The Archers

Lily has major concerns, and Zainab comes to the rescue.

Keira and Eddie are surveying the damaged trees at the Community Orchard the day after the storm. Many trees have been destroyed and there are hundreds of apples to collect before they start to rot. Keira’s glad to have mild injuries, enough to allow her off school for the day. Eddie comments on how the storm is good for the tree surgery business. After half an hour of collecting apples they’ve still not made an impact, so Keira suggests raising an army of apple collectors. As a community, they’ve all been through the mill so maybe making things out of the apples together will help everyone.
Josh joins Ben in sweeping up glass in The Orangery. Lily is sorting insurance, Freddie is holding the fort at Casey Meats and Elizabeth hasn’t left Vince’s side.
Josh reports the huge amount of damage across Ambridge, however Tom’s new super greenhouse has remained intact. Josh isn’t keen to join the group chat Joy has set up to look for her missing cat, Ena. Sporting a nasty bruise, Chelsea joins them to help. She’s hoping for news on Vince. They know he’s conscious but no other update. Ben remembers the noise when the lightning struck the chimney, like a bomb exploding. Chelsea reflects that she might need more work while The Orangery is closed, and Josh and Ben book in for haircuts to keep her busy. Chelsea can’t stop worrying, as Vince took the hit to save her. Why can’t someone tell them what’s going on?

The storm continues into the early evening of Sunday. At Lower Loxley, David approaches Elizabeth with the news of Vince’s accident and that the ambulance can’t get through. Pip and Stella want to help and remember they have the tractor and front loader.
As Chelsea and Josh wait for the ambulance, Chelsea praises unconscious Vince for saving her life by pushing her out of the way of the tree.
As they drive to the accident scene, Elizabeth reveals to David that she fought with Vince on Friday. She’s scared that she won’t get to say goodbye and tell him what he means to her.
Zainab is putting out more lanterns when a crash and screams are heard from The Orangery. Zainab knows her brother, with Keira and Henry, are in there, and rushes off. Later, Harrison finds Zainab crying with relief. The large chimney had crashed through The Orangery glass onto the buffet, but incredibly, no one was hurt. Ben thinks Keira needs a hospital check to make sure there’s no glass in her cuts. Harrison commends Zainab on her calm reaction – she’s been impressive.
Stella and Pip struggle, but eventually manage, to move the falling tree, allowing the ambulance to get through to Vince. As the rain stops, Elizabeth goes off in the ambulance with Vince and David takes Chelsea home. Pip and Stella reflect on their dramatic day. Perhaps they could do their dance at next year’s Fete or Flower and Produce instead. They are so happy to have married each other.

It’s still Sunday and Ben and Ruth are enjoying the buffet and looking forward to the brides’ first dance. Ruth wishes Josh was there to be part of it – he shouldn’t be missing his own sister’s wedding over a girl he’s just met.
Out in the storm, Vince finally regains consciousness encouraged by Chelsea. She doesn’t want to move him, and can’t raise the alarm on either of their phones, which are trapped in the car. Vince is disorientated but Chelsea promises to run to get help. She hears a voice approach – it’s Josh! He phones for help and they reassure Vince that the fire crew and ambulance are on their way. Chelsea urges Josh to unpack his rucksack for layers to cover Vince, and Josh gives Chelsea a coat. Unable to reach anyone at Lower Loxley, Chelsea urges Josh to talk about his travels to keep Vince alert. Josh had wanted to surprise the family but had to be dropped off by a taxi because of all the fallen trees. Chelsea questions how help will get through to Vince?
Harrison is worried that Vince and Chelsea aren’t answering calls in the storm, and Ben and Ruth realise they’ve missed multiple calls from Josh. Ruth calls Josh and raises the alarm with Harrison. As Ruth promises to bring help, the party music is silenced and lights go out at Lower Loxley – there’s been a power cut.
Vince is weakening as Josh and Chelsea try in vain to keep him conscious. Chelsea pleads with him not to die.

At Brookfield bungalow, Chelsea is hurricane-proofing Pip’s hair with extra spray when Stella comes in. The brides admire each other’s beauty – they’ve decided not to follow the bad luck superstitions of not seeing each other before the wedding. David arrives with the tractor decorated with fairy lights and Stella drives Pip to Lower Loxley in the pouring rain.
Clarrie and Eddie are ready to leave when they notice damage to the pole-barn roof. There’s no option but to move the turkeys to the shed a mile away. Once that’s done, they decide not to venture out to the wedding and choose warm baths and an old romantic film instead.
With claps of thunder adding to the wedding atmosphere, Pip and Stella exchange heartfelt vows in Lower Loxley’s Great Dining Room. At the drinks reception, Vince lets them know that the photographer is ready for them, but they’re quite windswept. Chelsea offers to get her make up kit from the bungalow to fix them and Vince offers to drive her.
Vince and Chelsea are held up by helping a lady and her children out in the storm with their car. The brides delay the photos and invite everyone to start the buffet over in The Orangery.
Having helped the lady, the perilous journey worsens for Vince and Chelsea, whose road is blocked by debris, possibly fly-tipped wood. They exit the car into the storm and start to move the wood. A tree cracks and Vince alerts Chelsea. They cry out and the car alarm activates as it crashes down.