella turns up with a peace offering. But later he's crestfallen when Betty tells him she's found him a new job! Zak flies off the handle when Lisa tells him she's spoken to Butch and he's happy to stand down as a godparent to Belle. Paddy has agreed to do the job. It's the last straw and Zak and Butch race off to make phone calls to stop the Dingle clan coming, but he's too late. The sound of an ice-cream van fills the air as cousins Ezra, Gwen and their children arrive. They've mistaken the date on the invitation. Viv sinks to her lowest when she calls the social services and asks to speak to the caseworker responsible for Andy.

Zak finds himself in a real dilemma when his cousins make plans to profit from baby Belle's christening. Viv twists the knife still further into the Sugdens and Andy when she gives her version of events to social workers. She determined to get Andy removed from school. The Sugdens are appalled when they learn what's happening. Kelly tells Roy he's jumping to the gun with his proposal and Mandy is less than impressed when she is let in on the secret. Paddy carries out his duty as godparent to baby Belle but is fearful what might happen at the post christening party. Once the Dingles get drunk they'll surely want to kill him and Scott makes eyes at Tricia but is left deeply embarrassed.

Andy, who misunderstands what they were discussing, overhears Jack and Sarah's private chat about the social workers. And instead of going to school the youngster jumps on a bus and heads off to the city. Graham raises the alarm and after a fruitless search of the village, Jack is forced to involve the police. Lisa is left distraught and furious when Ashley informs her, the collection for the church roof vanished during the christening service. Zak gets it in the neck from his wife but tells her, while he was not involved, as a Dingle he was duty-bound to keep his mouth shut. Not surprisingly he's condemned to a night on the sofa. Rival haulage firm boss Sean Reynolds calls on Tate Haulage under the guise of a prospective client. While Laura's back is turned he flicks through some papers and leaves. When a deal falls though Chris and Laura realise they have been conned. Scott is less than impressed when Kelly tells him of Roy's proposal - and that she is seriously considering it.

The Sugdens are living on their nerves, as a full-scale search is underway to find Andy. Donna, who blames herself partly for Andy running away, secretly conducts her own search. She is certain she knows where he is. Andy has been slumming it in a derelict flat that belonged to his grandmother. Donna finds Andy and with some gentle coaxing persuades him to come home to the relief of everyone concerned. Zak decides to go back to his old ways and outlines a plan to Butch that will bring in a stack of cash. The only hitch is that it will involve Home Farm, which leaves Butch fearing for his job. Lisa gets a huge tax bill for arrears and unsympathetic Zak tells her that's the cost of her going legitimate. Chris and Laura believe the mystery caller must have been working for their rivals Reynolds Haulage, so Chris decides to pay them a visit.

Zak has masterminded a brilliant Dingle plan to bring in revenue - and get Lisa off his back. With Stella and Eric away he has persuaded a mate to bring a coach load of American tourists to Home Farm. Posing as tour guides, Zak and Butch tell the tourists they are at Bostwick Manor, a part of the 'Hidden Dales Experience', and relieve them of their cash as entrance fee. But when the tourists insist they were promised an audience with the Lady of the Manor - it looks like the well-rehearsed scam will come off track. Mandy comes to save the day... but at a price. A social worker assesses Andy's case, visiting both the Sugdens and the Windsors. Viv's seething when she discovers Donna's on Andy's side, promising her daughter to seek revenge on the young boy. Marlon teases Biff about his true feelings for Kathy. But with an embarrassed look, Biff tries to deny it all.