Emmerdale’s murder scene on Thursday night’s double episode has sparked more than 70 complaints to broadcasting watchdog Ofcom.

Ex-convict Gerry Roberts (Shaun Thomas) died at the hands of Lachlan White (Thomas Atkinson) who lured him to a B&B so that its roof collapses on him, in the ITV soap.

When he did not die instantly while trapped under falling debris, Lachlan dropped a large stone on him to kill him.

Ofcom said it was “assessing” the 74 complaints it received “before deciding whether or not to investigate”.

It comes after actor Thomas said that filming the death scene took days to complete and that he was upset after finding out his character would be killed off.

“I was only ever meant to come here for the two episodes in the prison with Lachlan and then I ended up staying here for a year and a half,” he said.

“So I really got used to being around everybody, made a connection with everybody, and then to be told that was going to come to an end, it was pretty upsetting.”