Bernie inherits a fortune from his sister, which draws out his half brother Vernon – who had faked his suicide two years earlier to avoid a taxman. Peggy panics when Vernon asks David to accompany him to Spain. However, both Bernie and Vernon are detained on suspicion of murder. Meanwhile, Rob and Carol deal with a religious man who reacts harshly to his 16-year-old daughter's pregnancy. Bellamy who collapsed whilst making an arrest, and has been admitted to Ashfordly General fears his family's history of heart failure has caught up to him. Though he does not want Gina to know, she finds out and spontaneously declares her feelings for him. PC Bradley has his hands full at Christmas trying to find a dog that had been taken from a blind woman, and soon discovers the culprit is emotionally attached to the animal. Dr. Summerbee is delighted to meet an old friend, but soon calls on Bradley's help when she suspects her friend is in serious trouble. Meanwhile, Vernon promises to supply a tree for the villagers, but things don't go according to plan when David has a mishap with the Christmas lights for them. A music manager is found dead the day after holding his wedding reception at the Aidensfield Arms. Blaketon and Dawn uncover a plot involving his bride and her mother, a leukaemia diagnosis, and his memoirs. Meanwhile, Peggy is caught with stolen property, feigns amnesia and is hospitalised. Younger is tipped to a series of upcoming crimes by Wetherby's young son, who disappears. As Ashfordly Hall prepares to hold the annual county sheepdog trials, PC Bradley and Sgt. Merton find their hands full when the rivalry between two of the contestants causes unexpected trouble. Meanwhile, Vernon tries to impress Lord Ashfordly during the event by helping to organises its toilet facilities, but finds that his plans do not go as smoothly as he hopes for. Undercover surveillance is conducted on an illegal gaming club, whose criminal operator has accumulated enemies that complicate his plans to sail away with his mistress. Rob awaits the results of his sergeant's exam, and finds himself caught in a love triangle with Carol and Dawson. Inspired by Hugh Hefner, David sets up a den and throws wild parties which incur Peggy's wrath but bring a new romance with one of Rosie's friends.

A bride-to-be postpones her wedding after a meeting with a funfair clairvoyant, until she and her fiancé can locate the remains of a pilot who went missing in action during the Second World War. When PC Crane offers help, he soon causes problems when he incurs the wrath of the Ministry of Defence. Meanwhile, DC Bradley and PC Bellamy become concerned when a bogus police officer appears, causing problems for many despite his good intentions. Ventress goes undercover when Bellamy and Rob hunt for stolen Russian icons smuggled with a fishing boat, and suspect an assault victim with criminal connections might be involved. Meanwhile, Vernon embarks on a scheme for Alfred to find truffles. Helen is puzzled by a young girl's baffling medical history, leading to a case of child abuse.

PC Mason and Sgt. Miller attempt an intervention to stop the harassment of a local farmer by his neighbours. However, the situation worsens when the farmer is given further trouble that culminates in a fire on their property that nearly kills them. At the same time, Dawn falls for a charming new barman at the pub and tries to cure him of his sudden angry outbursts, unaware he has an ulterior motive for being the area. Meanwhile, David helps Peggy inventory an estate, but fears her shady dealings have upset the spirit of the deceased. The team investigate the murder of an ex-army recluse and archaeological enthusiast which may involve a building dispute. His estranged wife and her lover arrive looking for money. Meanwhile, Vernon attempts to enliven his young relative Gareth by matchmaking him with Rosie, disastrously. Vernon sets Gareth's sights elsewhere but leaves David convinced that he has a chance with Rosie, resulting in a rivalry of suitors. Jenny's erratic behaviour leaves Merton worried. PC Bradley befriends a woman whose daughter resents being dragged away with her, straining his relationship with Dr. Summerbee. However, he soon learns that the woman is being hounded by a ruthless reporter, who is intent on exposing her dark past, forcing her to make a decision that will break her daughter's heart. Meanwhile, Vernon and David decide to raise goats for their milk, but Bernie is forced to ask Oscar for help when they cause trouble around Aidensfield.

Find sources: "List of Heartbeat cast members"– news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR ( April 2021) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Sgt. Merton's singer-songwriter cousin aims to settle down in Aidensfield, until her aspiring daughter turns up and reveals she is pregnant. The matter becomes tense when her father and manager turns up, moments before an escape armed robber turns up and takes them hostage. Meanwhile, David finds himself helping out a grieving daughter with the running of her family's greengrocer store, after her father dies in his taxi, but swiftly finds her overbearing. Gina goes into premature labour after breaking up a brawl in the pub. Merton is delighted when his team bring a major LSD dealer to justice, but one officer develops a personal grudge and crosses a line. Rob is called out to investigate a series of vandalisms against Lord Ashfordly's new estate manager who angered the tenants with hard-line methods learned in South Africa. Meanwhile, Peggy believes she has found the explanation for David's recent behaviour when she uncovers his strange new addiction. Mike finds himself investigating the remains of a baby's skeleton found in the attic of local butcher Don Lomax, after his family found them following his wife's funeral, and soon questions whether it may be linked to the sudden arrival of Lomax's eldest daughter Vera, who had been in an institution for several years. Greengrass attempts to turn wild rabbits into a fictional rare breed to sell at pet stores, until his scheme is washed out literally by a careful shopkeeper.

Blaketon becomes suspicious when Greengrass takes an interest in a rumour concerning a hidden treasure in the area, following the death of a local scholar, but when he pursues after him into some old abbey tunnels, both men are trapped when there is a cave-in that seriously injures Blaketon. Ashfordly police finds themselves dealing with a spate of thefts around Aidensfield, until local garage owner and undertaker Bernie Scripps provides a clue to the thief's identity. A businessman comes to Ashfordly Hall with his wife to set up a shooting party, but swiftly gains the wrath of a local man who seeks revenge for having his dog shot by him. Ashfordly police soon have to investigate when the businessman is later shot, and discover that he is deeply unfaithful to his wife. Meanwhile, Vernon is forced to go to hospital and reluctantly leaves his latest tourist enterprise in David's hand, which soon ends in disaster. Chaos reigns when a sniper kills Jowett's sister as she leaves the pub. Dawson and Rob's enquiries reveal the gunman may have missed his intended target, which Blaketon realises may be Jowett or himself – and the two are brought closer together. Meanwhile, Peggy buys an ice-cream van to take advantage of the hot weather and leaves David in charge of the venture whilst she attends a Redcoat reunion, but his home recipes have interesting results. David witnesses a man thrown from a moving train, which leads to Steve foiling an armed robbery at Ashfordly Hall and an escaped convict loose in Aidensfield. As the team pursue the fugitive, retired Ventress feels lost and is delighted when Merton offers a solution. Vernon is stalked by a donkey and tries to open a donkey sanctuary, failing to realize that the village already has one.

Three Australian sheep-shearers are celebrated for helping a local farm, but upset a bully who frames one for theft. Joe and Carol try to protect the farmer's daughter, who is being terrorised by her brother. Rosie has to choose between the Australians and a past lover. Meanwhile, Peggy starts a laundry service with David doing the work. Bellamy is displeased when he discovers Gina has been taking contraceptives. Joe is saddened when Miller tells him that he is being replaced.Jenny is delighted when her younger brother Steve visits, and offers to help him secure a job. She soon finds her excitement turn to despair when a local vicar that employs him turns out to be growing something unwelcome in his greenhouse, threatening her relationship with Sgt. Merton. Meanwhile, David finds himself being recruited by a gang of mods who have begun causing trouble in Aidensfield.

Merton organises a search of the moors after a farming couple are reported missing, leaving Jenny and Liz to look after their bemused children, whilst Gina and Bellamy take over at the farm. Meanwhile, Vernon decides to treat his nearest and dearest following his windfall, and takes a reluctant Bernie to a posh country hotel.Ashfordly police find themselves investigating a string of burglaries in the area, in which the burglar only steals objects of sentimental value from people's homes. While PC Ventress has to prevent the latest victim taking action, it becomes clear that the link between the targets is a local window cleaner, who soon seeks help when he learns of how much trouble he is in. Meanwhile, Oscar recruits aid from David as he runs against Jowett in the local parish election, and Dr. Summerbee tries to organise a fitness class that soon leads her to reveal to PC Bradley about an underlying health condition she has. An insurance salesman is shot dead outside his home, and a disgruntled customer of the victim is the initial suspect in the crime. As Ashfordly police handle the investigation, PC Mason discovers that not only did the victim sell fraudulent policies, but he also led a complicated double life, and soon discovers that the latter may have been found out by one of the wives he had. Meanwhile, Ventress stays at the Aidensfield Arms while his house is being repaired, causing problems for all, while Sgt. Miller and Peggy both attempt to stop a war hero from drinking himself to death while on hard times.