Seasons & episodes

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.

Andy is overjoyed when the social workers decide he can stay with the Sugdens. But there's one even bigger surprise for the troubled lad when Jack and Sarah announce they want to formally adopt him. As the family celebrates later at Kathy's Diner, the occasion is overshadowed by Viv's sudden arrival. But as she launches into another vicious verbal attack, she is stopped in full flight by the revelation from her own daughter Donna that she knew Billy was in the village at the time of Vic's death. Bernice puts Tricia's nose out of joint when she hijacks Paddy's invite to the Vets Ball. Zak presents Lisa with money form the tourist scam to cover that taken from the church at Belle's christening. And Jack and Zoe clash again over the business of the dead sheep. Scott and Tricia's relationship comes to a crunch when he still can't perform and blames her. And Roy continues to pest Kelly into marrying him, but she isn't ready.

Chris revels in his business dealings, which he believes will be the start of the end for rivals, Reynolds Haulage. He's undercut them to win back a two-year deal from a big company. But Laura questions Chris's actions saying their first bid was at a rock-bottom price. Chris tells her he's prepared to lose money to get his way. It's the morning after Donna's revelation that she too knew Billy Hopwood was in the village before her father died. She's up early to avoid her mum, but when Viv appears she's calmness personified. She announces they are all going to the fair, as a family and that now is the time to move on and forget the past. Roy tells Scott that Kelly has told him to ask her again in a year about marriage.

Poor Mandy is left at the pub like Cinderella while Tricia and Bernice swan off to the Vets Ball with Paddy and overbearing Daniel. But Zoe appears like a fairy godmother at the last minute to wish Mandy to the ball and try to bring her together with Paddy again. When she arrives at the do she overhears one of Paddy's clients remarking what a change his partner makes from the person he brought last year. Mandy, flushed with tears, storms out, but in her haste leaves a tell tale sign that she's been there. As Paddy leaves he realises Mandy must have been there and goes in search of her with something very special to say. Marlon's birthday bash ends in tears when sulky Scott reveals that he has slept with Lyn and is forced to beat a hasty retreat when the birthday boy attacks him. Lyn is full of remorse after all Marlon has done to win her back, but he is adamant they are finished.

Kelly and Mandy are astonished when they realise both accepted proposals of marriage the previous evening. Both realise independently the path to true happiness will not be smooth. Mandy will somehow have to get Butch to end their sham of a marriage, and Kelly knows she will have Scott to contend with once he hears the news. Zoe is delighted when Paddy confides what happened and there is even better news when their efforts at the Vets Ball appear to have brought back some disaffected clients to their business. Chris is certain Sean Reynolds was behind the break in an tells the police so. But without evidence they say there is little they can do except have a word with him. Chris and Laura are shocked when Sean turns up at their yard to 'express his upset' at what's happened.

Ashley is a wanted man - at least as far as Mandy and Kelly are concerned. First Mandy tells him she wants to end her marriage to Butch, then Kelly arrives to fix a date for her wedding to Roy. Chris goes off at the deep end in trying to exact revenge on Sean . He turns up unannounced at Reynolds Haulage and when Sean finds him he's coolly looking through files in his office. Sean calls the police and Chris insists they take him in for questioning. At least that way he'll be allowed to tell the full story and his suspicions. But Chris is in for a nasty surprise. On Ashley's advice Mandy has got a marriage annulment form for Butch to sign. But just when it looks like she's convinced him this the right thing to do he suddenly realises what she's got planned. He will not sign the form to help her get back with Paddy - end of story! Viv takes the Windsor clan to The Woolpack to celebrate Kelly's engagement to Roy and Chris takes on Terry to be a security officer at his firm.

Chris decides to play Sean at his own dirty game, and ropes in Terry for a it of an industrial espionage. Posing as a prospective customer, Terry steals a number of computer discs, while Sean's back is turned. And Chris is overjoyed to learn that Reynolds Haulage is experiencing serious financial difficulties. Mandy and Lisa find Butch a tough nut to crack when it comes to signing the marriage annulment form and there are sparks when Butch guesses Mandy's real motives and informs Zak. When Mandy returns home Zak uses unorthodox mans to make her see sense. Rachel holds and impromptu girls party, little realising what a revealing night it might be. The party is in full swing when Stella suddenly reveals the mystery behind her millions. Scott tries to persuade Kelly not to marry Roy.

Mandy wakes up to find that she is a prisoner in her own home. And even her pleas to Butch fall on deaf ears. In a fit of anger, Mandy changes tact and attacks him, brandishing him a coward, who will never find love if he can't decide for himself what is right. Her outburst touches a nerve and Butch goes off in search of Ashley for advice. The mild mannered vicar finds it hard to comprehend Zak's actions and on his advice Butch finally releases the prisoner from her room. But will he now release her from their marriage? Tempers flare when Graham tears into Rachel about the party. And he erupts in fury when she ignores him, toppling over a CD rack. Scott plans a secret egagement party for Kelly and Roy. But his invites to Marlon and Biff immediately has them questioning his motives. And Eric is left a laughing stock when he realises everyone, except him, knows where Stella's wealth has come from.

Angie steps into the ring with Sean and Chris to try and bring some sense to the battle between their companies. But her visit to Chris is in vain when he says there is no chance of an agreement. Later, Laura goes to Sean to see if he is any more willing to try and find some way of resolving the dispute. But she is taken aback when, he steers the conversation away from business and focuses on her. Emotions run high when Paddy visits the Dingles to patch up the rift in the family. But his role as peacemaker hits a snag in the shape of Zak. Kelly and Roy are treated to a surprise engagement party. But while Roy basks in the attention, Kelly realises that Scott has used the occasion to try to destroy her relationship. Biff has an ulterior motive when he takes Kathy shopping - he wants to tell her how strong his feelings are for her. But, as he summons up the courage, the moment is broken when they bump into Graham and Rachel.

Chris faces some important decisions over the survival of Tate Haulage. The devious businessman informs his clients that he will undercut any offer made by Reynolds Haulage. On hearing this news, Sean bites the bullet and approaches Chris to suggest a partnership, but his efforts are futile. In this tit for tat war Sean soon hits back when he puts in a deliberately low figure for a contract, forcing him to undercut still further and operate at a loss. They agree to merge and bury the hatchet - a 50-50 split at Sean's yard, but keeping the name Tate Haulage. Rachel arrives home to find Graham has packed away her clothes to give to charity. He says he's going to buy her a new wardrobe, but she is not amused. Graham is furious and rushes outside to his car followed closely by Rachel. But when he sets off at speed she wishes she had left him alone when he nearly kills them both. She later tells him it's best if he moved out. Scott charms his way to an interview at a computer firm.

Paddy is a troubled man. The genial vet has managed to repair his relationship with Mandy, but his happiness has been short lived after learning of his mother's illness. He decides to visit his mother and build bridges, but is shocked to lean how serious her condition is. When Mrs Kirk asks Paddy if he has found himself a nice new girl, tension soon fills the air. Paddy says he is back with Mandy and they are planning to marry. But when Mrs Kirk warns him that he is making a mistake, Paddy replies that the mistake was coming to see her. Rachel confides to Kathy that she is having problems in her relationship with Graham - it is almost as if he cares too much for her. And she is in for a shock when Graham tells her that he has put his house up for sale to prove he loves her.

The course of true love has taken a detour for Biff and even Marlon's attempts to persuade him to admit his feeling for Kathy have hit a wall. Marlon changes tact and approaches Kathy about Biff's recent change of mood. On his advice Kathy tackles Biff and asks him what's wrong. And in a moment of honesty Biff reveals his true feelings, much to her surprise. But when he kisses her passionately, his joy soon turns to heartbreak. Rachel gets a huge surprise when she walks in to her living room to find Stella has set up a makeshift hair dressing salon. Graham reveals that he has organised the makeover of her dreams. But Rachel is not so sure. The transformation leaves Graham awe struck, but when Rachel finds a picture of his first wife she is disturbed to find that she has become her spitting image. Smug Scott tries to impress Kelly with his new job.

Biff rues the day he revealed his feeling for Kathy. He ties to talk to her but gets the cold shoulder. And when Pete arrives to ask her out to dinner, poor Biff is left feeling defeated. But Kathy and Pete's night out does not go to plan. And Pete realises that their date is about to come to an abrupt end. Is there hope for Biff after all? Paddy receives a phone call from his mother begging him to talk to her. But the genial vet's temper has been stretched too far. He is convinced his mother is playing games in an attempt to repair their relationship. But when they later meet his anger at her turns to concern at the news she gives him. Rachel is finding it difficult to understand why Graham has transformed her into the spitting image of his first wife. And her temper flares when she discovers he's given her television away to a charity shop without her permission.

Biff and Kathy decide to keep their relationship quiet, but it's not long before tongues around the village start to way. A comment from Alice alerts Marlon and Betty to the news. And after giving Biff a grilling, the pair promise to be secrete. But the pressure of keeping a secret is too much for Betty, who tells Rachel and Bernice, much to Biff's annoyance. Graham persuades Rachel to stay at home and look after an ill Joseph. But when the school calls to ask her to come in Rachel asks Betty to baby-sit. Graham tackles Rachel about leaving Joseph, and when she tells him she is taking an aerobics class that night, he decides to his point by taking Joseph to the class to force her to come home. Paddy is reeling from the news of how serious his mother's condition is. When Mandy arrives at the vet's to find out where he spent the night, she is stunned to discover that he was with his mother.

Mandy suggests to Paddy that they should put their relationship on hold, so that he can help his mother through her illness. Paddy refuses, but it is clear that the pair are troubled by the situation. Mandy turns to Terry and Viv for advice, which Paddy will not like. Chris is delighted to discover that Pete's relationship with Kathy is over. But Kathy reveals she is seeing Biff and Chris is crestfallen. But when he later accuses Biff of only being after her money it's a comment he may live to regret. On returning to Tate Haulage, Laura says he can find another lackey, she's going back to her old job. Graham and Rachel invite Biff and Kathy for dinner. And there is a surprise in store when Graham reveals he is being promoted. But Rachel's blood starts to boil when Graham suggests they can now start to think about a family. Zoe's attempt to introduce herself to Frankie ends in disaster when Sean dominates their night out.

Graham is doing everything he can to persuade Rachel to quit her job and become a full-time housewife. Even when she insists she wants to continue, he keeps up the pressure by suggesting to the headmistress Miss Strickland that Rachel is unhappy and thinking of leaving. But Rachel is absolutely furious when she finds out and lays-into Graham for trying to control her life. Mrs Kirk is delighted when Paddy tells her that he and Mandy have decided to split to spare her any distress. But his conniving mother - who claims she only has a short time to live - has one more trick up her sleeve. Her dying wish is to see Paddy walk up the aisle with his ex-sweetheart Jane. Zoe has some pearls of wisdom for her lovelorn brother Chris. If he is still so interested in Kathy he must do something about it.

The game is almost up for Paddy's conniving mother. She's had her son in a spin since she revealed that she only had a short time to live. Already she's caused Mandy and Paddy to split again and even suggested as a dying wish that Paddy might marry his childhood sweetheart Jane - just to make her happy. Paddy tells Mandy his mother's wish and while he has no intentions of carrying it through, Mandy decides it's about time she had a little word with Mrs Kirk herself. But after finding her home empty the trail leads to a health centre where Mrs Kirk is caught - working out on a fitness machine! Rachel and Graham get the hard word from headmistress Miss Strickland for wasting her time. Graham reluctantly admits he gave her the wrong impression about Rachel wanting to leave. Later Graham interrupts an illicit meeting by the school gates and as people rush away, he finds a packet of cannabis resin on the floor.

Mrs Kirk is about to meet her Waterloo when Mandy puts Paddy in the picture about her dealings. And after putting their heads together they decide on the perfect plan to show Mrs Kirk that her game is up. In hilarious scenes Paddy goes to her home and as he stands at her bedside first Mandy enters the room - closely followed by the whole Dingle tribe. They've decided because she's so ill they're going to take it in turn to nurse her. Suddenly Mrs Kirk leaps from the bed and immediately realises she's been rumbled. And she's not the only one heading for a fall. Devious Graham plants the cannabis resin in Rachel's jacket and then invites her to come along to the presentation Angie Reynolds is telling the kids about the dangers of taking drugs. And when she demonstrates how the sniffer dog works - poor Rachel is left reeling with embarrassment as the dog heads straight for her. Rachel is lead away for questioning as Graham weakly protests her innocence.