A conker’s tough and shiny and it can withstand a whole load of hard knocks. That’s Maggie Yates all over.

And the latest in a long line is her mum losing her job. They didn’t have a lot to begin with and now Mum’s taken to not opening the curtains and crying in secret. But Maggie has a plan to cheer her up - find her a fella. And if he’s got a bit of cash to splash on treating them, all the better.

Best friend Moya’s there every step of the way. You’re surfing a rainbow if you think someone like that exists round here, she smiles. But I’ll help.

But at the back of her mind Maggie knows that Mum’s crying is more than sadness. That there are no easy fixes. And that, though she talks to her every day, Moya died six months ago.

How many hits before a conker splits in two?