Brookfield is over-run with rabbits; George puts the village case to the Council meeting; Lynda adopts a poorly lamb from David’s lambing shed.

Radio Times: Lynda had a little lamb.

Characters: David, George, Jill, Lynda, Phil, Ruth

• Jill and Ruth are tidying up after Pip and Josh’s secret creativity with glue and glitter – something to do with Mothering Sunday surmises Ruth. Jill welcomes the news that Ruth has packed her hospital case “to keep David quiet” but can’t quite prioritise lambing and the mushrooming rabbit problem over the imminent new arrival when she hears that the nursery still isn’t finished! Lynda pops in full of apologies that the work is all behind at Ambridge Hall and that they will be in Rickyard Cottage for longer than anticipated. Even though their insurance is paying the rent she would love to find a way to repay the Archers’ generosity.
• At Glebe Cottage, Phil, with the help of George, is trying to find his piano behind the remains of the ‘better stuff’ left from the jumble sale – it is all destined for the charity shop when Jill and George go to this evening’s Council meeting. Jill arrives back as George discovers the ideal replacement for his beloved stuffed badger – a stuffed pine martin on a wobbly plinth! Chris will kill Jill if she allows him to take it home
• The rabbits are making too good a meal of one of Ruth and David’s fields – a day’s shooting has made no difference at all so it looks like Eddie’s ferrets are in with a chance. David just hasn’t got time even to look in the mirror to see how knackered he is these days – how about asking Bert to cover the lambing shed this evening, says Ruth, and having an early night? Phil pours cold water on that idea, as it seems Bert and Freda want to watch their romantic comedy video again!
• Jill is surprised by the poor turnout of village folk at the Council meeting – only her and George. What about Siobhán? Sorry she couldn’t come – working away again?? These career women – she (Jill) would never have got away with it with Phil!!!
• One of the ewes is in trouble and Phil and David are struggling to turn her rather large lamb. Phil has stayed on at Brookfield while Jill is at the Council meeting, and tactfully suggests that he might finish off papering the nursery? Needless to say, David is very grateful for that as well as for the help in the lambing shed – the lamb appears in a rush and the mother is in dire trouble
• True to form, Matt Crawford is not at the planning meeting personally, only his pink-shirted consultant who, according to Jill, looks a bit full of himself – just Matt Crawford’s sort, says George. He puts forward the village concerns about the proposals – the lack of low-cost homes when there are local people in need of such, the intended choice of materials which should be locally sourced, and that if the plans are passed, the parish Council must be consulted at all stages of planning and building. Jill congratulates George on covering all the points – but he is sure the plans will be passed and the real work will then begin – keeping an eye on Matt Crawford!
• Another orphan to be cared for – and too many already in willing Ambridge kitchens. Guess who fortuitously turns up in the lambing shed? Yes it’s Lynda, who immediately goes gaa-gaa over the new arrival and goo-goos straight back to Rickyard Cottage stove with her precious bundle. Who says she isn’t a wonderful woman? What was that, David??