The grave of Emmerdale legend is dug up – with the body missing

There won’t be a dry eye in the Emmerdale-watching land at Christmas, as Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper) gets a joyous reunion with a dear f🅺riend sh🌺e thought she would never see again.  

Back in August, Belle’s abusive husband Tom King (James Chase) carried out one of his most sick and cruel acts, when he pretended th🐻at Belle’s dog Piper had been in a road 🎃accident and subsequently died.  

Viewers had taken the adorable little dog to their hearts, too, so there was massive dismay as we saw Tom taꦓking the dog and giving her away to some strangers, telling them that Piper’s owner had been neglectful to her. 

Back in the village, Tom told Belle that he’d had to put Piper to sleep because her injuries were too severe. Belle, who was devastated, knew that he was to blame, but at that point nobody else belie♊ved her. 

In upcoming episodes Belle ♓makes a realisation, as Eden Taylor-Draper told us. 

‘She never actually saw Piper’s body, she never reall🥃y saꦫw what actually happened, she was just told,’ she explained.  

‘I think she has that in her head and she can’t get it out of her head. And Tom꧋’s obviously lied about so much, so she just thinks, “We never saw the evidence. We buried a casket, but who knows what’s in there?”’ 

Determined to find ou꧒t the truth, Belle and Vinny (Bradley Johnson) dig up Piper’s grave and open t𓆏he coffin. 

‘It’s not empty, there’s literally just one brick in there, which is grim,’ Eden revealed. ‘She opens it and sees the brick and it’s such a mixture of emotions, but the ma♚in🌌 thing is, she’s out there so I’m going to find her.’ 

💙This proves difficult, but eventually Vinny and Gabby (Rosie Bentham) track the dog’s new owners down and explain what Tom did. The new owners agree tha🐠t Piper is Belle’s dog and she should be returned. 

Eden described꧟ the emotional moment that Belle sees her d🦩og again. 

‘She is by her dad’s grave having a moment then all of a sudden 🍬you just see Piper running up with a bow on. It was so cute! It was like, ♕“This is the best day!” It was really nice, especially it being Christmas. I think it was lovely and it felt like a real treat. For Belle it’s obviously huge.’ 

As Belle begins the process of healing from the ordeal she’s been through with Tom, Eden reflected that Piper will be an important part🅠 of the story going forward. 

‘Everyone’s so passionate that this story doesn’t end when th🍒is side of the story ends. There’s a whole other w෴orld to explore with it. I guess this is the side that you don’t often see, the aftermath and the healing. I’m really proud that it’s something they’re so focused on getting right as well. 

‘100% I think Piper will be a part of that journey. She’s been a🗹sಞ much a part of it as me and James. It has been overwhelming how much everyone loves Piper.’  

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