Business is slack for Tom, thanks to graffiti on the back of the van.

Radio Times: Tom comes up against the opposition.

Characters: Brenda, Clarrie, David, Oliver, Ruth, Tom

• Gourmet Grills is in operation at the festival but business is strangely slack.
• At Brookfield, David explains to Ruth that Derek Fletcher is organising a fund raising appeal for a local children’s home; David would like to find the time to get involved too. Oliver rings with a problem – a stone in a cow’s foot – not serious enough to call Alistair in (oh go on, he needs the money) but without Ed he needs some neighbourly assistance.
• The veggie van and the chippie van are doing good trade, so why not Gourmet Grills? Tom is quite looking forward to Mike’s early morning walk – it can’t be less profitable than this!
• Clarrie calls at Grange Farm just as Oliver and David have relieved the cow of her pain. She is so worried; Ed has been gone a week now. He didn’t take much with him; his passport is in the caravan. Clarrie is the only one who is worrying; should she go to the police? Oliver feels it is too early for that; he expects Ed back soon because he has put so much into the dairy project and must want to get back to it. Today is Clarrie’s birthday and she is clinging to the fact that Ed has never missed one – yet.
• Brenda has made a discovery: coming back from the loo she has found graffiti on the back of the van – ‘meat is murder’. Tom is for giving up but Brenda is made of sterner stuff: whoever has done this is not going to beat them.
• Tipped off by David, Ruth has a birthday present for Clarrie, who has chosen to stay at home – close to the phone. Who’d be a mum! There are a few hours left – still time for Ed to call.