PPC Nicholson responds to a call about a break-in at the Shields Carpet Factory only to find the manager Trevor Shields "working late" with his secretary Maureen Felton. To get even Shields fires the works manager Neville Sawyer, and when an accident happens at the factory Shields blames Sawyer for that as well. But the safety records speak differently and the factory is closed. Vernon Scripps suggests to the local Women's Institute that they organize a beauty pageant, but is immediately opposed by Joyce Jowett who finds the idea revolting. When it is decided to go forward anyway Mrs. Jowett tries to stop it by notifying the police that the pageant is indecent. But Sergeant Craddock will not do anything because it is not illegal. That does not stop the virago however.

Dirty Len Fairchild has died if of what seems to be tetanus, but turns out to be strychnine poisoning. Celia Beresford is in charge of the Ashfordly Rotary Club's annual old folks' outing to Whitby. She does not like that Vernon Scripps is away and David has to drive the old people and hijacks Oscar Blaketon to assist them. Shortly after she visits her father Fred Caldwell to "persuade" him to go on the outing her dog dies with the same symptoms as Dirty Len. It had been strolling on the Kirkby farm, where Len was a hired help. Sergeant Merton searches the Kirkby farm for the poison, but PC Ventress recalls another incident involving Fred Caldwell some years earlier. Caldwell claims he got rid of the strychnine then though. Then Celia's daughter Amanda gets ill on Caldwell's farm.