Late fifties. North-East hoodlum, Greg Tully, recently chased from of Middlesbrough by a rival mob, heads north where he raids a local businessman. Realising the true wealth of the family, the roly-poly criminal kidnaps the son and demands a ransom. Through fate and good fortune a tenacious youngster, Joe Keaton, discovers the captive boy and foils the plot. Young Joe is instrumental in jailing Greg Tully and his accomplice, Nathan Scott.
Years later Joe starts work at the local colliery. After witnessing a horrific accident he resigns his job at the mine and finds work on a building-site. Meanwhile Greg Tully secures an early release from prison and, persuaded to join old rivals, kick-starts his life of crime. A robbery is planned. A huge building site is targeted. Fate sees Joe Keaton and his friends in the wrong place at the wrong time. They are captured by the crooks. When the conscious-stricken Tully recognises young Joe he releases the youth, contacts Middlesbrough police and runs for cover.
When the Boro constabulary fail to appear, Tully discovers corruption at the highest level. He contacts the Durham Force. His garbled telephone-call, cut short when he is shot, causes mayhem amongst police force and the criminal fraternity.
Pandemonium ensues when cops and crooks start their own investigations. A can of worms is unearthed that changes lives forever.
