Seasons & episodes

The father of a young boy had dreams of his son playing cricket professionally, but unfortunately he doesn't make the local team, Maggie realises it is because he can't see the ball so he needs glasses. The same boy is caught stealing and the next day he arrives at school with bruises. Jo suspects the worse but it turns out he got the bruises playing cricket. The boy feels he's let his dad down and runs away but ends up having an accident. Claude has ""borrowed"" one of Lord Ashfordly's prize horses to breed from, but as they're taking it back Claude spots the little boy lying on the road and takes him to hospital. Nick who has been looking for the missing horse suddenly twigs what's happened when he sees Claude in a horse box. - He says he'll forget it ever went missing if the horse is returned within two hours!

Alf has a serious problem with his gambling debts and is forced to ask Nick about Kate's insurance for a loan. Nick isn't impressed at first but the next day he has a chat with Alf and they arrange a plan to sort it out without Blaketon finding out. The man Alf owes money to (Charlie) has been dealing in thousands of pounds worth of stolen wine, but when the wine is found Alf tells Charlie, that no one else knows where its hidden and he won't tell anyone, in exchange for his IOU's. Nick and Alf set the thieves up and they are caught. Jo asks Nick what he intends to do in the future, and hints that she wants him to go for promotion, Nick says he's happy with what he's doing now. Lord Ashfordly is making Claude act as a game keeper without pay, because he caught him poaching his game birds! He tells Nick: ""It takes a thief to catch a thief Rowan!""

The heads teacher's daughter who has been working as a house keeper for a sick man and his son, is knocked down in a hit and run accident. Maggie calls for help, but ends up becoming the main suspect. Obviously its not her, and Nick says he never suspected her, but Maggie's not so sure. The sick man can't remember anything of the night it happened because he blacked out, and is worried that he could have been responsible. But it turns out it was his son, who drove after the girl when she left that night (he had been her boyfriend) but panicked when he hit her. Nick reconsiders what Jo has said about promotion and asks Blaketon's advice about taking his sergeants exams.

A fire breaks out at Webster's Hotel. Fortunately the fire is discovered in time and damages are limited to a work shop. The manager Ralph Webster is not satisfied that it was caused by faulty wiring and asks PC Rowan to look into it and especially Brian Rogers. When Webster sacks Rogers he gets drunk and threatens a taxi driver. Rogers even points a gun at PC Rowan, who has come to investigate, and barricades himself in his flat. Posh fashion photographer Jansson is scouting for locations and also wants to hire both Gina and Greengrass in addition to his regular

Juke boxes are sold to all the local pubs, but the main supplier makes sure that they are the only ones to buy from. They do this by having two bikers smash up any other machines. Including the one in the Aidensfield Arms that Claude's mate had installed. Nick asks Gina to help with an under cover operation to catch the culprits. Alf goes to his would be son in law's stag night where all his drinks get spiked. He ends up spending the night in a cell because he can't go home to Mrs Ventress! There's still tension between Nick and Jo.

Erol, a man Nick helped out when he was in trouble with the police in London comes to the area.. But when reports of trespassers, and theft come in Blaketon suspects Erol. Nick is annoyed because he thinks Blaketon's assumptions have been made on the fact that Erol is coloured, and takes exception to his attitude. But when more evidence is found Nick is forced to question Erol. Erol is asked to play in the Aidensfield cricket team, and he helps win them a match, but he knows someone from where he used to work is after him, so he makes a run for it but gets cornered. Luckily Nick and Phil arrive in time. Nick's mum is up for a visit, and Nick suspects something's wrong and won't believe her when she denies it. Ruby meets Jo and sets her and Nick up, they agree to give it another go.

Nick gets roped into a quoits match and Claude shows him how to play! Nick meets Jo's parents for the first time, which doesn't go smoothly. Jo hasn't told them Nick has been married before or about Katie, Jo's dad isn't impressed at Nick's lack of ambition professionally, and they make it obvious they disapprove. A coach crash occurs on the moor and Phil is on board. Nick panics when he hears because he thinks Katie and Eileen are on the coach, but it turns out they went by car. One man is killed, and Nick has to tell his wife. Ruby tells Nick that there is something wrong. She says she's found someone who wants to move in with her, but he can be violent when he's in a temper, but she's lonely and wants the company. Nick tells her to get rid of him, and eventually that's what she decides to do.

Greengrass is asked to put on a number of bets at the races for some rather unscrupulous characters. But before he gets the chance he ends up in hospital with a suspected appendix problem. Blaketon is afraid he'll have to retire and is tempted when Arnold, his friend offers him a job. A young boy has been assaulted and Nick suspects Arnold - Blaketon strongly disagrees. Nick investigates and finds evidence to suggest that Arnold could also be guilty of corruption. He ends up having an argument about it with Blaketon, who then storms out. Nick realises he's offended him and goes round to apologise. Meanwhile Blaketon has a chat with Arnold and realises Nick's right.

A wrestling match is the up coming event and everyone is excited about seeing the ‘Masked Marvel' in action. But he's staying with Claude, and Alfred takes exception to his mask and bites him in the leg. A local rugby player wrestles in his place - the Masked Marvel's manager is thrilled that no one noticed the difference with the mask on. He then realises there's no limit to the amount of times he can interchange players. The original ‘Masked Marvel' is upset about being replaced and decides to do something about it. He ends up coming out on top when he wrestles without the mask A mother leaves her children and husband to move in with another man, her son takes it very badly. Later she is found dead alongside a road, and suspicion falls on the husband.

Nick rescues a young woman from a house fire. She soon becomes obsessed with Nick , phoning him at Jo's calling into the station, calling round at the police house and spending time with Katie. When Nick makes it clear he isn't interested, she first plants her bracelet in his uniform and tells Blaketon he's stolen it. She then causes trouble between Nick and Jo when she tries to convince Jo that he and she are having an affair. This makes Jo feel insecure, but Nick convinces Jo that the woman is just making trouble and tells her that he loves her. The woman sees Nick and Jo out one night and attempts to knock Jo down with her car, but she is stopped in time.

Suzanna Temple-Richards moves back into the area after having served time for drugging her husband, but when a woman she knew in prison turns up asking her for money she begins to get worried, and events take a turn for the worst. The woman turns out to be an escaped prisoner who is planning to escape to Spain with her boyfriend. Luckily the police realise what's happening and Suzanna is found tied up in the boot of their car. Eileen finds it hard to accept Jo staying over at the Police House, Nick talks to her about it, and everything is sorted out, she says that she thinks Kate would have liked Jo.

Nick is suspicious of a financial advisor that comes to the area, he seems all too keen to advise people with their money matters including Jo's dad. Many of the locals including Maggie and Blaketon receive anonymous letters. Phil has the job of tracking down the type writer which they were written on - he finds it at Claude's house - but Claude's not guilty as he's had a letter himself, he's embarrassed by its content but shows it to Nick and swears him to secrecy! It turns out that it was a local widow's husband who was responsible.

An old flame of Eileen's turns up. He is a French man named Antonin, who urges Eileen to marry him. She declines because of her commitment to Katie. Nick goes undercover as a harbour worker to catch an escapee prisoner. Phil goes missing during the operation and is found trapped on one of the boats. Claude is buying fish under false means, Nick notices what's going on and advises him to stay away from Whitby - which is where the investigation is taking place.

Aidensfield is hit by a snow storm and a plane makes a crash landing. A couple were on board but the pilot runs from the scene just as his wife goes into labour.. Nick eventually has to deliver the baby himself. He and Jo then take mother and baby back to the cottage, but there are problems because the baby is premature.. The escape pilot turns out to be a wanted man, and its Claude who helps Nick catch him! Phil and Alf get stuck in a snow drift when Alf was meant to be playing Santa, meanwhile Claude is brought in as a replacement - but Alf is rescued in time so two Santas turn up at the nativity play! In the final scene Nick proposes to Jo.

Claude is persuaded to stand bail for a burglar purely as a business arrangement, for which he does finally get his payment from the man's wealthy wife to be. Nick buys Jo an engagement ring, which she shows off down the pub! The engagement celebrations are ruined when Jo breaks the news to her parents. Her Mother strongly objects to the marriage, and makes no secret of how much she disapproves of her daughter marrying a ‘village bobby'.

A long lost friend of Claude's comes to stay called Ellen Highwater, she moves in with him for a brief period. At first Claude takes full advantage of her cooking and cleaning but eventually she takes things too far, especially when she takes some of his money for the shopping and she even suggests Alfred should have a kennel! ‘Sweaty Betty' has a vendetta against Special Constable Cowley, who mysteriously goes missing. Betty is the suspected of having something to do with it but Nick is surprised when she tells him that she has an alibi, in that she was with her ‘boyfriend' on the night in question. Jo has to move out of her cottage when her dad can't renew the lease, but luckily Maggie offers her, her spare room.

An elderly gentleman who has a job involving the security of a company's money but he believes that he won't have the job for much longer, Therefore he tries to fake the theft of the weeks wages to convince his employer that his job is still needed. A young boy is looking after his sick mother almost full time but her condition worsens and she dies. The boy runs away as he'' scared of having to go into a children's home. He ends up at Claude's place who does his best to try and help him. There is a search on for the boy and Maggie convinces Claude to tell Nick where his whereabouts. Unfortunately the boy runs away once more but Nick does manage to catch him. It is then discovered that his mother was actually his Gran, who had brought him up since his real mother was only young when she had him. The police find hi mother and he is happy to go and live with her.

There is an out break of handbag snatches in the area, the police know who the perpetrators are but can't prove anything. Phil decides to take matters into his own hands when his Gran is the next victim. To ensure a conviction he plants her purse on the suspect, and asks Nick to go along with it, he does, but in court the suspect's solicitor finds holes in the evidence and Blaketon realises what's happened. The case is dropped. Blaketon is angry and threatens to report Phil and Nick for the incident but informs them the next day, that just this once he would let the matter drop. Blaketon then turns to Alf for help with the case, and they set up a successful identity parade, which provides enough evidence to make the charges stand up in court. Meanwhile Jo is having problems with her mother disapproving of Nick and Claude is told there's more to a stuffed ram than meets the eye!

Claude is in trouble when two dangerous villains dump a batch of stolen cigarettes on him. Luckily he helps the police and sets the thieves up to be caught. Jo's mother's illness isn't improving and she goes into hospital for tests but later Jo receives the tragic news that her mother has died. A girl and her dad are staying in Aidensfield. She befriends a local boy who turns out to be her brother.

Nick discovers a complicated history behind an aristocratic woman and her former romance with a member of the community. Claude ties to help an Australian couple discover their ancestry.

A little boy is injured in a car accident. The driver becomes involved with the police but Blaketon finds that not everything's straight forward.. Jo's Dad is extremely distresses about the death of his wife. His cap is found by a railway line and is handed in to the police. Nick asks him about it, and he admits he considered taking his life, but the thought of what it would do to Jo brings him back to his senses. Nick is understanding as he knows how terrible was when he lost Kate. It is this conversation that seems to break some barriers between them and he now approves of Nick's relationship with Jo. Claude's brother Cyril is in the area looking for property.

Nick is suspicious when a lay preacher is injured in a shooting accident but eventually uncovers the truth behind the incident. Claude is doing his utmost to make money out of the famous Aidensfield bun for which he has been given what he thinks is the secret recipe to look after! Gina's relationship with Steve is developing but she also receives the bad news that George will never be well enough to come back to the pub.

Lord Ashfordly's sister is in the area but is causing Nick havoc with her drink driving. He handles it tactfully at first until she nearly causes an accident. Patricia is outraged when he brings her into the station, but after Lord Ashfordly had a quiet word with Blaketon he lets her go without charge. Nick is angry at the special treatment she received and later has a row with Jo when she tells him she'd rather go riding with Patricia than spend Saturday with him. Patricia's problems come to a head and she tries to kill herself but is rescued in time. Nick and Jo make up and have an exchanging of apologies and all is well by the end of the episode.

Blaketon is worried about his up coming retirement, he discusses it with Alf and tells him he has decided to apply for an extension of service. There are major thefts from a fur factory which leads to a police chase aboard a train, but only two out of the three men are caught. The other is found later when his son reluctantly leads the police to him. Claude has a metal detector and thinks he's struck gold!