The retired school teacher Celia Hanson has bought a cottage in Aidensfield. But she does not get along with her neighbour Don Foster, who does nothing but intimidate her on purpose, she claims. It peaks when his tractor rolls into her car after he threatened to drive straight through it. Furthermore rumour has it that Foster has killed his wife, who disappeared suddenly a few years earlier. Frank Jarvis suggests to Greengrass that he lend him a field to dump waste, but Greengrass will not settle for percentages only if he can be in charge himself and he decides to go into business himself. When he and David collect the first load David finds a live grenade, which he likes so much he decides to keep it for himself as a special treasure.

Mike and Jackie have received anonymous phone calls every night for two weeks. One morning Mike finds a film wrapping in the garden and later he also finds a bouquet of flowers for Jackie from a fellow solicitor Anthony Smythe on the doorstep. Mike gets jealous and suspects Smythe to be behind the phone calls and confronts him, but Oscar Blaketon and PC Ventress go through some of Blaketon's old files and find a similar case. Smythe's father the old Colonel Smythe has died, and David promises that Bernie Scripps can handle the funeral even though the colonel wanted to be buried with all sorts of military pomp and circumstance and especially a horse driven carriage. Greengrass is dead set against it until he learns that it pays £150. They just need a carriage and of course a suitable, quiet horse.

After a charity concert at Eltering Church it is discovered that two candlesticks have been stolen. When Alf Ventress goes to the church with some flowers he is knocked down and the safe is broken into as well. Prime suspect is Simon Cutler, who has previously been suspected of a break-in. He is also dating the reverend's daughter Karen. Claude Greengrass promises Mrs. Benton to take her champion poodle Harvey to the annual dog competition and she leaves specific instructions on what to do. Champion poodle or not Harvey is first and foremost a dog and he uses the first opportunity to clear out looking for adventure. This situation calls for desperate measures. Poor Alfred!

Gabriel Firth has just retired as an MP and now he hopes for a top position at a prominent local firm. To impress his future employers his wife is arranging a formal retirement party for them and special guests. Diana Firth also invites their new neighbour Jennifer Bennet, but for some reason her husband is not too happy about that. Firth Manor is also the site of the annual bonfire party, but Firth put a stop to it because it is on the same evening as his retirement party. This enrages Judd Holdsworth, who is in charge of the bonfire party. When the flowerbed and later the hall of the manor are vandalized Firth is certain that Holdsworth is behind it. Gina is getting a new boyfriend and this time it is someone, who will not disappoint her, Phil Bellamy. Well, not very often that is.

Who would have thought that Alf Ventress was a commando during the war? Well he was, and his old war buddies come to Aidensfield to celebrate their reunion. Being "a friend of Lord Ashfordly's" Greengrass arranges a bit of fishing and hunting for them on his lordship's grounds. Suddenly there is a shot and the cashier of their widows and orphans fund Matty Lowell is found dead at the forest floor. Lovell had a clash with Charlie Penwarden, the son of their late commanding officer, and Oscar Blaketon finds a half-burned letter from Lovell to Penwarden in which he confesses to fraud. A couple of hours before his death Lovell was seen with muck raking journalist Ralph Drake. Molly Rysinski is dying and she prefers to die at home. But her son Graham disagrees and thinks she should be at the hospital instead. Flinton Blain is complaining that the Aidensfield Arms is too noisy and goes a long way to prove it.

Greengrass befriends a spry old gal at the Aidensfield Arms. She is called Enid and writes crime novels. She is there to celebrate her son's birthday, but does not mind betting a bit of the money for his birthday present on the horses providing Greengrass can come up with the right tip. He does, but suddenly he cannot find his shirt with the winning ticket, because David wrapped it around Alfred when he took the dog to the vet. Enid reports the assault of a woman, and a few hours later a woman matching her description is admitted to hospital. The woman is Rachel Osborne and she is living with friends together with her daughter Lucy. Earlier that day Rachel reported that her room was broken into and PC Bradley is sure the two crimes are connected. Sergeant Craddock is not too happy with Enid hanging around the police station all the time - even though she is his mother!

Two young men try to rob a bookmaker's shop in Malton, but they are frightened off when their gun does not fire. During their escape one of the men, Peter Corcoran, injures his partner Nathaniel Cooper when he test fire the gun in the car. They dump their car in a stream and set out in opposite directions. Cooper hitches a hike with the gipsy - sorry, traveller - Johnny Lee, who is on his way to the horse fair in Aidensfield. Lee hides him and disposes of the gun. The police soon pick up Corcoran, and Lee turns against Cooper when the latter breaks into the Aidensfield Arms against his promise not to do any crimes. Another traveller, Derek Egan, persuades Greengrass to organize a race for travellers and their carriages and allows the old scoundrel to take bets on the outcome in return.

Bernie's old friend Stanley Leroy checks in at the Aidensfield Arms. Leroy is a producer and knows all the stars and they organize a s fan club tour, where people can meet their idols. Edna Bostwick reports an intruder at her neighbour Mrs. Carlton's house, but the house is empty when PC Ventress comes to investigate. The next day nurse Bolton surprises a young boy hiding in the house, but he runs away before she can stop him. He leaves behind a shirt with the logo of a nearby boarding school. PC Bradley checks out the school, but the headmaster is of no help except for the boy's name, Tom Bamber. Another guest at the Aidensfield Arms, John Wilson, is also very interested in the house and the boy claiming to be his house master. PC Bradley thinks something is wrong about Wilson - or Monks as he now introduces himself - and the school.

A motorist crashes at Valley Edge Road and is knocked unconscious. PC Bradley collects his property for safe keeping, but when the motorist Danny Reese is released from hospital a suitcase containing £18,000 is missing. Henry Todd refuses to pay his taxes until the Council meets his demands not to pull down the old pavilion of his old cricket team the original Aidensfield First Eleven. The members of the team all volunteered for military duty during the First World War and all died in the battle of the Somme except Mr. Todd. Just when the bailiffs are about to force entry to his house Todd's taxes are paid by Bernie Scripps, who has received the money anonymously by mail. It seems a modern day Robin Hood is at large when other villagers share the same fate. Meanwhile Oscar Blaketon overhears a suspicious conversation between Reese and his fiancée Jenny Preston.

Gordon Stringer is the new manager of the District Bank in Ashfordly and as a regular Uncle Scrooge he has tightened the reins on both the bank's customers and its employees. Even Greengrass has trouble getting paid for some gardening work he has been doing for Stringer. But he himself gets in need of a lot of money when his son Noel is kidnapped a few days before Christmas. It actually started as a prank of Noel's hiding in the caravan of Jack Dugdale, whose son Paul has provided him with the key. But then it gets serious when Noel disappears from the caravan too, and Jack Dugdale gets under suspicion because Stringer has refused to give him a postponement of his payments.

Sylvia Smith takes care of her ill mother Freda, and too much so if you ask her fiancée Jack Hall. Every time he wants to take her out she declines because of her mother's illness. One night on of Sylvia's brother Tony's fish-and-chips shops is burned down and his wife Gladys is not surprised to learn that it was arson. She is convinced that Jack is the arsonist and the relationship between them does not improve when old Freda Smith dies and leaves everything to Sylvia. Oscar Blaketon gets a visit from his old friend Ursula Donne. She is also an old friend of Lord Ashfordly's and she sticks to him like glue when she meets him again joining him for dinners and to the horse races. She even invites him to join her consortium, which owns hotels all over England. Nurse Bolton gets a job at a hospital and leaves Aidensfield.

Detective Chief Superintendent Tatton asks PC Bradley to harbour Barry Ross, who has turned queen's evidence at the trial against crime boss Michael James Duggan. To keep Duggan from finding Ross the whole matter is to be kept secret and Bradley cannot even tell his friends and colleagues. Not even his superiors. When Ross needs medical attention Jackie sends for Dr. Tricia Summerbee, whom she knows can be trusted. Greengrass has moved to the West Indies to live with his sister, who has won a lot of money and wants to share it with him. Bernie Scripps' stepbrother Vernon arrives in Aidensfield and moves in with David at Greengrass' cottage. Vernon is quite an entrepreneur and he has lots of ideas on how to improve Bernie's business.

Sergeant Craddock attends dancing classes to keep up his dancing skills. He also has something of a soft spot for the dancing teacher Susan Finlay. That friendship is put to the test when her son Richard drives through Aidensfield like a regular Jackie Stewart and refuses to stop when the police want to give him a speeding ticket. Craddock lets him off with a warning, but the following night a little boy is run down by a hit-and-run driver, who may very well be Richard driving in her car. Lord Ashfordly is forced off the road by Richard's reckless driving. The petrol tank of his Bentley gets punctured in the incident and he takes it to Bernie's garage. But Bernie is out of town for a few days and Vernon becomes an instant expert on Bentleys when his lordship needs his car back badly.

Jackie's mother is visiting some friends, Joe and Shona Henderson, who live not far from Aidensfield. She still has not forgiven Jackie for marrying a mere village bobby, and their relationship does not improve when Jackie represents Jacob Fairbrother, who has been injured in an accident at Henderson's quarry. It almost reaches freezing when Shona Henderson is murdered and Fairbrother is suspected of the crime. David sees a flyer for a pop concert, and when Vernon Scripps discovers it is organized by Mickey Willis, the son of and old friend; he spots a business opportunity to cater the entire tour. Phil Bellamy and Gina have been seeing each other a lot lately. In fact they have been seeing each other so much that sergeant Craddock cannot turn a blind eye anymore since romantic relations between a police officer and a pub licensee are illegal.

Glenda Marriot wants her aunt Mrs. Barton to sell her farm and move to an old people's home, but the old lady says she can still manage together with her farmhand Jed Harrison. Glenda tries to take legal steps to make her sell, but somebody must be more intent on getting the old lady out and tries to scare her away. Vernon Scripps' latest idea is hot rods. He wants Bernie to build him one so that he can race it. PC Ventress is showing Special Constable Harold Emney around when he sees Gina leaving the maternal ward at Ashfordly Hospital. Of course he puts two and two together and gets five and before long everybody knows that she is pregnant - everybody that is except Gina and the assumed father Phil Bellamy.

Lord Ashfordly plays host to the Livonian Prince Nikolas and hires Vernon Scripps to bodyguard his distinguished guest. Not an easy task as it turns out because the prince is a great lover of liquor and will rather pay a visit to the Aidensfield Arms than to his lordship's wine cellar. Lord Ashfordly is not the only one awaiting guests. Mike Bradley is expecting his niece Anne and her friend Louise, but the two girls turn out to be very modern teenagers and not the cute little kids he imagined. They are more into parties than trips around the countryside. Dr. Summerbee has given up her job at the hospital in favour of Dr. Bolton's old practice in Aidensfield. Phil has a very special assignment for Bernie Scripps. He intends to propose to Gina and wants Bernie to drive her to a very romantic place. But Bernie has to help his brother and sends David instead. Only when you give directions to David you have to be _very_ specific!

During a dinner at Ashfordly Hall the county High Sheriff Andrew Parkin makes a pass at Susie Cope, who is serving at the dinner. On their way home from the dinner Parkin and his wife Sonia run down the farmer Colin Taylor. The Parkins claim that Mrs. Parkin was driving the car due to him having too much to drink, but PC Bradley is not sure because the driver's seat was too far back for her. Either way the accident may turn out to be a costly affair for the Parkins, because their insurance does not cover her driving the car. Furthermore Susie Cope tells Oscar Blaketon, who is acting as a private investigator on Taylor's behalf, that she is certain that it was the High Sheriff himself who was behind the wheel. Vernon Scripps revives an old idea of his, a marriage bureau.

Gareth North is the son of used car dealer Harry North and relies on his father's wealth to get him out of trouble. And trouble is something he gets into a lot of together with his girlfriend Gail and friend Vince. They attempt an armed robbery, but when PC Bellamy nearly catches them Gareth reports his car, which they used to get away, as stolen. The three of them even go as far as accusing Bellamy of beating up Gareth. Vernon Scripps wins a car in a poker game and decides to open a taxi service. But they do not get any customers, because they share a party line with Edith Fairley, who is always at the phone. She is hiding from her ex-husband Jack Fairley, who has just been released from prison. Bernie Scripps gets an unusual request. Minnie Bateson wants to make funeral arrangements for her husband Sydney. The unusual bit about it is that Sydney Bateson is still alive.

Renalto Pisconi is the manager of a gambling casino with distribution of counterfeit money on the side. Pisconi's father-in-law Reginald White, who owns the casino, is the leader of the counterfeiters with Denise as a third partner. The police get on their tracks through their former bartender John Garrick, who is arrested for using some of the counterfeit money at the Aidensfield Arms. Oscar Blaketon's car is broken beyond repair. Since he always wanted an MG Vernon Scripps gets the idea to sell classic sports car and he knows just the man to supply them. Soon Oscar Blaketon is the proud owner of his dream car, a red hot MG A - with the emphasis on "hot".

Jackie gets a visit from her old friend Caroline. She is surprised to learn that Caroline has a baby. Caroline needs a day off from motherhood and leaves the baby with Jackie and Mike while she goes to York to see some friends. Mike leaves the baby in a pram outside the police house, but when Jackie comes home from an errand the baby is gone. Jackie is not the only one who has a visitor. Lady Patricia visits her brother at Ashfordly Hall together with an old family friend Lord Hal Tadcaster. Well "together" may not be the proper word, because she would rather see him leave than stay. And with good reason since the CID suspects Tadcaster of being a drug dealer and asks the police in Ashfordly to keep an eye on him. The post office in Whitby goes on strike. Vernon Scripps gets the idea to start a courier service. And for once he does the dirty work himself.

Adrian Miller is giving lectures all over the country. After a lecture he is accused of trying to rape Lisa Preston in her room at the hotel where they both are staying. Jackie is appointed as his solicitor, but they do not get along at all - and that is putting it mildly. David is in charge of the household in Greengrass' cottage where both he and Vernon Scripps are staying, but he cannot cope with paying the bills and taxes and Vernon suggests that one of them (meaning David) gets a job. They take on a ploughing job for George Walker, but when they try to start his tractor David finds a body in Walker's car in the barn. The "body" turns out to be a bust which Walker has reported stolen together with some other items also found in the car. Once they have been found Walker has disappeared.

PC Bradley has been sent to investigate a break-in when he witnesses an explosion. It is the car of ambulance driver Frank Metcalfe which exploded when he turned on the ignition, and it looks like attempted murder because he has received anonymous phone calls and a threatening letter a couple of days earlier. The grocer Mr. Dale is attacked under similar circumstances. But they have nothing in common. The only lead is a blue Ford Transit van seen on both occasions and that the attacker has military training and access to the local arsenal. Pete Atkins fits these requirements, but he claims his innocence. Oscar Blaketon also receives anonymous phone calls. Is he the next victim? Rev. Meeks represents a foundation which offers Lord Ashfordly to finance the renovation St. Judes Church on his lands, and his lordship hires Vernon Scripps and David to do work for him. Meeks especially asks them to be on the lookout for a particular baptismal font from the church.

Russian chess champion Leonid Vorodin passes through Ashfordly Hall on his way around Britain and his lordship asks sergeant Craddock for a permanent police presence during his stay. This does not prevent a burglar to break into the manor during the night and steal some of Lord Ashfordly's precious chess sets. Vorodin plans to defect with the aid of his British press secretary Anna Young. But Sychen and Zaikov from the Russian embassy are on to their plans. Greengrass has decided to sell his cottage in Aidensfield in order to buy a house in the Caribbean. While David can move back to his mother Vernon has no place to go and does his best to discourage potential buyers.

Bill Dyer asks PC Bradley to take a closer look at Giles Sutton whom he suspects of rigging the sheep market. Sutton senses what is going to happen and offers Jackie his legal account. He even pays for their meal one night he "spots" Mike and Jackie having dinner at a restaurant. Mike gets angry when he finds out, but Jackie insists Sutton only did it as a gesture to her totally failing to recognize the consequences it may have on her husband. Sutton even leaves a large amount of money in Mike's jacket, and although Mike returns the money he is suspended for taking bribes. But even worse is to come in Mike's and Jackie's private life. Dilys Powell persuades Vernon to go into business with her marketing the spring water from her farm on bottles. Vernon thinks it is an excellent idea and invites Lord Ashfordly as a prospective investor.