David Crabtree

David Crabtree was a Kabin paperboy who was caught in the crossfire when Len Fairclough spitefully demoted Rita Littlewood and made Mavis Riley manager in 1974. David was working two rounds and asked Mavis if she'd take on his friend Neil Forrest, who'd just packed in his job at Rawcliffe's. Being deliberately unhelpful, Rita waited until Mavis had agreed before warning her that Neil had been round every newsagent in the district and been nothing but trouble. Mavis then told David she'd changed her mind, causing the boy to walk out.

A few days later, by which time the situation at the Kabin was had gotten so bad that Len was delivering papers himself, Len caught David cycling in Coronation Street and offered him his job back. The cheeky schoolboy managed to get £1.60 a week out of him before agreeing.