Pat Sugden's Car Crash (1986)

In late August 1986, Pat Sugden (Helen Weir) was driving her sister Janie back to the railway station after her visit to Emmerdale Farm. Her husband Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby) was supposed to have driven Janie back, but Pat wanted to do so, despite the fact it was nearing their son Robert Sugden's (Richard Smith) feeding. After dropping Janie safely at Hotten Station, Pat was in a hurry so she first overtook a milk lorry, by which time she was speeding along Hotten Road. She then turned a corner where some sheep were blocking the road having escaped from their field. Pat swerved her car in order not to hit the sheep, but drove off a hillside, where her car rolled down the hill, killing her instantly. The police broke the news to Jack and his mother, Annie Sugden (Sheila Mercier). Jack then broke the news to his children, Jackie (Ian Sharrock) and Sandie Merrick (Jane Hutcheson), who were devastated. Pat's death had an effect on everyone in the Sugden family: Sandie broke down in front of Jack; Jackie was trying to remain strong; and Jack himself fell into a deep depression that took him years to get over. Robert never knew Pat as he was only four months old at the time. Ironically, he would lose his adoptive mother, Sarah Sugden, a decade later in an equally tragic way.