Belle is offered a job by Katie Sugden (Sammy Winward) on her new farm and Belle accepts. Belle's behaviour worsens and when Katie witnesses Belle talking to an imaginary Gemma, Belle fights Katie and bites her arm. Belle locks herself in Katie's car and attempts to run down Zak. Belle tells Zak and Lisa that she has been hearing Gemma's voice since leaving the young offender's institute and she is referred to a psychiatrist. Belle later discovers that Katie has died and she believes that she was responsible for her death. Belle tries to kill herself, but is saved by her half-brother Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley). She is sectioned into a psychiatric unit until she recovers and returns home to her family.