Acid attack shock for Emmerdale

Ashley Thomas battling dementia, Holly Barton’s death after a heroin overdose, and Rhona Goskirk reporting Pierce Harris for rape.

Emmerdale’s executive producer Iain Macleod has said: “Emmerdale, week on week, continues to be really dramatic.”

The soap has beaten Eastenders and Coronation Street to top telly awards and regularly beats Eastenders in the ratings war.

The idea comes as London, in particular, has seen a rise in acid attacks, with cases more than doubling from fewer than 200 in 2014 to 431 in 2016. The West Midlands and Essex have also seen a sharp rise in acid attacks.

halina.watts@sundaymirror.co.uk