A FORMER Emmerdale star has paid a visit to the mill where the programme used to be filmed.

Actor John Middleton, best known for his portrayal of vicar Ashley Thomas in the soap, visited Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley.

Emmerdale was filmed at the iconic 1912 Mill at Sunny Bank from 1988 to 1999, before moving to a purpose-built village on the Harewood Estate.

John said of his role: “At first, I was told Ashley would just be involved in hatches, matches and despatches, but he grew into an integral part of the series, culminating in his harrowing dementia and death in 2017.

“The cast had some tremendous times here and it was a memorable experience filming in one of Yorkshire’s most historic textile mills.

“When we were filming, it was important to keep the noise down, which wasn’t always easy as we were working in a busy mill complex. So, when filming started, a very loud bell would ring out to ask everyone to be quiet, and that bell is still preserved on site today.”

The visit comes as the revamped mill complex is celebrating ten years of arts and culture.