Episode 3671 (25th February 2004)

Plot
With Eric away his workforce enjoy a pub lunch in The Woolpack and his worst fears soon become reality when Steph threatens to start docking wages if they’re late back from lunch. Productivity plummets when Zak takes this as his cue to take the afternoon off. Shelley is determined to put Steph straight on a few things and try and win her round. When she finds her alone at the factory she tries to build bridges but ends up telling Steph that if she can’t stop herself being so bitter, this is how she will end up: all on her own. Laurel is ecstatic to hear Ashley followed her to Finland to declare his love. Meanwhile, in Helsinki, Ashley can’t believe his leap of love has left him high and dry when Laurel is nowhere to be seen. Laurel endures a day of anxiety as she awaits his return. Things aren't helped by Nicola's constant harping on about the true extent of Ashley's feelings for Laurel. Once he arrives back Ashley tells Laurel that he’s been blind and wants to make a go of things. As Ashley’s arms close around the elated Laurel, she is the happiest woman in the world. Dawn has no idea that Terry is unemployed again. Pulling the wool over her eyes, he leaves for as work as usual, telling Dawn Scott will be giving him a lift. With nothing to do Terry ends up smoking alone at the Cricket Pavilion, until Zak joins him with a bottle of whisky. The combination can only spell mischief. When he returns home drunk and morose Dawn discovers that he’s been smoking and has a go at home because the doctors told him he shouldn’t smoke following his stroke. Terry says he is his own boss and won’t be nagged.