Roo’s worries over Alf’s driving take an unexpected turn, as a hit-and-run investigation brings the police to his door.

 

Next week on Home and Away in the UK, Roo’s worries over Alf’s driving take an unexpected turn, as a hit-and-run investigation brings the police to his door.

Alf (Ray Meagher) has spent the past week insisting he can still look after himself, but overlooking the deadline for renewing his licence and car rego has left Roo (Georgie Parker) increasingly worried that her dad’s starting to miss things he once would’ve had under control.

As Alf stubbornly drove himself to the doctors, for the assessment needed in order to renew his licence, he was pulled over by Cash (Nicholas Cartwright) and Probationary Constable Richie Brezniak (Rocco Forrester-Sach), who explained that his rego had expired.

When Cash asked to see his licence, Alf sheepishly told him that had expired too.

Cash was prepared to let Alf off with a warning, but Alf refused special treatment and accepted that he’d done the wrong thing.

When he later turned up at the diner, at a time when he should’ve been heading to the doctors again, Leah (Ada Nicodemou) and Marilyn (Emily Symons) were worried that he’d forgotten all about it. But Alf later admitted to David (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor) that he’d cancelled the appointment.

As we pick up the conversation next week, Alf explains to David that he was scared the doctor might find something wrong with him.

David reassures him, but makes it clear that Alf can’t avoid the process if he wants to keep driving. Alf promises to sort it, and finally accepts David’s offer of discretion over the fine, admitting he’s already punished himself enough.

Alf then apologises to Leah at the diner, explaining that he cancelled the appointment because he was worried about being told he was past it. But when Leah then starts fussing over him, offering to go with him or make the next booking herself, Alf feels overwhelmed and walks out.

Justin (James Stewart) realises that pushing Alf will only make him retreat further.

Later, after a conversation with Sonny (Ryan Bown) about accepting help during difficult times, Alf is more receptive when Justin finds him and offers support without pressure.

This time, Alf accepts the help and asks Justin for a lift to his medical appointment, which he passes with flying colours.

By the following day, Roo is looking for Alf again, worried that he may have driven before everything is officially sorted. Marilyn and Leah try to reassure her, but Roo still doesn’t know whether he’s renewed his licence.

Alf soon pulls up outside the surf club and reveals that the matter is settled. He’s got his new licence in his pocket, with no demerits, exclusions or other conditions attached.

Roo is relieved, whilst Alf’s pleased that everyone can finally stop treating him as a problem to be managed.

His confidence returned, he later tells Leah and Justin that he’s planning a last-minute trip to Merimbula to see Martha (Belinda Giblin).

Leah is uneasy when she realises Roo doesn’t know. Justin thinks they should stay out of it, but Leah believes Roo would want to be told if Alf is about to take on a long drive alone.

When Roo hears the news, she’s immediately concerned. Alf’s not long returned from Merimbula, and she thinks it’s too soon to make the full-day drive again by himself.

Roo finds Alf fishing and suggests that he delay the trip until she can go with him, giving them the chance to share the driving. Alf sees through her offer at once. As far as he’s concerned, he made a mistake, fixed it, and now has a licence saying he can drive where he likes.

Roo later admits to Marilyn that she’s worried about Alf driving that far at his age. Marilyn and Leah both try to reassure her, but Roo remains uneasy.

When Marilyn asks what Martha thinks, Roo gets an idea and calls her mum to put him off. Marilyn warns that lying to Alf isn’t the best way to handle things, but Roo hopes she can at least give Alf a reason to hold off.

The plan briefly works, as Martha asks Alf to delay the trip because of an exhibition deadline. But when Alf explains to Justin that she wants him to leave it for two weeks—the exact delay Roo suggested earlier—he suddenly clicks, realising what’s happened.

Alf soon confronts Roo at the coffee cart. He’s furious that she’s gone behind his back and used Martha to stop him driving, and makes it clear that he’s going anyway, regardless of what either of them thinks.

Roo tries to stop the argument from escalating, insisting she only told Martha the truth. She’s not saying Alf shouldn’t drive, but she does want him to think twice before heading straight back onto long country roads without talking it through.

Alf’s heard enough. He’s done the medical, got his licence back, and sees no reason for Roo to keep questioning him.

Justin later finds Alf at the surf club and tries to put Roo’s fears into context. He points out that Roo’s been forced to face the fact her dad isn’t indestructible, and that she isn’t asking him to give up his independence—she just needs to know he understands why she’s worried.

This time, Alf softens. He goes to see Roo at the diner and admits that, whilst he’s still angry about her involving Martha, he can see where she’s coming from.

He agrees there’ll be no more cross-country trips on a whim. When he does head to Merimbula, he’ll plan it properly, take more breaks and avoid driving late.

Roo is relieved, and Alf adds that if she wakes up the next morning and finds him gone, there’s no need to panic—he’ll only be fishing at Banksia Creek.

The following morning, Abigail (Hailey Pinto) returns to the farmhouse injured and limping after a night out with Lacey (Sophea Pennington). Abby tells Levi (Tristan Gorey) that someone hit her with their car.

After taking Abby to the hospital, Levi brings her to the police station. Abby explains to Cash that after dropping Lacey home, she got a flat tyre on Murray Road near Banksia Creek. When she pulled over and got out, a ute drove past at speed and clipped her with its wing mirror.

The driver didn’t stop, and Abby can’t give much detail beyond the fact that she thinks the vehicle was red.

Back at the surf club, Alf casually tells David that he’s found a good new fishing spot at Banksia Creek. Soon afterwards, Lacey tells Roo and Marilyn about Abby’s accident, leaving Roo concerned when she hears that it involved a red ute in the same area early that morning.

Roo later approaches Alf at the surf club and asks whether there’s any chance he could’ve hit someone without realising. Alf is stunned, insisting he’d know if he’d hit someone, and looks Roo in the eye as he tells her he had nothing to do with it.

Unfortunately, Richie overhears the exchange and rushes back to the station, telling Cash he thinks he’s made a breakthrough. Once Alf’s red ute and his trip to Banksia Creek are linked, Cash and David agree they need to follow it up.

They arrive at the surf club and ask Alf to come to the station to answer questions about a traffic incident.

Alf is mortified, but has little choice but to go with them.

In full view of the shocked locals, Summer Bay’s long-time stalwart is walked out of the surf club by the officers, and bundled into a police car.

Could Alf have really run down Abby?