This article contains spoilers for tonight’s episode of Emmerdale, which airs at 7.30pm on ITV1 but is available to stream now on ITVX.

A worrying discovery in April Windsor’s (Amelia Flanagan) bedroom has sparked new fear in dad Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock).

The Emmerdale legend had a horrific Christmas when he discovered that April had gone missing. The last we saw of her was when she climbed into the back of an unknown car.

The teenager had found herself caught in the middle of Ross Barton’s (Michael Parr) trouble with gangster Jade, which resulted in her being held over the same building that her mother, Donna Windsor fell from in 2014.

Ross was entwined in an illegal fighting and gambling ring that had been organised by Jade, and after owing her a sum of money, she kidnapped April.

In the aftermath, the youngster’s behaviour spiralled, going against her father’s wishes when it comes to seeing Ross and stealing alcohol from The Woolpack.

Last week, Marlon confronted Jade under the impression that she was once again responsible for April’s vanishing.

She was furious to be accused of such a crime and insisted that she had no knowledge of April’s whereabouts. She added that he was playing a dangerous game by accusing her.

Rhona watches in horror as April gets drunk in Emmerdale

April disappeared on Christmas Day (Picture: ITV)
Marlon, full of desperation, picked up a metal pipe and threatened Jade and her cronies – own up, or he would attack.

Just as things were about to escalate further, the police arrived to arrest her for organising the underground gambling, saying that Marlon almost jeopardised their sting.

Still no further forward as to where his daughter was, he returned home and broke down.

In tonight’s episode, family liaison officer Anna (Rhea Bailey) arrived at Smithy Cottage and asked if the police could search the house in order to find more clues.

The whole village were still out in force searching for April, with her grandfather Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw) physically exhausted and Ross blaming himself.

Marlon looks devastated in Emmerdale

Marlon thinks he’s failed as a parent (Picture: ITV)
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Anna asked Marlon, Rhona (Zoe Henry) and Mary (Louise Jameson) if they’d noticed any cash missing – and sure enough, their tin of change was £100 short.

It became clear that April had planned to leave the village, and wasn’t taken. Whilst Rhona hoped this would give Marlon peace of mind, it did quite the opposite and his mental state worsened.

To make matters worse, police then found contraceptive pills in her bedroom, and some had been taken. They wondered if she’d been talking to a boy online and had left to be with him.

Will April ever return home?