(All Quiet on the) Preston Front

Ally's husband, Frazer, is much older than his wife and is having a mid-life crisis which leads to him joining a Civil War re-enactment society. The group is due to stage a battle at the Roker Vale Show, where the TA is organising a recruitment caravan. Hodge is not attending the show, telling Eric that he is taking Laura to Blackpool. Meanwhile, Polson is enjoying the fact that in real life he is now Rundle's boss.

Eric's plans to improve his life seem to be getting somewhere when he gets a job working for Mr Wang. Unfortunately this particular job involves him walking around Roker Bridge wearing a dragon costume. Meanwhile, Hodge is spending more time in Blackpool.

After months of secrecy, Lloydy's job is revealed. He works for Mitch Maddox, a wealthy land owner who has decided to be a farmer. Lloydy's latest task is to collect a valuable koi carp from Heathrow Airport. Meanwhile, the annual TA drill competition is taking place and Polson is determined that his section is going to win.

Diesel's garage has some competition from a new service station, so he wants to brighten it up by buying some spotlights. However, his brother has spent their money on a church spire in memory of their father. Meanwhile, Laura has dumped Hodge following a misunderstanding over Kirsty and Eric is finally making progress in his tentative relationship with Dawn.

While the TA are away on an exercise in Germany, Laura is preparing to sing at a conference being organised by Jeanetta. However, she doesn't know that this is down to Hodge's influence. A number of metaphorical landmines are about to explode...