The Invisibles

Maurice Riley

Maurice is a safe cracker - the finest locks man of his generation. He is quite a vibrant man, he's had a life of action, adventure and high adrenalin.

He moved to Spain when a job went wrong and one of the gang was killed. He retired there to a life of luxury with his wife Barbara and daughter Grace.

Unfortunately, Maurice had a heart attack and so Barbara persuaded him to come back to England to get a home in a place that is, to all intents and purposes, a nice luxury flat by the sea, but when he gets there, he finds he's surrounded by older people - he's only in his 50s, so he's completely a fish out of water.

Suddenly finding himself in this extremely alien environment Maurice kicks against it, which gives way to a lot of rants - Maurice rants a lot!

Syd Woolsey

Syd is Maurice's driver and alarms man. He is also the greatest getaway driver the criminal world has ever known... even though he has no driving licence!

Syd's a bit like a limpet. He's been attached to Maurice for about 20-30 years. Maurice can't get rid of him. But Syd's a nice guy and that's why Maurice doesn't want to give him the elbow.

Syd's not approaching middle age - he's got there already, which is a bit of a worry for him and Maurice. When Syd's son Joe gets himself into a whole lot of trouble with some villains, Syd has to come out of retirement.

Maurice is Syd's rock and that creates stress for Maurice, of which Syd is well aware. But by the same token, Syd knows he'd lay down his life for his friend. The two burglars are complete opposites - Maurice calls Syd a pathological optimist.

Hedley Huthwaite

Hedley's been out of prison for six months. Since then he's promised his wife, Helen a new start - an honest life. As a result they have taken over The Hougoumont Pub, which Helen thinks is their new beginning. But, unbeknown to her, Hedley has other plans... it isn't long before he is working as Maurice and Syd's look-out and 'muscle'.

Headley's dad Vernon was the third member of The Invisibles gang - he passed away. It has always been Headley's lifelong ambition to become a member of his father's gang.

Initially Syd and Maurice are not really interested, because they don't think Hedley's got the class that his father had, but when Hedley turns up and saves the day it convinces them to let him in.

Barbara Riley

Barbara, an ex-model, is Maurice's wife, and mother to Grace.

She met her handsome, witty and rather manic husband at a party and soon discovered that he was a crook. Rather than throw up her hands in horror, she preferred to make the best of it.

Barbara's a real mixture of things - she comes from a Bohemian family, has done quite well in modelling and she obviously likes the glamorous life.

Barbara made the decision not to tell Grace that her father is a criminal, as a result they tell her that Maurice is a bank manager - well he takes people's money, so it's actually on the edge of reality.

Helen Huthwaite

Helen knows just what Hedley has done to make ends meet, but unlike Barbara she cannot rationalise the situation with her other half.

Helen knows that Hedley is basically a decent bloke and that much of his involvement in crime is due to his need to prove himself in relation to his dead father who was the great crook.

She now thinks that life is settling down, with her and Headley running The Hougoumont; but actually her husband is now part of The New Invisibles team and off on the rob at night.

Young Nick

A technological whiz, Young Nick services the gang from the comfort of his swish pad where he has every electronic gizmo that a modern crime gang needs.

Nick worked with the original Invisibles in the Seventies and Eighties and is delighted they've reformed as it gives him the chance to play with his new toys.

Grace Riley

22 year old Grace is Maurice and Babs's daughter.

Grace adores her dad and thinks he can do no wrong. That's because she has no idea that he made his money in high class robberies.

Grace is reading English at university and lives away from home, returning for holidays and study leave.

Joe Woolsey

Joe, who is Syd's 25 year-old son, is a wastrel who returns home periodically to get money from his dad when he needs bailing out.

Joe a loveable ne'er-do-well, without a hope in hell of ever making anything of his life. Syd loves him to death.