Seasons & episodes

The atmosphere at the Dingles is at an all-time low. Zak is in a foul mood following the shambles of the Dingle family conference. Lisa arrives at the Dingles to ask Zak to baby-sit. But when Nellie makes it clear that she is unwelcome, Butch shocks his mother by taking Lisa's side. Butch tells Emily that he has an idea how they can build some bridges with her father - he is going to ask him for her hand in marriage.

The peace and tranquillity of the village is shattered when disaster strikes. A crash brings Emmerdale to a stand still, when an out of control lorry driven by Pete, collides with the supermarket bus. The Woolpack regulars hear an almighty thud and rush out to see the carnage. Paddy rushes over to help but injures his arm. Alan is OK but is horrified to discover that he is the only one who has managed to escape from the wreckage and is comforted by Eric and Tricia, so what has become of the other passengers, including Kathy, Sarah, Victoria, Seth, Marc and Butch?

The rescue operation enters the night and the villagers are becoming frustrated by how long the emergency services are taking. Suddenly, voices are heard from the wreckage, and the hopes of those present grow. The Dingles are overwhelmed with relief when Butch is brought out from the wreckage. Emily tells him that they've been blessed. The P.C. Gemmell questions Alan and Viv about the accident. Viv blames the whole crash on Pete. Jack suggests to Chris that he is only present so that he can work out a press statement, seeing that it was his vehicles that were involved in the accident. Chris fears the worst when a lifeless blonde woman is brought off the bus, but is it Kathy? And he reacts angrily when a department of transport investigator tries to question him

The village tries to come to terms with the aftermath of the bus crash. Relatives comfort one another as victims recover in hospital. Sarah is concerned that Jack won't be able to manage without her. He assures her that at a time like this everyone pulls together. Kathy asks Chris to help the village return to normal. Laura calls an urgent board meeting at Tate Haulage. The legal eagle informs those present that she has drafted a press release, and warns them about making any comments, which might imply the company is guilty of negligence. Chris says that Tate Haulage will survive - whatever it takes. Zoe wants Tate Haulage to take steps to help the people who were in the accident.

With Butch lying in hospital having been told he isn't going to recover from his injuries, Emily looks to their brief future together. The pair talk about their forthcoming wedding and decide that there is no time like the present. Butch enlists Marlon to be his best man and plans are hastily made, including an impromptu stag party. Zak goes in search of Ashley and asks him to conduct the wedding ceremony. Emily is overjoyed when Lisa produces the dress that Butch bought her. With their friends and family in attendance, Ashley marries the happy couple. The family leave the couple alone, and Emily stays with Butch until he dies. Laura tells Chris, Zoe and Sean that Pete had not been drinking before the accident. The Sugden family visit Sarah in hospital to celebrate her birthday. She cannot help but enquire about Richie.

The aftermath of the bus crash threatens to tear the village apart. Friends are becoming enemies as everyone tries to apportion blame. Frankie intimates that Zoe and Chris are only concerned about what is best for Tate Haulage. And she is appalled when she overhears Chris and Zoe's blase attitude towards the crash, and fuelled by her anger, storms out of Home Farm. Scott has devised a new way of getting rich quick - blackmail. And Alan accuses Eric of only attending bus crash victim Councillor Simmons funeral so that he can make business contacts.

Betty is panic stricken when she overhears a doctor telling a nurse that an elderly patient has died. She races to Seth's ward to find his bed empty. Her fears are put to rest by a doctor, but where could the mischievous old man have gone? Zak and Nellie are speechless when Eric arrives accompanied by a surprise visitor, their son Sam! Sean becomes concerned when he discovers that the paperwork for the service on Pete's lorry was never completed. The inspection at Tate Haulage begins, and Blanchard tells Chris and Sean that he will identify whoever is responsible for the crash. Chris tells Zoe he intends to place the blame for the crash with Sean. Jack makes an effort to repair his relationship with Robert. He tells his son that he does not expect him to take over the reigns on the farm, the most important thing is that he finds a job that he will enjoy. And Richie is furious when Scott drops by the Sugdens house to see him.

Chris tells Sean they need to put up a united front over Tate Haulage's involvement in the accident. He suggests that Laura, as a lawyer, should put the company's case to the Department of Transport Inspectors. But will she be able to convince them that they were not responsible? Loves young dreams, Donna and Marc are having problems finding time to spend together. But when Ollie tells him that she is going out, he seizes the opportunity. Marc tells his sister that he won't be able to leave the house because he has too much homework and with the family out of the way, he invites Donna over. And it's not long before they are doing more than homework! But, their moment of teenage passion is broken when Ollie walks in unannounced and is appalled to find her brother and best friend in a clinch. Lisa confides to Roy that she feels that she may have been responsible for the bus crash.

Wracked with guilt Lisa confides in Paddy that she didn't finish servicing a lorry and this may have inadvertently caused the bus crash. Violence erupts in The Woolpack when a customer threatens Angie causing a protective Sean to lash out forcing Terry to attempt to restore order. Kelly shocks Mandy and Paddy by inviting them around for an expensive takeaway - at their expense! Emily's father reveals he's got a new job, leaving Emily heartbroken that he will have to leave Emmerdale.

A defiant Sean refuses to apologise for starting a fight but Chris doesn't want another scandal alongside the transport investigation so - at a Tate Haulage meeting - Sean is taken off the board. Kathy organises a fund-raising campaign for the families of the crash victims but is shocked by Chris's lack of compassion. Feeling left out, Ollie suggests to Angie that Donna and Marc may have slept together in an attempt to split them up.

Sean is determined not to apologise for the fight but Angie - realising they need the money - implores Chris to reinstate him on the board. The Department of Transport conclude that Tate Haulage may be liable for prosecution causing Chris to try and blame Lisa for the accident. Fuelled by Ollie's malicious gossip Angie tells Viv she suspects Donna and Marc have slept together, leaving her livid. Ashley invites Bernice for a dinner that culminates in a shocking revelation; he's in love with her.

Rivals Adam and Marlon vie for the attentions of Tricia and are keen to agree to Kathy's suggestion that they should battle it out in a cookery competition. Lisa refuses to deny that the crash wasn't her fault which frustrates Kathy who confronts Chris about his accusations. Donna and Marc continue to see one another, ignoring their parent's disapproval.

A destitute Sean confides in Lisa that he's been kicked off the board of Tate Haulage and submersed with guilt she reveals she did tell Pete the lorry was unsafe to drive. A happy family meal goes sour when Zak tells Nellie he wants to leave her. Meanwhile, Sarah gives Richie similar news; her family come first and their affair is over.

Nellie admits to Zak that she still loves Butch, even beyond the grave, which causes him to maliciously crush some flowers Butch once planted. Later they make amends and consolidate their love for one another in bed. Carlos plans to get a new place with Marlon and Terry but is beaten to it by Richie who is desperate to get away from the Sugen household. Angie is angry to find Sean gardening rather than trying to get his job back.

Angie forces Sean up to the haulage yard when she sees the family are at stake. Instead, he spends his day at the pub and is talked into joining Kathy’s campaign. Angie’s furious to discover this and confronts Sean. It’s clear she has no remorse for the village, Lisa or the Dingles, and demands that Sean must stay loyal to the company for the sake of their family. The morning after, Zak instantly regrets spending the night with Nellie and desperately tries to escape her amorous clutches. Tricia takes it upon herself to fix Ashley and Bernice when Bernice is beside herself at work. She’s gutted to hear from Ashley that Bernice will never love him, and because of the strongness of his feelings towards her, he has to accept that. Sarah’s getting frustrated with family life, while Jack’s happy to have spent the day with his children while they taught Victoria how to ride a bike.

Tensions run high at the village meeting and Sean is torn between supporting Lisa and joining his family in blaming her for the bus crash. At the meeting, Sean defends safety at Tate Haulage and Lisa tells everyone that she advised Pete not to take the truck out but Chris manages to twist her words by accusing her of trying to pin the blame on a dead man. Roy leaps to her defence but, when Chris questions him, he has to admit that he didn't hear Lisa warn Pete and no one can back up her story.

Chris is overjoyed that he managed to ruin the village meeting but Laura warns him that the battle is far from over. Bernice finally succumbs to Ashley's charms and jumps to his defence when Betty and Viv brand him a thug. Richie is determined to move out the house but Sarah has second thoughts despite her decision that they should end their relationship.

Ashley wakes up with Bernice and is delighted when she says she wants to continue their relationship. Lisa's customers cancel their appointments after her revelation of negligence and she faces financial ruin leaving her with no option but to close down and move in with Betty. Kathy goes to confront Chris but is repelled by Laura who threatens to call the police so she seeks out Zoe and demands the truth.

Kelly feels Roy is selling himself short by taking on a new job working on the Sugden's farm. Her foul mood results in a fight with Mandy, whereupon Mandy vows to have nothing more to do with her. Seth and Zak are forced to contend with Cain who tags along on a poaching trip that abruptly ends when he inadvertently shoots Zak. Eric announces that he's going to stand for council in the local elections but gets off to a bad start with Ashley when he attempts to discuss the morals of a vicar sleeping with a barmaid.

Viv puts pay to a romantic meal between Donna and Marc when she storms in and demands her daughter leave. Ollie embarrasses Andy when she persuades him to dance with her and then laughs in his face causing him to run home in tears. Terry and Claudia arrange an evening out together that quickly turns to a night of passion.

Chris arrives at the Haulage Yard to find that the lorries have been sabotaged but threatens to fire the drivers unless they use them. Kathy and Angie suspect Cain is responsible but he is adamant that he is innocent. Following her public humiliation, Donna refuses to have anything more to do with Viv and is determined to live out her relationship with Marc. Sean and Angie are shocked to learn that Ollie has been stealing at school and has been expelled!

The Tate Haulage drivers go on strike, refusing to work in unsafe conditions, meaning Chris has no option but to seek help from arch enemy Sean. Zak tells Nellie that their night of passion meant nothing and demands she leave the house, professing that Lisa is the woman he loves and thus persuading her to move back in.

Lisa is livid to find out about Zak's night with Nellie and throws her out of the house. She refuses to listen to his pleas for forgiveness obstinate that she cannot trust him. Kathy attempts to disrupt a clandestine meeting Chris has arranged over the road accident but her intentions are foiled when a local paper captures her throwing a glass of brandy in his face. Sean chastises Ollie over allegations that she is a thief and threatens her with boarding school which pushes her to run away from home.

Chris confronts Claudia adamant that she must have told Kathy about his secret meeting. Her denials fall on deaf ears and he fires her causing her to pose the question to Terry; should they leave the village? Kathy is furious to see a Tate Haulage lorry so soon after the accident but Sean is more concerned with where Ollie might be. Andy is shocked to discover her in the Sugden's barn where she swears him to secrecy steadfast that she's not going home.