Maria's really fed up because the baby hasn't yet put in an appearance. She's been reading magazines and watching tv and she's sick of it. She tells Tony that Eileen told her that a long walk brought on Todd's birth. He replies that it sounds like an old wives tale, and Eileen isn't even an old wife, and adds that's he's got to go over to the factory.

Eileen tells Sean that she was at Jesse's house when his parents came back unexpectedly from bingo – his mother had forgotten her lucky dabber. "If looks could kill I'd have been laid there with pennies on my eyes," she says. She tells him that after that they all sat there making small talk, and his mother ground her dentures, until she and Jesse escaped upstairs! This morning Eileen had apparently tried to sneak out but was collared by his mother saying she'd made breakfast. "I got a worse grilling than the bacon!"

On his way to work, Sean then sees Jason and remarks that all this talk of bacon has got his juices flowing, he's off to Roy's. Jason thought he was on a diet and tells him that if he wants to lose weight he's got to take it seriously. He says he ought to go to the gym with him. Sean murmurs that he will, so Jason takes the bull by the horns and tells him good – he's going later.

Kevin's at home, making a secretive phone call – we assume to Molly. He says something about it not being that simple and then asks how she's fixed for today. Suddenly he hears Sally coming downstairs and says, "It's her, I've got to go!" He hangs up as Sally walks in and asks who he was on the phone to. "Mrs Pearson," he lies, "she wants to know when her car will be ready." She then asks if he and Molly sorted the books out. He tells her they did, but there's a couple of invoices missing. She snaps at him to tell Molly to get off her backside and look for them. "It's high time she realised running a business takes dedication." He tells her to leave it to him and she says, rather unkindly, that she always knew Molly wasn't up to. "She should stick to flogging beans, that's all she's good for." She then reminds him they're going to Ben's swim meet and asks if he's coming. He tells her he'd better stay and finish the service for Mrs. Pearson.

Jason tells Tina they'll get a takeaway for dinner, so they don't run the risk of bumping into David anywhere. She's not all that happy about it, saying she's not scared of him, and if this is the way it's going to be they might as well knock it on the head right now. Jason protests that it won't always be like this, they'll just get a takeaway today but they're not running scared of David.

Rosie, the new Underworld director, breezes into the office, greeting Luke and Tony with: "Hello boys!" She says she's come to measure up for her new desk. "New desk?" Tony frowns. She says she can't keep sitting on Luke's and she needs something nice and big. "I don't want to be disappointed do I?" she smirks, drifting out into the factory. Tony is not at all happy and hopes he's not going to have to keep listening to playground innuendo. "Kill me now!" he snaps. Luke reminds him that Tony is the murderer in the organisation. "Trust me," says Tony, "if I was, Rosie wouldn't last until dinner time." Adding that the only thing lower than Rosie's neckline is her IQ. Luke says that Rosie has thousands of things going for her. "So you really are using her to pay off your VAT?" says Tony, "And people think I'm the bad guy!"

Out on the factory floor, Rosie informs the incredulous staff that she has just bought a major share in the business and she is now their boss. She tells them she'll be known as Miss Webster from now on, and then orders them back to work. The workers are horrified, but Sally has a smug, proud smile on her face.

In the pub, Steve is jealous when he finds that Becky is texting Slug, although she insists they're just mates. "No, but you've done….stuff," he says. She says it's good she hasn't got the same attitude, as half the women in Weatherfield know him by touch alone. "We've all got a past," she adds. She says that she and Slug haven't been on any dates, but if he keeps this up...who knows?

Lloyd is in the pub and is miserable because Liz has told him she doesn't know when she's coming back. He tells Steve he's pulling pints in Andy's bar, and Steve is furious. "What? She's the landlady, she should be here, she's cheating on her own pub!" Lloyd mutters that he hopes it's just the pub!

In the factory, Tony finds that Luke has put an appointment in the diary for him for Monday. He's not happy and reminds Luke that he didn't want any appointments until after Maria's baby is born. Luke asks if he'd jeopardise a big contract for a baby that isn't even his. "I don't even know what she is to you," he adds. Tony says he won't even dignify that with an answer. "And I don't answer to you!" he says, and marches out. Luke calls after him that he's wasting his time over there.

Sally tells Kevin that Rosie's bought shares in Underworld, but says she thinks it could be a very good investment and better than spending her money on handbags and cars. He says he supposes so, it's her money, she never listens to him and she can waste it how she wants. She then goes off to the swim meet, telling Kevin she'll be home around half past nine. Tyrone then tells Kevin he could manage if Kev wants to go with Sally but he says he doesn't, Sophie isn't even swimming. Tyrone then says that if he's worried about his tea he could go over to theirs, he's sure Molly would dish him something up!

Tony and Maria are setting off on their walk. Tony says they shouldn't go too far and tempt fate, but Maria says that's just what she wants to do.

David walks into the kebab shop where Minnie, Darryl and Tina are unpacking chip forks, and says "Hi!" but Tina just looks up and asks if he can't see they're closed. "What's with all the….." he starts to say, but Tina just tells him it's none of his business. He goes off in a huff, and as he goes out passes someone who's delivering flowers to Tina. Tina just assumes they're from Jason as there's no card, and smiles. However, outside the shop, David looks through the window and smiles to himself!

Maria and Tony are walking along a deserted beach that goes on for miles. He tells her she wanted a long, bracing walk only a short screech of tyres from a well equipped maternity unit. He starts quoting from The Walrus and the Carpenter and Maria remembers it. "It was horrible, he tricked all those little oysters and ate them!" Tony tells her they were hungry, he did what he had to do. "Some things you can never undo," he murmurs.

In the corner shop, Umed and Dev are squabbling over who should go to the cash and carry. Just then Kevin comes in, so Molly suggests that Umed and Dev go to the cash and carry together. When they've gone she locks the door and turns, smiling flirtatiously to Kevin.

Back on the beach, Maria asks Tony if he thinks he might hear from Carla again. "No, that's done with," he replies, flatly. Just then Ozzy runs off towards the sea and Tony runs off after him, shouting. Another dog walker comes along and tells Maria her husband's got his hands full. Maria starts to say Tony's not her husband but then stops and just tells her Tony's used to him. The other lady walks off and then Maria gasps and clutches at her bump. Then it seems to pass and she relaxes and smiles at a wet Tony and Ozzy coming out of the sea.

Back in the shop, Molly and Kevin are just starting to kiss when there's a hammering on the shop door. It's Dev, he's forgotten his cash and carry card. Quickly, Kevin tells Molly that Sally's out till nine, can she get away? She says she will, come hell or high water. She then tells Dev that Umed must dropped the catch on the door by mistake on his way out.

On the beach, Ozzy has run off again and as Tony runs after him Maria is struck by yet another pain and doubles over. She drops to her knees and calls out to Tony but he doesn't hear her at first. Then, when he's caught Ozzy he turns back towards her and sees her on the sand. "Maria!" he shouts and starts running back to her.

Anne Logan.

On a deserted beach it's taken Tony since Wednesday to run up the beach to where Maria is bent over in the middle of a contraction. Maybe it's the beach where they filmed Baywatch and he had to run in slow motion? She confesses she's had a few twinges on the walk along the beach but thought it was Braxton-Hicks again. He gets her back to her feet but Maria says she doesn't think she can make it all the way back to the car park. Tony says he'll call an ambulance but, of course, he doesn't have a signal.

In the shop, Connie and Jack ask Molly if she's got any ideas for where they can go later. Jack says there's not been anything decent on at the cinema for 30 years. He suggests they go to the dogs and Molly tells them she and Tyrone will go too. It'll give Tyrone a chance to build some bridges, she says.

As Sally gets Ben and Sophie into the car, the Windasses come out of their house on their way to visit Gary in prison. Eddie tells Anna that seeing her in a state isn't going to do Gary any favours.

Maria doesn't want Tony to leave her to go for help but he points out that unless she's changed her mind about a water birth, she has to get off the beach because the tide's coming in. He picks her up. "Ozzie, I wish your name was Lassie."

Becky's looking thoughtful in the pub and Steve says he's been thinking. He says he'll make a better effort with Slug/Neil. Becky thinks Steve doesn't trust her but he tells her that if he didn't trust her, he wouldn't want to book another wedding. Yes, he wants to call the registry office and set a date. Becky leaps into his arms shouting, "I'm gonna be a summer bride!" Then she tells Steve, "I don't care what they say about you. You are the dogs'!" She goes out the back leaving Steve wondering what "they" say about him.

On the beach, Tony and Maria have reached a dilapidated shed in the dunes. Tony realises he now has one bar of a signal and calls for an ambulance to come to Ainsdale Beach. They tell him the ambulance is on the way but the emergency services are going to stay on the line. He gets Maria into the shed and puts his jacket down for her to sit on, just as another contraction wracks her.

At the prison, Gary apologises to his parents. He's realised playing the big man is for mugs. Anna says he'll be out soon and can get a job and make a fresh start. Though Gary doesn't think people will be keen to employ an ex-jailbird.

Tina chases Jason to thank him for the flowers. When he's mystified she realises it must have been David who sent them.

Tony's snappy on the phone because of the situation. Maria's fingernails cut into his hand. He tries to reassure her and keep her focused on what she learned at ante-natal classes. "Do it for the baby – Liam's baby," he says. "Do it for Liam." I must say that Maria's one of the best in-labour actresses I've seen.

At the garage, Ty's reluctant to go to the dogs with Connie but agrees. He goes to make a brew, giving Molly the chance to tell Kevin she'll get out of going to the dogs and she'll call Kevin when the coast is clear.

Maria's still struggling on. Tony thinks she's nearly there and with the next contraction he can see the head. He whips off his shirt and catches the baby, handing the tiny tiny thing to Maria, kissing her forehead as she meets her son. We see the ambulance whooping along the sand towards them.

The paramedics are taking care of Maria. A mysterious dog-walker has been drawn by the sirens and offers to take care of Ozzie. Tony doesn't correct her when she calls Maria his wife.

Jesse is in the cab office and has made a cup of tea. Ramsay delivers the paper and Jesse teases him about being a bit old for a paper boy. Ramsay says he likes to do five or six miles of walking a day. Jesse says so does he. "In your dreams or in your van?" laughs Eileen.

In the pub, Steve and Becky are all loved up. She says all the best folk get married in the summer. "Princess Di got married in the summer." Steve looks at her. "Well, that's a good omen." Slug/Neil arrives, looking daggers at Steve as Becky hugs him. When Steve serves him he asks for an orange and lemonade. Steve tries to make polite conversation about Neil and Becky knowing each other for a long time. Neil says Becky was a real whirlwind back then. "It's almost a shame to see her bottled up." He says people change, but not always for the better. "I dunno, mate," says Steve. "You were a slug." Becky giggles.

Emily, looking worried, arrives at the Kabin. She tells Norris and Ramsay they're short of helpers for the church social. Ramsay offers his help.

Jason and Sean are in the gym. Sean's lost count of Jason's repeats because he's being distracted by other patrons. Jason tells him he'll find someone of his own soon. A hunky man comes in and Sean tries to impress him by saying he'll lift the same weight Jason was using. His poor head almost explodes.

Molly's late for them going to the dogs. She comes in looking dreadful. She says she's got a banging headache and can't go. Ty wants to stop behind but she says she'll just take some paracetamol and go to sleep. "Think I should be wearing a blue beret," Jack mutters to her as they leave. "Wish me luck."

Kevin comes downstairs all dressed up when Sally, Ben and Sophie arrive home. Ben won and they're going for a pizza with Ben's parents. They've come to fetch Kevin.

In the Rovers, Becky and Neil talk about Steve. He says he's pleased for her. "I've landed on my feet for once and I ain't going to blow it," she says. Neil looks anything but pleased.

Maria's settled in the hospital, holding the baby, and Tony's taking pictures. She asks him to take one where he's in it with them. Tony deletes a picture of Carla to make room on the memory card.

Sally's examining the lines on her face. She'll be 42 next week and looks every minute of it, she says. "Yep," says a bored Kevin, prompting an offended Sally to snap that he looks more like his father every day. He tries to say he's too tired to go out but Sally says he was awake enough to be ready to go to the Rovers.

Molly's dressed up and has wine and candles ready for Kevin.

The End of the first episode.
Richard will bring you episode two.

Margaret Carr

Slight personal emergency in progress as I write this - my youngest daughter is in hospital not feeling terribly well and it is likely that they will have to investigate further tomorrow. Wife is at the bedside and I was with her earlier in the day. Please remember Stephanie in your thoughts as you read this. She may have many problems but she enjoys her soaps as much as the rest of us.

Inside Weatherfield hospital Maria is far more comfortable and has a lot of visitors to see the baby boy. Anyway the baby looks like his father (Audrey), Maria (Fiz) and Benny Hill (Tony). The latter claims to be joking. In our house we reckon all new babies look like Phil Mitchell in Stenders - odd that none of the Weatherfield residents make this comparison! They all think little Liam is beautiful. Kirk has the only balloon in the shop "It's a Girl" - in pink. Only Kirk could do that!

In the taxi office family Webster are off to visit Ben's family and Kevin is being particularly quiet. Apparently he is musing - a work which the better educated Sal fails to recognise. She only hopes he will be more sociable when they reach their destination. Kev remembers he has let his mobile at home and knowing that he needs to let Molly know he cannot make their planned rendezvous and he dashes home and has to get Sally's lipstick from her make up bag.

Jason is peering out of the window in case David suddenly materialises. Tina promises to tell him tomorrow and Jason reckons he should be there in case David turns nasty. And she is to pop his dummy back in his mouth if he cries and no cuddling before getting out of there.

Molly, dressed up to the nines with candles lit has realised that Kev is not coming when there is a knock at the door. Turns out it Tyrone apologising for getting her up - he has forgotten his keys. Then he realises how she is dressed. He goes in the living room and spots the candles and two wineglasses and wants to know what is going on. Molly lies, pretending she was making an effort for him. And he has won ?14 on the nags so goes to Dev's to buy a second bottle of wine. She smiles and agrees. Ty suggests they could even hit the hay early and as Kev calls it get in a "No pyjama night!" She laughs and agrees. Then Ty tells her that if he pops his clogs first will she promise not to go off with anyone else. He wants her to be happy - but not that happy. She promises and he dashes off to get the vino. Molly looks far from happy.

Back at the labour ward Maria is telling them that the birth on the beach was scary but she felt safe because Tony was there. Simply that he was there rather than being on her own. From her tone of voice Audrey does not seem convinced as she agrees. Tony returns from hunting for a vase with the largest flower display - claiming that they were the only ones available.

A knock at the door which Molly opens to find Kev stood there. He pushes in and tells Molly that he has to go for a family meal with ben's parents. Molly tells him that Ty will be back in seconds. She looks out along the Street but Ty is delayed as Dev drives a radio controlled car into his feet. She closes the door, grabs Kev and pulls him through the house and tries to open the back door - which promptly sticks. They hear Ty turning the front door lock and Kev finally gets the door open and departs as Ty announces that Dev recommended a Californian at seven pounds ninety and Molly is worth it. he wants to know why the back door is open - Molly says she thought her headache had comoe back so she was getting some fresh air - but it has not and she feels she needs a drink!

Tina is wondering why Jason has never used his skills to buy a cheap house, done it up and sold it on at a decent profit. And she could help. She makes it clear that this is a business venture, not a love nest. (And the reason Jason never thought of doing it is because of course he has not got the brains to think of doing it!).

In the Rovers Emily and Ramsay are discussing cricket - after all The Ashes are coming. He admits he has a problem over which side to support. And There is Norris sitting in a booth. Ramsay discusses the church social - he reckons they all wanted to know who was escorting Emily. Emily is blushing. And in answer to Norris they did not tell - they wanted to enjoy the notoriety.

Just in case it might work Eddie has dressed more smartly than usual and bounds into the living room and drops down at Anna's side. He proposes marriage. She refuses. Apparently he did it last time Gary went away and when her mother died. She tells him she loves him, but she does not want a proposal.

At the Dobbs residence Ty is getting drunk and discussing various silly topics. Men in the Moon, ice creams, sorbets and so on. A little later Ty, having consumed most of the two bottles of wine (and just what is Ty doing drinking wine anyway), is more or less asleep on the sofa - no "No pyjama night" tonight. He mumbles in his sleep about repairing cars. Molly is right royally "p***** off" with apologies for the language.

Back in the hospital they are now discussing the baby's name. Jack? H? M or Q suggests Kirk. D'Artagnan suggests Kirk. Anyway Tony is off to collect Ozzie who was let with a dog walker on the beach. The others all leave discussing Tony - Kirk observes that like him the one thing which Tony has is charm. The others seem amused.

Jesse and Eileen seem to be getting on well - they are discussing hackles and danders.

When the Webster family return home Kev gives the Dobbs residence a long look and with heavy heart heads (to my mind in the wrong direction) to his house on the other side of the Street.

Sean assures Norris that his brother is a lovely man - a statement with which Norris disagrees almost violently. Sean carries on but eventually dries up under a withering stare from Norris. Ramsay does not want to go - but the eleven o'clock curfew holds. Emily is saying it is a pity that he has to head off for Australia. She says that he fits in and perhaps he could reconsider or postpone his plans. Norris says that is impossible - Ramsay has to go and stay with friends in Adelaide until he moves into his retirement village. And there he will be in a community with swimming pools and table tennis and all sorts. Emily thanks him for his help during the day and he assures her it was a pleasure. Norris is keen to get home to the book he is reading oblivious of the poisonous look from Emily at getting rid of her friend.

Tony and Maria are discussing baby names - Sandy after the birthplace? She is not amused but thanks him for all his help during the day. He asks if can come and see her tomorrow and she says that Tony can come and see them anytime. He asks the baby if he is going to be good for his mummy? Maria then says that she has decided on a name. He is going to be called Liam. Tony looks down at the baby and tells him quietly that would his daddy very proud. Tony's eyes fill with tears and he is clearly realising the harm that has been done in ensuring the death of the baby's father - the baby he is holding and whom he helped into this world.

And for those who listen to the Archers - when will Mike realise that Vicky is wicked, wicked woman who clearly is not just interested in Mike. And will it be before the wedding.

Hopefully I shall be here next week.
K Richard W

It's the morning after the big idea. Eileen isn't so sure buying a house is a great idea but Jason and Tina are both keen. Jason can do a lot of the work himself, he reckons. Eileen is worried they'll lose their shirts, Tina figures it's an opportunity. Sean comes in, having gone for some milk and says he'd seen David outside and it seems David is taking up baseball. Huh? Well, turns out Sean told David about Jason and Tina, happy as Larry together and David just walked away. Sean asked where he was going and he muttered something about buying a baseball bat. Hmmmm...Just kidding. He said it was a gun. KiDDING! Tina and Jason don't see the humour in it. Tina wants to be the one that tells David.

From across the road, Audrey is yodeling to Tony at the top of her voice as he's come out of Maria's after having tidied up a bit. Audrey's delighted to hear Maria will be home later today and asks if the baby has a name yet. I don't know why she's surprised it's Liam but she is and hopes having the baby will help Maria move on.

Morning at Webster Towers and Kevin is messing with his mobile. Sally comes in and suggests they have a party for her birthday, inviting only nice people like Ben's parents. Kevin just shrugs and goes along with it, knowing that if it's what Sally wants, nothing is going to stand in her way, least of all him.

Outside, Jason claps eyes on David and looks a bit like a deer caught in the headlights. They exchange an "All right?", seemingly friendly but at least it's not hostile. Sean follows Jay out the door and is anxious to go to the gym again but Jason isn't. He tells Sean to go on his own.

Anna brings Eddie's sarnies to the taxi office. Good thing, he was gnawing on his fingers. Eddie shows Anna up by outlining all the things Anna's done over the years...taking Eddie's name, having his baby but she won't marry him. Anna is duly embarrassed and Eileen is a bit surprise they weren't married. Eddie asks Eileen if she could think of one reason why any woman wouldn't want to marry him? (slouching in the chair, wearing a grubby blue string vest, shoving bread into his mouth as he speaks... Nope, can't think of one reason, can you?). Eileen is speechless. Eddie figures that means she can't think of a reason. He vows to get Anna down the aisle someday.

Sally is chattering away about her party as she and Kevin walk down the street. Tyrone joins them and offers Molly's services with the food.

Graham has brought some pies for David. Joe comes in and asks for someone to pass him his pills. Graeme does and recognizes the drug, saying they were as popular as Smarties in the youth jail, not that he (or David) indulged.

Back outside, Bill is perusing the paper and walks into Pam and her basket. Molly had just come across the road as well. She walks over to wave at Kev and Tyrone, with a few private glances exchanged with Kevin. Ugh.

Tony is back in Number 7 and takes a phone call but it's not Maria calling for a ride home.

Tyrone tells Kevin he's in the doghouse. He drank too much wine the night before and passed out. He feels bad because Molly got all dressed up and they were set for a special night. He blew it and now he's got to make it up to her. Pam offers some sage advice if they buy some sandwiches from her. She says he should cook Molly a meal, that will impress her. Tyrone can't cook but that'll impress her even more, Pam assures him. Down the road Eddie hurries to catch up to Anna and takes her shopping from her. He is feeling a bit randy and suggests a bit of afternoon delight. She checks whether he's had a bath (last night) and follows him in giggling. David notices and asks Jason about the Windasses. He then confirms to Jason that he thinks now that Gary's out of the way, Tina will come back to him. Jason doesn't contradict him and looks uncomfortable. Guess Sean didn't actually say anything that morning and it was all a joke as he said.

After the break, we are in the factory. Tony accepts a cigar from Luke with a compliment about his involvement in the birth of the baby. Luke asks what it was like. Magical or messy. Bit of both, Tony admits, saying he was pretty scared but had to hide it. He says he was really touched when the baby came and since he held Liam in his arms as Liam died, holding Liam's child being born was kind of like coming full circle. (In more ways than one, considering he was the one that engineered Liam's death! Maybe he thinks this makes up for it?) Luke makes a bit of a joke but Tony isn't impressed. He declares it really was a special experience.

Pam pops into the kebab shop with her basket, only to check the newspaper. Teresa wants her and her food to leave. Sounds like Pam has caught Bill in a lie over why he was reading the paper earlier (sports scores weren't what he said they were). She rushes out with the paper in hand.

Joe is pacing outside the cafe. Graeme comes out. This appears to be who Joe was hoping to see. He asks Graeme if he can get him more of the pain pills. He makes excuses as to why he can't get them from the doctor but Graeme agrees anyway, he'll make inquiries and assures Joe he'll be getting the real thing, insulted that Joe would think otherwise. Leave with him.

Maria is cuddling the baby in the hospital but she looks a bit nervous at the idea of going home.

Rosie is decked out in all white and struts down the stairs in the factory, telling Luke and Tony that she has ideas for some underwear, something more modern and sexy. Luke sucks up, agreeing it's a good idea, Tony looks less than impressed but has to go pick up Maria. He tells them to draft up some ideas but don't spend money on it. Liam thinks Rosie should do some research.

We're at the gym, and Sean is in the Jacuzzi. His new friend, Leon joins him, much to Sean's delight.

Jason tells Tina that they have to deal with David who thinks he's getting back together with Tee. She says she'll tell him what's what. Jason reveals that David admitted to getting Gary out of the way deliberately and why.

Molly runs up to apologize to Kevin for last night but Kevin puts her off because Ty is ready for a big apology. Ty presents Molly with a bouquet of flowers and promises to cook a meal for her tonight. She is pleased but he still has to ask for a kiss, rather than having one given spontaneously.

At the hospital, Maria is expressing her fears about taking the baby home, where she's going to be on her own. Tony tries to reassure her that she'll have lots of help including him.

Tina hits the roof, and rants about David's arrogance. She says she's in control and she's the one that needs the baseball bat. Bill comes in and drags Jason back out for a job. Teresa comes in for cigs but doesn't have enough money. She tries to get them and owe the rest of the money. Tina isn't in the frame of mind to be flexible and it doesn't matter how much Teresa wheedles. Too late, Tina chucks her out and closes the shop. She goes outside and sees David coming home so stalks over and lets herself in. We need to talk. or rather, she needs to talk and he needs to listen. She lays it out. She never fancied Gary, she fancies Jason. David is shocked. She extols Jay's virtues and says no, she's not lying. She's not getting back with David, she's with Jason. David's face falls.

The rest of the fallout comes next half

Tvor

Another one that makes me want to strangle Gail for fawning over David when he's being nothing less than a psychopath who needs locking up.

David is furious with Tina and asks her if she is with Jason to get back at him- because as we all know, it's all about David. Joe comes home to Gail's and David asks him if he knew about Tina and Jason. Tina interrupts David and tells him, "Watch my lips because it''s the last time I'm gonna say it. Me and you- it's over. Got that?" David accuses her of not really meaning what she is saying but Joe tells David to get the message. Tina leaves as David and Joe have a little bit of aggro between them.

Tina runs over the road and runs into Graham. In the Kabin he asks her if she is all right. Tina tells him that she has broken up with David and suggests maybe Graham could have a word with David. Graham would rather console Tina and offers to put the kettle on for a nice cuppa and chat. Tina refuses his kind offer and Graham leaves. But not before emptying his pockets of all the sweeties he has pinched from the Kabin while he's been there.

Maria brings her beautiful baby home. Her house is filled with flowers from Tony- Maria is unsure of how good a mother she is going to be. Tony tells her to go upstairs and lie down while baby is sleeping. The phone rings- it's Liam's mother, Helen. Maria tells Helen she is tired but she has good friends looking after her. She also tells Helen that she has decided to call the baby Liam and tells her a bit about what the baby looks like, "He's got Liam's eyes." Tony listens on from the kitchen.

In the gym, Sean is in the Jacuzzi with the hot guy he saw before. The hot guy asks if Sean and Jason are going out together and mentions that he has just split up with his own boyfriend. "Aww, you poor thing..." Sean offers his sympathies.

Graham heads round to Platt Palace and is accosted by David who wants to know if Graham knew about Tina and Jason. Graham says he suspected something. David is stunned since Jason is dumber than a bag of hammers and is sure that Tina is only seeing Jason to get back at David. David wants to know why Jason didn't say anything when they spoke that morning, Graham points out that Jason is probably a bit scared of David and his capacity for pure evil. David is furious and cannot be calmed down. He says he's going to go and kill Jason before storming off. Graham puts the kettle on and helps himself to a couple of Gail's biscuits.

Jesse comes into the Cab Office where he asks Eileen if she is free for a bit of flirting, "nothing too smutty, a bit of innocent flirting, maybe a double entendre." He is very funny.

Kirk, Audrey and Tony are all round at Maria's. Baby Liam has thrown up onto Kirk. Maria is mithering on about how bad a mother she will be and how she doesn't know what t do with a babeh. Tony thinks that Maria has been busy since she got home and thinks perhaps her visitors should leave her in peace for a bit.

Tina is having a cuppa with Joe in Roy's cafe. Joe thinks that Jason is not the brightest button in the box but if he makes Tina happy then he has no complaints. Tina tells Joe about their plan to buy a place and do it up to make some money. She asks Joe how David is. Joe tells her that David is gutted and he wishes that he could get rid of David as easily as Tina did. Tina asks Joe to keep an eye on David to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.

Oh dear, too late. David has stormed around to Bill's Builder's Yard screaming and shouting, "Oy, Grimshaw, are you up 'ere?" He goes upstairs and as he sees Jason pulling up in the van on the street below, he starts throwing building supplies down on the street to hurt Jason. Half of the street comes out to see what all the hullabaloo is- Gail Audrey, Ted, Graham, Tina, Joe... the usual suspects. David rushes downstairs and goes to attack Jason. Jason is held back by Joe and Graham while Ted holds David back. David screams at Jason for seeing his girlfriend behind his back. Tina shouts, "David, I am not your girlfriend! I haven't been your girlfriend for ages and I never will be your girlfriend again. Can't you get that into your thick skull?" She apologises. David runs off. "David!" David?" shouts Gail after him.

At Molly & Ty's, Tyrone is trying to cook for Molly but seems to be making a bit of a hash of it. Connie and Jack find it all very amusing. Connie asks Tyrone if he would like her to help him but Tyrone refuses. Connie and Jack retire to the Rovers for fear of seeing Tyrone chop one of his fingers off.

In the street, Eileen sees Gail and asks quite snidely, "So, what's his excuse this time?" Gail tells Eileen that a bit of understanding would go a long way- as though David is just a mixed up, understood little boy instead of the lunatic we know and love to hate. Eileen and Gail argue about whether or not Jason & Tina were seeing each other behind David's back or not and Audrey takes Gail away. "I'll swing for that woman one day," says Eileen to Jesse. Joe is out on the street and comes over to talk to Jason and Tina. He tells Jason that none of what happened is their fault and is all David's. Gail comes over and apologises to Jason. She is going back to the house where she wants to wait for when David comes back. Jason is relieved that it's all out in the open now. "Do you think that makes a difference to David?" asks Tina.

At The Websters' Sally is planning her party while Bill listens. Sophie comes home and Sally urges her to get on the phone to Ben's mum and dad to invite them to her party.

Kevin goes into Dev's shop, looking for Molly but comes across silly old, pointless Uncle Umed. Molly asks Umed to check some work she has been doing on the computer so she can have some alone time with Kevin. Kevin apologises for what happened earlier. Molly feels like she is walking around with a sign saying "Adulterer" on her head. Umed interrupts them and Kevin leaves, sharpish.

Sophie sees Bill checking the personals ads in the conservatory. They chat a bit as Bill hides the personals and then when Sophie leaves, he calls one of the ads which caught his eye.

Tyrone is getting the living room ready for Molly coming home with candles. Just as Molly comes through the door, he realises that his Moussaka has burned. "It's a disaster, I spent ages chopping that." When Molly suggests they have a chippy, Tyrone says he wants to cook for her. He finds some chips and the tiniest frozen pizzas I have ever seen in the freezer and starts putting them in the oven but not before checking with Molly if he has to take the wrappers off the pizza first.

Pam is checking her messages from her personal ad. She is delighted to have a call from Bill in her message box.

In the Rovers, Jack and Connie are laughing with Sally and Kevin about Tyrone's efforts to cook for Molly. At the bar, Eileen is telling Jesse about her relationship with Gail Platt. "She's my nemesis, my Lex Luther, my Joker, my Moriarty... It wouldn't be so bad if it were just the two of us but our kids can't seem to keep their hands off each other." Sean tries to tell them about the lovely new man she met today, Leon. Julie comes in and interrupts. Eileen introduces her as her half-sister. Poor Sean- nobody is interested in the new bloke he's met.

At Maria's, Tony is proving to be invaluable and has managed to get the steriliser going. He makes Baby Liam a bottle in case he wakes up hungry. Maria tells him how much she appreciates what he has done and tells him she doesn't think there is any need for him to rush off. She asks if he will stay tonight. Tony agrees to stay the night but he will leave her to her own devices tomorrow.

At Platt Palace, Gail and Ted are eating dinner folornly. Gail jumos up to answer the phone as soon as it rings but it's only Joe. David comes home looking a bit sheepish. He reckons he's been out getting some fresh air and he is fine now, "You win some, you lose some, plenty m0ore fish in the sea." He tries to brush it all of but he is crying. Gail offers him a plate of lasagne. David breaks down in front of his Grandad. Ted gives him a big hug.

Stella McLoughlin

Sally's mind is on her forthcoming party - how much wine should they get in, she doesn't want Ben's parents to think they're stingy, but she doesn't want them thinking they've got a drink problem either. She asks Kevin what he thinks, but his mind is on something else.

Audrey arrives at Gail's, and her daughter tells her that David won't be in work today. Audrey says she wouldn't let him loose with a pair of scissors anyway. Gail leaps to his defence, saying it wasn't his fault, he's broken hearted over Tina. Ted agrees that he's never seen David so unhappy. Just as they're talking about him, David comes down the stairs. Audrey tells him not to worry about going in to work and he retorts that he wasn't. Gail tells him he looks terrible. "Well, I couldn't sleep," he snaps, "what's your excuse?" Then ignoring her request that he talks to her, he goes back upstairs.

A smart, blonde lady leaves her car with Kevin. Someone has slashed the tyre, but she needs it back as soon as possible. Kevin's mind still seems to be elsewhere, however, as he watches Tyrone kiss Molly goodbye on the doorstep across the road. Eventually, he tells his customer to come back for her car around 2 pm and she storms off unhappy at his lack of enthusiasm. Tyrone comes over and says he's sorry he's late, he slept through his alarm. Kevin asks if it was a good night. "Just a quiet one in with Mol, know what I mean?" says Tyrone, winking.

Maria rushes downstairs to find Tony holding the baby. She says she was worried when she woke up and he wasn't there. Tony tells her that he'd taken little Liam downstairs because he'd started crying. "What kind of mother sleeps through her baby crying?" wails Maria. "A knackered one," says Tony, and tells her to finish feeding the baby while he makes coffee. She's worried about what will happen when he isn't there, but he assures her she'll be fine. When he goes out to the kitchen, she stares unhappily at his packed bag sitting on the dining table.

Graeme goes round to see Joe and furtively hands him a bottle of pills, telling Joe he doesn't owe anything because he called in a favour. But he says he can't get any more, this was a one-off. "I'm going for the reformed character kind of thing," he says. Just then Gail comes to see who's at the door. "Gail - fragrant as ever!" cries Graeme. She tells him if he's come to see David he's not up to seeing anyone at the moment, so after rambling on for a few moments about nothing that made any sense, Graeme wanders off. "Is it just me?" asks Gail. "No," says Joe.

Seeing Tyrone go out on a job, Molly goes over to the garage to snatch a few minutes with Kevin. He has an idea for them to get some time alone and tells her to get into the car that the business woman left earlier. Telling her to keep her head down until they're well away, he drives them off up the road.

A very smart looking Jason is off to the bank to ask for a loan to purchase a run down property. Tina wishes him luck and kisses him.

As Jason goes, Tina realises that Gail is across the road watching. She apologises, saying she doesn't mean to rub her nose in it. Gail says she has nothing to apologise to her for. "Just David?" asks Tina. Gail reminds her that David did love her. She replies that she loved him too, but not any more. "And Jason?" asks Gail. Tina says he's good to her and makes her happy. Gail says she's pleased for her.

Back at the garage, Tyrone has returned and is enjoying a cuppa with Bill when the smart lady appears asking for her car, she needs some papers out of it for a meeting she's going to. Tyrone assumes that Kevin has taken it for a test drive (he was only mending a puncture, wasn't he?) but tries to ring him on his mobile. However, Kevin's phone is switched off.

A fed up David goes into his back garden and finds Graeme next door trimming Sally's shrubbery. Graeme says that he spoke to Gail earlier who told him he wasn't feeling so good. "Dead perceptive is Gail," says David. Graeme invites him out for a drink but David declines. "Some other time, maybe," he says.

Kevin has parked up under a bridge and he and Molly are just cuddling up in the customer's car when there's a knock on the window - it's the police!

At the garage, the smart lady is getting very annoyed at being kept waiting over an hour for her car. Tyrone tries to tell her that if Kevin's been held up there must be a good reason. Meanwhile, Kevin has pulled up in another street so that Molly can get out. "Well, I can't take you all the way back can I?" he says. Annoyed, she gets out and slams the door. "Thanks for stopping the car at least!" she snaps.

Audrey pops round to visit Maria and finds her with a case of the baby blues. She sobs that every time she looks at her baby it reminds her of what they've both lost, and she feels so alone. Audrey just hugs her.

David is lying miserably on the sofa when Ted comes in with some sandwiches and offers him some. "Aren't you going to ask how I'm feeling?" asks David. Ted says he knows how he's feeling, he's not the only one who's had his heart broken. "Oh yeah?" says David, "what was his name?" Ted tells him that many years ago a girl broke his heart, at the time he was devasted, but years later he met James and found out what real love was like. He tells David that one day he'll look back and realise that he and Tina weren't meant to be.

Tony comes back to Maria's house and finds that she's had a hard day. He tells her he can stay if she wants him to. She says she doesn't want him to feel that he has to, but he points out he's only going back to an empty flat. "At least you'd get a good night's sleep there," she says. "Sleeps for wimps!" he says, grinning.

Kevin hands the keys over to his angry customer, telling her to come back if there are any problems. She snaps that if he thinks she'd come back there he's more stupid than his assistant looks. He tells her to take her flash car and get lost.

Pam asks Molly if she'll ring Bill up in answer to the lonely hearts ad and pretend to be her, as he thinks the person he'll be speaking to is a blonde vivacious businesswoman.

Jason returns from the bank with the news that they can get a mortgage if they can come up with a twenty-five percent deposit, and they couldn't even raise the money for a dolls house, let alone a flat. Joe invites him and Tina over to the pub to see if they can come up with some ideas, so they put their arms round each other and walk across the road. Meanwhile, David watches from an upstairs window.

Up in the builder's yard office, Bill takes a phone call and makes an arrangement to meet the caller on Monday.

Back in the shop, Pam is delighted with Molly's performance. Molly laughs, but says she wouldn't want to be her when she walks into the restaurant and Bill sees who it is. Pam's sure he'll see the funny side.

Kevin comes in and when Pam's gone he picks up a box of chocolates and hands them to Molly. She tells him it'll take more than that to win her round. "How about a night in a hotel, you and me, this weekend?" he says. She's stunned and says once they do that there's no going back. "I know," he says, "I don't think I want to go back."

Anne Logan

Welcome to another Friday night and Sally's birthday.

At the Websters', Sophie has trouble maintaining a Christian attitude in the face of extreme provocation. "I won't tell you how much they cost," Rosie tells her mother about the pair of earrings she's given her, "but let's just say it's a hundred times more than that pathetic little cross!" Sally says it's the thought behind the gift that counts. Sophie thinks Rosie's using the birthday as a chance to show off. Sally asks for help getting ready for the party. Rosie says she can borrow her car if she needs to do any shopping. Once they've all gone, Kevin tells Sally he's been invited to a party in Bristol on Saturday night. It'll be a bit of a reunion with some of the guys he was at school with. Sally tells him he should go if he wants to. Kevin acts as if he's not sure it's a good idea. Sally says it'll be a change for him and she doesn't mind. But her mind is clearly more on the expensive earrings than anything else.

Molly (surprise surprise!) also plans to be away at the weekend. She tells Tyrone she thinks she'll go to see her dad, but she doesn't want Tyrone ringing her every five minutes to see how she is. "When have I ever done that?" he demands. "You do it every time I go anywhere by myself," Molly tells him.

Lined up on the sofa like three little monkeys with cereal bowls are Fiz, Kirk and Chesney. Fiz asks Kirk to go and give Maria a hand with the baby. She wants a word with Ches. Off goes Kirk and Chesney asks if it's about Stape. He says he doesn't want to hear his name. Fiz says she's going to visit John later today. "You're mad," says Chesney. "It's you that should be locked up." He slams out on his way to school, leaving Fiz to say to herself: "And another thing - I'm going to marry him."

Across the road, Kevin's making a secret call to an hotel, asking if they've got an executive room available for Saturday night. They don't and he books a room but asks if they could let him know if a better room comes available.

Maria doesn't think Tony should move out while Liam's parents visit. He says he'll compromise and stay until they arrive, but he'll stay in the flat overnight. On the sofa, Kirk thinks his nephew is smiling. Ahhhh. . .

Jason's in the street, on the phone to Tina. He persuades her to come out of the Kabin for a chat. He wants to talk about getting a flat. She doesn't think anyone will lend them any money, and she explains the mortgage lending system to him. "That's stupid!" he says. Of course it is. A very grumpy David stomps past them. Jason tells Tina that David will get used to it. He kisses her goodbye.

"Evil cow!" says David, stomping into the salon with the milk he's just fetched. Yes, stomping! He tells Natasha that Tina only parades Jason in the street because she knows it winds him up. Natasha points out he's forgotten the biscuits. Tony comes in and asks Natasha if she'll do him a big, big favour.

Sally arrives back in the sports car to find Bill fastening balloons all over the house. Theresa sees the car and makes rude comments about where Rosie might have got the money from. Sally goes inside and Bill gives Theresa the background.

Kevin tells Tyrone he's just going to the shop.

There's a knock on the door and Tony lets Natasha into the house. He's arranged for Natasha to help Maria get ready to face Liam's grandparents. "I don't deserve you, you know," Maria tells him. She tells Natasha how helpful Tony has been, even when Liam cries in the middle of the night.

Kevin's in the shop where Molly is listening to Dev and his uncle argue about how to run a corner shop. Kevin takes the chance to tell Molly he's booked a room for Saturday.

Theresa tries to wind up Fiz about the car and all that money which should have been hers and John's going to Rosie. Watched by Uncle Umed, Theresa persuades Fiz that if she won't take a hammer to it, she should hit it anyway. Fiz rolls up her magazine and does just that, whacking the front of the car. Chesney dashes over to the Websters' and calls through the letterbox that there's someone damaging the car.

Rosie and Sally dash outside and Chesney points out Fiz and says she was trying to dent the car. Rosie mouths off in Fiz's face, despite Fiz's protestation that it was a joke. Rosie's sure she's found a scratch on the car, even though she's not looking at the part Fiz was hitting. Theresa and Umed back up Fiz.

Jack and Connie can't decide whether to go to the party. Connie says she'll keep Jack company if he feels he has to show his face. "We'll go down the Rovers," says Jack. Tyrone comes in and ungraciously says Hello to Connie when prompted.

Kevin raises the subject of the party in Bristol again, but Sally's forgotten about it and she's in the middle of setting out things for the party. She has a go at him for starting to drink already. The doorbell goes. It's Sophie's friends, Ben, Ryan and a blonde girl whose name I can't remember. Sally mutters to Kevin that he should hide some of the food in the washing machine so they don't eat it all before the other guests arrive.

A glammed-up Maria coos over baby Liam. Tony thinks he should leave now, so the Connors don't get the wrong idea about their relationship. Maria insists he stay.

At the party, Rosie is practically rubbing herself against Ben. She's in breast-thrusting mode - leading with her chest no matter what she's doing.

Ben's parents arrive and Sally acts in her best social-climber, ingratiatingly nauseous way. When she finds out they don't drink she says she hardly ever has a drink. It's been hardly-ever several times so far tonight! Auntie Pam arrives, bearing baps. She says Tyrone invited her. Sally is rude about her "leftovers" until Pam produces a gift, when she suddenly becomes very smiley and polite and invited Pam to have a drink. Oooh, I love to hate Sally when she's like this! When Pam turns away, Sally hides the baps under a table in the hallway.

She dashes outside to see Kevin and Bill and urges them to go out for more drinks so they don't run out.

Fiz is arguing with Chesney. Kirk thinks it's funny that Chesney told the Websters that Fiz was damaging the car. At least, he thinks it's funny until Fiz points out what a nasty trick it was. She goes off to visit John. Kirk tells Chesney she'll have forgotten about about it by tomorrow. "Yeah, but I won't," Chesney says.

Molly and Tyrone arrive at the party with more beer. Kevin finds a chance to tell Molly she looks very nice.

In the shop, Umed and Dev are still bickering. Kevin comes in and Dev agrees to let him have the beer on tick - probably just to annoy Umed.

Back at the party, Sally's still trying to impress Ben's parents when a mobile phone rings. It's Kevin's. Sally answers it. It's the hotel telling him an executive room has become available. Kevin arrives back in time to hear Sally say, "And you're the Highbury Castle Hotel? And my husband's made a booking with you. Are you sure about that?" Uh oh.

The End of episode one.
Margaret Carr

Thank for all of your kind thoughts about my daughter. Despite having been in hospital since Sunday (now Wednesday night) I am not sure we have a clear picture of exactly what is wrong or the treatment. Hopefully tomorrow morning will bring clarity.

Well that was a stunning end to the last episode - and Sally wants to know what hotel room - Kev thinks they are a complete rip off - and particularly an "Executive Room with a Jacuzzi bath" and Kev is upset because he reckons that Sal should not have answered his phone - and she wants to know what is going on. Luckily Molly has a brain cell which leaps into action and tells her to put her thinking cap on - Molly expands by suggesting that there might be a birthday surprise and even Kev shows amazement at his cleverness. Sal is of course excited. Most wives of course would immediately guess he had planned a night away with her, but then she is blonde. Sal kisses Kev and says that she thought after all the years of marriage that she knew him and she is surprised. Kev claims he has some coupons out of the paper so it is dead cheap. She calls him a good liar - all the stuff about a boys' weekend and he admits it was a good cover story, still lying his pants off.

John tells Fiz he is no longer on medication and that he is no longer officially depressed. The shrink took some persuading but it is all real and they are getting married and they tell each other that they love one another. John asks how the Street has taken the news so Fiz lies saying it has gone down well and even implies that Chesney is warming to the idea - apparently John would like him to be best man (which somehow I cannot see working). Then John asks where - apparently another inmate is getting married inside and Fiz seems quite taken by the idea. John can think of more romantic places than the chapel in the jail but Fiz is focussed on the event not the surroundings. The guard confirms that it is all tastefully done and is a proper wedding. John explains that the guy getting married is serving three life sentences and is never getting out. John will be out in a few months and he wants a wedding in front of friends and family, with jail behind him. Does not seem likely somehow.

Back at the party Rosie is wandering around with hardly any clothes on and makes a beeline to Ben to ask him to open a bottle. Sophie snaps and drags him away from the older sister. Elsewhere Molly snipes at Kevin that she thought she might be destroying a marriage and in fact she has saved it. Kev says he would prefer to be going with her but Molly points out that he was not well prepared. She tells him to have a good time without her and then tells him to change the subject as Tyrone rounds the corner. Rosie continues to wind up Sophie asking Ben if likes cars and if he wanted a ride in hers (can someone tell me what actual make / model of car Rosie has bought - I do not recognise it). Sophie reminds Rosie that she cannot drive and that Ben is not into cars he is into her. Rosie goes inside followed by Sophie who tells her to back off and stop her flirting. Rosie claims she was just having a laugh and that Sophie is paranoid. If looks could kill both sisters would be dead. Sophie grabs a wine bottle and pours the contents down her neck.

Liam's parents arrive from Ireland and tell Maria that she looks fantastic for a new mother, but she claims she had a team of stylists helping her all afternoon. She introduces them to Tony who is hiding in the kitchen. Carla's husband ventures Barry and Tony explains they are estranged. Maria says he has been helping out with the baby and its arrival. Anyway they insist on seeing the recently retired baby and Tony upset by their attitude takes his leave. Later still cooing over the baby they are surprised when Tony lets himself back to reclaim the razor he let charging in the kitchen. Maria is obviously glad to see her husband's killer who is demanding baby visiting rights. She kisses him on the cheek and tells him she will see him later.

Molly is upset over Sal getting the night away and tells Ty that her headache has come on and she is going home but that he can stay at the party. On her way out Kev tries to stop her but she says Bye and vanishes.

In the kitchen Rosie screams as Sophie pours a glass of wine over her head. Sophie tells her that she has been asking for it and Kevin wants to know what is going on. Sophie claims that Rosie has been flirting with Ben all evening. The girls are pulled apart and Sal wants to know how much Sophie has had to drink. Ben claims at least four glasses so he gets shouted at by Sophie for being a Cava policeman! She and Ben argue over the people to whom he may talk and it looks like that relationship is over. Anyway the argument between them carries on for a while and he cannot believe that she thought he had been flirting with Rosie - they had merely been chatting, yes Sophie said with your eyes out on stalks. And Ben makes it clear he does not fancy Rosie who dresses like a hooker - Rosie hears this and points at her top - 200 quid, jeans - 100 quid, shoes - 90 quid. Ben concedes that he must have meant a high class hooker. But he remains upset at not being trusted. But Ben makes it clear that he does not go out with someone who drinks and fights - even if he was not a Christian. Sophie tells him to go and find a nun!

Fiz is telling John that she is not sensible, she cannot wait and she wants to marry him today where they sit. Anyway visiting time is over - Fiz suggests a party when he gets out - but she wants to be married as soon as possible in the jail.

Ty arrives home and advises Molly that he is off to the Rovers for a drink with Jack and Connie and did she want to come. She claims to have run a bath and that she was going to relax and read a magazine. He tells her to suit herself and that he would see her later. Molly picks up her phone and speaks to Kevin - she is on her own and he should come round NOW!

Barry and Helen seem unhappy at the presence of Mr Gordon but Maria defends him saying that baby takes up 24 hours a day and she needs the help - but she and Tony are not an item - but Helen points out that the man is carrying a torch for her.

Kev is dragged into the house and although he tries to apologise Molly is all over him like a rash. We see Molly lose her shoes and as the camera watches them they are joined by her dress.

Jack and Connie are in the Rovers being pestered by Umed. Will someone please deal with him?

Anyway the scene shifts back to the Dobbs residence and Molly is again clothed, and presumably the beast with two backs has had an outing. Anyway Kev cannot hang around - he must get back to the party. Wham Bam Thank You Mam. She tells him to enjoy the jacuzzi. Molly is left to think about what she has done.

Fiz returns to an empty house. She finds a note written by Chesney - one word - Sorry. Under the plate are some fish fingers and peas. Fiz smiles and wonders if perhaps Chesney's obdurate refusal to accept John might be receding.

Not surprisingly Sal wants to know where Kev has been for ages. Apparently the alarm at the garage has been going off and he had to get the manual out and put it right. He hoped the girls had not spoiled the party for her. She answers that she has been walking on air all evening because everyone is saying what a wonderful husband she has taking her away and she has been agreeing with them all. If only they knew. She puts her arms around him and we see his face of despair over her shoulder wishing he was somewhere else.

See you all next week.
K Richard W

We join the street as the postie delivers a signed-for envelope to Fiz's house just as Molly fetches in the milk and a loved-up Kevin and Sally return from their romantic night away. Connie arrives, which is just as well because if looks could kill, Sally would be a gonner.

Inside, Jack and Tyrone sit in their vests eating breakfast. In Tyrone's case, that means eating handfuls of cereal direct from the box! Connie thinks there's something wrong with the world if a man can't eat his breakfast in his vest. "Unless they're under the age of 50," mutters Molly. Tyrone wants to know what's up with Molly. He thinks she's grumpy because Kevin's taken Sally away and they never go anywhere. Molly protests that she's just tired.

Fiz takes the padded envelope to the breakfast table and talks to Chesney about a test he's done well in. She opens the packet and, without showing Ches what's in it, says she's remembered now - she ordered some earrings from Kelly's catalogue. There's a little break in the barrier between brother and sister as he agrees they might do something together later. As soon as he's gone to school, Fiz brings out a little red ring box containing an engagement ring.

Sally's got her hands all over Kevin as she tells Bill about the four-star hotel. Sophie's disgusted when Sal hints at what they got up to. Sophie goes to school and Sally goes to get ready for work. Bill tells Kevin he's earned some Brownie points with Sally. But he says he can't look after the girls tonight because he's got a hot date.

Ashley's making a dental appointment because of his toothache, though Claire thinks he'll back out of it. He's disgusted to find they're having high-fibre cereal instead of sausages. Claire says they eat too much meat and she's been feeling sort of bleagh (she rubbed her stomach as she said it) lately, so she's decided it's time to change their diet. As well as extra bran, she wants them to slow down. She suggests Blackpool for a week. "You've got an assistant," she points out, when Ashley asks what they'll do with the shop. "I've got a Graeme. It's not exactly the same thing," he says.

Molly's outside the shop again. She looks over and sees Tyrone giving Chesney a stationary driving lesson. Kevin scoots Ches off to school and Tyrone asks Kevin about the hotel break. He mentions that Molly's been grumpy all weekend. Kevin takes a phone call and asks Ty to go and fetch some brake discs which have just arrived at the supplier's.

Sally's in the butcher shop with some bacon you could wear as a string vest. Ashley is appalled. Graeme says he was trying to see how thinly he could slice it and he got a bit carried away. "We'll compensate you, of course," says Ashley. Graeme whips out a leg of lamb and thumps it down on the counter. "There! Will that do you?" Sally says it'll do nicely, wraps the bacon carrier bag around it and rushes off before Ashley can say anything. Ashley, who's clearly been watching Eileen's technique, gives Graeme a thump upside the head so hard it makes his hat fly off.

Dev's been thinking. Maybe he should grow a beard or sideburns. Pam rushes in and gets rid of Dev because she wants to talk women's stuff with Molly. She's having second thoughts about the date with Bill. He's going to think she's an idiot for making out she's a hot-shot businesswoman with loads of cash. Molly points out that Bill's making out he's a hot-shot businessman with loads of cash. That's Pam's point. She thinks they'll start on the wrong foot. But she doesn't want to stand him up because that will hurt his feelings. She doesn't want to come clean, either. "Sometimes in life, to get what you want you have to be a little bit devious," she advises Molly. As she leaves, Molly gets a text message from Kevin asking her to come across.

At the garage, she asks after the weekend. Kevin apologises. He tells her it's over. "I can't do this any more!"

Fiz is at the prison (again). She thanks John for the ring, which he says was his Grannie's. He got his solicitor to send it. Fiz loves it. She's wearing it on the wrong hand because she wants John to put it on the correct one, which he does. I wonder if someone should tell her what my Grannie said about opals . . . ?

Back in the garage, Kevin says it's not fair to Tyrone or Sally. "You've only been married a few months. You shouldn't be playing away." Molly points out that Kev made the first move. He says that if she was happy in her marriage she wouldn't have reacted the way she did. Molly tells him she can't just turn it off. They're interrupted by a bloke bringing his car for its service. "Please don't do this, Kevin," she says before leaving.

Tyrone's in the breakdown wagon. He sees Jack and Connie and stops to ask Jack to take the fish out of the freezer so Molly doesn't have anything to have a go at him about. Jack points out that Molly said she was just tired and Connie agrees. "No wonder - keeping house for the two of you on top of her job." Connie says that even if Molly says she doesn't want a break, she needs one. Suddenly they notice Jack's pigeons returning overhead. Before they go, Tyrone says "Connie - thanks." This brings a big smile to Connie's face, and to Jack's.

Bill's doing a bit of sawing at the yard when Pam arrives. She tells Bill she put her ad in and Bill says he also put one in. Pam says she hasn't had any replies, either, but she asks if she wants to come to the pub for a pint tonight. Bill says he's going out to a new restaurant. Pam thinks he should save his money and eat in the pub, but he says it's not the same. "Fancy far compared to plain," Pam agrees. "I'll be in the pub if you change your mind." (Now available: Corrie with subtext!)

Tyrone asks Kevin if he can take a week's holiday. He wants to cheer up Molly. Kevin tells him to take a fortnight. He even suggests that Tyrone use the computer in the office to see if there are any last-minute deals available. Ty thanks him and runs across the road to see whether Dev can spare Molly for a fortnight.

Of course, Dev says No. The notice is too short. Umed points out that it's a wonderfully romantic, spur-of-the-moment gesture. "Have you no heart? Molly is a lovely hard-working girl who deserves a break!" Dev changes his mind.

Scarlett, the pigeon, is missing. Jack wonders whether they should go to Connie's to see whether she's turned up there again, but Connie's reluctant. It's a long way and her feet are playing up.

Ashley arrives home to discover that Claire's already booked them a Blackpool hotel right on the sea-front. "I didn't know we'd decided," says Ash, pointing out that he didn't agree to do anything but think about it. Claire sends Joshua outside to play and tells Ashley she hopes he isn't backing out. He says there's nobody to mind the shop. "What's wrong with Graeme?" she asks. "Oh, I wish I knew. He's a flippin' liability," says Ashley. There's a noise from outside and some moaning, but they don't seem to notice it. Claire's too busy accusing him of trying to avoid spending time with them. Joshua comes in with a bleeding knee.

Dev's still considering which branch of hairiness to go for. He thinks a beard would lend an air of maturity. Molly tells him that the only thing that would do that would be for him to stop talking rubbish. Dev tells her she's stressed and needs a break. She gets a call from Tyrone wanting her to take her break now and meet him in the pub. As she leaves, Umed comes in and conducts his own job interview. Dev tells him he can help out while Molly's away. Umed immediately starts to spring clean!

In the pub, Sally is still clinging to Kevin and kissing him at every opportunity. Molly finds Tyrone and they sit with Kevin and Sal. "Guess where we're going on Friday?" he asks. They're going to Tenerife. He tells Molly everything's been sorted with Kevin and Kevin agrees that it has, though neither he nor Molly looks happy about it. She puts on a happy face and tells Tyrone how thrilled she is.

The end of the first episode.
Stella will be along with episode two.

Margaret Carr

In the pub, Molly can't seem to summon the enthusiasm Tyrone expects from her about their holiday to Tenerife. Molly makes the excuse that she might not be able to get the time off from Dev. Tyrone tells her that he is a take charge kind of guy and has already cleared it with Dev. Sally makes a snide remark about how Tyrone has copied Kevin's idea to whisk Sally away for a romantic night in a posh hotel but hasn't done it as well. Sally snuggles up to Kevin who has been quiet through the whole exchange. He gets up to leave the table. Sally gives him a playful pinch on the bum on his way out. Molly watches it all, jealously.

Sophie is out on the street with Sian. She hasn't heard from Ben all day. Sophie thinks that Ben is waiting until they are face to face to dump her and that's why he hasn't texted or called.

At the Peacocks' place, Claire apologises to Ashley for having overreacted earlier. Ashley tells her that they both need to take some time to relax and that's why he is going to take them away on a holiday. Claire turns the tables on him and tells him that the money should be spent on doing up the postage-sized backyard and turning it into some sort of child-friendly garden with some decking for a barbecue, "Our own little oasis..." When Ashley playfully accuses her of sounding like Sally Webster (God forbid!) Claire takes the hump. "I find that deeply offensive. Don't you dare compare me to Sally Webster!" Ashley resigns himself to canceling the holiday and sorting out the garden.

In Dev's shop, silly old, pointless Uncle Umed talks idiotic Darryl into buying a load of toilet paper in a completely unfunny storyline. Next!

Ashley goes into his shop only to be shocked by the sight of Graham in his butcher's apron absolutely covered in blood. "Don't worry," Graham says, "it's not mine!" The sight of Graham also scares Aunty Pam away. He goes on to explain to Ashley his accident, "I slipped on a sausage skin, tray of freshly caught all over me." He points to his meat cleaver, "Choppy 'ere missed my jugular by a whisker. I tell you what, this place is lethal sometimes." Ashley is infuriated and sends him home.

At Fiz's, Fiz is showing her engagement ring to Hayley. She is very happy and Hayley is very happy for her. She confesses to Hayley that she has not informed Chesney of her engagement and she doesn't want any arguments about it. "I'm marrying John in prison and no-one, not even Chesney, is going to stop us."

At Molly's Pam is fretting about the fake date she has with Bill Webster that night. She wants to cancel it and she persuades Molly to make the call to Bill to do so. It just so happens that Bill calls before Molly can do so. He has called to cancel and uses his broken helicopter as an excuse. Pam is very happy about this. "You know what this means, don't you?" Pam asks Molly, "It means that Bill has cancelled a six foot blonde business woman for a night in the Rovers with me!" Molly urges her not get her hopes up. "Hope be damned," says Pam, "it's fate! I knew she weren't right for 'im!" Tyrone interrupts them by barging into the room wearing his best holiday clothes- a pair of Bermuda shorts and a bright yellow sleeveless t-shirt. Molly and Pam look horrified. Tyrone knows what they're thinking and asks Molly to take him shopping for new clothes. Molly snaps at him and tells him she has too much on her plate but magnanimously forgives him when he apologises for being too excited about the holiday. Poor Tyrone.

Graham drops round the Peacocks with some chops for dinner. He tells Claire how he upset Ashley for a bit. He sees Claire is making plans for the garden. Claire asks him if she can pick his brains for idea about the garden. She invites Graham in to talk about it.

At Fiz's, Hayley is trying to make Fiz see sense about telling Chesney about her upcoming wedding to John. Hayley is also upset that Fiz is getting married in prison. Fiz asks Hayley to be witness at her wedding but Hayley refuses on the grounds that Fiz is lying to her own brother about the marriage. "I'm sorry Fiz, I truly am," Hayley regrets that Fiz won't change her mind, "I wish the both of you every happiness."

Kevin is working quietly in the garage where Molly comes in to accuse him of getting rid of her. She tells him that he has hurt her and thinks he is taking the easy way out. "Easy?" asks Kevin, "You haven't a clue, Molly! Not a flamin' clue!" He tells her how when he was in prison he used to get through the days, it was hard but he managed, but two weeks without her will be like a life sentence. Oh, please. Molly, upset, goes in for a kiss but Kevin deflects it and hugs her instead.

In the shop, Dev is suspicious about the amount of toilet paper that they've sold that day. He knows that Uncle Umed has pulled a swift one on Darryl and explouit4ed his stupidity to make him buy excessive amounts of loo roll. When Darryl comes in to buy some more, Dev gives it to him for a pound and is angry with Uncle Umed for deceiving Darryl.

Back at the garage, Molly is still trying to get Kevin to change his mind about their affair. Kevin won't be moved but tells Molly that he wants her every second of every day. Oh Molly, give it up. The stupid old man who should know better is sending out classic mixed signals and is not worth wrecking your marriage over.

Ashley comes home to find Graham in his kitchen and Claire covered in dirt and wearing gardening gloves. He is not best pleased. He asks Graham to leave him and Claire alone and when he is gone he demands that Claire get rid of Graham who is not one of Ashley's favourite people at the moment.

Fiz is at home, on the mobile to John. John has spoken to the chaplain and good news! they can get married sooner than expected. She is happy and tells John, "the sooner the better, babe." She also lies to John about Hayley's reaction and hurries off the phone when Chesney gets home. It looks like Fiz is about to tell Chesney the truth but she chickens out at the last minute and asks if he fancies fish 'n' chips for tea.

Bill sees Pam out on the street. She has done her hair all fancy. He joins Pam in a walk before going for a drink together in the Rovers. Pam takes Bill arm as they stroll down the street. Bill asks Pam if she would like to go out for a "slap up meal" after their drink. Pam says, "Oooh, I reckon I might be persuaded. Eh! And if I'm really good, p'r'aps you could show us that chopper o' yours... Flyboy!" Bill laughs along with her.

In the garage, Kevin gets frustrated while under the bonnet of one of the cars and he flings a spanner across the floor. Sally sees it and she tells Kevin that he works too hard. She will run him a bath when he gets home and she's going to spoil him in return for how he has spoiled her already. When Sally leaves, Kevin sees Tyrone, back from a shopping expedition across the street. Tyrone shouts across the street, excited by the thought of his holiday.

Tyrone goes home and shows Molly his purchases which include clothes, twin water cannons and, "even a pocket for th'iPod!" Molly asks him what else he bought. Tyrone has very thoughtfully bought her a beautiful blue silk thing which might be a blouse, might be a sarong, I can't tell. Tyrone cuddles her and tells her, "This holiday is going to amazing. It's going to be the honeymoon you deserve, babe!" They hug but Molly's heart is not in it as she looks over Tyrone's shoulder with a thoughtful expression.

Stella McLoughlin

It's breakfast time at the Peacock's, and Claire is obviously miffed. Ashley dares to ask if she's cancelled the hotel and she snaps that she'll just slot it in with all the other things she has to do. Other people seem to be able to have holidays and gardens, but not them! He says he thought she said the garden was more important than a week away, but she says she only said that because he said it was one or the other. Ashley says that maybe if they do the work between them instead of paying Graeme, they can afford the holiday as well. She sniffs that it would be a shame to lose the deposit, so he says he'll look at his books and see what he can do.

Over at the Kabin, there's another grumpy person - Norris! He's in agony with his bunion. Rita thinks he should get his name down for surgery, or there's no point in moaning about it. "When were you a nurse?" he says, "all that compassion going to waste!" Just then Ramsay comes in. "Feet no better, Norris?" he asks. Norris is extremely irritated and points out that it's one bunion on just one foot. Rita offers Ramsay a bacon sandwich while he waits for the papers to be ready for his round, but he refuses saying Emily has invited him for breakfast when he's finished.

Ashley and Graeme are having a discussion. Ashley is of the opinion that Claire is a dreamer whose feet aren't on the ground, whereas Graeme sees her as a visionary - and those sort of people get things done. Ashley snaps that it's people like him who gets things done. "No holiday, no garden," mutters Graeme, but Ashley tells him to check with him before he starts another great scheme. Just then Lloyd comes into the shop and asks Ashley if he fancies a lads night out. Graeme is extremely interested buy Lloyd tells him it's grown-ups only. Ashley says he's up for it, and ignores Lloyds advice to check with Claire first. "No need, I'm me own man," he says, and arranges to see Lloyd at seven in the Rovers.

It's lunchtime, and Kevin wants to put a bit extra into Tyrone's pay packet but Sally doesn't agree. She says she hopes he's joking, he's already made Ty a partner. Kevin points out that Tyrone doesn't have any spending money for his holiday and wants to give him an extra week's wages. Sally says they don't exactly have any spare money sloshing about either. As they head off back to work, Sophie, Sian and Ryan arrive. Sophie's unhappy because she waited an hour for Ben but he didn't turn up. Ryan asks if she'd like to make it up with him. "Only if he stops being such a dork," she replies.

Outside the butchers', Claire is showing Ashley the trainers she's bought for Josh and spent £40 on. He's not happy and says that no trainers are worth that, especially as he'll have grown out of them in a couple of weeks. She's telling Ashley that feet are important and these are air cushioned and ergonomic, when Ramsay passes by. As Claire and Ashley stand arguing, he walks off looking thoughtful. Ashley then tells Claire about his arrangement to go out with Lloyd for a few pints and an Indian. "Oh no money for your son's shoes but plenty for you to go out?" she snaps, and then tells him she's arranged to go to her mother's so he'll have to stay in and babysit. She suggests he goes out with Lloyd early and gets home for 8pm, then he can go out with Lloyd again another night, that way he gets two nights out. "And if you tell Graeme you'll help him with the garden we'll all be happy," she adds.

Jack's worried about his pigeon, Scarlet, and asks Connie if she's been back to her house to check if she's there. She mutters that she hasn't had the chance and tries to change the subject. Jack, however, won't be put off and asks when she is going to go round. She says she'll go later and he says he'll go with her. Connie looks worried and starts to say she'll catch the pigeon on her own when he stops her. "What's the problem?" he asks, "I've never been to your house. I don't even know where it is."

Ashley tells Lloyd there's been a change of plan and he can only do from 6 - 8pm and Lloyd teases him about the hand of his loving wife. "A two-hour pass!" Peter joins them and asks where they're going, but of course it's only to the Rovers as Ashley's mummy wants him home nice and early for his cocoa! Ash points out that Lloyd and Peter could still hit the town, but Lloyd points out that Peter doesn't drink. "Fair play to you Peter," says Lloyd, "but he's under the thumb and you're a teetotaller. It's going to be a riot!" Peter points out that at least they've got people to worry about and people who worry about them. What's Lloyd got? A girlfriend (Liz) who's looking at Spanish waiters!

Fiz is in the salon and Natasha is doing her hair. They start discussing ideal wedding venues when Fiz suddenly gets tearful and confides in Natasha that she's getting married in prison! Natasha hands her the tissues and locks the door.

In the butchers', Ashley is getting more and more irritated by Graeme who is waffling on about the many ways gardens can be transformed. In the end, he snatches the cleaning cloth and tells him to go home, he'll do the rest of the cleaning. Graeme then remarks that he was hurt by Lloyd's refusal to let him come on their night out. Ashley tells him they've got personal stuff to discuss. Graeme starts to say how discreet he can be when he senses Ashley's irritation and makes a hasty departure.

Ramsay has been shopping and bought Norris some high-tech trainers. He asks Rita to give them to Norris as he knows that Norris wouldn't accept them if he thought they were a gift from Ramsay. Rita asks why he carries on banging his head against a brick wall. "Because I have to," says Ramsay.

In the Rovers, Ashley, Lloyd and Peter decide to play a game of darts.

Back at the salon, Natasha tells Fiz she thinks her forthcoming wedding plans are really romantic. Fiz assures her there's nothing romantic about Highfield. "You and the man you love?" says Natasha, "that's all you need!" Fiz thanks her for not being shocked, but is told that hairdressers are unshockable, they hear everything. She then says she'll do Fiz's hair on the day as a wedding present.

Back in the Rovers, the lads are having a good time when a mobile phone starts ringing - Ashley's . He says he'll get it in a minute. "That'll be your missus," says Lloyd. "Come in number two your time is up!" Ashley says he's got another five minutes yet and gets another round of drinks in.

Sophie, Sian and Ryan are getting ready to go to watch Ryan's band. Sophie still hasn't made it up with Ben when there's a knock at the door. It's Ben, but Sophie's still annoyed with him for standing her up and in moments they're arguing about him and Rosie. She tells him he made a fool of himself. "How would you know?" he asks, "you were drunk!" He then accuses her of wanting to be completely different from Rosie and says that he thinks that's the reason she's interested in Christianity. She yells at him to get out and tells him he's dumped, and then slams the door behind him.

Ashley is still in the pub and has had a lot to drink by now. He's ignoring his phone every time it rings. Just then, the phone stops ringing and Claire is standing in front of him, fuming. "Hiya love, is that the time?" he says. "Oh, so you're not half dead in casualty then?" snaps Claire. "I was just coming," stammers Ashley, but she tells him to stay. "It seems a pity to cut your evening short," she says, sarcastically. "What about the kids?" he says, and she congratulates him for remembering they've got any. It seems she's asked Eileen to pop in for a few minutes. He asks if she's off to her mother's, but she retorts that her mother's probably died from loneliness by now. She shouts at him that her useless husband decided his night out was more important, but she's now fed up with him making all the decisions, they're not having a holiday and they're not having a garden, he's always Mr. Right. But now she's going to start making decisions of her own. She turns to Graeme who's at the bar and asks if he'll come round in the morning. She then turns to Ashley and says she's going home and bolting the doors. "Enjoy your little game!" she shouts as she marches out.

Anne Logan

Good show tonight written by Julie Jones and directed by Ian Bevitt.

Simon and Peter make an comeback appearance tonight after several weeks away. Simon wakes up Ashley by banging on his drum and Peter offers to make Ashley a fry up. Ashley looks right miserable so I guess he carried on drinking after Claire showed him up in the pub the night before. Immediately, he sits up and rings Claire who, seeing it's him ringing, ignores the call. She tells Josh that Daddy has already gone to work. Graham looks like his feet are comfortably under the table as he's spooning cereal down his gob. He reckons Ashley will come home with flowers and an apology but Claire doubts that. They continue on discussing ideas for the garden (which, I assume, is going to fill the back yard with pots because unless they're digging up the paving, there's nothing back there to host anything with roots!) The phone rings again, and again, Claire doesn't answer it.

In the corner shop, Tyrone is stocking up on sweets for the plane. He and Molly are off to Teneriffe today but Molly looks like she'd rather be on a plane to somewhere else, anywhere else but spending two weeks with Tyrone. Sally is pleased for them. As they leave, Amber comes out from the back, complaining that the water isn't working. Sally says she's heard there's a broken water main so she decides to stock up on bottles of water. This gives Umed an idea. When Sally asks how much, he triples the price of the water from 70p to £2.20. They discuss the composition of the human body (Over half water). Sally comes out with a ridiculous "What if" (one eye made of eye and one eye made of water) which has Amber and Umed realizing that Sally hasn't got two clues to rub together. Well maybe I'm just projecting a little, here. Anyway, Umed, that snake oil salesman, smoothly compliments Sal ("you have the mind of a philosopher and the face of an angel") but he still can't sell her more than the two bottles of water though does manage to squeeze £4.40 out of her for the water.

In the pub, Sean looking lovely in yellow marigolds, is cleaning and Becky, wearing pink ones is just leaning against a booth chatting to him about her wedding. They aren't exactly Bet Lynch and Hilda Ogden but they do have an equally pointless conversation, just like you do in those situations. There's a knock on the door. Becky lets Slug (sorry, I know he's called Neil but he'll always be Slug to me!). They start fooling around with the marigolds and run into the back laughing.

Ashley has arrived home and isn't best pleased to find Graham there and not at work. He shouts at him and sends him off to open the shop. Graham advises Ashley that Claire doesn't really want to talk to him at the moment (she's off taking Josh to school). Ashley isn't about to take this advice and shouts some more, getting redder and redder by the moment.

In the corner shop, Connie and Sean are now buying water and talking about the benefits of a good cup of tea. Umed speaks over Amber who is about to tell Sean the 70p price and charges him £1.40. I don't know why Amber doesn't argue with him as she's usually so outspoken. She confronts him after Sean leaves and is given the "supply and demand" argument. Still no excuse, is it?

The cab arrives to take an excited Ty and a distinctly unexcited Molly to the airport. Molly and Kevin can hardly take their eyes off each other as Tyrone witters on about the trip. Molly looks like she can hardly breathe, even more when Tyrone brags about expecting lots of "no pyjama nights" while they're away. Jack and Connie come out to see them off and we see Molly's miserable face staring at Kevin from out the rain spattered taxi window. She's all but clawing at the window and mouthing KEVINNNNNNN!!!!! Kevin just looks like he could cry. Sheesh.

Jack and Connie go back inside. Jack is looking forward to having the house to himself for a bit. He says Scarlett hasn't come home yet and wonders if they could go to Connie's house to see if the bird has gone there again. Connie hesitates. Jack finally asks if she's keeping something from him. She tells him to get his coat.

Lloyd follows Norris out of the Kabin. Norris is limping and walking very awkwardly and Lloyd has noticed. Norris tetchily says he's got a bunion that's giving him grief and warns Lloyd of old age taking it's revenge. Across the road, Ashley is knocking at his own door. Claire is inside ironing and singing to the radio while Freddie watches. Ashley tells Lloyd Claire has bolted the door from the inside. He hollers through the window but Claire pulls the curtains over then peeks through them to watch Ash walk across the street with Lloyd. She bends over to get something else to iron and cries out in surprise and pain. Something is definitely wrong. She bends over again but screams out and collapses.

In the Kabin, Norris is flexing his feet. Rita comes in and passes him a shoe box. Norris isn't too grateful but when he tries them on, he is very happy with the results. Seems they're very comfy indeed. Instantly his mood is lifted and he's dancing around the shop.

In the butcher shop, Ashley is going about his work on a side of meat with a knot in his face that must have been tied with rope the size of the Titanic's. New Age Graham chides him gently. Food should be prepared with love! You can imagine how that goes over. Peter arrives with coffee and fancy pastries. Ashley tells him Claire has locked him out and won't take his calls. Graham is now sayin git's best to let them stew in their own juices. Peter seems to be of the same mind and Ashley is now irked enough to go along with it. Meanwhile, the iron is hissing and spitting. Claire is still out on the floor and Freddie is a bit bewildered, but still sitting on the sofa at least.

Slug and Becky are having a cuppa in the back room. He wonders what she sees in Steve but she defends him. Slug figures Steve will want to control Becky but she says it's not like that. She's independent and yes, she likes her life just fine.

Jack and Connie have arrived in a very posh and leafy neighbourhood by taxi. They walk up to a huge house behind a locked gate. It's even got a name on the post, The Poplars. Connie opens the gate with a remote control dojiggy and they walk in. That's her house! Connie says that she owned a laundrette or two and it turned into a successful business but all this grandness is too much for her so she stays with her sister a lot of the time. It was her husband that wanted the fancy house.

We're now in the taxi office. Claire hasn't shown up for work for her shift. Eileen is ticked off because she's supposed to be off. Lloyd can't take the switch because they're two drivers down. Eileen leaves another message for Claire.

Slug is now watching Becky planting bulbs in a pot out back. He can't get his head around it all but when she cries that she's planted them upside down, he laughs. I guess that's the old Becky he remembers.

Eileen has waited long enough but Lloyd wants her to call Claire again but when she starts to leave a sarky message, he says he'll nip round and see what's going on.

In the Kabin, Norris is still hopping and twirling and dancing on air, extolling the virtues of his new shoes. Ramsay comes in and admires his fancy footwork which takes Norris' mood down a nudge. Rita invites Ramsey to lunch with her and Emily, to a Greek chorus of insults from Norris, as usual. Ramsay praises Rita to the highest for her generosity, making her uncomfortable, sure that Norris will work out the truth.

Lloyd strides down the street to Number 13 and knocks on the door. No answer. He hollers through the letterbox but there's no noise or movement. He peers through the window between the curtains and sees Freddie and then sees Claire on the floor. He frantically throws his body against the door.

Becky and Slug are reminiscing about the old days when they were a pair to be reckoned with. She scolds him for dissing Roy and Hayley and admits she was of the same mind when she first met them. But they showed confidence in her and they love her for who she is, or in spite of it. Slug says he always did too. He softly admits he still loves her and wants her back. Becky looks uncomfortable at the revelation.

Down the road, Lloyd manages to kick the door in and rushes to Claire. He calls 999 for an ambulance. He smiles briefly at little Freddie but he looks very worried indeed.

Tvor

We open in the Peacock household where Lloyd is tending to Claire who is lying on the floor having collapsed whilst doing the ironing. He secures the iron and turns it off and then places a blanket over Claire. Poor Freddy is watching and looks suitably scared.

Connie's secret is out - she is worth a few pennies with a five bedroomed house and a billiard room and bar all of its own. Jack wants to know why Connie did not tell him sooner - but she is worried he will be angry, he's not - and she does not feel that the house is "her", fruits of her labour but she feels it is wrong when others have so little. She has given money to charity and still ... but Jack quietens her as they sit in the garden and Jack spies the missing Scarlet sitting on a wall.

Ashley and Peter are heading for the Rovers for lunch when they meet Eileen who tells him that Claire is good at sulking. They walk around the corner and see the ambulance and Lloyd shouting for Ashley. Lloyd says that he found Claire lying on the floor and after sorting out babycare from Eileen Ash climbs into the ambulance which departs with full "blues and twos". Peter says he will follow them.

That almost bent copper from Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes (Slug) is with Becky in the huge smoking area which has appeared at the rear of the Rovers - anyone knows how they manage to shoehorn it in? Anyway Becky is reflecting on her time with Slug and she knows that she cannot go back - and anyway she and Steve are rock solid whilst her relationship with Slug was effectively a train wreck.

Arriving at the hospital Ashley is quite excited. Claire's blood pressure is dangerously low and they had no idea what was wrong. The doctor tells him to stay in the waiting area. Peter arrives to comfort Ashley who completely forgets that Claire has been mad as a hatter recently and complaining about feeling "bleahh". Apparently she has been "fine" with no complaints. Anyway he does not know what he would do without her

Jack and Connie have returned to the Ty's house. But as Connie points out Scarlett seems to like her house - perhaps she has been doing a bit of matchmaking! Connie asks Jack to spend time with her at her house - she might not feel so bad about it if it is being properly inhabited.

In the back room at the Rovers Becky is trying to cheer up Slug and goes through to the bar to get some beers. As soon as she goes he dives into her handbag - until Sean comes in for a chat on his way back from a break. He returns to the bar but Slug makes no progress in his quest before Becky returns - they decide to go out as Betty wants Becky to work and it is her day off.

Darryl has found out that the Kyoto treaty is about gasses and emissions and nothing to do with bog rolls. Well you can see how Umed was confused. Dev gives Darryl a tenner to resolve the complaint.

Norris reckons the trainers are the greatest thing since sliced bread and is bugging Rita to know how much they cost. Emily and Ramsey Street arrive with the intention of taking Rita to lunch and the news that niece Freda will be visiting next week. Apparently she is engaged to be married. Norris continues his bugging exercise and Rita concedes that the trainers cost thirty of your earth pounds. And not another work on the subject.

In the Rovers Connie and Sean start complaining to Dev about the price of bottled water in the Corner Shop. Umed explains that he put the prices up to avoid panic buying! Dev swallows none of it and tells Umed not to overcharge his customers. Umed agrees.

Rita, Emily and "Street" are dining at the cafe when Doris arrives with his trainers worn as gloves which Street points out is wrong - he should be wearing gloves. Apparently the internet sells the trainers for 100 of your earth pounds or Rita is lying and he glares at Street. The latter admits his guilt and so Doris tells him to stuff the trainers into a dark place and storms out leaving them behind.

At the hospital a doctor takes Ashley into a private room for a chat. There it is revealed that scans showed a blood clot on the lung. And did you know that your wife was pregnant? Apparently Claire had not thought to mention it. Anyway the baby has been lost as a result of the blood clot. They are taking her down to the theatre to remove the clot. The doctor does not re-assure Ashley merely saying that they were doing everything they can.

Becky and Slug are larking around watched by Steve and Lloyd with the former making it clear that he is not a caveman, but a modern metrosexual many who does own his woman. Becky and Slug continue their antics and Steve sets off like a train. Given that he is overweight it is good he does not have far to run. Steve tells Slug to slither off and never come back although Becky says he can call her anytime. A little later Becky and Steve are sitting on Maxeem's bench and Steve apologises as he knows there is nothing going on. And she says she loves it when he gets jealous, cos that must mean he loves her. And within seconds they are sucking the faces off each other.

Anyway Slug has not slithered off completely. He is consuming a kebab when a silver car appears and tells him to get in. Slug refuses but wants to know if he has done it. Slug hands over a packet of drugs and tells him to do his own dirty work in future. The car driver is DC Hooch - the policeman who has been trying to get Becky sent down for years - so presumably Slug was supposed to plant the drugs on Becky and it failed. Slug runs away. Hooch turns the corner and stares at the now reconciled Becky and Steve, clearly he still wants her sent down.

Ashley updates Peter and then tells Peter that she could die. Ash is distraught, after all to have one wife die is careless - but two - that must mean it is a soap. And the closing shot is Ashley holding onto Peter scared about how the operation will go or if will again be a single father.

See you next week.
K Richard W

From the pen of Jonathan Harvey and directorship of Dominic Leclerc.

We open in hospital. Claire is unconscious, tubes and ventilators attached. Ashley is laying on the uncomfortable waiting room seats wide awake and looking pained and worried. He gazes sadly at a photo of Claire on his phone.

At the Barlows, Peter's phone is ringing, He runs downstairs from the necessary to get it. While he is on the phone, Ken and Deirdre talk about their new breakfast cereal in the background. As you do. The phone call is from someone at Peter's "meeting", i.e. AA-clone type support group. Peter is still embarrassed about going to meetings and finds it awkward. Not quite 100% accepting, methinks. Guess it's not a lifeline yet then. Ken offers to go with him to show support but Peter doesn't want him there.

Maria is cuddling the baby with Ozzie at her feet. Daddy Connor is going through a photo album with Ryan and Mammy is eyeing Ozzy with suspicion. She shouldn't say anything but she will and does and is worried that the dog could turn on the baby. You hear about it all the time, don't you! I swear Ozzie knew what the conversation was about. Poor thing kept looking around balefully. Maria tries to reassure her mother-in-law, reminding her that she was a kennel maid and is good with dogs and knows them. Mammy may have lost this argument but the war isn't over, not by a long chalk and Maria is showing signs of irritation.

Back to the Barlows, Ken is trying to persuade Peter to let him come along. He's insisting. Deirdre would come too except she's due to meet with her boss and smugly explains that she's probably going to be promoted. Virtually guaranteeing she won't be, you know how these things work.

In the corner shop, Norris is in agony and Emily is trying to prop up his foot on a stool and pillow and implores on him to go home and rest. Ramsay arrives back from his newspaper round and offers to cover the till if Norris wants to go home. Emily offers to set him up on the couch which does the trick and Norris is helped up to his feet.

In the hospital, Claire is still out. Ashley is on the other side, in the waiting room. I don't know why he's not by her side. Eileen has arrived with Josh who wanted to come and has sent Freddie to Claire's mother. Ashley explains that mummy isn't very well. Eileen apologizes for the stroppy phone messages she left and Ash promises to delete them. The doctor comes in to tell Ashley that Claire is showing signs of coming round and he should go in and talk to her (why wasn't he doing that all night?) Ashley explains to Joshua that mummy just needs lots of rest and he can come back later. Eileen takes him home and Ashley goes in to chatter at Claire awkwardly.

Maria is sitting in the sunny back yard complaining to Tony on the phone about her mother-in-law who comes out to feed her cake, cake she doesn't want.

Ken is reading at the table and Blanche is watching a quiz show. She knows the answer and after Ken points out that she doesn't pay the phone bill, she takes advantage and calls up to give her answer. She forgets to leave her name in case she won. Deirdre comes home just then and lights a cig right there in the room. Turns out there's been a reorganization, 6 jobs down to 4 and she'll have to reapply for her job. Ken reassures her but Blanche bullies her as usual.

Ashley gingerly holds Claire's hand and nervously tells her "it's me. Ashley" (with that voice, who else could it be?) He apologizes and tells her he loves her and witters on about how peaceful she looks. If I was her, I think I'd stay asleep!

Julie is trying to cheer up Sean who's got a face as long as the Irwell. This includes chirping on about how cool she is with having gay friends, very in touch with their feelings. Sean sighs and spills his heart out. It's this man, you see, met him at the gym, he's single and on "my bus" but he's not seen Leon since he met him. Julie's thrilled. She relates a story about accidentally watching gay porn, i think. Sean thinks he'll just go back to the gym again and hopefully run into Leon.

In the middle of another of Ashley's professions of love, bells go off and alarms sound. He's ushered out of the room as the nurses scramble. Turns out Claire's blood pressure had dropped but it's all ok now.

Norris is on the couch resting but is annoyed when Ramsay arrives, bunion soothing shoes in hand. Norris refuses to accept the gift. Emily offers coffee.

Tony has arrived to take Maria and the baby out for a drive. She's had enough of her in-laws. Natasha notes that they are leaving together. Maria tells Tony she has a destination in mind and gets in the car.

Ken is trying to soothe Deirdre who won't be. Peter comes in to the middle of the pair of them arguing. Deirdre reckons she can go to the meeting. When Blanche hears where they're going, she invites herself. "Anything's got to be better than Loose Women!" (that's an afternoon chat show)

Result! Sean is sitting in the jacuzzi and Leon joins him. Sean puts on a sad face and says that Jason has dumped him. Leon pats him on the shoulder in sympathy.

Finally Ashley has been given a chair to sit on at Claire's bedside. He chatters again about this and that, and eventually Claire starts to moan and she opens her eyes. She takes the oxygen mask off and wonders where she is. Good old tactful Ashley blurts out that she was pregnant and lost the baby. Not a word about an aneurysm, which was more the problem. Needless to say, Claire is as shocked as Ashley thinks she should be.

Tvor

Ashley is by Claire's bedside, holding her hand. Claire has come round and tells Ashley that she never wants to argue with him ever again. Ashley tells Claire that he loves her so much.

Sean is in the jacuzzi with Leon, telling big fat lies about being Jason's boyfriend and how Eileen is a Jehovah's Witness who would hit the roof if she found out that Jason was gay. Leon climbs out of the jacuzzi and Sean scrambles out after him. Sean asks Leon if he would like to go for a drink but Leon has football training. Sean doesn't take the hint that Leon is not interested and makes a fool of himself while Leon tells Sean to look for him on Facebook. He tells Sean not to worry, that he'll be sure to find another boyfriend because there are plenty of gay fellas who like camp men.

In the pub, Betty serves Barry & Helen who are looking for Maria. They ask Natasha if she has seen their daughter-in-law. "I don't know who you are," says Natasha, "so I don't know who your rellies are." Barry & Helen explain that Maria has gone off without telling them where she is and she is annoyed not to be able to spend some time with her grandson.

The Barlows are at Peter's AA meeting, listening to the sob story of one of the members, Ross. Blanche doesn't seem very sympathetic.

Ramsay is at Emily's, asking her about her faith while Norris lies on the lounge rolling his eyes. He has had enough eventually and exasperatedly exclaims, "Please! Pretending to be interested in religion just to get in her good books!" Ramsay protests that Norris doesn't even really know him so he doesn't know what Ramsay is interested in. Emily and Ramsay head out to the pub. Norris asks if he should just lie there on the sofa slowly rotting away while they go out. "If you like," says Emily.

Back at Claire's hospital bed, Ashley tells Claire that he thought he was cursed what with all the people he loves dying. He mentions that Claire has never asked after the boys. "I trust you," says Claire, "I know they're safe."

At the AA meeting, Blanche tells Ross, who has been pouring his heart out to the group, that he is a self-indulgent whinger. "Is there a correlation between how boring you are and how much you drink?" The family all protest Blanche's rudeness but she is not deterred from speaking her mind. When another member, Melanie, tells Ross that she actually found his tale of woe interesting, Blanche sneers, "You want to get out more. Wait till you try Bingo, you'll hyperventilate." Deirdre apologises for Blanche but Blanche says, "I'm only speaking the truth!"

Helen and Barry come back to Maria's house to find Tony feeding their grandchild while Maria is in the kitchen. They are incensed to discover that Maria and Tony have been to register baby Liam's birth and insist that they should have been there too.

Back at the AA meeting, Melanie is still talking to Ross, telling him that she always learns from when Ross speaks. Ken decides to speak. He tells Ross that he was fascinated while listening to him and thinks that what was lacking from Ross's life was trust. He goes on to tell the group that trust is vital in any family. Deirdre tuts and interrupts him, "Honesty and trust, two things you're an expert on, eh Ken?" Blanche enlightens the group, "Ken recently had an affair with an actress." Ken and Peter's shoulders drop despairingly while Blanche continues, "It wasn't Nicole Kidman or Glenda Jackson; she lived on a tugboat." As Ken grits his teeth and grumbles, "It was a barge," Peters wonders aloud, "Is it any wonder why I drink?"

Back at Claire's bedside, Ashley is imagining what would have happened if they had planned this pregnancy. Claire is not keen to talk about it and tells Ashley she needs some rest. She is obviously distressed at the thought of another pregnancy.

Poor Peter. The family's dirty linen is getting a right good airing at the AA meeting as Blanche goes on to tell the group that Deirdre is "hardly Snow White", alluding to Deirdre's affairs. Melanie thinks there is a lot of residual anger in the family. Deirdre thinks that perhaps Peter has a point and that the dysfunction of their family has contributed to Peter's drinking. Ken reminds her that it didn't make Tracey hit the bottle. "No," Blanche is quick to tell everyone, "but it made her hit her boyfriend with a blunt instrument." Peter tells the group about Tracey being in prison for murder. He says he's not using the family dysfunction as an excuse and confesses that he likes drinking, "I love it in fact. That's why I can't get enough of it down me throat." The group leader, Howard, pleads with Peter to use past tense when he is talking about his drinking. But Deirdre admonishes Howard, "No, he's right! The past is the present. We all carry around with us things from the past that have hurt us and..." but she is interrupted by Ken who doesn't want to hear the past blurted out in inappropriate situations. Deirdre tells Ken she has had enough of him acting the do-gooder when in actual fact the only person he cares about is himself. Ken tells Deirdre that she's being grossly unfair. Ross sticks up for Deirdre. Deirdre is grateful and thanks him. Blanche warns Ross, "Careful, she'll be coming onto you next. They're like a pair of swingers." The group seems to be enjoying the Barlow Show. Ken pleads that they listen to someone else and accuses Deirdre of not wanting to talk to him in private but of wanting to humiliate him in public. Deirdre reminds him that it could be worse and at least they're not in the Rovers. "Just as well," chimes in Blanche, "This lot would be foaming at the mouth!" Melanie expresses that she is not comfortable with Blanche's presence in the meeting. "I'm not totally comfortable with your halitosis," answers Blanche. Melanie points out that the family can't be good for Peter's recovery. Deirdre tells her to shut and she gets up. "I need a drink!" she says. Ken apologises for his family and before he leaves he tells the group that he knows what it is to have done wrong but he can't go back and change things. Ross tells him that all he can do is say he's sorry. When Ken leaves, Peter says, "You see, Howard, Ross, everyone. Which ever way you look at it, I'm screwed."

Ken walks down the stairs of the centre past Blanche on her chair lift who looks very smug and past Deirdre outside, who is furiously smoking a cigarette.

Lloyd brings Claire flowers from everyone at work. He tells Claire that he had to break the door down to get to her before calling the ambulance. Claire thinks everyone has been so nice to her.

Norris is at home in the kitchen. He tries on the shoes that Ramsay gave him and is pleased to find they offer him some relief. The door slams shut and he leaps onto the sofa where he pretends to be asleep. He listens to Ramsay and Emily talking about Emily's deaf niece, Freda who is visiting tomorrow.

Eileen, Jesse and Julie come back to Eileen's to find Sean looking for Leon on Facebook. Julie asks Sean how he went with chatting up Leon at the gym. Sean confesses he didn't have much luck. Jesse asks what wrong with him that he didn't fall for Sean, "Is he blind?" Sean and Julie think Eileen's boyfriend is just lovely. Eileen gives him a cuddle. Jesse and Eileen like that Sean and Julie called him Eileen's "boyfriend". Sean comes from the kitchen where he has been pouring a glass of wine and asks if he can have an honest answer to a question. "Do you think I'm camp?" he asks. Jesse, unconvincingly, says no. Eileen doesn't know how to answer but Julie thinks, "Extremely." She goes on to explain that being camp is Sean's "Unique Selling Point". It's a good thing, apparently. Sean remains unconvinced.

A nurse asks Claire if she can bring Ashley and their little boy to see her. Claire only wants to see Ashley.

At Maria's, Helen is being obnoxious about Tony being at Maria's house. Tony gets up to leave and says before he goes, "Best not hug, lest something be misconstrued." When Tony is gone, Helen accuses Maria of neglecting Liam's needs for a feed while she was out with her "fancy man". Maria argues that she took a bottle with her but Helen doesn't appear to believe her. Maria says, "Well, if you don't believe me, you know what you can do!" Helen thinks Maria would love for them to leave that so that Tony could come back and sneers, "Who'd have thought our Liam would have married a tart." Weak-as-piss Barry finally steps in and pleads for some calm and tries to explain that they missed not registering their grandson but promises that they will love him as he grows. Maria shouts, "What, with what she just said?" just as the baby wakes up. "Now look what you've done," snaps Helen before martyring herself, "I'll go!" Maria is in for a bumpy ride with that old boot who tries to apologise, "I'm sorry Maria, I really am. But Liam's not even cold yet." Maria is furious.

Back with Claire. She is talking to Ashley about their two lovely boys. She thinks the miscarriage is for the best and tells Ashley that she doesn't ever want to be pregnant again. Ashley is going to have to have a vasectomy.

Stella McLoughlin

Ashley arrives to see Claire in hospital and is dismayed to hear that she's still adamant that he has a vasectomy. She wants him to have the operation as soon as possible so she doesn't find herself in the same condition in future. She wants him to promise, but he evades the issue by saying they'll discuss it when she gets home.

Back in Coronation Street, Joe is having a bad day when Len phones to tell him that the worktops he's installed have been damaged and they will have to be replaced. "Do you know how much that'll cost me?" he cries, but Len has hung up. He then sees Graeme and rushes over, begging him to get him more pills. "No chance!" says Graeme, firmly.

Maria takes the baby into the factory to show the girls and while Julie takes him off for a cuddle, Tony makes her a coffee. She moans to him about Helen, and then apologises for going on. He tells her she's letting off steam and it's allowed.

Norris is attempting to make his shoes more comfortable with the aid of a screwdriver (don't ask!) when there's a ring at the door. It's Emily's niece, Freda, with a bunch of freesias. Just then Emily arrives back home with Ramsay and hugs her niece and introduces her to Ramsay who starts signing his name - Freda is delighted. "You sign!" she says, and Emily tells her he got a book out. Ramsay then notices Norris's damaged shoe and says that perhaps now he'll accept the new ones but Norris says he'll get them repaired. Emily then asks Freda if she can see her engagement ring - but it turns out to be a black heart. Freda explains that it's temporary until he moves over here. In a quiet moment Freda asks Emily who Ramsay is, and is surprised to hear that he's Norris's brother.

Ashley takes a phone call which is apparently about Claire, and then he drops the phone and rushes into the street. He sees Lloyd and asks if he can mind Joshua for a while as it seems that Claire has disappeared from her ward. Lloyd's first opinion is that she's probably in the canteen or something but Ashley is sure they wouldn't have rung if they weren't worried. They'd asked if she had come home. Lloyd suggests they leave Josh with Steve and says he'll accompany Ashley to the hospital.

Across the street, Helen and Barry are getting into a taxi, they're off to have lunch with Audrey. As the taxi pulls away, Tony walks up to Maria's door with two takeaway meal bags. It seems he's enlisted Audrey's help, and she is taking Maria's in-laws to a little Italian restaurant where he has an account - he suggested three courses, a nice bottle of red, and coffee!

Ashley and Lloyd arrive at the hospital and are dismayed when they look up and see Claire standing alone on the hospital roof! Ashley rushes up the stairs and when he gets up there he hangs back and calls her name. She tells him the air must be thinner up there, it's harder to breathe. He asks what she's doing. "I'm looking, that's all," she says, and points out some blocks of flats filled with people getting on with their lives, falling in love, arguing, bringing up kids, eating beans on toast, dying. Ashley goes into panic mode and starts yelling, asking what he's done, what about the boys? What about him? She tells him the lights in the ward were doing her head in, she wanted to get under the sky for a bit, away from everyone. She stumbles slightly and he wants to get a doctor, but she asks if he'll just sit with her for a bit, so they sit down together.

Tony and Maria are enjoying their lunch together. She refers to her mother in law as a cow and asks if he's arranged to have their pizza poisoned. He tells her no, and she says he's too nice for anything like that.

Back on the hospital roof, Claire confesses that she's lost a baby and can only feel relief. She's a cold person, isn't she? He tells her not to be silly, but she's adamant that she doesn't want another pregnancy - she really doesn't. "We didn't see this coming did we?" she says, adding that what really scares her was her thought that she'd rather be dead than pregnant, and she reminds him how she was after Freddy was born. He tells her she was ill and she got better. It would never have happened again. She jumps up and Ashley grabs her. She tells him she knows he thought she'd come up there to jump. "Even though I've got you and our lovely boys you thought it!" she cries. She tells him not to tell her it couldn't happen again because they don't know the future.

Back in Coronation Street, Freda is showing Emily her laptop and how she can talk to her fiance in Australia using a webcam. She hasn't met him yet, but he's coming over next year - when he's released from prison! It seems he's an activist and was Abseiling for Equality. Just then Ramsay arrives back with a bag full of every kind of herbal tea imaginable. He tells Emily he bumped into Rita and she asked if Norris was sulking again, apparently he spent all afternoon in the cafe. At that moment Norris walks back in, saying he's been to several different repair shops but no one will mend his shoe. Ramsay insists he takes the trainers out of sheer necessity, so Norris grudgingly says he'll try them on again.

Helen and Barry have arrived back at Maria's house, and the conversation turns to the christening of baby Liam. Maria tells Helen that the baby will be christened, but not as a catholic. Helen starts to say: "Liam would want".. but Maria stops her, saying that won't get things done her way. "I knew my son," says Helen. "Yes, and this is my son," says Maria.

Up on the hospital roof, Claire is telling Ashley how she felt after Freddy was born, and how convinced she was that he wasn't her son. "I wanted rid, it made perfect sense," she tells him. She says it's as if someone's turned over an hourglass, they're in a golden age but it can't last. Ashley is sure it will last, it does for other people, why not for them? Suddenly they hear a police siren and see a police car screech to a halt down below them. Claire is suddenly very frightened. "They'll section me, they'll take me away!" she cries.

Still fuming from her words with Helen and Barry, Maria stomps over to the factory. Tony offers to take her to town, but she won't go because of the baby. So he offers to take her to the Rovers instead.

Joe sees Graeme and begs and pleads for more painkillers. Graeme isn't at all keen to help, but eventually gives in, adding, "This is not a happy face and it's not a promise either!"

Ashley and Claire have gone down from the roof and explain to the police that they just needed a bit of privacy, and Claire adds that everywhere else was so busy. Ashley says they had some private things to talk about. "Private things?" asks the police officer. Ashley explains that they just lost a baby and he wanted to tell his wife that he understands everything she's going through. "And to tell her what I'm going to do so she'll never have to worry about this happening ever again," he adds. Claire stares at him and says they don't have to discuss this now. "No, I'm going to," says Ashley. "Going to what?" asks Lloyd, who has heard all of this. Ashley ignores him and tells the policeman he's sorry if they've caused any bother.

When the policemen have gone, Lloyd asks again, "Going to what? Anything exciting?" "Going to have a vasectomy," says Ashley. On hearing this, Claire flings her arms round him.

Anne Logan

Hello. This update comes to you from Cheshire, where Corrie-actor-spotting seems to be a local sport. I'll let you know if I "bag" any sightings!

It's morning at Maria's place, though these days it seems more like Liam's parents' place. Helen's busy with baby Liam. They hear Maria getting up. Barry says a night out will have done Maria some good. Helen says that depends who she was with. Maria arrives and tries to take her own baby to hold, but Helen says there's no need. She asks Maria about last night and Maria just says she went for a few drinks. Questioned further, she admits Tony was there.

Tina's looking at house listings. Sean's shocked that he's living in a house of ill repute as Eileen and Jesse come downstairs. Jesse's very nervous and the teasing from Sean doesn't help. Jason asks whether Sean's going to the gym later but he says he isn't. When he hears Jason's thinking of going on his own he decides to throw a sickie later to go with him.

Ashley arrives at the hospital to see Claire. They joke, but things turn serious when Ashley says Claire scared him yesterday. He tells her he's confirmed his vasectomy appointment.

Helen's busy giving Maria unasked-for advice when Tony arrives. He's brought some books for Liam when he's older. He makes polite conversation with the Connors, but Helen's so distant as to be almost rude. "We've no plans to go home, so you're stuck with us for a while yet," she tells him. Maria looks pained.

Norris complains about junk mail. Freda, of course, ignores him. Ramsay arrives and asks if anyone wants to go for a walk. He notices Norris is wearing the new shoes. Ramsay tries to sign "walk" to Freda, but she's already answered him.

Helen's busy getting ready for a shopping trip with Maria but Maria says she doesn't really feel like shopping. You'll notice that lots of sentences concerning the Connors start with "Helen's busy". That's because she's a busybody. When Maria says she just doesn't fancy the shopping trip Helen demands to know why not. Maria says she thinks she'll take Liam for a walk on her own. "On your own or with Tony?" asks Helen. Maria tells Helen that who she sees is her own business. Helen asks what's going on between Maria and Tony. She doesn't believe Maria's answer that there's nothing going on. Tony's round there too often. "And why does the whole street think you're an item?" Barry's trying to shut her up but without success. "They can think what they want. And so can you!" Maria says.

Claire arrives home to a lovely greeting from Joshua. Eileen watches as Claire reassures him she's not going away again. She says she'll hang around a bit to help Claire so Ashley can get back to the shop and away for his appointment. Once he's gone, Eileen asks Claire where he's off to and Claire tells her.

Helen thinks Tony's interest in Maria is unhealthy. Barry thinks maybe Tony just cares for Maria, though he admits it's strange.

In the street, Eileen's on her way back from getting something from the shop for Claire. She meets Lloyd, who asks how Claire is after yesterday. "Why? What happened yesterday?" Eileen asks as they're joined by Peter Barlow.

Tony meets Maria in the street and she wheels poor baby Liam in the pram over those uneven cobbles. Maria tells him what Helen says about Tony. "She's really getting me down, Tony." Tony tells her to ignore Helen, but Maria points out that's difficult when Helen's there watching her every move.

Eileen's still talking to Lloyd and Peter and has just been told about the incident at the hospital. "Is that why he's having the . . .?" she asks. Peter demands to know what they're talking about and Eileen makes a discreet scissor movement with her fingers. Lloyd and Peter think it's funny that Ashley's going through with it. "I haven't said a word," says Eileen, leaving them chuckling.

Ramsay asks Norris again if he wants to come for a walk, but Norris says the Red Rec, where half Weatherfield High will be playing truant, holds no attraction for him on his day off. He's annoyed that Ramsay tries to give him some advice on how to thread a needle, though Norris is having no luck with his own method. Freda, on her laptop, says she's just going to chill so she won't be going either. Once they're out of the house, she says: "Thank God he's gone!" Norris can't believe it when Freda tells him she can't stand Ramsay. He's too cheerful, too eager to please, too wearing! "So, he learns a few words in sign language. What does he want? A George Cross?" She feels patronised. Norris points out that this means they do have something in common after all.

Eileen, Jesse, Sean and Tina are at lunch in the cafe. Eileen's moaning that she's got to complete some paperwork for the solicitor so she can sell the shares her dad left her. Sean thinks she should look forward to the money but Tina and Eileen both think they'll be worthless, especially in the credit crunch. Jesse says there'll be commission to pay, too. This reminds Eileen that Number 12, next to Rita, is coming up for sale by auction. Graeme comes in and asks Roy whether he sells cocoa. He and Roy have an animated discussion about the wide availability of hot chocolate and multiple types of coffee, but no cocoa. Roy gets down his cocoa tin and assures Graeme it'll come back into fashion. Graeme then orders a butty and a tea. "Why did you ask if I sold cocoa?" Roy asks. "Just curious," says Graeme. (Graeme's my favourite arsonist in the whole world!) Joe comes in but won't sit with Tina because it looks too crowded at the table. He sits with Graeme and asks whether he's got any more tablets. Graeme says he can get some today but it will cost Joe 50 quid.

In the pub, Peter and Lloyd talk to Ashley. Peter expresses sympathy about Claire and offers to buy Ashley a drink. Lloyd asks why he's splashing the cash and Peter says he doesn't mind at the Rovers' prices - it's a snip. Not like the bars in town where they "carve you up". Lloyd seems to be choking. "Something wrong with your tubes?" Peter asks. Ashley realises Peter knows and Lloyd denies it was him. Peter tells him that Claire told Eileen. Lloyd didn't say a word. "I'll kill her!" says Ash. Peter offers to go with him to his appointment and Lloyd offers to drive them. Graeme comes in and tells Ashley loudly that he's just sharpened all the knives. "There'll be some champion slicing this afternoon!" Ashley glares at him. "What have I done wrong now?" asks a puzzled Graeme.

Tina and Sean look at the outside of Number 12. Joe comes by and asks if he can borrow some cash just till he gets to the bank. Tina offers ten pounds and Joe turns this down.

In the Rovers, Barry is chatting to Betty when Tony comes in. He says he and Barry need to have a little chat.

Joe's at Gail's. He calls out but there seems to be nobody else at home. He goes to Gail's purse, on the table and removes some cash.

Sean's at the gym looking for the man he fancies. He spots him outside talking to Sean about football. Sean says they have to go and the bloke takes this as his cue to leave. When Jason asks why Sean wants to go so soon, he says he thought the guy was bothering Jason. Jason wonders what Sean would have done about it if he was. "Were you going to chin him for me?"

In the smoking area behind the Rovers, Tony asks again how long the Connors are staying. He says Maria is grateful for their help but she needs to get into a routine of her own. He tells Barry that Helen is a kind and caring woman, but she can be overbearing sometimes. Barry protests that she's just concerned and Tony says there's no need for concern. Barry says with Tony hanging round all day and night he thinks there's every need.

In the waiting room, Ashley assures Peter he's thought it all through. The nurse comes and fetches him.

Tony suggest Barry keep his ill-informed suspicions to himself. Barry says if Maria wants them to do she should say it to them. Tony points out that this is difficult when she feels indebted to them. Barry says the affairs of the family are nothing to do with Tony. They argue some more. "Your wife is suffocating Maria," Tony warns, telling Barry that if she doesn't back off then they risk losing not just Maria but their grandson as well. "For good." Barry glares at him and leaves.

The end of episode one.
Margaret Carr

Audrey is hearing about Helen from Maria - but as Audrey says it is hard being a mum in law, however little Liam is all that Helen has let of two sons and Maria should be gracious because once Helen returns to Ireland and little Liam is screaming the house down at 3 am there is no-one else.

Joe volunteers to cook for himself and Gail. And yet he is still suffering a lot of pain. Gail offers to buy drinks later in the Rovers in exchange.

Norris has finally found someone on his wavelength as he and Freda make fun of Ramsey "Street". Indeed both of them seem to really enjoy laughing together at his excessive signing and "boasting". Superbly put together. "Street" and Emily return from a walk along the canal extolling the wonders of the wild life they have seen - and as Norris remarks sightings of the lesser spotted shopping trolley are so rare! Emily invites Freda and Doris to join them at the Rovers. Doris has to work but Freda mimes being strung up at the gallows as she goes to the pub with Emily and "Street".

At the hospital Ashley signs the forms agreeing to the vasectomy which whilst it might be technically reversible it probably isn't. And don't drive for 24 hours after the anaesthetic and of course "there is some risk in all surgery Mr Peacock". A little later in the operating theatre Ash, a man who cannot face flying, is told that the surgeon will make two small incisions one each side of the scrotum. He sees the scalpel and is clearly terrified. And he is only being given a local and holds up a syringe large enough to knock out a very large mammal. Ash can take no more and runs to the waiting room to tell Peter that he cannot do it - he simply cannot.

Helen and Barry are talking about the situation and Barry reveals the conversation with Tony and how they will lose all access to their grandson if they do not back off. She decides to go and face Tony who confirms it and says there was nothing veiled - Helen is doing Maria's head in and Maria is his friend. Helen asks if he has something for widows in general or just the wives of her sons. She and Barry will not be airbrushed out of little Liam's life - they are family and he is a nasty piece of work who muscles in on another man's wife and baby, calling round every few minutes. He cannot hold a candle to either of her sons. Tony tells her to get her toxic tongue and tubby hubby back to the land of begorrah and bejaysus and to beat you breast in some peat bog because no-one will care. He pauses and asks "Liam who?". As Tony goes into the factory Helen bursts into tears. She returns to Maria's and apologises if she and Barry are a burden. Maria protests at this but Helen says that is what her friend thinks and Maria says that she probably asked for it. Helen tells her that she has no idea what kind of man Tony is and starts crying again.

Sean gets a shock as he arrives at the Rovers with Jason for a drink - Leon is also arriving and wants to know who is buying. Sean says he is but pulls Leon back for a quick word. He asks Leon to keep quiet about the whole gay thing. Leon just reckons that Sean is weird. Inside Sean asks Leon what he thinks of the Rovers. Anyway Sean's lie about Eileen being a Jehovah's witness is soon out and Leon is starting to wonder who the crackpot is, especially when Tina arrives and throws her arms around Jason.

Gail is at the bar buying drinks and identifies that her cashback from Freshcos is not where she thought it was. Hmm I wonder who she thinks is stealing from her purse this time?

Barry returns and finds Maria and Helen arguing. Maria does not know why Helen feels so threatened by Tony - he delivered Liam and is bound to feel involved. Helen tells her that he will not rest until he is in her bed. Maria tells her that there is nothing going on and even if there was it was not her business. Helen says that perhaps her son has already been replaced in bed. That is the final straw for Maria and she tells them to leave. Helen says that was why Maria and the thug of a boyfriend want them out of the way - they cramp her style, how could they betray Liam's memories. Maria loses it and says that unlike her precious son she had kept her marriage vows and it was him who cheated on her, although she does not name the other party to the affair. Maria screams at them to get out of her house.

In the Rovers Peter is making jokes about events - after all wasting 400 quid is hardly a snip. Ash says that the real problem was the fact that it was permanent. And on top of all that there was no chance that Claire would understand why he had not been able to go through with it.

Anyway Eileen has some good news. Her late father owned some shares and unlike the rest of us these were apparently a good investment and she has eleven grand coming to her - so she was getting the drinks in!

David arrives in the Rovers and watches as Joe looks at Graeme and then tells Gail he is going to make a phone call and goes out to the back followed by Graeme. Joe hands over the fifty quid and Graeme says he feels like a grubby dealer and says that there is no mark up, no profit for him. Graeme hands over the pills but tells Joe this is the last time. Joe tells Graeme not to lecture him. David appears and asks Joe if he has become a secret smoker, so Joe tells him not to tell Gail.

Ashley goes home and somehow forgets to tell Claire that he has not had the operation. She says that she loves her little family and Ashley says that he does too.

Anyway David pins down Graeme - he knows Joe is no smoker so he wants to know what has been going on. Graeme tries not to drop Joe in it, but his heart is not in it and he tells David about the painkillers and the supply he has provided. David ends the conversation with a wide smile - he has knowledge and that is power.

Audrey finds the Irish miseries in the Rovers. She reminds them that they are all still grieving the loss of Liam but Helen responds that Maria is doing little of that. Anyway Audrey decides that they are going home with her and will not take no for an answer. And Helen is going to court to fight for access to little Liam.

Along the Street Maria is telling Tony how she lost her temper and through out the in laws. Anyway she sends Tony off to look after his customers - she has Kirk coming round for dinner, he is feeling a bit neglected. Tony says he does not want to be in the way of Uncle Kirk but Maria says he will never be in the way. Tony hugs and tells her that they should all be stuffed for making her unhappy. She says she does not care any more. He kisses her on the forehead and it looks like they are going to kiss properly when the front door bell rings. he goes to the front door and there is a look between them. The closing shot is one of Maria who has perhaps realised that she does have feelings for Tony - but what will she do?

I may not be back next week. I hope I can return to the update team soon.

K Richard W

From the experienced pen of Peter Whalley and the director's chair of David Kester

David offers to help Joe clear out the lockup to make room for new supplies in case Joe's back is still bothering him. Joe calmly says his back is fine, all better but accepts the help. Gail is tickled that Joe feels better and David is being nice! (There's those blinders again). Outside, Graeme passes by Joe and Joe thanks Graeme again.

Becky and Steve are chatting about when to have their wedding. Weekend or weekday? Her mobile rings and when she sees who it is, she makes an excuse to answer it out of the room. It's Slug, of course, who is sat on the wall across the road and he's not looking so spiffy today. He's back to grungy clothes and dirty hair and looking rough. Becky comes outside and figures he's back on drugs judging from the look of him. He says not but she offers to buy him some food anyway and he doesn't refuse.

Joe checks the glovebox and takes a pill from out of the bottle he's got stashed there. David sees but pretends he hasn't and they get off.

Tony lets himself in with a key and greets Maria. She complains about the rough night she's had with the baby. He takes the little one off her for a bit. She reckons the baby picked up on the tension and yeah, she plans to blame Helen the rest of the baby's life for his sleepless nights, she laughs.

In the salon, Helen has arrived with Audrey and is going to have her hair done. She gets stuck in straight away for a good gossip with Natasha about the Evil Tony Gordon.

Outside the cafe, Slug says he's still got a job (yeah right) but had come to warn Becky to watch herself, be careful but he doesn't or won't go into detail. Slug leaves and Lloyd, who has seen the two of them together, calls over a greeting.

Fiz arrives home to find Kirk playing a video game. She's going to see John later and notices that Chesney hasn't opened his birthday present. Chesney has apparently slept in and skived off his paper round. Fiz also confirms from Kirk that Cilla hasn't sent anything. Chesney comes down and she hugs him Happy Birthday but is annoyed that he never let Rita know he wasn't going to do the round today. Chesney finds a new set of trainers in the gift bag but they're the wrong size and he takes a strop all over the room, accusing her of being too involved with Stape to notice the size of his feet.

Lloyd is in the pub and tells Steve that he saw Becky with Slug, just talking. He leaves the line of fire as Becky comes in. He asks her about Slug and she doesn't put two and two together (Lloyd's earlier greeting, Lloyd in the pub) and lies and implies that she's not seen him.

Joe has a bonfire built and is throwing old bits of kitchen cupboard doors and ends and things onto it. David quickly takes the pills out of the truck and pockets the pills but then throws the bottle into the fire, much to Joe's shock and horror. But Joe tries to gloss over it and when his back is turned, David's evil grin stretches over his face!

After the break, Chesney is still in a fit and kicks his trainers around the room. Fiz promises to get them changed but she can't right now. Chesney is further upset because Fiz is going to see John instead of spending time with him on his birthday (and I can't rightly blame him. She could have arranged it for another day). Outside, Sian is complaining to Sophie. Fiz comes over and asks them to cheer Chesney up. No probs, they smile.

Joe and David have arrived back. Joe looks glum and David is being a suck up, winding up Joe but he gets his own back when he spies Tina and Jason together. That wipes the smile off his face. Inside, Joe and David are sniping. David tells Gail that Joe is irritated about him throwing out the pills. Gail thought he didn't need them. He doesn't! Joe hollers and his temper boils over a bit.

Natasha and Helen are still gossiping and slagging off Tony. Audrey is starting to get worried for Maria and decides to go over for a quick visit. Helen warns her to watch what she says lest she gets banned as well. She goes over and coos over the baby. Maria knows she's had Helen's side of the fallout and says Helen suspects Tony's motives. Audrey wonders if there *is* a reason why Tony is being so nice. Is he after a ready made family? Maria is fed up, "why does he have to be after anything?" she moans. They don't get too much further because Tony arrives and senses there is tension so Maria asks him straight out, why has he been helping her. Audrey feels very uncomfortable and Tony comes over all domesticated, offering tea and a chat, much to Audrey's chagrin.

Sian and Sophie knock on Chesney's door, and burst into a raucous chorus of Happy Birthday, complete with balloon and card and invite him to go bowling with them later. He's a bit puzzled but the idea of two girls asking him out is kind of a good thing, innit? He runs upstairs to shower.

I guess the talk went ok, because the next time we see everyone in Number 7, Tony seems to have charmed the socks off Audrey and even obsequiously opens the door for her. My God, he's really got that act down to a science, doesn't he? He patronizingly suggests he will offer the Connors a truce.

In the pub, Steve is on the phone to the registry office who have phoned him about a cancellation. Becky over hears the call and is excited about the date though Steve had turned them down. First, he calls her on meeting up with Slug that morning and she admits she "bumped in to him". Anyway, she tells him to call the registry office back and take them up on the booking for August 14th. She says she can put a wedding together. One of her kisses and hugs and he is persuaded.

Joe is still jumpy and irritable with David and Gail and slams out of the house. Gail questions David about Joe. He says Joe was a bit quiet earlier but put it down to him being hungry. Joe has found Graeme and tells him he needs more pills but Graeme turns him down flat. He sees David coming and makes his excuses. Joe admits maybe he does still need his tablets but also admits the doctors won't give him more. David says he knows one or two people from juvvie that might be able to help him out. Joe gratefully accepts the offer. David says he'll let him know how much it will be. David walks away, with a glance over his shoulder that says "I got you right where I want you!"

Tvor

Joe comes back to Gail's. Gail, sitting on the sofa with bags of peas on her ankles confronts him and asks if there is anything he is not telling her. She tries to reassure him that she is pretty unshockable. Joe doesn't tell her and heads upstairs. Gail goes back to placing bags of frozen peas on her ankles. Some kind of low impact aerobics, apparently. She thanks David for having that word with Joe earlier and remarks how calm he seems since David spoke to him.

At Eileen's, Eileen and Tina are looking at old music videos on the internet. Jason comes home and tells them he will be playing for Leon's football on the weekend. Eileen and Tina laugh between themselves that Jason is unaware that he will be playing on a gay team.

Kevin is in the Kabin complaining that he hasn't received his copy of Mechanics Monthly, all Ramsay's fault since he has been picking up the slack on the paper rounds. Norris apologises and when Kevin leaves remarks ironically to Ramsay that everything he touches turns to gold.

Claire goes into the butcher's shop. She is excited to have found a new football camp for young Josh on the internet and tells Ashley and Graham about it. It has a gold seal of approval from Ryan Giggs and everything. Even Graham is excited by the Ryan Giggs mention. Ashley is worried that Claire is doing too much since she's only been out of hospital for a week. David drops by to talk to Graham about the pills Graham got for Joe and wants to know how much they cost. He alludes to having a scheme involving Joe and his pills.

Back at Eileen's, Tina and Eileen ask Jason leading questions about his new football team. Jason is still clueless which amuses Eileen and Tina no end. Jason asks Tina to come and sort out some costings for their plans for No. 12.

In the pub, Audrey is entertaining Barry & Helen with silly tales from the salon. Tony Gordon comes in. Helen asks, "What's that smell, Barry? Has something gone off?" Barry accuses Tony of threatening Helen. Tony explains that he has come into the bar to apologise to Barry & Helen for treating Helen so badly. He tells them he is holding a white flag and wants everyone to all be on one side; Maria and baby Liam's. Barry & Helen soften and agree to have a drink with them.

Tina and Jason are looking at the numbers for their real estate baron plans. It all seems to be very expensive, especially the kitchen. Tina seems a little down-hearted that it will be too expensive for them. She wonders if she could talk to her dad. Jason asks her if Joe is the secret millionaire. Tina answers, "Maybe some things in life should be free."

Kevin is having an altercation outside the Windass' place with King Eddie Windass himself. It would appear that Eddie has received Kevin's copy of Mechanic's Monthly. Anna comes out to see what all the hassle is. Eddie is not giving up though and the magazine gets ripped up.

Tony brings Helen and Barry around to Maria's to talk. Liam is asleep upstairs so Maria doesn't want any arguing. Tony tells her that it's time to draw a line in the sand. "What do you all have in common?" asks Tony. "What do we all have in common?" He seems to be able to smooth things over and suggests that everyone should start acting like grown ups. He goes to put the kettle on.

Joe comes downstairs to where David is lying on the lounge watching tv. He asks David if he has any more info for him. Gail comes home and mutters something about bringing the washing in, dashing straight past them. David tells Joe his pills will cost £50. Joe gives David the cash and David heads out to score the contraband for the addict.

At Fiz's, Chesney and Fiz are having an argument about how Fiz doesn't want to spend time with Chesney on his birthday and would rather spend time with Stape in prison. He asks Fiz to give him some money so he can go out. He even asks her for the equivalent value of the money she spent on the "minging trainers" she gave him for his birthday. Fiz is either unable to or doesn't want to and refuses. Chesney walks out in a huff.

Tina and Jason turn up on Gail's door step. Jason asks Gail if David is in. "You're in luck," says Gail smiling broadly, "come on in." Joe wonders why Jason and Tina have come to see him. Tina basically asks him if he will fit a kitchen for them for free in No.12. Joe laughs along with them and agrees at first but when Tina leaves him to go into the kitchen, grimaces.

At Maria's the negotiations are underway. Helen is sucking up to Maria by telling her that her new sofa is lovely and so comfy. But she adds, "I have to admit to being a bit thrown by your decorating so soon after Liam's death...." (Did she ever actually look at how Liam had that place decorated?) Barry is worried about having his car pinched from the street. Maria asks Tony if he will help her give baby Liam his bath. Maria and Tony head upstairs together as Barry and Helen look at each other. Out of Tony's earshot, Helen tells her husband. "We need to get Maria away from that odious man. And I'll tell you something else, this couch is like a bed of nails!"

In Gail's kitchen, Joe is looking at the plans for No.12 with Tina and Jason. Gail is worried that they will be doing the work using credit cards (paying for it, obviously, not using credit cards as actual tools. I presume.) Tina assures her that they'll be fine and Jason assures Joe that he will keep it from David about him and Tina getting a place together. David comes home just then and doesn't look best pleased to see the family gathering at the table. Jason and Tina rush off as David gives them all the evil eye. Before she leaves, Tina gets right in David's face and declares, "Yep. Your breath still smells." Joe looks in despair.

In the pub, Claire is still boring people with the football camp rubbish. Lloyd is making unfunny jokes about Ashley's vasectomy. Steve and Becky come into the bar. Becky seems very excited about something and tells Lloyd that Steve has something he wants to tell him. Before Steve can get it out, Becky has told Claire, Ashley, Lloyd and Sean that they have set a new wedding date for two weeks' time! Claire congratulates them. Becky takes this as an invitation from Claire to buy Becky a drink. She asks Steve what he's having, since Claire is buying. "Am I?" asks Claire. Lloyd asks Steve if he thinks that the wedding will bring Liz back. Steve thinks it might and then asks Lloyd if Lloyd will be his best man. Lloyd seems happy to do so if there is a free pint in it.

Poor Chesney. He's got no cash to go bowling and his mates, Sophie and Sian can't lend him any. He's looking downcast as he walks past the Windasses outside their house. Eddie asks Chesney what the problem is with the paper rounds. Chesney is in a bad mood and throws his empty coke can at Eddie's arm before running off. Eddie overreacts and tells Anna that Chesney hit him in his BCG inoculation site. "Awww, me poor bubba," Anna comforts him.

In the pub, Becky is all over Steve and they dance to Michael Buble as Sean hikes empty glasses about. Sean stomps over to Norris who is whining about the "shall we, shan't we attitude to marriage" and how marriage was sacred in his day. Lloyd doesn't want to look at them canoodling either and leaves the bar as Sean keeps on ranting and raving.

Chesney and Fiz keep on fighting at home. Even though Chesney is being so offhand with Fiz she tells him, "I still love you. And the sadness is, even though you're not going to believe me, there's no one on this planet loves you as much as me." Chesney thanks his sister for rubbing that in for him. Chesney continues to snipe nastily at Fizz even as she goes to out their takeaway dinner on plates. Fiz has had enough for now and throws the dinner in the bin. Ches realises he might have gone a bit too far and rushes up to apologise to her but Fiz has gone out into the ginnel and is crying.

Joe is waiting anxiously on Gail's sofa. Gail asks him if he fancies a bottle of wine. She heads out to buy one. When she's gone, Joe calls for David who is upstairs. David comes downstairs and as Joe apologises for Tina coming round earlier, asks Joe, "Do you want your pills or not?" He throws a bottle of pills at Joe who catches them eagerly and opens them only to find that the bottle is empty. He tells Joe, "I got told wrong price." David now wants £100 for the pills. He pretends to be worried about Joe's back but tells him, "Cough up and your woes will be over." Joe heads into the kitchen where looks like he is about to break down while David sits smugly on the sofa like the smuggest man in Smugtown.

Stella McLoughlin

Joe is looking in kitchen cupboards and tells Gail he's looking for paracetamol, he's got a twinge in his back. She tells him they haven't got any, but she'll pick some up at the shop later. As she goes off to work he asks David about the pills he said he could get. David says he can get them, but can Joe get the rest of the money? Joe assures him he'll get the money, but doesn't look very sure about it.

Chesney arrives home moaning that Norris has made him do half of Ramsay's paper round as a punishment for not turning up on Monday. He tells Fiz he's starving but she tells him she's just eaten the last of the bread so if he wants toast he'll have to go to the shop. She suggests he meets her at lunchtime and they can go and change his trainers. "Sure you can spare the time?" snaps Chesney. "that's big of you!"

Eddie is in the Kabin, trying to claim compensation for having Kevin's magazine taken off him by Kevin! His argument is that her paper boy botched it up, so eventually she offers him a free magazine. He says she ought to throw in a couple more for the stress caused by Chesney giving him a mouthful and throwing a can at him, however, Rita won't budge.

Emily comes into the Kabin and tells Rita how Frieda is leaving today and Norris is giving her instructions on how to pack a suitcase. Rita comments on Emily's new hairdo - obviously not for Frieda's benefit. Emily asks if she thinks it's for Ramsay and tells her to stop reading the romance stories in her magazines.

Joe is out trying to sell his jig saw to Bill for a hundred quid. Bill offers him fifty but says he only has twenty on him right now, he'll get the rest tomorrow. "Take it or leave it," says Bill and Joe takes it, albeit reluctantly. Leaving Bill's yard, he sees David and goes over with the money. "This is twenty - I need fifty," says David, but then suggests that Joe hands over the twenty and he'll put the rest in, Joe can give it to him when he gets it. So, after a moment's hesitation, Joe hands over the money.

Becky is looking at her short list of wedding guests. Betty asks if she's inviting her family but she tells her she's not, she's just planning for it to be select and intimate. Betty tells her to cross her off the list, she's not coming. "When you get to my age you've heard enough of them wedding vows," she ssys. Becky says they might as well elope at this rate. She tells Betty that Liz has said she'll try to come, but she has to find someone to cover her shifts in Andy's bar. She says that Steve has said he's not bothered, but he she's sure he is. "He actually likes his family and not one of them will be there to see him get wed…unless."

Joe arrives home in a bad way and sits on the sofa sweating and shaking, then he suddenly spots Gail's purse lying on the kitchen worktop.

Freda is leaving Emily's house, and Ramsay makes a clumsy effort at signing to her. She snaps at him to get it right, and turns her back on him, giving Norris a hug and a kiss.

Fizz meets up with Chesney but tells him they're behind with an order at the factory and she has to work through her lunch hour, so she can't go and change the trainers. He moans that he's been sitting in all morning bored. "Not only do I get sad trainers that are the wrong size, I can't even take them back," he says. She tells him he can take them back and tells him to go and find the receipt somewhere in the house.

As he marches off he bumps into Rita and then tells her to watch where she's going! She informs him that Mr Windass has complained about the mouthful he got from him the other day. Chesney retorts that was because he was accused of mixing up the delivery and it wasn't even him. "That's because you hadn't bothered to turn up," says Norris.

Back at home, Chesney pats Schmeichel and tells him he hates living there, and Fiz doesn't think about him any more, all she cares about is visiting HIM in prison. He starts looking for receipt and feels in Fiz's coat pocket. The ring box falls out onto the floor and he picks it up and opens it, shocked by what he finds.

Joe gives David thirty pounds, mumbling that he's borrowed it. He asks David if he's got the pills and David says he hasn't yet, he'll go and phone his mate, and goes off upstairs. Just then Gail comes in, saying how Dev had rung up all her shopping and then she discovered she'd left her purse behind. Luckily Tina came to her rescue. Gail opens her purse to get Tina the money and frowns, saying she was sure she had more than that. Joe says he's always thinking that, but Gail interrupts, saying she drew money out yesterday. She then calls out to David to come downstairs. When he comes down she asks if he's been in her purse. "Why do I automatically get the blame?" he asks. Tina snorts that he's such a loser. David says he knows who took it, so then Joe hastily confesses that he took it. "Well, not took as in stole," he says, adding that he needed to get some materials. "I had no cash on me and I thought I could get to the bank in time to replace it, sorry," he says. Joe then insists that Tina apologises to David. As Gail shows Tina to the door, David turns to Joe. "Nicking from Gail's purse, tut tut. You must have a real problem!"

Fiz arrives home and tells Chesney they can now go and change the trainers. She asks if he found the receipt. He says he didn't, adding that he was going to check her coat pocket in case it was there. She says she'll check and rushes to her coat, but of course the ring isn't there. Telling Chesney she's got to go back to work for something she's forgotten, she rushes out.

Emily and Ramsay are sitting in her darkened living room, looking at old slides of the Lake District. Then, up comes a picture of herself with Ernest. "Your husband I take it," says Ramsay, saying that he looks like a very kind man. She asks if Ramsay ever married but he tells her it was never to be. Just then Norris bursts in, asking why the curtains are drawn in the middle of the day, saying that some of them have been working and only get 20 minutes for lunch. Norris would rather have the light on than risk stabbing himself in the eye with a fork. It seems he's come home to finish off the chicken pie - but Emily and Ramsay have beaten him to it!

Jason tells Bill he's going to see about getting a mortgage. Bill asks if he wants him to say that he employs him full time and they've got contracts coming out of their ears. Jason says that he does. "Yeah, course I will lad!" says Bill.

Becky tells Betty that she'd like to invite Jim MacDonald to the wedding and surprise Steve. Betty tells her that if he turns up at the wedding he'll bring more than surprises. "He's like a human tsunami that one," she says.

Bill overhears and tells Becky to take no notice, he's a good mate. She asks if he has Jim's phone number and he says he'll see what he can do. Betty warns her that if she's inviting Jim she'll have to warn Liz so she buys some boxing gloves as well as a big hat.

When Norris tells Rita about finding Emily and Ramsay with the curtains drawn, Rita suggests that they might be attracted to one another. Norris thinks the idea is ludicrous and adds that it would be a waste of time anyway because Ramsay is moving on. "Moving on?" asks Rita, "or being pushed out by you?"

Back at the Gail's house, she asks Joe if he was responsible when money went missing from her purse before. "Of course not!" he cries, "you think I go round dipping my fingers in your purse?" He says if it's a big deal they can go straight to the bank now. She tells him she's had relationships in the past with men she thought she could trust but they let her down. He tells her he would never hurt her and says how much what they have means to him.

Becky tells Bill and Rita that she's trying to enter a competition to win a dream honeymoon. Now she has to write a caption on what makes her Steve the perfect husband. Rita whispers to Bill that she could say he's had a lot of experience!

David arrives home and finds Joe obviously in pain. He holds up a bag of white tablets. "You'll be wanting these then!" Joe tries to grab them but David snatches them out of reach telling him he can have half now and the rest later - for a favour. Joe has to persuade Tina to be nice to David. "Get her to see I'm not a loser and Jason Grimshaw is." Joe says he's not going to manipulate his daughter for David. "No, not for me, Joseph," smirks David waving the pills, "for these!"

Anne Logan

A frantic Fiz is searching the odds-and-ends biscuit tin when Chesney comes down and asks what she's looking for - as if he didn't know. Fiz tells him she needs the "road-tax-thingy" [a technical motoring term] for her scooter. Chesney just stands and looks at her, his chin thrust out like Clutch Cargo. Behind Fiz's back he checks the ring is still in his pocket.

In the street, Maria meets Gail and then sees Tony over at the factory. He says he'll be up to his eyes in work for the next two weeks. Maria seems quite wistful looking at his retreating back.

Jack P. Shepherd had better watch himself in public - he plays David Platt so nastily there's sure to be someone who gets confused between the two. David tells Joe it seems like a good day outside. When Joe mutters at him he says Joe knows what he has to do. He hands him the money Joe took from Gail's purse. "Be a good boy and see she gets it," he says to Joe. Joe tells him it might not be that easy putting in a good word with Tina because she already knows Joe likes Jason. David challenges Joe to say what he really thinks of him, but Joe grits his teeth and says nothing. David taunts that it's a shame Joe doesn't have the same control over his addiction. "It's not an addiction!" snaps Joe, just as Gail comes through the front door in cheery chipmunk mode. Joe hands her the money and apologises again for taking it without asking.

The paperwork for the loan has come through and Jason is chuffed. Eileen's appalled to discover that it's not the paperwork for the mortgage, but for the loan for the deposit. That's how the credit crunch started, she warns Jason and Tina. Jason blames Eileen for encouraging them to buy the place. She says she's coming with them next time they go to see it "so I can see for myself what you're letting yourself in for."

Julie and Fiz cross the road to work. Fiz looks worried.

Barry and Helen arrive at Maria's. They're on their way to the airport. They want to apologise for poking their noses in so much. Maria tells them to forget it and they hug. Helen picks up the baby. Maria says it'll take some getting used to being on her own with the baby. When the Connors find out Tony will be busy and not around so much, they invite Maria to come to Ireland. After less than a moment's pause she agrees.

Tina's outside Number 12 when he father comes to talk to her about what a big commitment it is to buy it together. Tina tells him the place isn't a love nest but a business investment. He introduces the subject of David and says he's not such a bad kid when you get to know him. "Have you been taking those funny pills again?" Tina asks. Joe almost falls over before realising she's not talking about the painkillers. Jason arrives with Eileen and the key. Tina invites Joe to view it with them.

Anna meets Chesney, who's looking at Rosie's car, and asks why he's so glum. She says he doesn't seem very happy this morning. Ches blames it on Eddie, for getting him sacked from his paper round.

In Number 12, discussions centre on how much it will go for at auction. Fifty thousand is the top of the estimate by the agents. Tina thinks it will go for more and Joe thinks it needs a lot of work. Jason says they're borrowing £15,000 for the deposit and no more than £35,000 for the main mortgage. Jason says he can do all the stuff like putting in new windows, and Tina says Joe can do the kitchen. Joe doesn't look at all pleased but Eileen's coming round to thinking it's a good idea.

Maria meets Fiz and tells her about Ireland. She wants some kind of advice on whether she should go or not, but Fiz says she's too busy.

David and Darryl chat in the street as the Grimshaw-McIntyre clan come past chatting about Number 12. "What were that all about?" asks Darryl. "That's what I'd like to know," says David grimly.

Julie wants to know why Fiz has been on edge all morning. After some persuasion, Fiz admits her engagement ring has gone missing. "Y'what?" asks Julie. This is the first she's heard of the engagement.

Jason buys drinks on one side of the Rovers' bar, while Darryl tells David on the other side of the room that it sounded like Jason and Tina were moving in together. The place is for sale and Jason was talking about taking the keys back to an agent. It's a wonder Joe's not struck down where he stands with the look that David gives him. Becky asks Jason why he looks happy and he tells her about the flat. "Told yer!" says Darryl.

Fiz finishes telling Julie about the engagement while Julie searches under sofa cushions. Julie thinks a prison wedding sounds very romantic. Fiz confesses she hasn't told Chesney and that John thinks the whole street has forgiven him. Fiz says it's been really difficult having no-one to talk to. Julie offers to listen.

Becky bounces into the cafe with Amy on her back. They're both wearing silly sunglasses. While Roy's getting the beans on toast, Becky asks Hayley to be the maid of honour and for Roy to give her away at the wedding in two weeks' time. Anna offers Eddie's services for the wedding cake.

Chesney sees Rosie washing her car. Sally also sees her and is surprised Rosie isn't worried about breaking a nail. They sarcastically praise John Stape while Chesney watches from the shadows outside the salon.

"This time it's going to be perfect," says Becky. Roy has been upstairs and returns with an envelope containing £200 towards the wedding. He's hesitant but Becky flings her arms around him. Becky calls him a peach and insists he repeat it, which he does. Hayley watches happily as Becky showers Roy with kisses. I hope you all know what it means when someone like Becky seems so happy and good things seem to lie ahead for them. Yes, I suspect these are kisses of dooooooom!

Tony comes to visit and Maria tells him she's going to Ireland. She says she's kind of got to like Barry and Helen a bit more thanks to Tony's diplomacy. She confesses she's a bit nervous about being on her own with the baby and Tony said he was busy. She puts her hand over his as she tells him she thinks it will be just the tonic she needs.

In the pub, Eileen's still not that happy about the amount of debt Jason and Tina are taking on. Jason says they're going ahead no matter what, so Eileen offers to help. She wants to lend them money from the shares her father left her. Jason doesn't think that's fair while Eileen is still in rented accommodation, but she says she'll be the judge of that. Over near David and Darryl, Lloyd tries to phone Liz and some bloke answers. The call is cut off and Lloyd tells Becky about it. "No wonder she won't come back if she's shacked up with him!" Lloyd says.

Joe comes over and tries to explain the situation to David. David insists that Joe will have to tell Tina he can't fit the kitchen and he'll have to try to split up Tina and Jason. That is, if he wants some pills . . .

Sally tells Rosie there's a phone call for her. Rosie stops polishing, kisses her car and goes inside. Chesney, still watching, looks at the engagement ring, then strolls across to the car - where Rosie has stupidly left the keys in it. He presses Start and is off with a squeal of tyres, though how they can squeal and bunny-hop at the same time I'm not sure. He doesn't notice the ring box fall off the seat.

The end of episode one. Margaret Carr

I have just about recovered from watching Rosie washing her car. In fact she could come round and wash my car anytime she wants!!

Well Rosie goes out to inspect her clean car and sees that it has gone. She screams and tells her father that she left the key in the ignition. Kevin does not offer a lot of sympathy, but says he will go out and look for it.

Jason is in the flat and says everything is getting sorted. Joe is there and is trying to backtrack from offering to work free. Jason says that he did agree to do that. However, when he asks Jason what he needed doing, he doesn't know. Joe just tells him he is living a pipe dream.

On the street Chesney is driving Rosie's car like a maniac. He is completely out of control of the car, when he just misses Mrs Windass, who drops her shopping. Chesney confesses to her that he stole the car.

Joe goes home and tells David and said he hated himself for being pushed around by David and lying to his daughter. He said he didn't want to split her and Jason up because they are obviously in love with each other.

Kevin is out looking for the car (if it was stolen by car thieves it could be well out of town by now). However, coincidentally he finds the car abandoned.

Becky meets Slug outside of the pub. She feels he is always hanging around. She offers him the envelope of cash that Roy had given her. He doesn't want it and walks away. Betty wanders out of the pub and sees them and her offering him cash. She is obviously going to jump to the wrong conclusion.

Joe goes to The Kabin to talk to Tina. He apologises to her if he is sending out mixed messages. He says that he has to put his business first. He is not happy that she wants to get a mortgage with someone that she has only seen for a few weeks. Seeing that she was not reacting he then tells her that he knows that Jason still holds a torch for Becky.

Tony tries to persuade Maria not to go to Ireland. He is worried that she will enjoy it so much that she would want to stay. She then reminds him that she will be staying with Helen and Barry. Kirk arrives and says that he would look after Maria's dog while she is away. Maria is grateful for his offer of help.

Over in the Rovers, Kev turns up with his usual smirk over his face. He goes over to Rosie and tells her that he has found her car and hands her the key. He tells her he will give it the once-over tomorrow.

Tina and Jason are chatting. Tina casually brings up the question of whether he still fancies Becky. He says he doesn't. He was cool about it. After thinking about it she tells him that she believes that her Dad is trying to put her off going out with him.

At Mrs Windrass' house, she offers Chesney a biscuit (wow). She reminces about a time that she was in trouble with the HeadMaster. Chesney just says that he hates John Stape. It at that moment he realises that he has left Fiz's ring in the car.

Joe, is a desperate man. He pleads with David for the rest of the pills. However David refuses to give them to him. He wants to hear all the gory details first. He wants to know what he said to Tina and how she reacted. Joe tells David what he told Tina about Jason and Becky. As a 'reward' David throws him a pill and he crawls around the floor for it. Joe complains that all he is given "one lousy pill". David promises that when he sees Tina and Jason arguing he will give Joe another one. (I don't know why Joe doesn't just tell Gail that his back is playing up again and ask her to try and get a repeat prescription?).

Chesney is still chatting to Mrs Windrass. He then has a pang of conscience and says he will go to The Websters and confess that he stole the car. Mrs W tells him not to. Obviously those that have been brought up in the criminal fraternity don't do that sort of thing. He certainly shouldn't hand himself into the police. She tells him that he had a lucky escape and that he should keep his 'nose clean' in the future.

Tina comes to confront her Dad. She tells him that she asked Jason outright and he doesn't fancy Becky. He said that he loved her. She accuses him of deliberately wanting to split them up.

Julie tells Fiz about Rosie's car. Meanwhile Chesney is leaving Mrs W's house and is spotted by Fiz. She rushes over to him. She wonders how long he has been there as she had been worried about him.

Tony offered to take Maria to the airport. However she had arranged a cab. He told her to make sure that Barry was at the airport to help her with the baggage at the other end. He seemed somewhat disappointed that she didn't seem to feel the same about him, as he obviously does about her.

At the Platts, Joe is losing his temper. He is accusing everyone of getting at him. He felt he is being victimised. When Gail goes out, David comes downstairs and Joe lets himself go and almost strangles him.

Fizz wants to know what Chesney was doing at Mrs W's. He tells her that he had been invited round to see some of Eddie's old football programmes. Julie asks him if he knows anything about Rosie's car being stolen. He denies it. Fiz then tries to make it up to him.

David provokes Joe. He tells him to hit him. Joe manages to control himself and tells David that he will go 'cold turkey' if necessary. He tells David that he doesn't want to be beholden to him.

Well will Joe manage it ? Will he go to a doctor ? Will he find another source to get the pills ? Don't miss the next exciting episodes on a browser near you !

Also, sitting in this chair next week will be a return of an 'old favourite' reporter !

Martin Rosen

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Updates written by K Richard Whitbread, Martin Rosen, Ann Logan, Margaret Carr, Stella McLoughlin, Tvor.

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