Papercuts Series

Through world wars and civil strife, the Bangor Express has never missed an issue, but now it is losing money hand-over-fist and Rob Cullen, fresh off the plane from his London news desk, has absolutely no idea that he's the man to save it. Rob's back in Northern Ireland for the first time in 20 years for the funeral of his one-time mentor, the late editor of the aforementioned Express. Tomorrow morning Rob intends to be on the first plane back to London, but that's before an exceptionally good night out and the promise of £1,500 for just one day's work lures him into the Express offices. It's been a long time since Rob had a real story to get his teeth into... and with the Bangor Express, that's just what he's going to get. From armed robberies to arson attacks, immigration raids to human trafficking, there is no shortage of front-page news in the seemingly sleepy seaside town. Just as well Rob can rely on the Express crew to back him up. They're like a family. A dysfunctional, highly unpopular, poverty-stricken family...

Through world wars and civil strife, the Bangor Express has never missed an issue, but now it is losing money hand-over-fist and Rob Cullen, fresh off the plane from his London news desk, has absolutely no idea that he's the man to save it. Lured back to Northern Ireland for the first time in 20 years by the demise of his one-time mentor, the Bangor Express makes Rob an offer he can't refuse and the Guardian reporter can't resist sticking around. After all, it has been a long time since Rob had a real story to get his teeth in to... and with the Bangor Express, that's just what he's going to get. When local artist and Turner prize nominee Richard Turner returns to Bangor to open a retrospective at a small gallery, not everyone is happy to welcome him home. As Richard takes to the stage to make a speech, he is greeted by violent heckling from his former teacher Pat Hadley. Alix resolves to get to the bottom of the story behind this hostility and uncovers a deep-rooted personal grudge: it's not just a matter of stolen art, but a matter of a stolen heart...

Through world wars and civil strife, the Bangor Express has never missed an issue, but now it is losing money hand-over-fist and Rob Cullen, fresh off the plane from his London news desk, has absolutely no idea that he's the man to save it. Lured back to Northern Ireland for the first time in 20 years by the demise of his one-time mentor, the Bangor Express makes Rob an offer he can't refuse and the Guardian reporter can't resist sticking around. After all, it has been a long time since Rob had a real story to get his teeth in to... and with the Bangor Express, that's just what he's going to get. When Mark Dillon is released from prison after serving a sentence for killing a small child in a drink driving accident, Bangor Express reporter Alix knows there is bound to be trouble. And when the parents of the child are none other than Alix's best friends Roy and Ailsa, she can't help taking the law into her own hands. This feisty young journalist doesn't realise is that she's playing with fire and that writing her revenge story will only fan the flames...

Through world wars and civil strife, the Bangor Express has never missed an issue, but now it is losing money hand-over-fist and Rob Cullen, fresh off the plane from his London news desk, has absolutely no idea that he's the man to save it. Lured back to Northern Ireland for the first time in 20 years by the demise of his one-time mentor, the Bangor Express makes Rob an offer he can't refuse and the Guardian reporter can't resist sticking around. After all, it has been a long time since Rob had a real story to get his teeth in to... and with the Bangor Express, that's just what he's going to get. Rob is having his usual at Bangor's Hong Kong Palace, when the immigration police storm the restaurant hauling off several members of staff including waitress and local netball star Anna. Rob can't sit back and let this bright young thing be deported and launches a campaign against the UK Border Agency via the Bangor Express. And, as if he didn't have enough on his plate, Rob's blossoming romance with Alix is rudely interrupted by the arrival of his estranged wife and children...

Through World Wars and civil strife, the Bangor Express has never missed an issue, but now it's limping towards an inevitable doom – until London-based journalist Rob Cullen arrives on the scene. Lured back to Northern Ireland for the first time in 20 years by the demise of his one-time mentor, the Guardian reporter can't resist fighting for the paper where he first made his name. After all, it has been a long time since Rob had a real story to get his teeth in to... and with the Bangor Express, that's just what he's going to get. It's just another day in the office at the Bangor Express: struggling to make ends meet and arguing over who buys the buns, when local nutter 'Magic' Martin turns up with the breaking news that he's found a human skull on a piece of land at the end of the bay. This is just the opportunity young reporter Michael has been waiting for to cut his teeth, so he sets off with Martin to investigate. After a close shave with a gun-wielding farmer, Martin unearths a 200-year old graveyard. Perhaps Martin was onto something and there is a story to be told after all...

Through world wars and civil strife, the Bangor Express has never missed an issue, but now it is losing money hand-over-fist and Rob Cullen, fresh off the plane from his London news desk, has absolutely no idea that he's the man to save it. Lured back to Northern Ireland for the first time in 20 years by the demise of his one-time mentor, the Bangor Express makes Rob an offer he can't refuse and the Guardian reporter can't resist sticking around. After all, it has been a long time since Rob had a real story to get his teeth in to... and with the Bangor Express, that's just what he's going to get. Rob is standing outside a local carwash, when a young woman jumps out of a van stopped at a red light and is knocked unconscious. Rob rushes to her rescue and calls her an ambulance. When Alix goes to visit her in hospital, he discovers she is a prostitute who has been trafficked into Ireland from the Czech Republic. Marja has managed to escape her kidnappers, but her friend Anna is still captive at a local brothel. The Bangor Express take matters into their own hands to set her free...

Through world wars and civil strife, the Bangor Express has never missed an issue, but now it is losing money hand-over-fist and Rob Cullen, fresh off the plane from his London news desk, has absolutely no idea that he's the man to save it. Lured back to Northern Ireland for the first time in 20 years by the demise of his one-time mentor, the Bangor Express makes Rob an offer he can't refuse and the Guardian reporter can't resist sticking around. After all, it has been a long time since Rob had a real story to get his teeth in to... and with the Bangor Express, that's just what he's going to get. A burglar phones the office to report the dead body of Bertha Molloy that he found in a house, and when Alix discovers Bertha's daughter is still claiming her pension, the Express team spring into action. It's all going so well, but Rob has been offered his old job back at the Guardian. Rob misses his children and knows what he should do, but he can't help feeling that there are reasons to stay; the future of the paper hangs in the balance, as does his developing romance with Alix...

Through world wars and civil strife, the Bangor Express has never missed an issue, but now it is losing money hand-over-fist and Rob Cullen, fresh off the plane from his London news desk, has absolutely no idea that he's the man to save it. Lured back to Northern Ireland for the first time in 20 years by the demise of his one-time mentor, the Bangor Express makes Rob an offer he can't refuse and the Guardian reporter can't resist sticking around. After all, it has been a long time since Rob had a real story to get his teeth in to... and with the Bangor Express, that's just what he's going to get. When Patrick Casey robs the O'Connor's post office, holding Gavin O'Connor hostage, Rob Cullen is the only man Patrick will consider speaking to and the police send him in to try and calm things down. It turns out Patrick has a mental illness and has stopped taking his medication. He is unpredictable and dangerous and no-one knows what he will do next. He offers Rob an ultimatum: to compromise the integrity of the paper, or risk his life. A single gunshot is heard outside...