Soap Insight: Fury at the Farm in 'Emmerdale'

Relative Emmerdale newcomer John Barton clashes with teen tearaway Aaron Livesey (Danny Miller) during tonight's episode of the rural soap when he finds the youngster playing with fire in one of the barns.

After John and Andy (Kelvin Fletcher) tease Aaron about fancying Holly (Sophie Powles), John - played by 33-year-old James Thornton - catches Aaron playing with a lighter, having set fire to a bale of straw in a barn at Butler's.

Of how the incident starts, Thornton says: "I think the teasing about Holly touches a nerve with Aaron - he's quite a proud lad and doesn't want people laughing at him. It's difficult with for him - he's not such a bad lad but then he'll do something on impulse and really let himself down and this is on of those incidents."

Having stuck up for Aaron after the Home Farm van crash a few weeks ago, John feels immediately let down by his actions. Thornton continues: "John stuck his neck on the line for Aaron even though the Dingles had stolen the sheep. He's given this lad a chance and he's just gone and done something stupid."

Acting on impulse, John resorts to an old-fashioned clip around the ear in an attempt to put Aaron in his place and before they know what's happening, John drags an enraged Aaron into a barn and locks him inside to reflect on his actions.

"Aaron's really winding him up and being really disrespectful so he just gives him a cuff around the head. Then, Aaron goes for him and he has to wrestle with him - the boy's out of control, so John locks him in the stable to cool off," Thornton explains. "It's good to see John has a limit because he's a nice guy but he's not a pushover. At the end of the day, he's protective over his family and the business he's built up. There's a line and Aaron's crossed it but John's not afraid to stick up for himself."

However, the situation soon spirals when John's wife Moira (Natalie J Robb) hears about her husband's actions. She insists that they release an imprisoned Aaron - and quickly. Returning to the barn, John opens the door only to be jumped by Aaron, who lashes out. Aaron signals a warning to John that their feud is far from over.

Thornton enthuses: "Aaron threatens him but he thinks it's just hot air and this young lad is just angry and mouthing off. But in the back of his mind, he knows the Dingles have a history and thinks it could come back on him. it's Moira who realises voices that concern and warns him not to end up having a big feud with the Dingles."

It's only when the police turn up at the Bartons' to arrest John that he realises that seriousness of his actions. "John can't believe that Aaron's gone to the police because as far as he's concerned, this lad has started a fire in his barn and all he's done is dealt with it in an old-school way by putting him in the stable to cool off."

He continues: "John could have gone and phoned the police but he's not that sort of guy. The fact that Aaron reports him for assault and false imprisonment is absolutely shocking to him. Unfortunately, the police have to deal with it and do everything by the book."

With all his family concerned that he'll be sent to prison, Moira urges her husband to make peace with Aaron and the Dingles.

Thornton adds: "John's such a moral guy and is really straight down the line and so to have to apologise for something he thinks was the right thing to do is horrible for him. But he does it for his family because he realises if he doesn't things could get much worse."

But will Aaron drop the charges and spare John a stint in prison?