Plot
After crashing their car, Ashley and Louise are trapped, with Ashley critically injured. Simon and Nicola drive past but don't see the crashed vehicle. Louise's cries are eventually heard by Paddy and he rushes to help. Soon enough, Emily and Laurel arrive and the emergency services are called. A paramedic states that Ashley's trapped leg may have to be amputated. Tricia is getting ready to leave the village and Diane gives her a letter from Marlon. Tricia leaves and goes to the bus stop, but then takes cover in a phone box, at which she uses the time to read Marlon's letter. Meanwhile, Donna's 18th birthday party is in full swing at The Woolpack. Bob presents her with a gift - a car. However, shortly after going back inside, the pub's sign blows off its hinges and dents the roof. Rodney and Danny go to the Dingles for cover, where they are having a New Year's celebration. On the farm, Jack and Andy try desperately to get their animals to safety, at which point they are successful. Inside, Katie tends to Robert's cut hand in a passionate clinch. As Tricia reads through the letter, she finally realises how much Marlon loves her and returns to The Woolpack. However, disaster strikes when a nearby tree is struck by lightning, making Tricia stumble back, while another bolt hits The Woolpack roof, causing a window to collapse down on Tricia and sending the chimney to fall through the ceiling and into the packed pub. The pub is evacuated and Diane and Marlon discover Tricia lying under the rubble. Soon enough, the emergency services are called and Tricia is taken to hospital in a helicopter. Marlon follows suit in Diane's car and him, Steph and Alan arrive at the hospital, where the doctor informs them that Tricia has sustained massive internal injuries and is in a critical condition.
Cast
Regular cast
- Louise Appleton - Emily Symons
- Ashley Thomas - John Middleton
- Marlon Dingle - Mark Charnock
- Lisa Dingle - Jane Cox
- Sam Dingle - James Hooton
- Katie Addyman - Sammy Winward
- Robert Sugden - Karl Davies
- Andy Sugden - Kelvin Fletcher
- Jack Sugden - Clive Hornby
- Diane Blackstock - Elizabeth Estensen
- Tricia Dingle - Sheree Murphy
- Bob Hope - Tony Audenshaw
- Rodney Blackstock - Patrick Mower
- Danny Daggert - Cleveland Campbell
- Edna Birch - Shirley Stelfox
- Laurel Potts - Charlotte Bellamy
- Emily Kirk - Kate McGregor
- Ethan Blake - Liam O'Brien
- Zak Dingle - Steve Halliwell
- Shadrach Dingle - Andy Devine
- Charity Tate - Emma Atkins
- Debbie Jones - Charley Webb
- Cain Dingle - Jeff Hordley
- Chas Dingle - Lucy Pargeter
- Alan Turner - Richard Thorp
- Shelley Williams - Carolyn Pickles
- Jarvis Skelton - Richard Moore
- Pearl Ladderbanks - Meg Johnson
- Eric Pollard - Christopher Chittell
- Paddy Kirk - Dominic Brunt
- Donna Windsor - Verity Rushworth
- Chloe Atkinson - Amy Nuttall
- Viv Hope - Deena Payne
- Scott Windsor - Ben Freeman
- Sydney Woolfe - Nathan Gladwell
- Nicola Blackstock - Nicola Wheeler
- Simon Meredith - Dale Meeks
- Zoe Tate - Leah Bracknell
- Steph Stokes - Lorraine Chase
- Len Reynolds - Peter Martin
- Victoria Sugden - Hannah Midgley
- Darren Eden - Luke Tittensor
- Bernice Thomas - Samantha Giles (voice)
Guest cast
- Graham Smith - Ian Kershaw
- Lynn Sargent - Eve Robertson
- Kelvin Cooper - John Finn
- Jim Penn - Vincent Davies
- Nurse Khan - Bina Patel
- Dr. Evans - Malcolm Tomlinson
Notes
- This special hour-long episode was broadcast at the early time of 6.30pm.
- Samantha Giles' appearance was voice only.
- As done with previous special episodes, an extended version of the closing theme was played.
- This episode used special end credits; the background is the village devastated by the storm, with the moon coming out from behind the clouds.
- Angel and Teardrop by Massive Attack is used as incidental music numerous times in this episode.
Commercial releases
This episode was included on the following commercial releases:
- The Best of Emmerdale DVD released by Network in 2007.