Belle Dingle reunites with Piper next week (Image: ITV)
‘s Belle Dingle is set for a grim discovery as she goes on a mission to track down her beloved dog Piper.
Belle (played by Eden Taylor-Draper) was devastated when her husband Tom King (James Chase) revealed their pet pooch had died. However, it was yet another cruel scheme from the vet, who has spent the last year mentally and physically abusing Belle.
Tom has used Piper in a number of his disturbing plots, including hitting her with his car and then pretending to have found the dog injured at the roadside.
He later claimed to have done everything possible to save Piper, before breaking the news to Belle that the dog had passed away.
However, after a memorial service for the dog, Tom was seen visiting a house outside the village where he handed over a very much alive Piper to a couple.
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Tom lied and said Piper had died (Image: ITV)
Just before Christmas, Belle begins to speculate that Piper might not be dead after all. Explaining how Belle comes to this theory, Eden exclusively told Express.co.uk: “The main thing is that Belle never actually saw Piper’s body, she never saw what actually happened and was just told.
“She has that in her head and can’t get it out of her head. Tom’s obviously lied about so much so she just thinks, ‘We never saw the evidence’. Yeah we buried a casket but who knows what’s in there.”
Along with Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson), Belle digs up Piper’s casket and makes a “grim” discovery.
The actress said: “It’s not empty. There’s literally just one brick in there which is grim. Belle is determined to open it and Vinny’s like, ‘You don’t know what’s going to be under here. This could be horrific.’ But Belle opens it and sees the brick.
“It’s such a mixture of emotions but I think the main thing is she’s out there so she’s going to find her.”
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Belle and Vinny find a brick inside Piper’s casket (Image: ITV)
Now certain that Piper is alive, Belle turns to Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) for help in finding the dog. However, it is Vinny and Gabby Thomas (Rosie Bentham) who end up tracking Piper down.
Despite Tom deceiving the couple by saying that Piper’s owner was not a good person and that she would be better off with them, Vinny and Gabby explain the situation and the couple agree to give Piper back.
Unbeknownst what her friends are up to, Belle considers visiting Tom in prison to find out where Piper is.
However, whilst visiting her dad’s grave on Christmas Day, Belle is overwhelmed with joy when Piper runs over to her as the two are finally reunited.