When obstetrician Martin Bamford learns that his wife has been unfaithful to him with all three of his best mates, he decides to leave London for a short while to clear his head and decide what to do next. He heads to the village of Port Isaac in Cornwall where he had spent some time as a boy. He's a bit of an oddity in the village and some at least suspect he may be there for no good reason. He soon makes friends and finds himself working on a fishing boat and enjoying a somewhat carefree life. Someone in the village is distributing poison pen letters of a sort with messages or photos stuck inside jellies that people find on their doorstep. Soon, some of the villagers point the finger at Martin who thinks those accusing him are daft.

Doctor Bamford has had enough of village life and is desperate for some distance from inquisitive Cornish neighbours. When the local estate agent shows him Tregunnt Farm " derelict and miles from anywhere " it's love at first sight. But the Bowden family from London also have their eye on the property with a view to developing the surrounding land into ugly holiday cottages. After being gazumped, the Doc decides to try and spook the family into leaving by pretending to be the Beast of Bodmin.