Episode 5528 (10th February 2010)

==Plot==
Thomas and Anya mask their disappointment when Carl tells them that they're going to stay with their aunt for a while. When he drops them off at the bus stop for their first day at school, they don't want to go and suspecting that their dad doesn't care either way - they decide to skive off. Later, Chas informs Carl that she saw the children hanging around the factory. He's annoyed at being disturbed but heads out to search for them. Meanwhile, the kids are running through the fields behind Butlers and end up covered in mud. When they finally show up on the doorstep, Carl tells them that he's not angry, just disappointed. When Anya complains of a sore leg and a rash, Carl's convinced that it's from nettles in the fields, so quickly dismisses her complaints. Later that night, however, Thomas panics as Anya's rash begins to spread. Carl's alarmed to see Thomas has the rash, too, and races them to hospital. The doctors are concerned by their symptoms and as the nurse leads them to an isolated ward, they're warned that their suspected disease - Meningococcal - is highly contagious and dangerous. Nicola and Jimmy are terrified that Angelica's also been exposed and Carl despairs that his children are in mortal danger because of his neglect. Filled with guilt and terror, he tells Chas that he'll never forgive himself if something happens to them. Elsewhere, Nathan and Natasha are at their wits' end with Maisie as she continues to binge drink. When Diane refuses to serve her, Maisie goes into town alone and ends up having a drunken one-night stand with a stranger she meets in a bar.
==Cast==
===Regular cast===
*Carl King - Tom Lister
*Chas Dingle - Lucy Pargeter
*Maisie Wylde - Alice Coulthard
*Will Wylde - Oscar Lloyd
*Nathan Wylde - Lyndon Ogbourne
*Eric Pollard - Christopher Chittell
*Val Pollard - Charlie Hardwick
*Sam Dingle - James Hooton
*Samson Dingle - Sam Hall (uncredited)
*David Metcalfe - Matthew Wolfenden
*Scarlett Nicholls - Kelsey-Beth Crossley
*Jimmy King - Nick Miles
*Adam Barton - Adam Thomas
*John Barton - James Thornton
*Viv Hope - Deena Payne
*Bob Hope - Tony Audenshaw
*Terry Woods - Billy Hartman
*Gennie Walker - Sian Reese-Williams
*Brenda Walker - Lesley Dunlop
*Jamie Hope - Alex Carter
*Natasha Wylde - Amanda Donohoe
*Nikhil Sharma - Rik Makarem
*Moira Barton - Natalie J Robb
*Diane Sugden - Elizabeth Estensen
*Katie Sugden - Sammy Winward
*Ryan Lamb - James Sutton
*Olena Petrovich - Carolin Stoltz
*Nicola De Souza - Nicola Wheeler
*Hannah Barton - Grace Cassidy
*Angelica King - Rebecca Bakes (uncredited)
===Guest cast===
*Anya King - Millie Archer
*Thomas King - Connor Hill
*Dr Morley - Victoria Elliott
*Man - Ronnie Pye
==Locations==
*Mill Cottage - Living room, kitchen, driveway and dining room
*Home Farm - Kitchen
*Farrers Barn - Living room/kitchen
*Village Store, Post Office & Off-Licence - Shop floor
*Hotten Road
*Café Hope - Café
*Pear Tree Cottage - Emmerdale Haulage office
*Field
*The Grange - Dining room
*Butlers Farm - Farmhouse (John & Moira's room)
*Hotten General Hospital - Reception and Thomas & Anya's room
*Hotten street
==Notes==
*Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 7,750,000 viewers (17th place).
Category:2010 episodes
Category:Emmerdale episodes