Mark (Episode 8194/5)

Mark was a racist thug who with his three mates overheard an argument in a Manchester city centre pub between Paul Kershaw and Lloyd Mullaney. The two men were out with Steve McDonald and Brian Packham to celebrate Paul's birthday but there was high tension between Paul and Lloyd due to the latter taking offence a few weeks earlier when he overheard Paul using the phrase "play the white man" during a game of darts in the Rovers. The dispute between them had reached the point of violent assault which ended up with Paul in court and the drink out was suggested by Eileen Grimshaw as an attempt to bury the hatchet.

There was too much bad blood between the two men though, and they started bickering with one another again. Mark overheard them and offered Paul help, making his contempt of Lloyd for his skin colour obvious. Paul had had enough and walked out and Steve and Brian followed soon afterwards, leaving Lloyd to chat up barmaid Anita - a white girl. This further annoyed Mark and his friends and they ambushed Lloyd outside the pub, telling him they didn't like him drinking in "their" pub or chatting up "their" women set on him. Returning, Paul came to Lloyd's rescue, as did Anita who rang the police and told the gang that they were on their way. Telling Lloyd not to be seen round their way again, Mark and the others departed.