London policeman Nick Rowan and his recently qualified Doctor wife - Kate move away from the city and go to the rural surroundings of Aidensfield, a village in the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors, where Nick's the new village policeman. Whilst they are still settling in, Nick's new section Sergeant, a Sgt Blaketon calls for Nick and takes him to see the local Rogue - Claude Greengrass and insists that he charge him with livestock worrying after his dog, Alfred killed a budgie! Greengrass admits Alfred did kill the bird and offers compensation, but Blaketon insists Greengrass be charged, despite Nick's reservations. The case goes to Court, but due to insufficient evidence, the court can't charge Greengrass as a budgie isn't classed as livestock. Meanwhile a local woman, Georgina Fraser tells Nick that she has a prowler at her house and one night she calls Nick out when the prowler returns. She then see's him at the village pub, the Aidensfield Arms, and Nick goes to see the Landlord

Local shopkeeper - Charlie Denby's record department in his shop is a popular spot for the local lads and when Blaketon and Nick both receive anonymous tip offs accusing Denby of having 'an unhealthy interest in young boys', rumours about him start to circulate. Blaketon is keen to get the matter sorted out weather its true or false and Nick goes to see Denby, and asks him about his private life. Denby however insists he's doing nothing wrong and just enjoys the lads company. Nick continues to keep an eye on Denby and locals tell him that he only seems to invite lads to his flat. Nick later then sees Denby arguing with local car dealer - Reg Pendleton, outside his shop and he begins to have more suspicions. Then when Kate is in Denby's shop, she witnesses another man called - Harry Cottis accusing Denby of assaulting his son. Blaketon then receives a call from the superintendent who's a mason like Denby, ordering that Denby to be bought in for questioning. Denby utterly denies he's don

Nick investigates two mysterious barn fires that have happened recently. A young woman is also assaulted in a barn by her new boyfriend. The woman is persuaded by her friend, Sandra Murry (Alan Maskell's girlfriend) to report him to the police. It turns out that the woman's boyfriend is also the arsonist responsible for the barn fires. Meanwhile a local woman's horse keeps escaping from it's field and Nick is concerned that it will cause an accident. Kate has another argument with Ferrenby when she puts the unmarried Sandra Murry in touch with the family planning Clinic over birth control. And Greengrass gives Nick a tip-off about a poaching gang and when to catch them. The police organize an operation to catch the poachers, they catch a couple, only later to hear from Lord Ashfordly that a bigger gang cleared the river of fish further along.