April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) is put in serious danger in Emmerdale this week when she is kidnapped by ghastly villain Jade (Twinnie-Lee Moore).
Jade is convinced that Ross Barton (Michael Parr) has stolen a large some of money from her, and demands payment in exchange for April’s life.
In a horrifying turn of events, April is held over the edge of a car-park, which will be shockingly familiar to long-time Emmerdale viewers.
Ross is haunted by flashbacks when he realises that it’s the same car-park where April’s mum, Donna, died years before.
But who was Donna, and what happened to her?
Who was April’s mum Donna in Emmerdale?
April’s mum was Donna Windsor, played by Verity Rushworth.
The character first hit our screens as the daughter of Viv Hope and Vic Windsor in 1993, then played by actress Sophie Jeffrey, before Verity stepped into the role in 1998.
During her early years on the show, Donna was caught up in the infamous plane crash, lost her father in a violent robbery and was involved in the hit and run of her schoolteacher.
Following Vic’s death, Donna became Bob Hope’s (Tony Audenshaw) stepdaughter when he married Viv, and the pair soon became very close.
In 2006, Donna married Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock), and caused outrage among the Dingle family when she later revealed that she wanted to join the police force.
In 2009, their marriage fell apart after Donna revealed she had been having an affair with co-worker Ross Kirk. Following her split with Marlon, Donna left the village.
Donna returned to Emmerdale in 2014 and shocked Marlon by introducing him to his daughter – four-year-old April.
It was later revealed that Donna was suffering from a form of lung cancer called mesothelioma, and that she only had months left to live. When Marlon discovered this, he was devastated.
It also transpired that Donna had become a bent cop, and she teamed up with Ross Barton to commit a number of crimes, before the pair fell in love and ultimately began a relationship.
What happened to Donna in Emmerdale?
During their crime spree, Donna and Ross burgled the house of Gary North, who was keen for revenge.
In dramatic scenes, the trio had a final showdown on the roof of a car-park.
Terrified that Gary’s associates would hurt Ross and April, Donna took matters into her own hands and pulled Gary over the edge of the car-park, with both of them plummeting to their deaths.
It was officially ruled that Gary had pulled Donna over the edge, but her family later found out from Ross that it had been the other way round, with Donna having known that she didn’t have long left to live.
What else has Verity Rushworth been in?
Away from Emmerdale, Verity has also appeared in episodes of Heartbeat and Doctors.
She has also had a successful stage career, starring in shows such as Hairspray, Chicago and Kinky Boots.
Speaking to Metro about filming their final scenes together, Ross Barton actor Michael Parr revealed that they bonded over their musical theatre backgrounds.
‘She was in musical theatre, I have a musical theatre background, so it was all tears on-screen, and then singing Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat as soon as the cameras cut! We got on like a house on fire.’
