The Archers

Neil finds himself caught in the crossfire, and Helen attempts to keep relations calm.

Alistair and Denise are inspecting a wounded cow. Esme says they got injured in the storm. She confesses the cost of a call out put her off but the cow started lying down a lot. Alistair calmly explains unfortunately it’s too late, the kindest option is to put her down. Esme apologies for not staying till the end. Alistair says the cow felt nothing. Esme laments about the costs, she should have called them out when it first happened. Alistair takes pity on her and says he won’t invoice for the visit. Denise says head office won’t be happy. Alistair says they don’t need to know.
Alan asks Lily about Vince, before waving Fallon over. Fallon says she needs to talk to Lily about the workshop programme. Lily says to find her in the office and heads off. Alan apologises, forgetting things might be awkward between them. Fallon tries to ask Alan about something she heard in The Bull, but he rushes off. Lily’s on the phone to Harrison, she quickly ends the call when Fallon arrives. Lily’s not sure how much help she’ll be, but Elizabeth won’t be back for a while. The storm means all the plans must change. Fallon says they can’t just fire her. Lily must go meet the fire inspector, saying she’ll think about it.
In the Bull, Alistair is shocked to hear that Alan is coming to the Orchard on Thursday. Alan wonders why and Fallon says there’s a rumour going around. Alan complains about the insinuation of his motives for visiting lonely people when it’s a vicar’s job!

Lily catches her mum leaving to visit the hospital. Lily says she’s coming, everything is under control with Lower Loxley. At the hospital, Vince is upbeat and starts praising Lily for all the work she’s done to help Elizabeth. He asks about how all the repairs are going. Lily is hopeful they will reopen soon, but Elizabeth has her doubts. Vince suddenly has a twinge and suggests Elizabeth goes and gets a coffee. Vince asks Lily how her mum is really doing. He says that sitting up gave him jolts of pain and he nearly passed out, he just doesn’t want Elizabeth fretting. In the car, Elizabeth says she knows Vince is putting on a front. She needs Lily to not worry about her, and to focus on Lower Loxley for Elizabeth.
As they search for Susan’s casserole dish, Tracy moans about Jazzer’s obsession with not paying for the fence. She thinks the housing association will say it’s their fence in the end anyway. Susan becomes distracted and says she really shouldn’t tell Tracy this: Anna has accused Alan of stealing her mom’s money. Tracy brings the missing dish to the shop to return it. She starts gossiping about Alan and the village fete unaware that Usha is there. Usha questions how Tracy knows about this confidential investigation. Usha is frustrated by the accusation and knows the Archdeacon made it clear this was a sensitive matter. She’s disappointed they would gossip openly about it.

Alan is just trying to get through his Sunday duties. Usha laments how much of people’s time will be wasted before the formal complaint against Alan is dismissed. Alan says he hopes it will be dismissed, but talking about it won’t speed it up. He’s just grateful he can still do his job. As Alan gets into his cassock, he chats to Neil who has arrived to chaperone him. Alan knows Neil has been given an important safeguarding task and wants to make this as painless as possible. When Alan goes to get the plate, Neil says he’s changed the code and asks Alan to leave the room. During Alan’s sermon, Usha tries to get sympathy out of Neil who takes his duty seriously. Later Alan tells Usha he got to try to rise above the complaint.
At No. 6 The Green, Jazzer is trying to prop up the old fence panels. Tracy says the posts are too rotten. Tracy just wants to buy new panels to sort it quickly. Jazzer says they don’t even know the fence is theirs, and Helen is just trying to put the bill on them. Jazzer rambles about how Helen even made Brad pay for driving in her gate. Tracy tries to help him but the panels fall over, revealing Helen who has been listening to the whole conversation. Helen says she thought the housing association would pay, but Jazzer says he’s not even sure it is their fence. Jazzer is convinced that Helen knows it’s not their fence, but he needs proof.

Returning to Ambridge, Jazzer and Tracy look at all the damage the storm has caused. Tracy becomes emotional at the spot where the tree nearly injured Chelsea. At least Pip and Stella were able to go on their honeymoon. They’re unloading their suitcases when Helen approaches. She asks how their holiday was, before pointing out that a couple of fence panels have blown across the garden damaging some plant pots. Helen says she’ll leave it with Jazzer and Tracy to fix. Jazzer says isn’t it her boundary?
The Archdeacon arrives to talk to Alan. Alan welcomes him to the Vicarage, offering cake. The Archdeacon says he’s here in an official capacity as a formal complaint has been made about Alan. Alan maintains he has done nothing wrong. He didn’t know that Carol had transferred the money. The Archdeacon says that’s not the point of this meeting. Alan says Anna is riddled with guilt. The Archdeacon cuts him off saying they should use neutral language: the complainant and the deceased. Alan laughs – does that make him the accused? The Archdeacon asserts he’s here to explain how this will be dealt with by the diocese. Alan becomes upset and says he’s innocent. The Archdeacon says they have to refer the complaint to Adult Social Services and there will be interim safety plan. Alan won’t be able to handle collection boxes or the plate on Sunday. He won’t be able to visit any parishioner unaccompanied. Alan has to sign to say he agrees to these terms.