The walking disaster area PPC Nicholson comes of age and the whole village is planning a surprise party for him. To keep him - and everybody else - out of harms way Sergeant Merton sends him out to check tax discs together with PC Bellamy. Jimmy Sutton is suspected to be involved in an armed robbery and the Ashfordly police are asked to check on his whereabouts, but neither his mother nor his wife Lesley have heard from him. PC Bellamy stumbles across the robbers hiding out in the woods, and when he is injured PPC Nicholson offers to be their hostage instead. A heroic action with tragic consequences for him. Lord Ashfordly is playing host to a party of American veterans from World War II. Vernon Scripps persuades him to let the local brass band to be responsible for the entertainment. This is a bad idea because the band leader George Sugden does not like Americans and especially not this lot.

Oscar Blaketon has organized for PC Crane to take a group of troubled youths on a hike across the moors for one day. At the last moment they get an additional participant Carl Laxton, who is the cousin of Geoff, one of the other participants on the trip. But Laxton may have an ulterior motive to go on the trip. Of course Steve Crane's mother chooses that moment to pay her son another and more permanent visit by the looks of it. She has even got a job as assistant librarian under the supervision of Joyce Jowett. Needless to say they do not hit it off. Mr. Shahrishi is the leader of a sect which has just lost the place they were staying in, and while he enjoys the comfort of the Aidensfield Arms his followers must make do with a clearing in the forest, and he does not get on with anybody. He is on the lookout for at new place to stay, which gives Vernon Scripps an idea. At first Lord Ashfordly turns him down, but then changes his mind. Not a wise move on his part.