Episode 4 People Like Us

Just north of the city centre is a little known Manchester suburb

called Harpurhey.

This programme contains strong language.

They say it's full of rough families. I don't think it's such a bad place.

Ten years ago a report branded it

the most deprived neighbourhood in England.

-It's a simple question I asked.

-Yeah, and I'm trying to answer it.

Things have got a bit better since then,

but life round here is still no bed of roses.

There's one of them local expressions,

they'd steal the shit out of your arse.

Not cos they want it, just so you haven't got it.

Half the people have no qualifications.

And antisocial behaviour is rife.

Are you the neighbour from hell?

Probably, yeah.

People round here might not be the poshest,

but they're not lacking in spirit.

That's why we call ourselves the dysfunctionals.

They're just trying to get on with life, be themselves...

-I ain't driving the van like this.

-..and follow their dreams.

I could be like a different person when I'm acting.

'Tis true that a good play needs no epilogue.

For one long summer, the young people of Harpurhey

let us into their secret world.

# I have a penis I shake it in the morning... #

Sharing the good times...

-Megan Fox eat your heart out.

-..and the bad.

Hello!

Go and find another street to go and terrorise.

This is how it really feels growing up the hard way.

Youse might think you know people like us,

but you don't know nothing yet!

This week, young mum Sherelle is trying to avoid

getting into trouble, for the sake of her son.

Show how you do it with no hands?

While Sherelle's mum, Mandy,

and neighbour Katie face the threat of eviction.

Hello! Can you go somewhere else, chook, cos I'm not getting

kicked out for no kids.

At the Wishy Washy launderette, can Mum and Dad

curb Maddy's bad behaviour before she starts high school?

Go on, I've got a job for you now.

And pregnant Louise gets valuable advice in preparation for her

new life as a mum.

When you're in pain and your legs are open, you just want

anything to get it out, you don't give a monkey's

who's looking there, who's poking there

and how many drugs they pump into you.

You don't care.

In the centre of Harpurhey, there's a street where some neighbours

have been causing a headache for the police,

the council and residents who want a quiet life.

We're on Brentford Street.

22-year-old mum, Sherelle, and son, Kyrel, hang out on the street.

Sherelle's been in trouble in the past, but she's changed her ways.

Right here's me mother's house. Me mum lives here.

If you look through the window,

you'll see all of them bonging it with the cannabis.

I'm going to batter you.

Get the bong out here, lads. Our Katie lives here.

Our Kate.

This is my old house where I used to live and then, at the end

of the street, like some of the kids when they've got nowhere to go

they'll just come round here and have a spliff and sit on the wall there.

Or have a bong. We've got a garden centre here on the left.

We're not allowed to go in there cos, as you can see,

it's got a big bolt on the gate.

And we have a big field that like you might as well say...

don't have any use to it because every time we get something out,

a motorbike or some form of something with an engine,

and go on there we get in trouble.

Oh!

Oh, give it a break! Give it a break!

That's on my lungs now that. Oh, it's horrible.

No, I'll shove that in there while I'm here.

At the top of the street lives Cathie,

who runs the community garden

directly opposite some of the neighbours

that have been causing problems.

She's lived here for 26 years.

'There's a lot of noise, a lot of arguing, a lot of foul language.

'There's a lot of drugs, a lot of drinking goes on,

'people fighting with each other, which is not a nice thing to see.

'There's a lot of traffic.'

And I live in a cul-de-sac.

So there's some of the problems.

Despite not always seeing eye to eye with her neighbours,

Cathie still feels the area has a genuine community spirit.

You know people are quite friendly

and people like to sit on the doorstep, have a cup of tea,

have a chat with the neighbours, that's really great.

I don't really think that

moving or moving out of the area would be...

of any benefit to me whatsoever.

A mile up the road is the local launderette.

Wishy Washy has been run by Paul and Karen for six years.

My mum is the boss.

Paul's role is the sort of, not slave,

but he does all like the washing, he does like the delivery in the shop.

He's just always like too busy,

and then you've got Madison, who's my little sister,

she's definitely the spoilt one, and me, I'm the mature one.

Yeah, she has a go at ya, yeah.

-Can I go to Travena's with her?

-Who said?

Her mum. Me and Travena's going to get the bus...

Maddy's 11 and about to leave junior school.

-I'm nearly in high school.

-Ooh(!)

-Please, go on.

Are you going to be safe?

'Being 11 you don't really get to do as much like,

'you see high school people'

walking up and down to the houses and that,

and I'm thinking, "Wow, I'm only 11, my mum won't even let me

"walk across the road on me own."

Well, will you go to the car first and get your phone out, please?

-Your blackberry.

-Is it charged?

-Oh, I don't know.

Huh, well, then you should have changed it.

-Only round the corner there.

-I don't care.

-Hey, lady! Attitude Annie.

Maddy's starting secondary school in eight weeks

and she's already asserting her independence,

which isn't going down well at home.

-If you have a brain it's not in there.

-Now, now, er, Maddy.

Right, you're not going now for that.

AMBER: 'She gets away with too much - Maddy.'

I don't know what it is. Like I say to me mum,

"Well, tell her off then." She's like that, she's like,

"I can't be dealing with her cos she keeps going on and on." I'm like,

"You can't do that cos she knows she's getting away with it."

'It's like Madison's got her own way then.'

You're a spaz.

What's wrong with you now?

It was your fault for putting my phone in your bag, you stupid mong.

Well, what did you want? Eh?

My mum doesn't know when to stop cos she's...

she's like, she loves instigating things,

she loves things going further, she loves people's reactions.

Mum, he's got my phone.

Oh, it's not your fault that I'm a mong and what was the other? A spaz?

-That isn't a nice word to use anyhow.

-Please, Mum!

-No.

No, you'll learn your lesson. Get in there now, get in the back.

Get in the back and don't come out.

-MADDY:

-'The worst thing I've ever said to my parents,

'it sounds like really bad, but I don't mean it.

'Sometimes I can say that'

I'm going to kill myself

because I can't get me own way.

You abuse me, I hate you.

Yeah, that is abusing, very abusing, but you're not going.

What did she say to me out the window last night,

cos I said you can't come to the park?

"I hope you crash and die." Amber would never speak to me like that.

I've learnt to mentally block me children out, any child -

I've learnt to actually mentally block them out.

-Mum, I'm sorry.

-Good.

Sometimes I can like just pretend to cry, erm,

and usually I can just make myself cry that much

that tears will roll down my face

and she will believe that I'm really crying.

I'm sorry.

Sherelle's picking up 3-year-old Kyrel up from nursery school.

-Full-time school.

-Kyrel did not have the best start in life,

as his mum was serving a prison sentence when he was born.

He's knackered, he wants me to pick him up,

but I can't be arsed.

'I would not want my child to follow the road I went down.

'No, I don't want him to be nothing like me.'

Argh, big boy.

Kyrel was born while I was in prison, and then, before I got out,

he stayed with me for a bit and then before I got out my mum had him.

What have you been doing today?

While she was at college, Sherelle started dealing class A drugs.

'Some days I'd say I'm going to college

'when I weren't even in and then I'd go and sell drugs, yeah.'

Yeah, I was making quite a bit of money a day.

It was all right, sometimes it was a bit shit, but it was all right,

it was doing more than getting me by, put it that way.

'Me son's dad, he's in prison'

now as well for armed robbery,

but he'll be like... he's not got long left.

You done me a picture with pencils.

Sherelle has not been in trouble since she came out of prison

and she's determined to lead a crime-free life.

She's also resolved to make sure Kyrel

stays on the straight and narrow.

I worry about him sometimes cos of the community,

like the environment sometimes isn't a good environment for the kids.

Hello.

He copies most of the boys now, so I couldn't imagine

what he's going to be like when he's older.

But I will stop it before it gets to that.

# Apple bottom jeans boots with the fur

# The fur and the whole club looking at her

# She hit the floor, she hit the floor and anybody knows

# Gotta go low, low, low, low Low, low, low... #

Oi!

-SHERELLE:

-'The street has a bad name.

'Yeah, it's a bit noisy,

'but it's like a lot of kids and neighbours are friendly though.

'Everyone on the street knows each other, everyone's friendly.

'You can just leave your kids outside'

and as long as one person's on the street,

that one person will watch all the kids.

Put your coat in Nana's.

Mum, you gave me the bag of clothes yesterday

and you haven't even got a change of clothes now.

ON PA: 'We are in your area collecting all types of scrap metal.

'Old boilers, washers, cookers, microwaves, fridges,

'dishwashers, radiators...'

In her spare time, Cathie works as a community guardian.

A community guardian is, erm,

a volunteer for Manchester City Council.

Basically it's looking out for environmental crime,

although that's quite a big... it makes it sound, you sound like

some sort of police investigator or something,

but really it's just looking for rubbish.

Leather sofa, 20 Dime Street.

Surprise, surprise(!) There's one here every week.

'It is a good place to live, it's my roots is here in Harpurhey.

'I've lived here for 26 years'

and I love it, really.

And all its problems.

You know them things that make your boobs look bigger

and you put them in a bra, I found a pair of them once.

Children play here, but look at the state of it.

Children shouldn't have to play in an area like this. Woo-hoo!

These are empty cos people have left,

that one's empty cos they got kicked out, so, er, we've now got six

empty properties in the area, that just means more landlords

don't it? And, you know, I just think they've ruined our communities.

Nik Taylor.

-SHERELLE:

-'Nik, the landlord.

'He thinks that he's welcome on the street'

because he's got a few houses on the street, but no-one likes him.

Kyrel, tell me... tell me what you've done today.

Landlord Nik Taylor owns seven of the houses on Brentford Street.

Most of his tenants are on housing benefit.

He's a familiar face in the area.

Nik put your arse away, it's leaving out.

You shouldn't have been looking.

You shouldn't be bending over in front of everyone then.

I think generally the people are friendly

unless you're a landlord and therefore you're deemed to be wrong.

-Look he's still got it out.

-That's dirty that.

'It's like'

as if in the old days when if you were a woman, or you were black,

or you were gay, you were therefore wrong, yeah.

Now, you're only wrong if you're a landlord or a banker.

Yeah, we're, we're just wrong, there's nothing we can do.

Whatever we do, it's wrong.

You're not getting away with this Nik, you're naughty.

You're a naughty and you're a shit bag.

-You know what I mean? Your PhD is there. Mine's there.

-Right.

So bring it on, mate.

'I mean it was only what 20 minutes ago I was told by a tenant'

I was going to have my head kicked in, and all I say is,

"Anyone kills me, my wife sells every house in Manchester

"in one auction and you're all homeless."

That, on with the jacket, it's way big.

MUMBLES

Although it's a few weeks before Maddy starts high school,

she's trying on her new uniform.

There. And clip it down.

-Oh, that fits you.

-It fits you better than it fits Maddy.

-That's really ridiculous.

-I know.

She looks like a proper bloke.

Well, that's what we got to do, innit?

Paul has learned to keep a low profile

when the Wakefield girls start dressing up.

'I see like knickers,'

bras, looking like this and that, stockings like,

fucking like fl...flying about the house like, you know what I mean?

It's unbelievable. You know what I mean? It's fucking mad.

-What's the skirt look like?

-Hanging.

-You don't wear a fleece under your blazer.

-No.

You might as well put your blazer on. It's big enough, innit?

-I'm trying it, man!

-Amber stop. Maddy, stop talking like a chav.

SHATTERING GLASS

-Who knocked that over?

-Me best vase.

-Who's the idiot that put it on the radiator?

-Your dad.

AMBER: 'It's not just three women he lives with,

'it's three Wakey women - the Wakefields.'

What we say goes, like if I'm right then I'm right.

And if I know I'm wrong, I'm still right because Paul can't be right.

Do you know what you look like,

one of those footballers out of the '30s.

Just round the corner from the Wakefields' house

is Stax the hairdressers.

Where's your moustache? Give us your moustache?

-Oh, have I got one?

-Yeah.

I can't see, you're that caked in make-up.

25-year-old Louise has worked here

as a salon assistant for seven years.

She's expecting her first baby in six weeks' time.

I had India six weeks early, so it could happen any time, Louise.

Don't be saying that. Dawn said that before.

'I'm looking forward to the birth,

'I'm excited about what the pain's going to be like.'

I think it's something you know you have to go through

and just prepare your..., I'm just preparing myself for it,

but I'm excited, I just, I think if you have a Caesarean, I think

you might feel robbed, do you know like you've done everything else,

carried the baby and then you've just, you've missed the ending.

Louise's mate, Donna, co-owns the salon and is a mum as well.

She's a ready source of advice when it comes to childbirth.

Well, let me tell you something,

when you're in pain and your legs are open, you just want anything

to get it out, it doesn't matter what your plans were, what you say

you was going to do, when you're in agony you don't give a monkey's

who's looking there, who's poking there

and how many drugs they pump into you.

You don't care.

Stax is a good place to get, erm, advice and stuff cos everyone

just talks about anything, like Donna's quite outspoken, so she

won't just tell you what you want to hear, she tells you the truth.

But obviously I ended up having to have a emergency section

because I'd been in labour 50-odd hours, and what was happening

was as I was pushing him out, he was...his head was turning away,

so I was, basically his neck was, his head was going back.

You just put them needles in the tummy

and I mean I did get an infection in me scar, but it was all right.

Sherelle's had a visit from the police

whilst she was out. They've asked her to call back.

Hello, um, I've received a note through the door yesterday

afternoon saying that, um, someone's called out to see me.

I've got an orange slip and then this number at the bottom.

'But as soon as something happens,

'like police will come to Brentford Street'

because they know a lot of kids are on Brentford Street,

and without a doubt someone will get the blame on that street.

Yeah, but how can you get the complaint if I don't have a stereo?

Neighbours have been complaining about loud music.

With her past record, Sherelle's keen to stay off the police radar.

Um, I don't know, maybe they don't like me,

maybe they just want me out.

Right. OK. All right. OK, bye.

I don't want to go back to jail, I don't ever want to get in trouble

again, obviously everyone gets into trouble and does things wrong and

does like stupid things, but I just don't want to get arrested again.

Sherelle's not the only one in trouble in the neighbourhood.

Her mum, Mandy, and neighbour, Katie,

have just received letters from the council calling them in

to discuss complaints of antisocial behaviour.

To me, this is a happy family street.

The two neighbours here, we've got pretty big families,

you know I've got seven of me own,

plus their friends are going to come and friends of friends

are going to come and I think that is the main problem - visitors.

"I am writing to you because I have received reports regarding noise

"and nuisance and antisocial behaviour from the above property.

"Of which I am informed you are the current tenant."

29-year-old Katie lives with her four children.

Her house has also become a hangout for her brothers and their mates.

Noisy gatherings are making her the target of criticism.

It's just because the young lads all congregate on this street,

you've probably seen a few people coming in and out my house

but they are all my family, each and every one of them.

There's a serious chance that the two families could be evicted.

I think meself, we're all going to get an ASBO.

I don't know why, but I've just got that feeling we're going to

get an ASBO or maybe an eviction notice.

Landlord Nik owns both Katie and Mandy's houses,

he's having to deal with complaints from the council

and from the tenants who feel they've been harshly treated.

This letter has really angered me, Nik, it really,

really has because I have done nothing, and absolute nothing

but try and keep the peace round here

on this street with absolutely everyone.

Sorry, I've got to go and sign this tenancy for these people.

-Yeah, I'm sorry, Nik.

-See you tomorrow, yeah?

-I'm just not having people backstabbing me though.

-Right, OK.

-I'm not having it.

-Sorry, I've got to go.

He ain't my landlord!

Basically everyone's scared and thinking they're getting kicked out.

I don't know who's going to go,

I don't know who's going to stay, but we're hoping we all stay.

I've just got... I have just, with recovering from alcohol,

alcoholism, it's been a really hard run for me.

But before I did, I did receive one of these letters,

but I deserved it, and this like means so much to me

because I don't deserve this one, but I deserved the last one that

I got because I was drunk and I was disorderly and I was

aggressive towards me neighbours, so I deserved that letter.

But I really don't deserve this one. I really don't.

It's Maddy's last week at junior school

and she's going to her leaving prom this evening.

Mum, Karen, is treating her to a grownup hairdo at Stax hairdressers.

Stax is well known as the local talking shop,

and conversation is not always aimed at customers Maddy's age.

The subject under discussion today is clairvoyants.

-It's very sad that people have to find that comfort.

-Yeah.

Cos they don't go to these people

to have their cards read for no other reason.

My auntie Elaine went to one, um,

one of the ones that did the film stars. I like them shoes.

Erm, the film stars,

and she told her that she was going to meet a man with really nice eyes.

Now she was like, she's gay, she's gay, right.

But believe it or not because of what she said,

she started seeing somebody in work that she loved his eyes,

and he ripped her off for 30 grand.

So I said to her, "Next time you try to go to one of them,

"I'll batter you meself." See you, chuck.

How you doing under there?

I think that I'm probably in the middle now, like I can act

childish, but sometimes I can act a little bit grownup.

-What do you want to be when you're older?

-A director in Hollywood.

-Do you really?

-Yeah.

-Do you?

And if you can't be a director in Hollywood what else would you be?

-A singer.

-And if you couldn't be a singer, what else would you be?

-A policewoman.

-Now, that's better.

You're better off having a back-up plan. Are you good at writing?

Keep writing, that's for a definite.

Well, look at her that's just done them, er, 50 Shades Of Grey,

she's actually sold more copies than Harry Potter first come out.

'Sometimes I can understand what they're saying'

and sometimes I can be like really confused,

I'm just like, "What are you saying?"

When you think about it, most married couples are one of them

"Pull me nightie down when you're finished."

-It gets a bit boring, don't it?

-It depends.

-I think once you stop playing games.

-That's boring.

-Yeah, it gets boring.

It's weird, innit?

'And sometimes they can talk about their boyfriends'

and about them getting like married and stuff,

and I'm just so like, "Should I join in this conversation?"

I think fellas stray with prostitutes

because basically the women don't do what they want them to do.

Yeah, that probably is the main reason.

-Cos the man's not doing his job properly.

-No, no.

-No, it's because the wives won't do it.

-It's a woman's world in bed.

-Come on. Come on. Let me tell you something.

-No, Denise,

don't forget they have fantasies and a lot of women won't

do it, where they can go and pay for it to be done, which is fair enough.

Cos they've always been around, haven't they?

Even in the Roman times they were around.

Right, Shirley Temple. Is that all right for you? Yeah, do you like it?

# If you want it I'm gonna be ba-ba-boom-boom

# If you got it you got it you got that... #

Oh, wow! That is amazing!

Back on Brentford Street, Nik's on his daily rounds,

and there's a rumour cannabis may be being cultivated at one

of his properties on the street, and he's taking a closer look.

First stop is Sherelle's mum Mandy's house which was

the site of a cannabis grow before Mandy moved in.

'This area, many people smoke cannabis.

'Because people are using the stuff it's got to be

'produced by somebody somewhere, so,'

yeah, I would say the two local

industries for Harpurhey, was growing weed

and stealing other people's weed...

when it was grown, so that's like one business.

And then stealing copper.

'It's a house that's had a grow in before,

'so I'm scared about the electrics being tampered with.

'You can see when it's been a grow, I've had so many.'

Right, we're underneath the house now...

..that there used to be a grow down here.

and we still...we've got the remains of the soil for the growing compost.

It looks like what me wife might grow bulbs in,

it's that sort of stuff.

Nik couldn't find any signs of cannabis

being grown at Mandy's house,

but the police have received intelligence that drugs may be

being dealt from the premises. They plan to raid it.

The two warrants are both, er, misuse of drugs -

expected to be class A, and cannabis - on the premises.

Intel from local residents says that they're dealing out of the window at

all times of the day and night, into cars, people on push bikes etcetera.

So, that's it. Happy hunting.

-SHERELLE:

-'Brentford Street gets raided because the Street'

probably does smell like cannabis

'because a lot of people sit out smoking'

because they've got nothing better to do.

-Hi, you all right?

-Hello.

-Got a warrant to search your address.

-What for?

-For drugs.

-Really?

-Yeah.

We've had information that there's possibly drugs on the premises, OK?

'If someone gets raided everyone comes out on the street'

and everyone's like laughing and joking about it.

'Some people even pull phones out and record it.'

Doing both houses. A fucking joke, innit?

After a thorough search,

the police don't quite get the drugs haul they were expecting.

It's just the one snap bag of cannabis and then some

basically rubbish, a leaf which would have come from

maybe a bigger deal. That's just basically

the scraps off it that aren't worth smoking.

Obviously, yeah, I smoke weed, everyone does in this world.

Erm, but that's all they found was personal.

It was mine. And took it.

The occupier of the house, they're going to get a street warning,

which is basically the lowest level of punishment for cannabis

possession that we can deal with without a criminal record.

At Stax, Louise's mate Donna is known for her zero tolerance

attitude on matters of law and order.

What about, even, prisoners now?

Prisoners are actually getting the right to vote.

-Yeah, I know.

-How pathetic is that?!

You get locked up in a five star hotel...

and then now you're allowed to have lottery tickets

and win the lottery, and now they're allowed to vote.

This country is absolutely... Do you know all these do-gooders?

They want lining up against a wall and they want shooting.

I mean if it was up to me, they'd be on bread and water

and locked in a cell 24 hours a day.

'Pregnant Louise is just four weeks away from her due date.

'When she was a kid, she knew more about prison than most.

'Her dad, Matthew, was constantly in and out of jail

'for theft and drug offences,

'and his criminal lifestyle brought the family

'face to face with danger.'

Yeah, looking at me, you wouldn't think butter would melt.

Oh...

But you was a rogue, weren't you?

Well, you had to be.

It was always confrontation with your petrol bombs and stuff.

-Yeah.

-You were throwing them petrol bombs out the bedroom window.

That was all down to my lifestyle and the way I was,

and why the kids got crap.

There was a time when a gang of lads come to the house.

Really, I should have run, because they was gunmen, these men,

and they come for a bit of trouble with me.

I said to the lads, "If you want me, you get me on the street,

"you don't get me at my house where my kids are."

I remember driving off to the petrol station with Mum to get the petrol

and you was like, "Get the petrol - quick."

I said, "You come for me," and I said, "I'll burn youse."

We knew they was coming, so it's like,

you're stood at the door waiting for them

and then these five cars drove up,

all parked on different side of the road,

and then this main man just come out and then he was like,

he highered them up out the car, didn't he?

-Yeah.

-And they all had the balaclavas on

and then he was all pointing the guns up the street at us.

We had another gang of people at the house that time, remember?

-Yeah, yeah.

-Did they actually burn the kitchen down then, or did like,

did I remember?

Yeah, petrol through the kitchen window.

Yeah, petrol, and then we had to go and sit in the neighbours' house.

I just remember being rushed out the front door

cos the kitchen was on fire,

and then the neighbours took us in and that's all I remember seeing.

I mean, now, when I think about it, erm,

I hate the thought of what they went through.

Never mind what I went through,

but what youse was going through must have been horrible,

having parents like that.

Er, it must have been.

But we survived it, didn't we?

-Yeah.

-Erm, they're not too bad.

-You have to laugh, else you cry, innit, really? But...

-Yeah, yeah.

I wouldn't want to bring my child up how I was brought up,

cos Mum and Dad was, like, on drugs and stuff,

but I don't regret it, because I wouldn't be the person I am today.

Now I can sit back and laugh at the stories, and I think...

we all got through that and we are who we are today.

There's nothing worse than a person that's had a bad upbringing,

that blames the way their life has turned out on their upbringing.

Where Louise and her family don't do that, they just get on with it.

-Who's minding Imogen?

-Imogen, what you doing?

I'm getting... Shut that window, you. You little slag.

Are you?

Back on Brentford Street the police raid hasn't dampened spirits.

Sherelle and some of the lads from the street are off to a party

and she's dropping Kyrel off with friends for the night.

No hands, no hands.

You're going to Dylan's, see you later. Give me a kiss.

Go on.

-Mummy, where you going?

-Dylan!

Dylan, Cherie's waiting for you.

'No, I don't work at the moment,

'but I'd like to find a job, like, soon, cos it's rather boring.'

So have you been inside?

Yeah, I got out not last year, the year before.

'Sometimes it pisses me off, just not doing nothing,

'sitting there, waiting for me son to finish school.

'I'd like to work in a hospital, me,'

be a nurse or something,

cos I just, like...

When I watch, like, operations and that,

I like to watch it.

See you later!

See you later, son!

'Nothing's stopping me from doing that, but...it's just...'

I don't know where to start!

Where would I start?

I don't know.

A famous rapper that don't even write his own bars.

'I know I'd have to go to uni and all that, but...'

yeah, it's never too late, is it?

Maddy's starting at her new high school next week,

but she's enjoying the last few days of her holiday

staying up late with big sister Amber.

Meanwhile, Mum and Dad are at work

investigating a crime at Wishy Washy.

Karen and Paul run service washes

for customers who want their laundry done for them.

Earlier today they left a service wash running in the machines

and CCTV evidence suggests the clothes have been stolen.

Look, there's the cloths... and the bottles.

There's a shirt.

-There's his trackies.

-There's his trackies.

I want every bit of them back, Paul.

A bunch of mip-mops!

Got you, you sweaty old fanny-arse! I'm right round at her house.

PHONE RINGS

Hi, Stacy, do you know what's happened?

Just took a service wash back, right?

All his clothes are missing, we've just watched the CCTV.

Sticky-fingered Lil's been at it again, she took all his clothes.

-'Oh.'

-I'm furious, I'm going round there now.

I own the laundrette.

You stole some washing, come to the door.

Come to the door.

Open your door.

What's wrong, love?

You stole some washing from the launderette,

I want it back now. I want it back now.

I've got you on the CCTV...with your fat-arsed mate, stealing washing.

And the bottles and the cloths,

we want it back, we got tracksuit bot...

Are they the grey tracksuit bottoms?

-Yeah.

-She's got them on.

-Get them off.

-She's got them on!

No, they're me own, love.

You got the tracky bottoms on your legs, we want them back.

No, that's not your tracksuit bottoms, love.

You were warned last time you nicked washing

-not to come near my shop again.

-Well, I haven't got nothing...

You have, you've got all the items of washing, we want them back.

I haven't got nothing!

I don't like rowing, me, but I'm flipping good at it.

-Get the fuck away from my door.

-No, I won't!

I won't, I want my stuff back,

don't you dare speak to me like that, you old crow.

With no prospect of getting their washing back,

Karen and Paul are in for a long night.

Others in Harpurhey are hoping for a more relaxing evening.

CALLER: Seven and one, 71.

Four and seven, 47.

-Argh!

-What about me, I wanted 46.

I wanted 13.

Four and three, 43.

Pregnant Louise comes to the bingo every week with her dad, Matthew.

It's where they spend quality time together

now Matthew has left his criminal life behind.

77, all the sevens, 77.

Have you been going to your pregnancy classes and that?

I've got the midwife on the Tuesday morning and then a class after it.

I want to ask for a water birth, but they're not always available.

Yeah.

Since he's been off the drugs we're really close.

Now it's more like father-daughter relationship

where we actually enjoy spending time with each other,

and it's just changed so much for the better.

That psychic said I was having it, erm, two week early, didn't she?

-Oh?

-Well, don't know. I hope not, cos I'm not ready.

'I'm proud of Louise because she just...'

For what life she's had and how good her life is now,

and she's dead happy

'and you can see it in her. I think she'll be a top mum,'

she's very caring, she always has been.

Three and two, 32.

Seven and eight, 78.

Karen and Paul are still on the trail of the suspected laundry thief

and now the police are involved.

Well, I think she's wearing a pair of the grey tracksuit bottoms.

They've brought a healthy amount of backup.

PHONE RINGS

'Hello.'

Shouldn't you be in bed now?

It may be gone midnight,

but it's not too late for Maddy to call in a sandwich order to Mum.

You should be asleep,

you shouldn't be thinking about a sandwich at this time.

Is your sister asleep, is Amber asleep now?

Well, I'll have to... As soon as we've finished here,

I'll have to go to the garage and then just get you one

and then you go to sleep, lady.

Right, I'm going now, cos they're bringing her out.

-She's got insomnia.

-Come on.

Right, I'm going in.

Hopefully we'll have you back soon, won't we?

She deserves everything she gets.

The suspect was never charged with the crime

and is adamant that she didn't steal the clothes.

After helping the police,

Karen and Paul don't get home until two in the morning,

but Maddy's still awake and in no hurry to go to bed.

-Maddy?

-Yeah.

-I've just got to take the dogs.

-Taking the dogs out.

Can't I come?

She wants to know if she can come.

My mum has definitely gone a lot soft on Madison

than she was with me, cos as a child I had a, like,

a strict, erm, when I went to bed and stuff.

But I listened to my mum, I was always in bed for, like, seven

when I was, like, a younger kid.

But Madison's never had a set time, ever.

DOG BARKS Oh, no, no.

Can't put up with that all the way to the park.

Crystal!

What time is it?

Very late, Maddy.

Yeah, but what time?

You're talking 2 o'clock gone.

-That's how long I've been awake for?

-Yeah, it's ridiculous.

This crap, "Can I come to the park with you and take the dogs?"

Normal families will sit down and watch telly,

and then go to bed.

When they're all going to bed, we're taking the dogs to the park

at, like, three in the morning.

MUSIC: "Men In Black" By Will Smith

We're not like normal people,

but I don't like normal people, I find them boring.

'I love my family, like, millions and millions.'

Like, if you had to say to me,

'"What's more important - your life or your family?"

'I would probably say my family.'

I wouldn't really care what happens in my life

as long as I'm with my family.

# Let me see you just bouncin' with me

# Just bounce with me

# Just bouncin' with me, come on

# Let me see you just slide with me

# Just slide with me Just slide with me

# Come on, let me see you Take a walk with me

# Just walkin' with me Take a walk with me, come on

# And make your neck work

-# Now freeze

-Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh

# Here come the men in black... #

You're the most buggin' pair of people I've ever met.

# Here come the men in black

# Men in black

-# They won't let you remember

-No, no, no

# All right, check it Let me tell you this

# And closin' I know we might seem imposin'... #

See you.

Today, Sherelle's mum, Mandy, is going to the police station.

She's attending a meeting

about the complaints of antisocial behaviour on Brentford Street.

It's not the first time Mandy's been summoned to the station,

although she has no criminal record.

I've been at a meeting at the police station before for loud music,

and they have took me system away.

Erm, but it's just that there's so many people around the table,

and me, by meself, it is nerve-racking.

It can be, yeah.

Because the complaint's involved Nik's tenants,

he's been asked to attend the meeting as well.

I always wear suit and tie when I'm in courts,

or the police stations, or all things like that.

It's an accountant's tie.

It always means trouble when I've got my tie on.

-Hi.

-Come in, Mandy.

-Yeah.

Mandy's neighbour, Katie, is also attending.

The meeting with council officials and police is behind police doors.

Despite her late night,

Karen and Paul are dragging Maddy out of bed

in preparation for school in two days' time.

Come on, girlie.

Going to help us at the shop?

I'm really tired.

Have you seen the time, lady? 10.30.

You know what time you've got to start getting up soon, don't you?

-Oh.

-Half seven every morning,

we don't know how you're going to do it.

'Maddy gets tired...

'When it comes to morning, Maddy's really moody,'

but that moody, like, she ends up just screaming the house down.

I'm tired, Mum!

Children over 16 years old - sorry you don't fall into that category.

-I won't give you any anyhow.

-Well, I'm tired.

I don't care. Turning into a little drug addict at 11 years old?

You're not allowed 'em, I knew you wouldn't be allowed them.

Maddy, go and get dressed, we've got to go.

Do you want some ProPlus?

I fucking need something. Look down, look down.

Go down, Paul, get in the car.

See you, Amb...

This family do my nut in.

In a bid to improve her behaviour,

Mum and Dad want Maddy to help out at the launderette.

Go on, I've got a job for you now.

Enid Blyton.

Maddy. Come on.

No.

-You're not going to earn any spends. Come on.

-Now.

You have five seconds.

Start folding.

Mum, do I have to help you?

You're not slamming about in front of people.

What do you want me to do, Your Majesty(?)

I feel sorry for me parents because, like,

they've brought me up and that,

and I shouldn't really be mean to them.

Hmm, but I don't know where I got, like,

all this kicking and punching stuff, like, from.

But, like...I don't know why,

but I'm always miserable.

A bit tired.

Right, where we having your parting, chuck?

This side?

Over at Stax, it's business as usual - almost.

Louise has started labour

and she's come to the salon to take her mind off the pain.

Now you're on me arse! I've not got arse-ache.

Well, she went in labour I think about fiveish yesterday afternoon,

and then I think she went early hours to the hospital

and then obviously come home.

And then she went at eight o'clock this morning, but it's still...

She's come home, hasn't she?

So she's in very slow labour, isn't she?

They just said get a warm bath

and just try and get some sleep in between,

and then obviously wait until they're closer together,

the contractions, and then go back.

They need to be more frequent.

Donna sent for me.

She just wants to see me in pain so she can laugh at me.

No, not at all!

Well, we was all hoping it'd be over and done with today

cos I need to get out on the piss with her

and it's just delaying it even more.

We can't wait to go out and wet the baby's head.

When I see babies in buggies,

I'm not one of these that are like, go up and,

"Oh, look at the baby!" And all that.

I'm not that way, really. In fact, I couldn't really be bothered.

But I do it, obviously, because it's the nice thing to do, isn't it?

It's being polite. But, no, I'm not maternal.

I'll text you later, see you later.

See you in a bit, girl.

I feel for her.

It's better when it's quick and it's over and done with, innit?

On Brentford Street,

Katie and Mandy are back from their meeting at the police station.

They've received a clear warning -

if they can't control the visitors hanging around outside their houses

someone will have to go.

Yeah, but we're going to get chucked out, and at the end of the day,

I'm not getting chucked out for no fucker, I'm not.

Yeah, well, where's the ASBOs?

Hello!

Can youse go somewhere else, chook,

cos I'm not getting kicked out for no kids, right?

I've got kids!

You're not here for nothing,

go and find another street to go and terrorise!

All right, and I'm not even doing nowt.

No, smoking bongs, no...

I'm talking to all of youse, smoking weed down there.

Who's getting the shit for it?

The police have just phoned me,

you are stood there smoking it, he's related to you, there you go.

No, go, I'm not having it,

youse all need to really have a bit of respect and erm, do what we say.

Cos at the end of the day, if we do what we say,

keep our doors shut and youse are still on here,

you'll all get removed yourself by the police, it won't be our fault.

You know, I say it until I'm blue in the face, I've got four babies,

if it was just me I wouldn't be bothered.

And I know things affect me really badly

where I get so emotional about it... It's just a joke,

everyone just thinks it's some big joke, and it's not,

not when it's people's lives

that are getting fucked up in the process, it's not a joke,

do you know what I mean?

Mads, are you scared about tomorrow?

Yeah.

Why?

It's the night before Maddy starts school

and finally she's ready for bed by 9pm.

Well, my worries are, like, of people bullying me

and getting, like, scared and that.

At school I was naughty.

Very naughty! Yeah, I was naughty.

Yeah, I got expelled from school, me.

I hope Madison will be better than me at school, yeah, definitely.

That's one thing I will drum into her head, is education.

I'll be strict on that.

Anyway, you'll have a good day, so, night.

Good night.

You little stupid girl!

'Madison at high school...'

she's definitely, like, going to mature and get older.

'Like, I reckon high school will really sort her out.'

Good night, babe.

There's nowt to be scared about when you go to school tomorrow.

All right?

'If I do well at school, like,

'it means I'm not really, like, ignorant and rude

'and always naughty.

'Cos, like, it's just not a life you'd really want.'

See you in the morning. Want your light out?

At the local hospital, Louise's labour is in the final stages.

Boyfriend Johnny is on hand for support.

I just want it over and done with so she's not in that much pain,

but knowing that you can't do anything about it,

she's just got to run her course.

I'm crapping it a little bit, to be honest.

Down the pub, her dad, Matthew,

is wetting the baby's head in anticipation.

I don't like her going through pain.

That's why I come away,

I thought, "I'll go for a pint, that'll be easier."

I'm getting pissed, basically!

I'm celebrating. She's on the way, and that'll do me.

BABY CRIES

After a 32-hour labour, Louise gives birth to a healthy baby boy.

Hello.

'I know that I'm going to make a good parent

'and give me child everything that I've got.

'I want to be like that normal family

'you see walking down the street

'with their mum and dads, and their cosy home and stuff,

'instead of, like, going the way my mum and dad did.'

On Brentford Street the atmosphere has calmed down for now.

It has been quiet for the last couple of weeks,

so it's been quite peaceful, it's been almost blissful.

Sherelle and her friend are taking Kyrel to nursery school.

'Since I've been out of prison it's been...

'This is my third Christmas now.

'As much as I'd love to go and jump in a stolen car.

'and have a drive, but I've got to stay out of trouble.

'I don't want to get involved no more.

'If you've got a kid, yeah, everything changes.

'If I didn't have my son I probably would be back in jail.'

Karen and Paul are picking up Maddy

from her first day at secondary school.

Going to go up and meet her?

I'm going to go out, yeah.

'Madison means the world to Paul.

'Even though he don't show it,'

it's his daughter, so he... You know what I mean? He loves her.

He does love her, even though he's strict.

But I know he'd die for the kids.

Yeah.

As an after-school treat, Paul takes Maddy fishing.

See where the trees are here?

-Yeah.

-The fish are...

You catch more fish than me, like, you're going in there.

'We should be closer than, like, what we are I think, you know?

'And it's probably my fault, I don't try hard enough.

'You know?'

What you do is, when you throw it out, let go, straight away.

That's it, there you go, bang-on.

So how does it feel going to big school now,

now that you know you're going?

A little bit nervous.

Yeah. There's no need to be, though.

But all you have to do is work that little bit harder

at school in your lessons,

you know, listen to what the teacher says.

-Hmm.

-Don't be always gabbing to your mates.

And also your attitude, it's got to change at home, you know?

-You've got to start doing things for your mum and helping her.

-Yeah.

Are you listening?

Yeah, I am, I'm just looking at the fish.

I wasn't that much different to you, though.

I had a bit of a temper if I couldn't get me own way.

I never went to school or anything like that, you know what I mean?

So everything I know I've sort of, like, learnt meself, like.

self-taught, you know?

But how did you teach yourself that good?

-I'm not that good.

-Dad, you're brilliant.

I'm... Yeah, like... That's... It's...

It's good, like, I've got all my achievements now,

you know what I mean? I've got you, I've got your mum.

Got Amber.

Mm-hmm.

But I want you to be more than what you can be.

-Hmm.

-You know what I mean?

I want you to be able to go out and take hold of what you want.

'I love her.'

She's my girl, you know what I mean?

She looks a lot like me, yeah.

She thinks a lot like me, you know.

'No, she's my girl, she's my baby. Yeah.'

Is that bobbing?

It looks like it to me.

Thank you, Dad.

He's called Logan and she had him at 25 past one last night, early hours.

Water birth, everything fine, perfect.

-She's home, she's at Johnny's mum's.

-Is she?

-Yeah.

-So everything's fine.

-That's good.

Later on, baby Logan pays his first visit to Stax.

-Congratulations.

-Thank you!

You look really well. You look really well.

Give us a kiss.

-Is he feeding on you?

-Yeah.

-Brilliant. Brilliant.

Too often if you ask me!

-Too often.

-Yeah. Greedy.

Come on then, lad, let's have a look at you.

Let's have a look at you, eh?

Oh, he's gorgeous, aren't you, eh?

Yes, he is. I'm your auntie Donna and I'm going to do your head in.

Yes, I am, yes, I am.

You'll know my voice.

SHE LAUGHS

Over on Brentford Street, life's peaceful.

There have been no evictions and no further complaints about noise.

What you putting your head in for?

As the summer draws to a close,

it's time for the street to sample Cathie's latest rhubarb crop.

Right, enjoy it.

Next time, market trader Jamie is dreaming of pop stardom,

but his mum's not happy about his unlikely mentor.

-A bit louder?

-Argh.

I don't give a shit who she is and what she is,

you need to ask Belinda what do you get out of this?

The Wishy Washy launderette has had a break-in through the roof.

It's disgusting. You just wouldn't think they'd do it here.

And the local dance school are putting on their summer show,

but it's proving hard work for trainee teacher Kelly.

I need to just cool down, I'm so stressed out.

# Celebrate good times, come on! #

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd