Frank Pickles

Frank Pickles was one of two brothers who broke into the Corner Shop one night in July 1968, forcing open the storeroom window to gain entry. Maggie and Gordon Clegg had gone away to Llandudno for a few days and Ena Sharples was in residence at the time. The sound of the break-in woke her up and she came down to the shop with a poker in her hand for protection. Frank and his older brother Billy came out of hiding, surprising Ena when she saw how young the burglars were. They told her their mother was out and the nervous Frank gave her their names and address while Billy was more sanguine, having had dealings with the police before. Frank begged Ena not to call the police and she ripped into Billy for getting his brother into trouble. She let them go but told them to return the next day as she had jobs for them to do.

Maggie and Gordon returned from their trip away in the morning and heard the news. Maggie didn't expect the boys to return but was surprised when they did so, however Billy admitted that it had been at Frank's prompting.

Ena put them to work, Frank out delivering orders and Billy cleaning the shop and winding up Gordon in the process. Frank was pleased to take one order to the Rovers where he was given a drink of lemonade in a beer glass for his troubles. Their chores finished, Ena then sent the boys on their way, telling Frank to knock some sense into his older brother when he was big enough. Her final act was to put some money into the till for a stolen chocolate bar that she had spotted in Billy's back pocket, admitting to Maggie that she had failed with him but she hoped that she had put Frank on the right track.