Emmerdale spoilers: Cain and Eric grieve the end as health battles consume them

Anyone would think Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) would be over the moon having his partner in crime back home in Emmerdale. But alas, there is a chasm developing between them and it feels worse than when his wife Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) was behind bars.

While Moira has been in prison, Cain has been battling his demons, brought on by his cancer diagnosis. It’s meant he’s struggled to cope with his emotions and day to day life, particularly without Moira by his side. But now that she’s back, things aren’t better.

A sex disaster was the first thing to derail them – Moira managed to get the house to themselves, but Cain felt pressured into sleeping with Moira and ruined the whole evening.

It was mostly driven by his worries for his health – and ability to perform – that meant he had a bit of a freak out.

He had been due to have life saving surgery, but it was cancelled when a sleep-deprived Jacob (Joe-Warren Plant) hit him with his car. That was worrying in itself, meaning Cain risked the cancer developing in the meantime, but a new date has rolled around and he’s not feeling any more ready for it.

In fact, he’s terrified, but Moira is distant with her own struggles as she tries to adapt back to normal life and he’s feeling alone.

Instead of being by his side at the farm, she’s up at what was Butlers, helping Robert (Ryan Hawley) rather than her own husband.

This doesn’t sit well with him, and things do not feel right. Without her soothing words of wisdom, he makes an enormous decision – he wants to cancel the surgery.

He confesses this to best pal Liam (Jonny McPherson), who, worried for his friend, reveals this news to Moira and Chas (Lucy Pargeter). Now it’s a race against time to get him to change his mind.

Cain takes himself to Zak’s grave to contemplate the chaos that has become his life, when Pollard arrives.

He approaches Cain and talks about his own ill health and worries for the future, with his Parkinson’s advancing and the prospect of leaving young Jacob behind having just had a baby.

Emmerdale has had some shocking storylines of late, but Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) calling it quits and heading for life away from the village is the biggest twist of all.

What on Earth could be big enough to make him give up his position as hardman of the Dales?

It’s not his part in Ethan’s hit and run in retribution for Nicky’s (Lewis Cope) injuries. It’s not because of his beef with Caleb (Will Ash) and by association, Ruby (Beth Cordingly). It even has nothing to do with his role in rapist Craig’s death last year.

There’s only one reason Cain would leave his home – for his sons.

Young Kyle has had a tough start in life and in a tragic turn, events from the last couple of years are about to rear their ugly head again.

After accidentally killing Al Chapman, Kyle had to watch as his beloved dad took the fall and was sent to prison.

The truth eventually came out, but Cain lost custody of Kyle to Amy (Natalie Ann Jamieson) as the investigation went on, breaking the young lad’s heart.

When all was concluded, the two were finally reunited, only for Kyle to suffer at the hands of bullies who attacked him over what had happened to his family.

Things have seemingly fully moved on since then and the family have overcome many more trials – including most recently losing Isaac’s beloved lamb Minty and forcing the village to mount a rescue mission.

But the Dingles are survivors and can face anything, or can they?

Cain is distraught to learn that his fragile son is back suffering at the hands of bullies. Furious, Cain makes a huge decision – enough is enough.

Opting to solve the problem without the use of fisticuffs – largely because even Cain wouldn’t take on a bunch of kids – he makes the decision to move his family away from the village for a better future.