BILLY’S GRIEF Moment Coronation Street’s Billy Mayhew is saved from tragic death as Paul ‘returns from the dead’ in emotional scenes

The vicar – played by Daniel Brocklebank – recently lost his beloved husband Paul (Peter Ash) after a battle with motor neurone disease.

On the day of Paul’s funeral, Billy found himself at breaking point – including trying to kiss his ex Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce).

The grieving widower drowned his sorrows and sat outside in freezing cold weather.

However, he was not alone as Paul appeared as an apparition trying to stop Billy from dying.

Peter Ash returned to film new scenes as his deceased character.

Addressing his distraught husband, Paul told Billy: “You never got to say your goodbye.

“You can do it now.”

He added: “I’ll still be with you. Just because we can’t go for a pint anymore doesn’t mean I’m not around.

“You can still talk to me. Tell me what you were going to say, if you’d made it to the hospital.”

Billy replied: “That I love you. That I’ll always love you.

“I know we didn’t get enough time. We weren’t even married a year.

“But in that year, we had more joy that some people get in 50.”

Meanwhile, Bernie (Jane Hazlegrove) received a voicemail from Todd, worried about Billy and didn’t know where he was.

Waking up from a dream about Paul, she had an idea of where to find Billy.

She ultimately found her son-in-law, brought him home and recruited Asha Alahan (Tanisha Gorey) to help make Billy comfortable.

Later, after he had been warmed up, Bernie shared a heartfelt sentiment.

She told Billy: “I’ve got four kids now.

“Apollo, Gemini, Kit — and Billy.”