Beth (Jeanette Percival)

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emm...judith-barker/


Emmerdale has introduced Lydia Hart's estranged mum and sister in tonight's double bill, as Mandy Dingle's meddling finally solved the mystery of Lydia's mystery benefactor.

Despite Mandy (Lisa Riley) derailing everything by her decision to claim Lydia's (Karen Blick) cash for herself, she redeemed herself in tonight's (Thursday, November 7) episodes after breaking into the solicitor's office and learning that the person who left Lydia the significant sum of money was none other than her estranged mum Agatha Finn.

More digging also unearthed a nearby address and, despite Lydia's initial reservations, she ultimately decided to travel to the property with Mandy and Sam (James Hooton) in the hopes of reconnecting Lydia with her family after they found a letter asking the solicitor to pass on her information.

"Lydia, you need this," Mandy urged.

Unfortunately, things didn't go to plan when the door was answered by a woman called Beth – later revealed to be Agatha's daughter and Lydia's sister – who delivered some bad news.

"Thing is, I'm sorry to have to tell you this," Beth began. "You're too late. Mum died three weeks ago... It came as a shock to us all."

Only, as is often the case in Soapland, there was a bit more to the story, as Beth made it clear that she had no interest in getting to know her long-lost sister before going back inside the house and watching Lydia leave, before it was revealed that Agatha was still alive after all.

"What was all that commotion at the door?" Agatha asked her daughter.

"Just someone wanting to sell raffle tickets," she replied. "Mum, trust me, there was nothing worth winning."

Jeanette Percival plays Lydia's sister Beth, and while she doesn't have too many TV credits to her name just yet, keen-eyed viewers may just recognise her from an episode of The A Word in 2017.

Why was Beth kept by the parents but not Jenny (Lydia)?