April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) has struck up a friendship with Ross Barton (Michael Parr) in Emmerdale.
The teenage found herself caught in the middle of Ross’ trouble with Jade a few weeks ago, which resulted in her being held over the same building Donna Windsor fell from.
Donna was April’s mum and also Ross’ girlfriend. After the kidnapping ordeal, Ross told April about how her mum died, which left her devastated as she came to realise dad Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) had never told her.
In the aftermath, young April has spiralled. She’s going against her father’s wishes when it comes to seeing Ross, and even found him a place to live by slipping him a key to Tall Trees.
In upcoming episodes, Marlon finds April’s phone and scrolls through her texts. To his horror, he realises April has been trying to buy cannabis.
After spotting Ross sneaking out of Tall Trees, an angry Marlon pins him against the wall and blames him for April’s rebellious streak.
At the end of his tether, Marlon asks a pensive Ross to end his friendship with April.
A while later, April approaches Ross and tries to open up to him. Sadly, Ross remembers Marlon’s words and cruelly shuts April down.
Things get worse for the teen once she learns Marlon was behind Ross’ outburst. Stealing a bottle of wine from the pub, a drunk April makes a show of herself in front of Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw), Brenda Walker (Lesley Dunlop) and Wendy Posner (Susan Cookson).
April then accidentally spills wine over Donna’s memory card. For Marlon, this is very much the final straw. He snaps at April and it leaves her more troubled and alone than ever before.
When Christmas Day arrives, Marlon heads up to April’s bedroom after letting her sleep all morning.
Just as he heads inside though, the situation changes as Marlon finds April’s room completely empty.
‘There’s that moment that I can only imagine, that blank space where she’s supposed to be on that day of all days’, actor Mark Charnock said.
‘It’s not a building horror it’s just like [claps] Full 10. There’s nothing right about that picture, her empty room on that day, no matter what they’ve been through there’s no way that room could or should be empty. And she’s gone. He makes an initial panicky run around the village. We’re at that point where it’s unimaginable horror and it’s instant and full.’
He added: ‘There are search parties that happen almost immediately. Everybody rallies round very quickly. It’s one of those good villages moments where everybody’s differences are set aside completely.
‘There’s a missing kid – let’s all go. Ross goes. There’s a village-wide concern because they all know her really well. Everybody knows each other well and it’s so out of character.’
