The series saw a new title sequence introduced in the first episode, with the theme tune slightly rearranged (although the previous version returned a handful of times during the series), with images of procedural work and the inside of the station updated compared to the previous sequence, while the end title had its blue shade lightened before it was replaced later in the year by an interior shot of the Area Car driving through London.

Other plots included Superintendent John Heaton being targeted by both a rampaging gunman and a former colleague turned villain, Ray Moore (portrayed by Mark Bonnar).

Aml Ameen also left at the end of his 18-month contract as his character PC Lewis Hardy joined Operation Trident after going undercover to save his cousin from a street gang, getting shot in the process but surviving.

Several recurring characters such as press officer Mia Perry, CPS lawyer Matt Hinckley and DAC Georgia Hobbs also exited the series as focus moved to the core cast of coppers, while some introduced by previous exec Paul Marquess were axed such as PCs Dan Casper and Leela Kapoor.

In addition to Honey Harman's fatal shooting exit in January, the show killed off newcomer PC Billy Rowan in his first episode as part of a 3-part plot that saw the police targeted by a rampaging knifeman who also wounded another officer.

However, he is brought back to earth with a bump when Gold reports Harman missing to Meadows, with her last phone call coming on the day Eva Garcia disappeared.

With phone signals pinging at Bonham Wharf, Nadir panics that he is about to be caught and, after tracking down Shaw, they plan to flee, but his behaviour starts to arouse Meadows and Hunter's suspicions.

Her behaviour sufficiently arouses Manson's suspicions, and a raid on her late father's allotment leads to the discovery of a body, but it turns out to be her own daughter Clare, who died as a baby.

Part One- Sticky Fingers: Ackland's hopes of a quiet exit from Sun Hill are scuppered when Aldbourne Estate resident Frank Harris assaults property developer Brian Stevens.

Part One- The Party is Over: Jim Carver, now a DS with Greater Manchester Police, shows up at Sun Hill to track down drug dealer Pat Hadley, whom he has been trying to catch for eighteen months.

Ackland is not best pleased to be spending her last day at Sun Hill with her ex-husband, but puts her qualms to one side as the pair investigate Hadley's right-hand man, Greg Burns.

Part One: Newly transferred PC Sally Armstrong arrives at Sun Hill, alongside young probationer Billy Rowan, where the team are anxious to find the man who stabbed Doug Wright.

Her boyfriend is arrested due to a serious assault in his past, but the investigation takes a gruesome turn when Fletcher discovers a horrifying video clip given to him by her best friend.

Part One: Hollis is stabbed whilst responding to reports of a prowler on the Aldbourne Estate, but he manages to stop an attack on a local mother, Shelley Cooper.

Meanwhile, Smithy deals with a community leader causing havoc whilst protesting the traffic on the Aldbourne, but later uncovers a shock link to the prowler attacks.

Heaton suspects that three racists from a supremacist gang, The Bulldogs of Patriotism, are responsible, but Masters is sceptical: she and Perkins subsequently discover the victim was whipped.

Sun Hill later patrol a concert, Rock Against Racism; things turn ugly when Sagger and Nadim Mura, the event coordinator and the assault victim's uncle, are shot as they appear on stage.

He suspects his fears have been proved true when a riot breaks out just as the police move in to arrest the operation's kingpin, and Nadir’s cellmate, Jason Forbes, who makes good his escape in the confusion.