Series 2

Kev's Story

Ever wondered what goes on behind the neighbours' doors? Sometimes its best not to delve into other people's lives, as Kev Leach finds out. Kev is pretty happy with his life - steady job, cute hairdresser girlfriend, Babs, own home and nights out with the boys. Then his work-mate, Brian Pringle, a machine engineer at Mackintosh, moves in across the road following his divorce. At first, things run smoothly - the pair share the petrol on the factory run and go for a quick pint after work. But then Kev gets nosy. Through his video camera, usually reserved for taping his more intimate moments with Babs, he takes a peek at Brian surfing the net. What Kev sees, or thinks he sees, is so unexpected, so awful that he can hardly process the information. Is he living across the road from a paedophile? Well, he might be, and then again he might not. The problem for Kev is that however much he thinks he sees, he's never quite sure if his suspicions are justified. As the weeks go by, Kev watches Bri

Bev's Story

Good-time girl Bev likes a drink and a laugh, but life hasn't turned out quite as planned. She's lonely, her only son is nothing but trouble and it seems like the fun times are gone for ever. When Mal, widower and regular nice guy, turns up to service a machine at Mackintosh's, Bev suddenly glimpses a possible future and, from where she sits, it looks just fine. Knowing that Mal has always had a bit of a thing for her, she flirts and he asks her out. Mal's teenage sons Alex and Scott (Nicky Evans and Bryan Dick) take an instant dislike to Bev, but Mal is besotted, feeling alive for the first time since his wife died.When Bev moves in, bringing her tacky knick-knacks with her, Mal's eldest son is furious. The situation worsens when Bev tells him that his mother and father's relationship was not perfect—especially when it came to sex. Even Bev realises that this was a bad move, but she is a fighter and in pursuit of Mal and everything that comes with him—nice house, nice life, she is a f

Freda's Story

After sitting all week at a sewing machine at Mackintosh, Freda is ready for a girls' night out. However, she has to tell her friends to go on without her. She has been babysitting her two small grandchildren and, not for the first time, her daughter Lindsey never arrives to collect them. Now Freda's life is about to change - either she looks after the kids or Social Services will. At first, it's a nightmare. How can she cope with the kids and a full-time job with not enough money and not enough time? She tracks down their father, Tony (Jonathan Wrather), who is less interested in his children than in getting back to his game of pool. Freda doesn't know where to turn. Luckily, a chance meeting with Mack offers her an opportunity to explain the situation and he gives her the space to sort herself out. Gradually, Freda stops seeing the children as an imposition in her life. With extra income from a new venture in curtain-making, part-time hours at work and friend Julie's open-hearted wil

Barry's Story

Life has not been good to Barry Jackson. His wife ran off with his previous boss, leaving him to bring up two young daughters in his mother's house while he works nights as a security guard at Mackintosh. But though he's a loser, he is not bitter. Then one day, he wins £20,000 on the football pools. To Barry, this is a fortune. It could change his life - not that he has a love life or even a social life. So when he meets Trudy's sister, Janice, he is smitten. But Janice is everything Barry is not - worldly, cynical, mercenary - and she has her eyes elsewhere, on Mack. Since her husband ran off with all her money and left her reduced to selling flowers at a roadside stall, love takes second place in her thoughts to cash. Mack has cash, but isn't interested. When Trudy suggests a date with Barry, Janice dismisses the idea out of hand. Not only is he Trudy's 'cast off' but he is also only a security guard, hardly in a position to support her in the style to which she was accustomed. The n

Ronnie's Story

For over 20 years, Mackintosh truck driver Ronnie Anderson has cared lovingly and devotedly for his wife Jess (Kate Fitzgerald), a wheelchair-bound victim of multiple sclerosis. What no one knows is that Ronnie now wants out, out of caring for Jess, out of his life. He feels he has given enough and it is time to start again. Ronnie is in love with Jess' home-help Trish and she loves him back. Everything changes one day when Ronnie's truck is hijacked. He is beaten, dumped in a car boot and the truck's contents are stolen. Rumours fly around the factory after Ronnie is questioned by the police, who believe that the hijack was an inside job. He proclaims his innocence but, like many things in his life, it is a lie. It was Ronnie who tipped off the robbers and the violence was just to make it look good. For the couple are hoping that the robbery will give them enough to provide for Jess and for them to be together. They get a scare when one of the hijackers is caught, but he keeps quiet,

The Lads

After a night on the town, Ade, Barney, Kev and Nick are waiting in the taxi queue when some drunks start a fight, during which someone is knifed. At the sound of sirens, they run. The next morning, the stabbing is all over the news: the victim is in a critical condition. For the Mackintosh lads, the big question is who used the blade? Accusations fly, although no one suspects Ade because he didn't want to get involved in the first place and he is as dangerous as a cuddly toy. Then Barney phones the hospital to find out how the injured man is, the police trace the call and he is arrested. The knife has also been found. One of the injured men's sidekicks is brought to the factory to identify Barney's accomplices. Kev has had enough and willingly walks into the trap. Nick wants to do the same, but Ade tries to stop him. He was the one with the knife. Ade hides while Nick and Kev are arrested. Both deny knowing the fourth man. Whatever they think of Ade, they will not grass. A witness con

Trudy, Mack and Martin's Story

Martin and Trudy are together and very happy. Martin's relationship with Mack, however, is not so good. Mack is jealous that Trudy, who was always devoted to him, has settled for Martin and, as transport manager, Martin gets the blame when the insurance company refuse to renew the policy on the Mackintosh trucks. Trudy, however, suggests that she and Martin take over running the haulage as an independent company. Things go well, they get married, and Trudy cuts the final cord with Mack after he pushes her too far, leaving him with the realisation that he needs her a lot more than she needs him. Then Martin's sister-in-law Sue (Alison Swann) turns up, eight months pregnant and with her husband, Martin's wayward brother Stuart, in jail with no hope of release. Martin had a relationship with Sue before Trudy and it's not long before Trudy realises that the baby is not Stuart's but Martin's. Sue swears she will never tell Martin but Trudy knows this is a secret she cannot live with. She se