Heartbeat - Burying the Past
Sunday 30 December 2007 8:30pm - 9:30pm on ITV1.

Delivering a package to Neil Foreman’s house, the postman gets no reply after ringing the bell. Looking through the window he sees Neil’s body slumped in an armchair and realises something is wrong.

At the dispensary, Carol (Lisa Kay) is packing her bag when Mason (Joe McFadden) appears. Before heading off to see Gina (Tricia Penrose), she comments on the fact Joe is up early and on his way to a call. He says Miller (John Duttine) has agreed to let him stay on. Where does that leave PC Wetherby (Rupert Ward-Lewis)?

When Carol arrives at the Gina’s cottage it’s clear she’s devastated Gina and grieving deeply for Phil (Mark Jordon). Gina admits she isn’t sleeping and Carol offers to prescribe some sleeping pills. Gina turns down the offer, determined to deal with things on her own, though she’s finding it hard to believe she’s on her own. Will Gina realise how many close friends she has around her?

At the police station, Miller and Wetherby are in the sergeant’s office. Wetherby is wracked with guilt over the shooting of PC Bellamy, believing he should have taken the bullet. Stepping out of the role of sergeant, Miller reassures Don he wasn’t to blame for the tragedy. Reflecting on his kind words, Wetherby still believes the villagers will blame him for the loss of a much loved member of the community. He tells Miller he will pack his bags and be on his way. However, Miller says there is still a job for him, even though Mason is staying in Aidensfield. When Don realises Miller is suggesting he takes on the position left by PC Bellamy he is unsure. Can Don put the accident behind him? Will the villagers accept him?

Mason peers through the window of Foreman’s cottage. With no response, he kicks in the door and heads to the living room. Stopping in his tracks, he finds Foreman slumped in the chair, gun by his right side and a gunshot wound to his head. When DS Dawson (Clare Wille) arrives they assess the crime scene and Miller tells Dawson that Foreman was a teacher at the local grammar school, Brassington. The school have an armoury and they are checking for a missing a gun. When Mason finds a bottle of anti-depressants, it seems the death is clearly a suicide. Will any further investigations prove otherwise?

Carol visits patient Elsie Chiltern (Jacqueline Pilton) and her husband Arthur (Tim Barker). The elderly couple live outside the village and rely upon Arthur’s little car. As Arthur heads out to the shops, Elsie admits to Carol that they couldn’t live without the car.

On his way to the shops, Arthur drives along the moor land road. Peering through his glasses he comes to a junction, slows down and then continues straight on, but doesn’t notice the cyclist in his path. Despite the cyclists best efforts to swerve out of the way of the car, he still clips the rear wing and careers into a ditch. Aware something has hit his car, Arthur brakes suddenly, hitting his chest against the steering wheel. Having a look around, he sees no-one and drives on. Having left the Chilterns’ cottage, Carol drives up to the junction, sees Arthur drive away and the cyclist by the side of the road. Will Carol admit she knows the hit-and-run driver? What trouble will this mean for Arthur?

Meanwhile, continuing the investigation into Neil’s death, Mason and Dawson visit the Headmaster at Brassington School. Headmaster Anthony Barlow (Kevin Doyle) informs them a gun has been taken from the school and admits Foreman could have gained access to the armoury. When Anthony’s wife Shirley (Kate Buffery) arrives, she informs the police Neil was depressed and potentially suicidal. Following further discussion the police discover Neil never recovered from the death of a student who was in his care on a school trip ten years previously. The incident happened before the couple arrived at the school, so Shirley suggests the police talk to Foreman’s ex-wife. Was Neil guilt ridden for many years? Are Anthony and Shirley hiding the fact they know more?

Later, when Carol visits Elsie and Arthur, she discovers Arthur is unwell. Rushing him to the hospital, they wait patiently for the doctor. When Dr Chris Oakley (Leon Ockenden) arrives, his eyes meet Carol’s. She recognises him as the cyclist Arthur knocked off his bike earlier. As Chris makes a diagnosis, Carol is worried he knows who Arthur is and Chris will press charges. Can Carol persuade him otherwise?

The following day the villagers gather together to say their final farewells to Phil. Sergeant Miller and his team, wearing dress tunics, join other uniformed and plainclothes policemen. As the vicar begins the service, Bellamy’s closest friends are clearly emotional. Oscar (Derek Fowlds) pays a moving tribute to Phil before returning to Gina’s side. How will Gina cope with losing her husband, and the villagers a much loved friend?