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.

Two hooligans break in at major Littlewoods house, and he threatens them with his old army revolver. One of them, Billy Travis, is convinced the old war hero will not shoot and that mistake costs him his life. Littlewood turns himself in to the police claiming he only shot in self-defence, but Sergeant Miller does not quite agree! Harry Taylor is looking dealers to sell his petrol using a new, modern concept and Aunt Peggy promises to persuade Bernie Scripps telling Taylor that Bernie has not got all his marbles. Vicky Cammish goes to see nurse Cassidy because she has a friend who is pregnant. Despite the young girl's denials Carol Cassidy is convinced that the "friend" is Vicky herself.