When Lucy Patterson promises her dying mother that she'll leave the comfortable home they've shared in Wallasey with her mother's employer, Stanley Jones, to go and live with her Aunt Flo on the other side of the Mersey, she has no idea of how terrible the consequences will be. But can she break her promise to her mother?

It's a whole new way of life for Patsy Callaghan when her father stops going to sea because he realizes that her mother, Maeve, is neglecting her. When he is killed in an accident, Patsy keeps his haulage business going with the help of Billy Grant, the boy who worked with him. Maeve seduces Patsy's boyfriend and then when Patsy tells her that she is pregnant Maeve disowns her leaving her homeless. Only Billy remains loyal but then he is badly injured at workwill Patsy and her baby ever be part of a family again?"

Abbie, neglected by her mother, vows that one day she will leave the Scotland Road slum. Although vibrant and attractive she has a constant need for reassurance. Will her feeling of insecurity stand in the way of her future happiness?

In 1924, twins Tanwen and Donna Evans are as different as chalk and cheese. Tanwen is apretty, bubbly extrovert, whileDonna is plain and shy.Tanwen is popular, but Donna soon meets tall, handsome Dylan Wallis and falls in love. But Tanwen sets hersights on Dylan with disastrous consequences for them all."

Two sisters. One man. One moment that will change all their lives forever. Living in the shadow of their domineering father, Rhianon and Sabrina Webster plan two very different futuresuntil one fateful day when Pryce Pritchard, the man Rhianon loves, gets into a fight, throwing all their worlds into turmoil."

When their baby Caitlin is born and Alun, having recently left the army, is unable to find work, he and his young wife, Sheryl, are reduced to living in the slums of Cardiff's Tiger Bay. In a fit of pique, Alun claims the child isn't his and decides to leave.

Young Megan Williams has come to Liverpool in search of work and a fresh start. She soon joins her father at Walker's Shipping Company where his co-driver Robert Field takes a great interest in herbut she has fallen deeply in love with dashing Miles Walker, and does all she can to discourage Robert. One fateful day, Megan's younger sister Lynn is killed in a tragic accident, and in her grief Megan also learns that Miles is not the man she thought he was. Heartbroken but determined to get on with her life, she starts up her own businessbut will she ever love again?"

Finding herself pregnant, Julia Winter is forced to leave home rather than bring shame on her family. Reduced to living in the slums of Liverpool, she eventually finds work in a respectable hotel where Eunice Hawkins, the manager's wife, is also expecting. For a while, Julia dares to hope for a better life for herself and her unborn child. But soon tragedy strikesJulia's baby is stillborn at the same time as Eunice gives birth to a healthy baby girl, Amanda. Although heartbroken at the death of her own baby, Julia helps to look after Amanda. However, Paul and Eunice Hawkins hide a secret too...

Karen and Tudor Morgan have moved from a small mining community to the bustle and noise of Cardiff in search of a new life. Tudor longs to be a star entertainer and so Karen gets a job, leaving her husband to look after their young daughter Delia, doing stints at clubs in the evening, whenever he can get them. Until one day Tudor is arrested for begging and Karen is horrified to learn that he has been busking during the day and taking three-year-old Delia with him to collect the money. When Tudor comes out of prison, he gets an honest job but soon he is back to his old ways. And when his life...

Brenda O'Donnell is turned out by her family when she finds herself pregnant at 16. Widowed Sid Rawlins, the rag-and-bone man, says she can come and live with him and he will give her child a name in return for her running his home and looking after his children. Despite the gossip a desperate Brenda has little choice but to accept. Life isn't easy for Brenda and little Ruby but they try make the best of things. Until Brenda falls in love with Sid's eldest son, Danny, and their affair causes trouble within the family. And when Sid dies and leaves the business to his cousin, Charlie, life...