Harry returns to Darlington to find that his wife has left the home and moved in with another man. At the News Associates office, he finds that the ground floor has been let to a Chinese takeaway and that his ex-employees are not keen to have him back.Snappy and Jonathan get a tip off about a group of vigilantes whose activities are getting out of hand. Harry is keen to buy the local freesheet, but is met with rejection. He is drawn to the story of a local political candidate witrh shady connections, but he doesn't realise how big the story is...

Billy Trafford is too terrified to name the man who shot his friend. He collapses in court and is taken to hospital. The boy's parents approach Harry and he finds him a safe house with Cheryl. Harry is too busy involved in a story of a fishing war. Ann Wade and others are protesting about the collapse of the fishing industry but Harry thinks he smells a bigger story...

Harry investigates a case of blackmail as a clean cut footballer's image is threatened by his wife's past. Snappy has to take photos of a shop cleaner who raises money for her sick child by dancing in her underwear. Jonathan is working on the story of Albert Crewe who is forced to sell his war medals to pay for his funeral.

Harry and ex-detective Jack Crow are both on the trail of a local big time criminal who Harry believes is back in town. He tries to throw Cheryl off the scent and gives her a devil worshipping story, however it turns out to be connected with the criminal after all.

Snappy and Jonathan are in line for a "Good News" award.Harry wants a reunion with his estranged wife, but she wants a divorce. A young prostitute disappears and her friends think she has been murdered.Harry can find no trace of her at a residential home for troubled kids run by local businessman Paul Collier, Harry supects that a local judge who is a friend of Paul Collier's may be involved. When this lead proves unfruitful, Alice, who looks like the girl decides to pose as a prostitute herself to flush out the person who may have abducted her.

Dean Hawkins breaks out of prison to settle a score with the local police and the politicians who destroyed his father, especially prospective MP Frank Melhouse. Harry has a tip off that Melhouse has been involved in a cover up about water pollution and is determined to investigate despite Melhouse's police minders...

A child is kidnapped and Alice who knows the parents doesn't want Harry involved, but he smells a scoop. Jonathan and Snappy are at a race track trying to track down the illicit liaisons of a former cover girl...