Seasons & episodes

Ron asks Mike to be Josh's godfather. Carl gets a shock when he returns to "collect". Mick and Lee negotiate a settlement for Rachel. Jimmy recovers Don's stash of drugs. Leo splits his new trainers, and Marianne arranges for replacements, to Mick's annoyance.

Mick takes back the expensive trainers and wants to ground Leo for a week, but Marianne disagrees. Rachel plays for the soccer team, and is the only goal-scorer. Patricia has to be rushed to hospital, but no-one is around except Bev, who hasn't passed her driving test....... Ron and Mandy try a spot of match-making at Beth's 19th birthday party. Jacqui overhears something she shouldn't, and Carl has a bucket of water thrown over him.

Jimmy starts dealing in drugs at the prison. Sinbad discovers that Carl is setting up in competition for the window round. Marianne feels that, however she treats Leo and Gemma, she can't please Mick. Bev is concerned that Jacqui will tell Ron or DD what she has overheard, and Patricia gives birth to a baby girl, Alice.

Sinbad discovers Carl cleaning the windows on the Close, even Mandy's. The paediatrician confirms that the Farnhams' new baby daughter has Down's Syndrome, and Patricia has doubts about whether she can cope. New grandparents David and Jean try to put their past differences behind them, and Ron, who also has to learn to be a grandparent, dumps Bev.

Max plans to decorate the house before Patricia comes home, but David insists on doing it for him. Sinbad gets up at six o'clock to make an early start on the windows, but ends up getting arrested. Ron tells Jackie he plans to sleep in the storeroom above the Trading Post.

David and Jean want to make up, but David has a small problem. Patricia is disappointed that Max still hasn't visited her again at the hospital. Sinbad tries to sabotage Carl's window-cleaning efforts, and is arrested again. Jackie invites Ron to stay in her spare room.

When Sinbad calls on Jackie for his window money, he discovers that Ron is staying there. Then Bev turns up as well....... Carl is undercutting Sinbad's prices, so David and Max put them both to the test. Jean makes a few surprising discoveries at the social club, and the Farnhams bring baby Alice home.

Jimmy tells Sinbad he is getting an early release, but that he wants to surprise Jackie....... Max and David take Alice out for a walk. Rosie encourages Jean to shake up the over-55's club, and lends her a dartboard. Carl's ladder is removed from under him while he is cleaning an upstairs window, but Sinbad denies responsibility.

When Sarah returns from her night out, Carl tells her he is not giving her any more money, but she threatens to deny him access to Rebecca. Jean tries to reassure David about his problem. Audrey is not impressed by Eddie and Rosie's talk about "Bullseye", Bev decides to go to Greece for a fortnight, and Max can't bring himself to change Alice's nappy.

Max is still avoiding being near Alice, to Patricia's annoyance. Jean is determined to liven up the over-55's club, with bingo. Carl's ladders are stolen. Eddie practises his motorcycle obstacle riding. Jimmy arrives at Jackie's with flowers, but he's not the only one.......

Jean competes with Audrey's slide show by performing aerobic exercises. Carl begins to feel that he is fighting a losing battle. Ron thinks he can move back into Bev's flat, but finds that she has changed the locks. Marianne takes Mick to view a house, and they decide to make on offer on it.

The Banks family visit the Hogfest in Southport, leaving Sarah without a babysitter and Mick furious when she brings Rebecca into the pizza parlour again. Barry and Penny return from Florida, and David sees them kissing.

Jean enlists Penny's help to find a new venue for the over-55's club. Mike has a job interview at the BBC, but hasn't enough experience. Eddie tries to help Sarah get her job back, but Mick refuses. Barry gives Jimmy another chance, and sends Max home to Patricia.

Max and Barry are faced with a surprise applicant for the post of maitre d'. Rosie takes Sarah and Rebecca to New Brighton for the day. Eddie faces rivalry from Joey at Litrotech, and Jean's new over-55's club is a success, although Audrey plans to revive hers too.

David and Audrey do their dance demonstration, but they have a very limited audience. Max can't bring himself to hold Alice. Marianne and Mick find another house they like. Barry receives an enquiry about the salon from a local "businessman", Eddie loses the ballot, and Sarah tells Carl that his interfering mother has made her decide to go home to Reading.

Barry plans to solve the problem of nosey neighbours by inviting them to a housewarming. Garry's father is released from jail, but Mick is worried about whether Carol will he happy about her son going home with him.

When Mick goes to invite Garry to Leo's birthday party, he finds a card school in progress and clashes with Greg. Joey seeks Eddie's help, but Rosie won't allow him to give it. David and Barry are not impressed to learn that the Son of God is staying in the flat with Terry.

Ray brings Emma to apologise to Barry, but Penny insists that he pays her. Simon is released on bail. Greg is annoyed to find that Garry spent another night at Mick's, and wants to continue to stay there. Audrey gives David some tense moments on Jean's outing to Blackpool. Ron moves back into DD's bed.

Barry consults his new PR woman, Patricia, about Penny - and Penny consults Max. When Jacqui returns and finds that Ron has moved back in with DD, she decides to move out. Terry is concerned when Simon leaves the flat to do something alone.......

When Mandy can't pay her loan instalment, Kenny agrees to a postponement in exchange for a favour, and Patricia is amazed when Penny agrees to go out with him. Jacqui and Katie go to inspect "studio flats" which look more like crummy bedsits.

Thomas breaks Patricia's fax machine, she tells him off, and he runs away - but Jimmy, out selling drugs, finds him. Leo discovers where Simon is living, and is sent on a secret mission. Mick asks Mike to look after the pizza parlour while he is on his honeymoon. Jacqui moves into her new bedsit.

Jimmy boasts about his good deed, and claims expenses from Patricia. Penny agrees to stay with Barry, and Ron agrees to stay with DD. But Bev is back from her holiday.......

Barry and Penny baby-sit for Max and Patricia. Mick sees Leo take a can of drink, and follows him into the woods. Beth returns to college, Sinbad is given some gardening work, and Bev reacts angrily when she finds out that Ron has returned to DD and now wants his clothes back.......

Marianne is offered a job in Glasgow, but intends to turn it down without telling Mick. Patricia leaves Alice with Bev while she sees an agent, and Barry and Penny go to look at cars. When Mick leaves for his "honeymoon", Greg moves into his flat. Simon tells Terry he has seen the light, and Jimmy has shrubs to plant for Barry.