Season 5

January 6, 1986

James has dinner at the Collins', and Annabelle and Paul soon suspect that he has something to hide. Jane receives some good advice, but will she listen?

January 7, 1986

It's Claire's first birthday. Paul and Annabelle's fears about Lucy have been confirmed. Pat and Sandra discover that Jane has left during the night, taking a few of their things with her.

January 13, 1986

When the Clearys remove the wheels from Pat and Terry's van, they get much more than they bargained for. Nicholas helps Heather with her decorating and insists on staying to finish it. Bobby is annoyed with Billy because he crossed the picket line.

January 14, 1986

Barry and Pat have plans to stop a war. Vicki blames Terry for her brothers being beaten up. Paul and Annabelle try to discover where James really works.

January 20, 1986

Pat defies Terry and takes the law into his own hands with Barry. When Paul discovers something about James, he gives him a week to reveal it to Lucy. Heather is disappointed to discover who her new boss is and what he thinks of her.

January 21, 1986

Barry is determined to continue sorting out Terry's problems with the Clearys, but he is about to make a big mistake. Billy and Doreen meet with Tracy's headmaster and the teacher involved in the allegations.

January 27, 1986

Damon and Neil have another cunning plan, but as usual, it's about to backfire. James's attempts to dump Lucy don't have the intended result.

January 28, 1986

Bobby is bothered by scabs on the Close. Lucy decides to tell her parents that she has stopped seeing James. Sheila wants to adopt, or at least sponsor, a child. Nicholas takes Heather to dinner, but who will end up paying for it?

February 3, 1986

Lucy and Tracy have exactly the same problem: their parents don't understand them or approve of their actions.

February 4, 1986

Tracy comes clean about Peter, who wishes she hadn't, when Billy exacts brutal revenge. But James is still keeping Lucy blissfully unaware of a few things.

February 10, 1986

Annabelle spots Lucy and James together in town but isn't prepared for what Lucy tells her. Sheila spots Barry handing over a bundle of money to a stranger.

February 11, 1986

Heather is attacked for political incorrectness. There are some unwelcome revelations for Lucy. Tracy disappears.

February 17, 1986

Tracy is staying away, and Lucy refuses to face up to the facts about James.

February 18, 1986

Lucy discovers that her boyfriend isn't even called James when she decides it is time to pay a visit to his wife.

February 24, 1986

Doreen fears that Billy will be sent to prison. Can someone with previous experience reassure her? Ralph tries to help Harry compose a "lonely hearts" ad. When Heather gives Nick a present, he recognises it.

February 25, 1986

Harry wonders if he is being disloyal to Edna. Ralph can't make up his mind. Heather's curiosity about Barbara gets the better of her, but she is not at all prepared for what she discovers.

March 3, 1986

Harry receives nineteen replies to his advert, one of which is from a man. Billy appears in court but refuses to cooperate with his probation officer.

March 4, 1986

After Harry posts his letter to Madge, he has second thoughts and wants to get it back.

March 10, 1986

Sandra is offered a promotion, but to the private ward. Bobby receives a letter about a loan taken out in his name. At the art gallery at which Madge is due to meet Harry, she unfortunately isn't the only woman wearing a green coat.

March 11, 1986

Bobby is jealous of Sheila's tutor when he holds a class in their front room. Sandra is annoyed to find Vicki cooking her steaks in the kitchen. Ralph wants to borrow Harry's car.

March 17, 1986

Sandra starts her new job, and Sally Dinsdale turns up at the Grants' with a black eye. Karen interviews Paula Yates.

March 18, 1986

Sandra and Jackie show the pest control man their cockroach-infested rooms. Sheila tries to convince Bobby that he has nothing to worry about.

March 24, 1986

On Bobby's birthday, Damon gets his cards. Pat pesters Sandra about why she is so irritable, not expecting the answer he gets. A telephone call from Teresa forces Sheila to lie for matty.

March 25, 1986

Sandra tries to let Pat down gently, but it's almost impossible.

March 31, 1986

Guy invites Karen to spend the night with him, and she agrees. Ralph sneaks out to see Madge. leaving Harry to spend the bank holiday on his own.

April 1, 1986

A shop steward draws Bobby's attention to some surprising payslips. Madge pays a visit to the bungalow, and Ralph's planned trip to Torquay with her turns into a foursome.

April 7, 1986

When Tracy is bored at home, the Corkhills' telephone bill is about to start shooting up. Sheila confronts Mo, who tells her that Matty is leaving Teresa to marry her.

April 8, 1986

George tries to convince Bobby to take the "long view". Heather and Keith return from Aberdeen. Sally Dinsdale turns up again, and this time Sheila insists that she stays. Damon gets a new idea about how he might find a job.

April 14, 1986

Sheila has a frightening secret she doesn't want to worry Bobby with. A visit by Jehovah's Witnesses results in Pat and Terry missing "The Magic Rabbits". Harry, Ralph, Julia and Madge enjoy a holiday in Torquay, while Damon looks for work.

April 15, 1986

Sheila confides in Alun over the poison-pen letter. Pat and Terry appear to have dropped themselves in it with an unexpected visitor, but is there a solution?

April 21, 1986

Lucy seems to have got over losing James, as she meets another man; but Paul and Annabelle are not convinced that Barry is a suitable partner for anyone. Bobby is annoyed with Sheila again.

April 22, 1986

Bobby faces a difficult choice - his job or his men? When Karen gets a nasty telephone call, Sheila explains that it was meant for her. Nick has a confrontation with Keith Tench over Heather, and comes off worse.

April 28, 1986

Billy and Doreen anxiously go to court, as so much depends on the result of their appeal. Keith Tench is determined to make Heather's life difficult.

April 29, 1986

Rod and Damon are both convinced that they have won their bet. Petrochem is taken over. Lucy says her goodbyes as she prepares to leave for France with Barry, but she's leaving something behind her. Billy regrets not mentioning something important to Doreen.

May 5, 1986

Bobby advises Billy to go to his union, but he isn't hopeful. Rod and Damon both try to snatch victory in their programme collecting contest. Heather discovers that Nick's phone has been cut off.

May 6, 1986

Romance is in the air for Heather. Sheila feels guilty about lying to Teresa. Damon leaves home.

May 12, 1986

Paul is in for more than one disappointment. Doreen thinks her new acquisition will help out - but disaster is about to strike.

May 13, 1986

Paul takes his redundancy in his stride, but is dubious about news he receives of Lucy. Doreen is angry with Billy for not returning the bricks, fearing that they might jeopardise his court appeal.

May 19, 1986

Doreen is reluctant to worry Billy with the phone bill, but he's got a bigger problem to face anyway. Karen is frightened after receiving several phone calls in which no-one speaks to her.

May 20, 1986

Karen sleeps with Guy, Paul voices his feelings of insecurity, and Madge offers to help Harry learn to drive.

May 26, 1986

Just as Karen and Guy are happy with their relationship, he has a proposal that would make it permanent. Billy and Doreen discover why the phone bill is so high.

May 27, 1986

Heather meets Nick's children for the first time, and they're not all impressed with her. Then one of them is involved in an accident...

June 2, 1986

Billy convinces Doreen that the furniture should be moved upstairs while Rod has a party. Pat is determined to have an argument and eventually finds one. Heather and Nick reconsider whether they should marry if his children don't approve.

June 3, 1986

Rod decides that he would like to join the police, but Billy isn't impressed with that idea. A romantic kiss leaves Karen in an awkward predicament.

June 9, 1986

Bobby puts his job on the line by defying George Williams. Annabelle tries to talk Paul out of protesting. Ralph and Harry aren't speaking.

June 10, 1986

Harry and Ralph misuse a "disabled driver" badge. Paul buys timber to build a lollipop sign, and Sandra denies everything.

June 16, 1986

Paul's impression of a lollipop man is not appreciated by some of the schoolchildren, who relieve him of his sign, nor by a policeman, who visits him at home. Nick has forgotten something important, so Heather calls on Annabelle for advice.

June 17, 1986

When Tony arrives, Pat realises that Sandra may not have dropped the Cribbs-Baker case after all. Sheila is nervous about her seminar. Terry tries to find somewhere to go where there isn't a furious row blazing.

June 23, 1986

Harry finds a photograph that makes him believe his house is being used for immoral purposes. Sheila has even more to worry about.

June 24, 1986

Pat is shown up by a bottle of perfume. Sheila finally discovers who wrote the threatening letter to her. However, the person responsible wasn't making the phone calls.

June 30, 1986

Pat and Sandra don't go to Heather and Nick's wedding reception, and things become violent between them. Matty is in for a shock.

July 1, 1986

Bobby goes to London to face a disciplinary committee. Terry finds out about Vicki's photograph. Cribbs-Baker tries to intimidate Tony and Sandra. Matty accuses Sheila of turning Mo against him, and becomes aggressive.

July 7, 1986

Ralph finds himself giving Harry a driving lesson, and discovers it's not something he'd like to repeat.

July 8, 1986

Sally Dinsdale's husband has gone on the rampage, and she is fearful of what he might do. Sheila and Matty argue in the taxi home after class, and she gets out and walks into a horrific ordeal.

July 14, 1986

Sheila arrives home shaken and dazed, and although she tells Bobby what happened, she doesn't want to involve the police. The police pick up a drunken Pat, who looks like he's been in a fight.

July 15, 1986

Sheila is persuaded to call the police and discuss the attack, and Pat becomes the prime suspect.

July 21, 1986

Sheila isn't telling the police everything she knows. Matty tells Bobby who he thinks is the rapist.

July 22, 1986

Bobby feels that there are things to be cleared up between him and Sheila - but she disagrees.

July 28, 1986

Nick discovers that Ruth has disobeyed him. Tony has an announcement to make about his future. Matty does nothing to improve his situation with the police

July 29, 1986

Following their investigation, the police believe they now have enough evidence to make an arrest.

August 4, 1986

Matty is questioned by the police and encouraged to admit that he is the rapist. Bobby tries to return to work, but is prevented from doing so by George.

August 5, 1986

A confession convinces the police that they have found the guilty man, while Harry tries to discover the identity of the victim. Billy finds himself locked out, Paul finds himself with a bicycle he can't ride, and Teresa decides there is only one solution for her problems.

August 11, 1986

At Teresa's funeral, Matty's family blame him for her death. Adam teaches Paul to ride his bicycle. Sandra fails to convince a reporter to cover her story, and Tracy is too fully clothed to interest him either.

August 12, 1986

Bobby returns to his work, and conflict with George. Harry decides that it is time to raise the rents payable by his tenants.......including Ralph. Karen confides in Sandra that she plans to move in with Guy.

August 18, 1986

Paul thinks he has found a way of blocking the dangerous road legally, but it leads to him spending time in a police cell and losing his bike. Sheila believes the rape has left her with more than memories.

August 19, 1986

Sheila has some relieving news, Rod receives his "O" Level results, Doreen holds a clothes party, and Annabelle has her interview.

August 25, 1986

Annabelle and Paul meet Gordon's friend, but are they right to be optimistic? Charlie is behaving suspiciously. Guy finds accomodation for himself and Karen.

August 26, 1986

Ruth discovers where Charlie is. Kathleen's aggressiveness could jeopardise the road safety campaign. Terry warns Pat that he could be in trouble if he sees Andrea again.

September 1, 1986

When Carol discovers that Gordon is gay, she refuses to go on working for Annabelle. Karen and Guy have a row. Heather is back from Hong Kong, and her first visitor is Charlie. Nick throws him out.

September 2, 1986

When Andrea calls, Terry locks Pat out in the cold with only his pants to keep him warm, and his appeals to Heather for help lead to her discovering that Nick has lied to her. Ruth has tea at the Corkhills', and Paul and Annabelle meet Chris.

September 8, 1986

While Pat is with Andrea, her husband turns up, and Terry has to distract him. Harry challenges Paul to a race. Sandra is determined that Pat is not going to force her out of the house.

September 9, 1986

Sandra disapproves when Pat continues to see Andrea. Billy has a narrow escape from a serious accident at work. Harry and Paul's race to Delamere Forest ends in a draw.

September 15, 1986

Nick and Charlie have a brush with the law. Dr. Hurrell returns to say goodbye to Sandra and stays overnight. After Damon catches them in bed together, Karen and Guy go to view a flat. Damon meets a girl.

September 16, 1986

Gordon is appearing in a television interview, and Paul and Annabelle try to ensure that none of the neighbours watch it.

September 22, 1986

Karen tells Sandra she plans to move in with Guy. When Sally comes to stay, Harry wants Ralph to give up his bed. A mix-up by the paper boy causes Billy to discover that Gordon is gay.

September 23, 1986

Bobby and Sheila go to tea with Guy and Karen, and Bobby ruins everything with one remark. Heather is being tormented by Nick and Charlie's behaviour.

September 29, 1986

Ruth seems to know more about Nick than Heather does. Gail plans to have sex with Damon in a hotel room, but there's a man in the bath. Sandra leaves the close with Tony.

September 30, 1986

Terry has a small problem with the rent. Damon has to run to catch Gail. Harry buys a huge teddy, but no one seems interested in knowing why. Ruth is forced to reveal the horrifying truth about Nick to Heather.

October 6, 1986

Harry insists on helping to select a new flatmate for Pat and Terry.

October 7, 1986

Nick has some hard choices to make. Sheila tells Damon he can leave her alone in the house, but a salesman calls and unwittingly reminds her of the rape.

October 13, 1986

Annabelle begins her training to be a magistrate and isn't very successful. Pat wonders why Gill keeps staring at him. When Bobby comes home, he finds that Gail has taken over.

October 14, 1986

Heather is determined to reform Nick. Annabelle is reluctant to give Damon driving lessons.

October 20, 1986

Andrea makes it clear that she's only after one thing. Sheila tries to be left alone, and Nick is going to be found out.

October 21, 1986

Gordon goes for a job interview. Barry takes Sheila shopping. Harry does some scheming.

October 27, 1986

In his interview, Rod begins to worry about the reputation of the Corkhills. When Sheila finds Gail and Damon coming out of his bedroom, she doesn't believe they were just tidying it. Barry decides it's time to take the law into his own hands.

October 28, 1986

Pat and Terry win a trip to Barbados. Billy is not keen on Tracy's intention of becoming a model. Nick begs Heather to let him stay with her.

November 3, 1986

Julian Tyler is determined to find Billy. Pat and Terry collect their tickets for Barbados. Doreen reaches her credit limit. Heather asks Barry's advice.

November 4, 1986

Gail prepares a meal, but is missing a vital ingredient. When she starts to talk about marriage, Damon starts to panic. Barry makes a prediction.

November 10, 1986

Things get tight for the Corkhills. Pat and Terry set off for Barbados, and although they believe Mrs McArdle is slightly senile, she secretly conceals a package in a locker at the airport.

November 11, 1986

Rod takes his police exams. Heather discovers that Nick has been using her cheque book. Pat thinks he's in love. Harry decides to confiscate a hi-fi from his tenants' home, and Paul treats himself to a video camera and recorder.

November 17, 1986

Tommy McArdle's attempts to chat up Gill are not appreciated. Mrs McArdle gives her minders the slip, and Annabelle is irritated when Paul video-records her in the kitchen.

November 18, 1986

Sheila discovers why the trial has been postponed, and is annoyed with others for interfering. Paul confronts Barry, believing he is being disloyal to Lucy. Gordon buys a motorbike.

November 24, 1986

Pat and Terry find out that they have been duped, and that Tommy now requires them to go to Glasgow. Nick reaches rock bottom when the council decide he is a liability. Annabelle has problems with her freezer.

November 25, 1986

Nick tries to raise money so that he can go into a clinic. Doreen wants rid of Jimmy in case he ruins Rod's chances of joining the police. Annabelle has to ask her neighbors to look after a lot of food - and most of them eat it.

December 1, 1986

When Annabelle goes round the Close to collect all her food, she discovers there isn't as much as she remembered. Vicki is suspicious of Terry. Harry puts pressure on Sally to move into his house.

December 2, 1986

After the meal she has served has not been received quite as well as she hoped, Annabelle feels that she must makes enquires about the state of health of her neighbours. Harry blames himself for the loss of his grandchild.

December 8, 1986

The police bring Heather the news that Nick has been found. Gordon discovers that Chris has gone on a skiing holiday. The Corkhills' television is repossessed, and Annabelle decides to give up the catering business.

December 9, 1986

Pat receives a letter from Avril. Tracy signs up for a hairdressing job. Tragic news forces Heather to decide about her future.

December 15, 1986

Annabelle finds her first day in court as a magistrate to be something of an anti-climax. Paul accidentally sets off Heather's burglar alarm. Rod wonders whether he really stands a chance of making it into the police force.

December 16, 1986

Gordon and Annabelle are not impressed that Paul is gloating because Barry is still expecting Lucy to come home for Christmas. Charlie discovers that Nick is dead. Tracy arrives late at the salon on her first.

December 22, 1986

Jimmy brings a Christmas present for Billy, but Doreen isn't convinced that he should accept it. Harry observes some suspicious behaviour involving Father Christmas and some hampers.

December 23, 1986

It's party time on the Close, and Gail is trying her luck with more than just one man. Harry overhears Jack explaining his scam, and turns it to his own advantage. Rod's time alone with Kirsty is interrupted when burglars strike next door.

December 29, 1986

Guy is distraught because Karen has finished with him and is moving to London. Rod receives potentially useful press coverage. While Doreen confides in Sheila about her financial problems, the electricity at number 10 is disconnected.

December 30, 1986

To Rod's dismay, Billy just can't keep his hands off the electrics. Gail gate-crashes a party Damon has gone to. Bobby and Barry have a long chat in the pub.