Emmerdale fans devastated as Frank Clayton dies rescuing daughter Tracy from the fire after her planned doomed sex romp goes wrong
EMMERDALE viewers were left heartbroken as Frank Clayton died in front of his family after rescuing daughter Tracy from the raging factory fire.
Brave Frank selflessly entered the burning building and freed Tracy from a store room where she was waiting to surprise boyfriend Billy.
After breaking into the room, he wrapped a coat around his daughter and sent her out of the building from which she emerged coughing and spluttering.
She was greeted by sister Vanessa, Megan, factory owner Jai and Kerry and Amy – who accidentally caused the blaze by sabotaging the CCTV.
But heartache was just around the corner.
Frank appeared, walking casually away from the inferno towards the relieved crowd.
However, the joy was shortlived as a large explosion propelled him viciously into the side of a van.
Despite the paramedics’ best efforts, they were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Tracy screamed at them: “Please you’ve got to keep going. Please, you can’t stop, he saved my life.
“Please dad. Don’t go, not like this. I didn’t even say thanks for saving me.”
Vanessa rushed to her, saying: “He’s gone sweetheart, he’s gone.”
The emotional scenes had viewers in tears.
One wrote: “I’m heartbroken after tonight’s emmerdale .”
A third shared: “RIP Frank @emmerdale thanks for a great portrayal @MichaelPraed sad to see Frank leave but all the best in your new ventures #emmerdale #Frank.”
Another lamented: “I must say… totally unexpected .”
Another said: “Tragic Loss- Shockingly painful heart breaking loss of loved one in front of eyes & no one can turn tables to save.”
Earlier today some fans were convinced the soap ‘gave away’ that it was Frank who would die.
Savvy viewers turned amateur detectives and spotted the ominous clue to Frank’s fate in credits for episodes to air after the blaze.
One person mused on Digital Spy’s discussion forum: “Emmerdale have literally just revealed who dies tommorow in the factory fire as next weeks episode doesn’t have one certain character in the show and it’s Frank!!
“I know people saying that he might just not be in that episode but it has been rumoured that he dies trying to save Tracy and that’s why Megan leaves the village.”
Another person moaned that it left them with “zero suspense” as one more said: “It’s defo Frank who dies. They would never give him this much screen time if it wasn’t.”
Frank moved in with Vanessa after leaving prison and began dating Megan.
But cheated on her with Charity Dingle – played by Emma Atkins – when they decided to rob the Whites of Home Farm together.
Actor Michael shot to fame in the 80s playing Robin of Loxley in British TV series Robin of Sherwood, which was a worldwide smash hit.
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Meanwhile, Emmerdale’s twisted fire-starter Kerry will face being questioned by the police over the factory blaze.
Knowing that the fire was caused by her sabotaging the factory CCTV, Kerry encourages her daughter Amy to act normal.
She’s still in total denial about the fact they caused the blaze but later, when the factory safe is opened and the money found to be missing, Kerry – played by Laura Norton in the ITV soap – struggles to contain her guilt.
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