Russian chess champion Leonid Vorodin passes through Ashfordly Hall on his way around Britain and his lordship asks sergeant Craddock for a permanent police presence during his stay. This does not prevent a burglar to break into the manor during the night and steal some of Lord Ashfordly's precious chess sets. Vorodin plans to defect with the aid of his British press secretary Anna Young. But Sychen and Zaikov from the Russian embassy are on to their plans. Greengrass has decided to sell his cottage in Aidensfield in order to buy a house in the Caribbean. While David can move back to his mother Vernon has no place to go and does his best to discourage potential buyers.

The Buxton Defence

Derek Fowlds

William Simons

Tricia Penrose

Mark Jordon

Fiona Dolman

Philip Franks

Noreen Kershaw

Brian Finch

Gary Westmoreland

Still Water

Consequences

Celia Hanson has just retired as teacher and lives now in a small house in the countryside. Her nearest neighbor, a Long time farmer has absolutely no understanding for her need of peace and quiet. As Blaketon tries to mediate, things get even worse.

Chalk and Cheese

David makes Bernie Scripps and Greengrass arrange  a military funeral, and Jackie Bradley is the object  of an unknown individual's phone calls at night and day, and the intense use of a photo camera.

Smile For the Camera

As Edith Benton has to leave for a family visit Greengrass and  David get the job to lead her poodle through the Ashfordly Championship Dog Show. A couple of valuable candlesticks are stolen from the church and The Reverend's daughter is in love with a young man that her mother is hostile to.

Dog Collar

A retiring politician returns to his estate with his wife only to find out that his long time lover has moved in as neighbor and is now on friendly terms with his wife. He refuses to let a village party take place on his land even if it is an old tradition. Bellamy invites Gina to the movie.

Gabriel's Last Stand

Very much to Blaketon's surprise some old Commando veterans arrives at Aidensfield Arms to salute Ventress, but a son to a fallen hero joins the party. An inventor who wants peace and quiet complains to the police of noise from the pub, and Greengrass most unwillingly experiences an alternative 'fishing method'.

War Stories

Craddock's mother observes an assault through binoculars but the victim dissappears. A strange theft takes place in a married couple's home as a guest is the only victim. Greengrass has a hot tip on a horse race.

The Fool on the Hill

Nat Coopeer is a 'traveller'. He and a mate tries unsuccessfully an armed robbery and they soon leave each other on their own. Greengrass gets involved in organizing horse races on open country roads.

The Traveller

Sue Driscoll surprises Bellamy with a sudden visit. Stanley Leroy and John Wilson are mystery guests at Aidensfield Arms.   Edna, a psychic, warns that something terrible is going to happen and a headmaster is evasive about a boy's disappearance.

Child's Play

A local cricket team volunteered at World War I and now their sole survivor of the battles refuses to pay taxes because their old club's house is to be demolished. A car is crashed in a single accident and lot of money disappears from the car, an soon a 'Robin Hood' helps the War Veteran and his mates' families.

Fallen Heroes

A new bank manager is very unwilling to lend out money and his son moves away from home in sympathy with the empty-handed. Bellamy and Gina prepare expensive luxury as Christmas gifts to each other.

Cold Turkey

Maggie Bolton has returned from her vacation with Graham Rysinsky. She helps Sylvia in taking care of her very sick mother. Jack, who wants to marry Sylvia, is very dissatisfied with her brother, Tony, who owns 3 'Smith's and Chips'. When one of  them is put on fire Jack is suspected.

Sylvia's Mother

Greengrass has a sister in the West Indies. She has won very much money and she has invited him to a very long stay there. He has leaft his property and Alfred to David's protection.   Vernon Scripps, Bernie's stepbrother, arrives, but Bernie prefers Vernon's heels better than his toes. However, Vernon grabs another possibility to stay in Aidensfield.   The Bradleys get a dangerous and secret task.

Safe House

Craddock dates his dance teacher at the 'North Riding Police Dance' but her son is a ruthless fast speed driver. Bernie is off to Northallerton to comfort a widow, so Vernon and David takes the job to repair Lord Ashfordly's Bentley.

Blind Justice

Edwina Lambert visits her daughter, Jackie, but she can't hide she's more keen  on seeing some of her old friends, the Henderson's who as employers neglect security duties. Vernon contacts a promoter of a pop concert to get a foot into catering.

Home Truths

Glenda Marriot wants her aunt Mrs. Barton to sell her farm and move to an old people's home, but the old lady says she can still manage together with her farmhand Jed Harrison. Glenda tries to take legal steps to make her sell, but somebody must be more intent on getting the old lady out and tries to scare her away. Vernon Scripps' latest idea is hot rods. He wants Bernie to build him one so that he can race it. PC Ventress is showing Special Constable Harold Emney around when he sees Gina leaving the maternal ward at Ashfordly Hospital. Of course he puts two and two together and gets five and before long everybody knows that she is pregnant - everybody that is except Gina and the assumed father Phil Bellamy.

Not So Special

Lord Ashfordly plays host to the Livonian Prince Nikolas and hires Vernon Scripps to bodyguard his distinguished guest. Not an easy task as it turns out because the prince is a great lover of liquor and will rather pay a visit to the Aidensfield Arms than to his lordship's wine cellar. Lord Ashfordly is not the only one awaiting guests. Mike Bradley is expecting his niece Anne and her friend Louise, but the two girls turn out to be very modern teenagers and not the cute little kids he imagined. They are more into parties than trips around the countryside. Dr. Summerbee has given up her job at the hospital in favour of Dr. Bolton's old practice in Aidensfield. Phil has a very special assignment for Bernie Scripps. He intends to propose to Gina and wants Bernie to drive her to a very romantic place. But Bernie has to help his brother and sends David instead. Only when you give directions to David you have to be _very_ specific!

The Long Weekend

During a dinner at Ashfordly Hall the county High Sheriff Andrew Parkin makes a pass at Susie Cope, who is serving at the dinner. On their way home from the dinner Parkin and his wife Sonia run down the farmer Colin Taylor. The Parkins claim that Mrs. Parkin was driving the car due to him having too much to drink, but PC Bradley is not sure because the driver's seat was too far back for her. Either way the accident may turn out to be a costly affair for the Parkins, because their insurance does not cover her driving the car. Furthermore Susie Cope tells Oscar Blaketon, who is acting as a private investigator on Taylor's behalf, that she is certain that it was the High Sheriff himself who was behind the wheel. Vernon Scripps revives an old idea of his, a marriage bureau.

Who's Who?

Gareth North is the son of used car dealer Harry North and relies on his father's wealth to get him out of trouble. And trouble is something he gets into a lot of together with his girlfriend Gail and friend Vince. They attempt an armed robbery, but when PC Bellamy nearly catches them Gareth reports his car, which they used to get away, as stolen. The three of them even go as far as accusing Bellamy of beating up Gareth. Vernon Scripps wins a car in a poker game and decides to open a taxi service. But they do not get any customers, because they share a party line with Edith Fairley, who is always at the phone. She is hiding from her ex-husband Jack Fairley, who has just been released from prison. Bernie Scripps gets an unusual request. Minnie Bateson wants to make funeral arrangements for her husband Sydney. The unusual bit about it is that Sydney Bateson is still alive.

Gin a Body, Meet a Body

Renalto Pisconi is the manager of a gambling casino with distribution of counterfeit money on the side. Pisconi's father-in-law Reginald White, who owns the casino, is the leader of the counterfeiters with Denise as a third partner. The police get on their tracks through their former bartender John Garrick, who is arrested for using some of the counterfeit money at the Aidensfield Arms. Oscar Blaketon's car is broken beyond repair. Since he always wanted an MG Vernon Scripps gets the idea to sell classic sports car and he knows just the man to supply them. Soon Oscar Blaketon is the proud owner of his dream car, a red hot MG A - with the emphasis on "hot".

Killing Me Softly

Jackie gets a visit from her old friend Caroline. She is surprised to learn that Caroline has a baby. Caroline needs a day off from motherhood and leaves the baby with Jackie and Mike while she goes to York to see some friends. Mike leaves the baby in a pram outside the police house, but when Jackie comes home from an errand the baby is gone. Jackie is not the only one who has a visitor. Lady Patricia visits her brother at Ashfordly Hall together with an old family friend Lord Hal Tadcaster. Well "together" may not be the proper word, because she would rather see him leave than stay. And with good reason since the CID suspects Tadcaster of being a drug dealer and asks the police in Ashfordly to keep an eye on him. The post office in Whitby goes on strike. Vernon Scripps gets the idea to start a courier service. And for once he does the dirty work himself.

Unchained Melody

Adrian Miller is giving lectures all over the country. After a lecture he is accused of trying to rape Lisa Preston in her room at the hotel where they both are staying. Jackie is appointed as his solicitor, but they do not get along at all - and that is putting it mildly. David is in charge of the household in Greengrass' cottage where both he and Vernon Scripps are staying, but he cannot cope with paying the bills and taxes and Vernon suggests that one of them (meaning David) gets a job. They take on a ploughing job for George Walker, but when they try to start his tractor David finds a body in Walker's car in the barn. The "body" turns out to be a bust which Walker has reported stolen together with some other items also found in the car. Once they have been found Walker has disappeared.

Truth Games

PC Bradley has been sent to investigate a break-in when he witnesses an explosion. It is the car of ambulance driver Frank Metcalfe which exploded when he turned on the ignition, and it looks like attempted murder because he has received anonymous phone calls and a threatening letter a couple of days earlier. The grocer Mr. Dale is attacked under similar circumstances. But they have nothing in common. The only lead is a blue Ford Transit van seen on both occasions and that the attacker has military training and access to the local arsenal. Pete Atkins fits these requirements, but he claims his innocence. Oscar Blaketon also receives anonymous phone calls. Is he the next victim? Rev. Meeks represents a foundation which offers Lord Ashfordly to finance the renovation St. Judes Church on his lands, and his lordship hires Vernon Scripps and David to do work for him. Meeks especially asks them to be on the lookout for a particular baptismal font from the church.

Bill Dyer asks PC Bradley to take a closer look at Giles Sutton whom he suspects of rigging the sheep market. Sutton senses what is going to happen and offers Jackie his legal account. He even pays for their meal one night he "spots" Mike and Jackie having dinner at a restaurant. Mike gets angry when he finds out, but Jackie insists Sutton only did it as a gesture to her totally failing to recognize the consequences it may have on her husband. Sutton even leaves a large amount of money in Mike's jacket, and although Mike returns the money he is suspended for taking bribes. But even worse is to come in Mike's and Jackie's private life. Dilys Powell persuades Vernon to go into business with her marketing the spring water from her farm on bottles. Vernon thinks it is an excellent idea and invites Lord Ashfordly as a prospective investor.

Set during the 1960s in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield, this enduringly popular series interweaves crime and medical storylines.

The Buxton Defence

Seasons18

Season 10 Episodes24

Cast6

Crew3

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