Belle is born on Christmas Day 1998 to Zak (Steve Halliwell) and Lisa Dingle (Jane Cox). Lisa is unaware that she is pregnant until she goes into labour and local vet Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) delivers Belle. When Belle is seven years old, she goes missing after she is left at home under the care of her uncle Shadrach Dingle (Andy Devine), who has fallen asleep. Daz Eden (Luke Tittensor) visits, bringing his pet ferret Spike. Although being warned not to, Belle lets the ferret out of his cage and in a panic, chases him through the fields. As she pursues him, she falls down a mine shaft. Daz is forced to leave the house, and when he finds her, dives in to help her out, but discovers that they are trapped, with the risk of freezing or drowning in the water. Daz manages to keep Belle afloat, until they are eventually rescued by the Dingles and the fire brigade. Belle acts as ring bearer at her cousin Marlon Dingle's (Mark Charnock) wedding to Donna Windsor (Verity Rushworth) and she briefly moves in with Marlon shortly after.