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Slideshow: Fans enjoy Emmerdale fan club gala weekend

They came from as far as Finland to pay homage to a TV favourite made in Yorkshire.

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Fans travelled from all over the UK and Europe to attend the the official fan club's Emmerdale Gala Weekend, to mark the club 20th anniversary.

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Members met the cast, toured the studios, visited the set near Harewood and even enjoyed a quiz in The Woolpack.

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About 130 fans were also treated to a charity dinner and auction with 21 cast members, including Kelvin Fletcher (Andy Sugden), Chris Chittell (Eric Pollard), Mark Charnock (Marlon Dingle) and Charlotte Bellamy (Laurel Thomas).

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The highlight of the trip was an explosion on the set at Harewood, where the garage was blown up especially for the die-hard fans, including Minna Valkealatiti and Minna Kuusela, who run the Finland branch of the fan club.

Ms Valkealatiti said: "We love Emmerdale, we love coming to Yorkshire and we have made friends here over the years."

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Ms Kuusela added: "We are three years behind, so we have just seen Tom King's murder. We are trying to figure it out."

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The group also planted a tree in the garden of Mill Cottage, the current home of Jimmy King (Nick Miles), Carl King (Tom Lister), Jimmy's girlfriend Nicola De Souza (Nicola Wheeler) and Carl's girlfriend Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter).

Sally Gaden, 38, has been a member of the fan club since it started and met Lisa Woodland, 30, on one of the trips.

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Sally, from Wetherby, said: "When I first joined the club, in the early 1990s, there were some really good storylines and Emmerdale was on twice a week, so it was something to look forward to. Things have changed a bit now but I still love it."

Lisa added: "One of my favourite stars is Claire King. I loved the Tate family. These weekends are a lot of fun."

John Keppy and Shirley Kerrigan posed for pictures behind The Woolpack bar, while Jean Simpson, from London, said she loved Emmerdale because of the scenery, adding that she thought the cast was "marvellous".

Although the fan club trips are annual events, this year's visit was extra-special for the club's founder, Jenny Godfrey.

2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the Emmerdale Club, which Jenny launched with the show's approval in 1990.

Jenny said: "We've got around 1,000 members now and it does make me feel very proud, because good friendships have been formed.


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Thursday 24 May 2012

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