A flasher is spotted on Elsinby Moor and when Nick Rowan goes to investigate he is stopped by the flasher himself, Joe Duffy, a shoes salesman who has been held up at gun point and robbed of his van and clothes. Lord Ashfordly's arrogant son Rupert is home for a visit and Rowan thinks he may be the perpetrator. Anyway Master Rupert is using his position to make everybody else's life miserable. Especially Nick Rowan's when Rowan arrests him for drunk driving. But they have to drop the charges when Rowan fails to contact his wife in time. She is the only doctor in Aidensfield who can perform the required medical test now that Alex Ferrenby has retired. Young Ashfordly may also be the father of the child Julie Neagle is expecting. At least her father thinks so and confronts him.

Frank Milner has recently lost his grandchild Claire and blames Nick Rowan for her death. He goes to Aidensfield to get back at Rowan by making him lose somebody he loves. Sergeant Blaketon spots another chance to get Greengrass behind bars when the old scoundrel is spotted trying to get into captain Braithwaite's barn. But Greengrass has been asked to clear out the barn and when he an Rowan take a look around they discover the pieces of an old car. Greengrass thinks he has made the deal of his lifetime when he sells the pieces to Rowan for £25, but is not quite as happy when he learns the true value of the wreck.

Masked and armed robbers assault George Ward at the Aidensfield Arms shortly after closing time locking him, Greengrass and PC Rowan up in the basement of the pub while they get away. Apparently Greengrass has noticed something about the robbers, but he is not particularly eager to talk. His information leads to Alec Robinson, but he has left his family for another woman - or at least so his wife Nell and two daughters say.

When foot-and-mouth disease breaks out at Reg Manston's farm the whole area is put on the alert, and it is hard for the old farmer to see his life's work destroyed. Good news on the other hand for the customer's of the Aidensfield Arms. George's beautiful 18-year old niece Gina arrives in Aidensfield to help him out in the pub during his illness.

Army sergeant Nichols is a real bastard. Especially towards the black private Ken Marston. During a survival exercise on the moors Nichols starts shooting at Marston who jumps him in self-defense. The fight ends with Nichols falling off a rock and Marston makes a run for it believing he has killed his superior. He goes to Aidensfield to see an old friend Tom Sandford and befriends Tom's son Daniel. PC Rowan gets on his case when he breaks into a farm. Meanwhile the Sandfords are in trouble because Tom has died and the social services think his widow Helen is unstable and unable to take care of Daniel.

Rosie Tiniswood tries to kill herself, but is rescued by Kate Rowan at the last minute. Not that she is grateful though. In fact she blames the world of everything and claims that her husband is in jail for something he did not do. Oddly enough Rowan believes her story and looks into the case much to sergeant Blaketon's displeasure. Rowan especially wonders why his predecessor legendary Rowley Carsons retired after immediately after the case though still in his forties and his file has gone missing. PC Phil Bellamy is getting married, but is seriously assaulted during his bachelor party at the Aidensfield Arms. Luckily Gina and Greengrass got a good look at the assailant.

There has been a series of bank robberies all over North Riding, and the manager of the Northern Provincial is convinced his bank is next. He has spotted a mysterious woman hanging about for a couple of days. PC Rowan and PC Bellamy follow her to her hotel after another observation trip, but shortly after the mysterious woman moves in at the Aidensfield Arms. Phil is arranging a talent competition for his football club, and Greengrass is counting on making a kill taking bets on the outcome. To improve his good fortune he persuades Gina to get some of her friends from Liverpool to enter.

Marjorie Doubleday is convinced that her daughter-in-law is a bad mother. When the baby is abducted from its pram outside the Doubleday's toy store suspicion falls on a group of hippies who has taken over the abandoned Featherstone Hall and has had a clash with Mrs. Doubleday. At the same time Graham Collins reports his wife Sarah missing. Sarah desperately wants to have a baby, but cannot conceive and they have had argument about it. Greengrass is training his new race horse on High Street in Aidensfield and Blaketon wants him stopped. That is easier said than done.

The assistant chief constable of North Riding is visiting Ashfordly Hall to hunt and sergeant Blaketon wants the police station to be in tiptop order for the event. A series of small break-ins in Aidensfield is therefore the last thing he wants. And when all the 350 birds shot during hunt is stolen he wants that even less. But the usual suspect Greengrass claims his innocence and Lord Ashfordly wants Blaketon to scale down the inquiry not to embarrass any of his guests. Young Susan Rawlings is rushed to the hospital and it turns out she has had an illegal abortion.

A big amusement park is visiting Aidensfield for the annual fair. Greengrass buys a couple of paintings from two men working at the fair ground and tries to sell them to Alex Ferrenby who believes them to be worth a lot more than the £20 Greengrass is asking for them. He is right! 5-year old Brian Currie who is camping out with his parents at Mrs. Plummer's camp site goes missing. Claire Mercer, a patient of Kate's, suspects her son Michael has something to do with it.