Hostilities between local sheep rustlers and farmer Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) in Emmerdale took a shock turn tonight (20th February) when her surprisingly jittery ex-husband Cain (Jeff Hordley) accidentally shot his son Nate (Jurell Carter) trying to protect her.

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Cain, who was meant to be disposing of the hand-gun which belonged to Harriet Finch’s partner Will Taylor (Dean Andrews), raced back to Butler’s Farm in the dark after a call from half-sister Chas warned him that Moira was in danger.

The threat to Moira’s life has been building ever since she confronted the brazen rustlers with a shotgun. This week they turned up the heat with attacks on two other farms leaving fields of slaughtered sheep in their wake.

Cain went to warn his ex-wife earlier in the day insisting that he was just there to check that the kids were safe. But when he and Moira heard a banging noise in one of the outer buildings Cain drew his pistol, looking like he was ready to take over from Daniel Craig, and went to investigate.

Cain Dingle gun 3

After the shooting Moira packed Cain off with Nate in the ambulance while she (hopefully) got rid of the firearm. She then joined him at the hospital as they tried to get their story straight both for the police and for Nate’s deeply suspicious mum, Cara (Carryl Thomas).

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Neither looked convinced. Once the single bullet had been removed from Nate’s abdomen the police queried why the rustlers would be using a hand-gun. Whilst Cara called Cain’s bluff by checking his nervous reaction when she told him their son had regained consciousness.

The fact that it was only 24 hours since Cain threatened to kill Nate in front of a crowded pub of witnesses at The Woolpack was wasted on neither of them.

A nurse revealed that there had been complications from internal bleeding so Nate’s not out of the woods yet. For Cain though it’s an interesting conundrum. Nate might shop him but he might also cover for him.

Could shooting his son finally be the thing that brings the pair of them together?

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