Seasons & episodes

Kim has been arrested by the police on charges of theft and fraud - and for the first time in her life looks in real trouble, her hopes are lifted then dashed when an application for bail is granted, .. on condition of a £25,000 bond. Chris watches gleefully from the public gallery but is heading for a stormy confrontation with his sister Zoe who still believes Kim to be innocent. Steve calls on Chris when the police appear to turn a blind eye to the help he's given bringing Kim to book. But Chris now has what he wants and as far as he's concerned Steve can help him no further. Kathy takes the news of Kim's arrest and court appearance badly.

Zoe is convinced Kim is innocent and posts bail for her. But when she turns up at Home Farm with Kim there's a real danger the Tates will become a family at war. Chris goes ballistic and tells his sister he never wants to see her again! Temporary barmaid Bernice makes it clear she's after a man. Betty suggests Biff is the one for her, but when wires get crossed it's Roy who thinks it's his lucky day. Terry and Tricia almost accidentally share a kiss and later their passions get the better of them.

Poor Kathy knows she's suffering some kind of reaction to the terrible accident she was in. She is finding it difficult to control her mood swings and is in danger of alienating all her friends - despite their best intentions. She flies into a panic believing Alice is missing, when in fact her niece is exactly where she dropped her off - at Rachel's. But when Betty suggests she out to see a doctor Kathy flies into a terrible rage. Tricia and Terry have spent the night together. He's like a child with candy, but she's deeply upset at what she's done. Later she beaks down and confesses to Scott what's happened and the two of them fall into a deep embrace. Ned takes a bundle of old junk from his house for a reluctant Eric to cast his eye over.

Alan was reluctant to allow Kelly to hold her 18th in his bar - especially after the way Will's birthday ended and he should have gone with his instincts as the bash descends into chaos as trouble Tricia's secret love life is made painfully public. Smarmy Scott tells Terry that Tricia came straight to him after their night together. Deeply hurt and brimming with revenge, Terry takes the micro-phone to let the assembled party-goers know exactly what kind of girl Alan's granddaughter really is. Eric works his devious line of patter on Ned to try to coax the Steiff bear from him. He offers money, but is shocked when Ned tells him the bear belonged to Linda and no amount of money will make him part with it. Eric rethinks and approaches Ashley to allow him to run a Christmas toy fair. Mandy arrives back from visiting her father. Butch is delighted to see her, but her usual attitude towards him leaves him hurt. And Rachel tries to talk sense to Kathy but is taken aback by her viciousness.

The villagers take in the aftermath of Kelly's party and are clearly divided on who's to blame for Terry's outburst. Alan is in an unforgiving mood and lays the blame at both Terry and Scott's doorstep. Mandy and Vic stick up for Terry as both knew he really did have deep feelings for Tricia. Viv defends her son to the hilt and says that Tricia must have led him on. Tricia tries to apologise to Kelly for spoiling her big day, but is unceremoniously hustled out of the vet's waiting room. None of which is of any help to Terry who has packed his bags and scampered. Rachel's plans to manoeuvre a meeting, out of hours between Kathy and Dr Khan, backfires dramatically. Kathy throws the past in her face in her most vicious outburst yet. Butch tries to get Mandy to go to the pictures with him but is crestfallen when she tells him she's working, even though he's bought tickets.

There's a shock in store for shareholders of Home Farm when Laura announces Lady Tara has instructed her to sell off the entire estate. Chris realises this might be his final chance to fill his father's boots. The villagers gather for the grand re-opening of The Woolpack, but Seth's speech goes slightly awry when he suggests it would have been nicer had Terry been around - and that he still pines for the days of Amos and Henry. Alan is put out but still extends the hand of friendship to his longest serving customer by offering him a particular seat at the bar with a plaque denoting the spot. Seth typically insists on trying each seat in turn and says he can only get a real feel if he has a pint in front of him ... preferably free. With the toy fair looming Eric collars Andy and Robert and asks them to search through items at their house for anything that might be of use.

Ashley believes he has the measure of Eric and has forced him to play Santa at the Xmas toy fair. Eric has already been calling round dealers confident Robert and Andy will unwittingly come up with the goods. But his plans look to be doomed when the vicar arrives with a toy expert. Chris tackles Kathy and convinces her, for Alice's sake to see a doctor. Later she tells Biff what she's agreed to and crumbles into his arms in a flood of tears. What if something is seriously wrong? Kathy tries to make it up with Rachel but is taken-aback when she tells her she cannot accept her apologies. Paddy has agreed with Mandy to collect his remaining things from their flat. The two are reminiscing when Butch appears menacingly and escorts frightened Paddy off the premises.

Kathy visits Dr Khan and gives ample proof of her mood swings when he suggests that she should see a psychologist. Biff is sat waiting for her as she sweeps out of the consultants room and when Biff tries to find out what's wrong she rounds on him saying none of this would be taking place had he not left her in Hotten before the crash. Vic gives Andy a job delivering papers much to his wife's horror. And when the Sugdens and Windsors bump into one another in The Woolpack, the matriarchs draw up battle lines again. And young Andy gets a shock when he takes his dog to the barn for the night. He's frightened out of his skin when someone whispers his name.

Billy is wounded and on the run and hiding in the Sugdens' barn. Andy tries to help his dad with food and notices that he's bleeding from the chest. His dad says there are some people after him and he must keep his mouth shut and tell no-one of his existence. He also tells the shocked schoolboy that he'd like to take him away to Holland to start a new life. But Andy is sceptical - after all he's been let down so many times. Eric works his charm on an elegant and rich new customer, Stella, who buys some expensive crockery from his shop. She spends around £1,000 using a platinum credit card - but Eric thinks he's struck gold when she accepts a dinner date. Chris has conquered Kathy's mood swings and persuaded her to see a private psychologist, at his expense. He also breaks the news that he's bought a haulage business.

Paddy is cornered by Mandy after giving her the silent treatment and Mandy is anything but silent when Paddy tells her why. He explains that Butch has threatened him and said that he, and Mandy were now really man and wife. Poor Mandy storms off looking for Butch and gives him a real roasting. Her poor "husband" professes his love - but Mandy is in no mood for reconciliation and tells him he makes her skin creep. Andy takes his dad more food, and again he waxes lyrical about Amsterdam. Suddenly there's a sound at the door of the derelict Glover home. It's Laura and a workman come to mend the broken lock. Laura walks into the house and Andy is terrified by his father's actions.

Mandy is livid when Lisa admits she already knew Butch was in love with her. She turns on Lisa and Zak saying she only went through with the wedding to save the pair of them. Zak can feel his family beginning to crumble and rounds on Butch, pinning him against a wall. He asks him if he's considered what the village will think of his lies about having slept with Mandy. Butch tries to make amends but Zak, in a fit of rage, tells him to leave the house for good. He's no longer his son. Andy tackles Billy about the gun. He says it's to protect himself from the people who are after him. Billy starts to feel a little better and tells Andy they'll be able to leave soon - but they need some money. The youngster tries to please his dad saying they can go on the rob. Kathy politely turns down Chris's offer to stay with him while she recuperates. And Biff gets the wrong messages about Kathy's closeness to her ex-husband.

Marlon has steered clear of the Dingles for a year since being cast out of the clan. But when Mandy asks him to talk to Butch, he can barely imagine the situation he's letting himself in for. When he tries to reason with Butch about his behaviour and how it's upsetting the family, his cousin launches a vicious attack on him. Eric agrees to a business proposition from Stella and tells everyone in The Woolpack that tomorrow a lot of people will be very shocked. Laura is inwardly pleased when Chris invites her for a drink that evening, providing she stops raining on his parade. He tells her how he's looking forward to gaining ownership of Home Farm at tomorrow's auction. Andy steals money from the Post Office while doing his paper boy job. But when he tells his dad later where the money came from Billy is suddenly very interested.

There is consternation among the Tate household when Eric walks into the Home Farm auction and starts to bid against an incredulous Chris. In a fit of pique, Chris asks for the auction to be halted as Eric clearly hasn't got the kind of money he's bidding. But Chris is left helpless when he's informed Eric is bidding by proxy. It's all a fabulous game for the one time auctioneer as he plays with Chris as the bidding shoots well past the expected selling price and Eric sweeps the Tate empire from a distraught Chris and informs the lucky winner of their win who turns out to be Stella Jones. Butch is beside himself. He's been kicked out of his home and now he's badly beaten up Marlon.

Chris puts on a brave face when he tells Laura that the loss of Home Farm means he's more to spend on his new haulage business. Lisa tells Zak that if he truly wants a Dingle gathering on Christmas Day then he must swallow his pride and invite Marlon. Marlon isn't exactly pleased to see Zak but knows to turn down what amounts to an order would make his life even more unbearable. The only trouble is he's been asked to have Christmas dinner with his girlfriend Lyn! Mandy is making plans too. She tells her friend Kelly that as soon as Christmas is over she's moving to a flat in Hotten. Andy tries to persuade Billy that stealing from the Post Office is a bad idea. But as the youngster leaves Billy starts to load his shotgun.

Christmas Day is in full swing as the Dingles try to put on a brave united front and regulars of The Woolpack enjoy a communal meal. Billy, meanwhile, is busy plotting to rob the Post Office so he has enough money to get him and Andy across the North Sea to Holland. Marlon cautiously arrives at the Dingles, having had a real earful from his girlfriend Lyn. Butch arrives late looking very sheepish and the clan, nervously, settle down to dinner. Elsewhere, Andy prepares to leave the Sugdens to meet his dad. The family has a special announcement to make - they want to formally adopt him. But the youngster has other things on his mind and hardly reacts. Paddy is called out in the middle of his Christmas dinner to tend the Dingles sick pigs. But he can hardly imagine the situation he walks into when Lisa unexpectedly gives birth to a baby girl

The repercussions of Christmas Day's tragic events affect many of the villagers. The Windsors have been staying at Keepers Cottage, Terry is in tears and when Sarah and Jack break the news to the boys, Andy visibly pales. But when he confronts his father, Billy, he viciously turns the tables on his son. The Dingles gather at the hospital bedside to greet the new arrival - a baby girl. Paddy is astonished when a penitent Butch collars him and confesses that everything he said about his relationship with Mandy was untrue.

Andy is wracked with guilt and begs Billy to give himself up to the police. When Billy refuses a second time the youngster tells Jack exactly what's happened. Ned helps the police with a layout of his former home. The net closes rapidly on the hidden fugitive. Zak repays Paddy for his heroics in the only way he knows - he buys him a pint. And there's a general thawing of feelings between Paddy and Mandy as he admits he couldn't bear to throw away the special CD they listened to when they were together. Billy finally gives himself up and throws his gun out of the window. As he walks out of the house clutching his stomach, Viv identifies him as Vic's killer and the police surround him. As he is taken away, Viv blames Andy for everything that has happened.

It is the day of Vic's funeral. Kelly and Viv are at each other's throats. Following the funeral, tensions run high and Kelly and Viv have a massive argument, reducing Viv to a flood of tears. Meanwhile, Chris continues his amateur sleuthing and notices something very odd about Kim's behaviour. Elsewhere, a detective finishes taking Andy's statement and tells the terrified youngster he could have been in very serious trouble, while Lisa lays into Zak with a few home truths