Ch. Supt. Brownlow organises a tea dance for the Met Police Pensioners & Widows society. PCs Jarvis and Quinnan spend the afternoon dancing with admiring elderly ladies, WPC Polly Page is harrassed by a wheelchair-bound admirer, and PC Reg Hollis does a magic show. Brownlow is dreading the arrival of Geoffrey Allerton, an ex-copper who goes out of his way to complain about everything. When the minivan misses Allerton, Brownlow asks PC Tony Stamp to pick him up on the way to the bakery to pick up some cakes. When Stamp steps out of the bakery, he is horrified to find Brownlow's car has been stolen whilst Allerton was buying some tobacco. Packing Allerton and the cakes onto a bus, a desperate Stamp tries to retrieve Brownlow's car after it is impounded. When Allerton arrives at the dance at last, he causes a fuss when he recognises an armed blagger from a fifteen year old case at the wedding next door.

A man comes in to Sun Hill and confesses to murdering a woman who disappeared five years ago. D.C.I. Meadows, who headed the original investigation, and D.C. Carver talk to him and, when they are convinced he is lying, throw him out. The man soon returns, and this time he tells Carver something that wasn't in the news stories making the police take his confession more seriously.

Quinnan and Hollis have to decide whether a pub quiz champion is breaking the rules. Skase deals with the unfaithful wife of a local villain.

While Deakin investigates the kidnapping of a five-year-old boy, Conway gets some unsettling news.

Meadows offers a bottle of scotch as a reward for catching an elusive burglar.

Cryer and Slater handle a tricky case involving a disabled former police officer and his wayward son.

Five-year-old Tommy Laker is still missing, and Deakin discovers an evil and sinister ring which may hold the clue.

Boulton, Carver and Deakin take part in a Flying Squad operation against a vicious gang of armed robbers.

Boulton is determined to arrest a local drug dealer, at any cost.

Datta is called to a burglary and is subjected to the unwanted affections of a civic-minded admirer. Monroe is suspicious when Loxton tries to settle an old score.

Uniform and CID are on the lookout for escaped prisoner Jim Brodie, so both Brodie's wife and his drug dealer are under observation. PC Nick Slater and WPC Cathy Marshall pursue two burglers down to the riverfront, where one of them gives Slater a severe beating. Marshall sees a person on the barges and gives chase. By the time their backup arrives, delayed by PC Reg Hollis' dodgy belly, Marshall has disappeared. When her dead body is fished out of the river, the two crooks she and Slater had been pursuing are questioned over her possible murder. Searching the barge that Marshall was last seen, CID find evidence that someone has been sleeping rough on board - and it looks like it's their escaped prisoner, Brodie. The river police intercept Brodie fleeing to Amsterdam on his friend's boat, but there is not enough evidence to charge him for Cathy Marshall's murder.

Croft investigates a series of vicious sexual assaults.

Lines and Skase investigate a possible arson attack on a nightclub.

Boyden and Slater search for the owner of a severed hand found on a rubbish tip.

Boulton loses a suspect during an arrest and has to ask Monroe to help get him back.

Skase and Croft investigate a series of hoax phone calls that are tearing a family apart.

A reconstruction brings forward an unexpected witness to an assault on a 15-year-old boy.

Beech is caught in the crossfire when uniform and C.I.D. fall out over a directive from Brownlow.

Stamp and Slater are called to supervise the eviction of a father from his home.

Slater's ability is questioned when he appears to mishandle two violent thugs at a party and his wallet, containing his warrant card, is stolen.

Loxton and Slater deal with a woman drink-driver.

As Sun Hill gets to grips with its new computer system, Boyden discovers that it pays to stay one step ahead of the opposition.

Acting Superintendent Conway is stirred into action by a face from the past.

Quinnan and Keane have to help someone with a conviction for assaulting a police officer.

Boyden and Datta try to secure a conviction against a vicious pimp.