Three miles north of the city centre is a little-known Manchester suburb called Harpurhey. Ten years ago it was labelled the most deprived neighbourhood in England, but there's a lot more to life around here than government statistics.
In this six-part documentary series, a vibrant mix of feisty, witty and headstrong young people show us what it's really like growing up the hard way.
We catch up with ladies' man Jamie, 19, who works on the local market with his mum Donna but doesn't see himself on the market for the rest of his life. He dreams of becoming a singer, and hooks up with an unlikely career mentor, drag queen Belinda Scandal. Jamie's convinced Belinda can help him get his 15 minutes of fame, but Donna's not so sure about Belinda. With tensions rising, Donna goes to Manchester's gay village to confront Belinda.
Back at the Wishy Washy launderette, burglars have broken in through the roof, leaving the Wakefields thousands out of pocket. With good CCTV footage to help the police find the culprits, will the Wakefields get their day in court? In the meantime, the family becomes ultra-vigilant about crime in the area, especially the alleyway opposite the launderette being used as a toilet.
Down the road at a local gym we meet aspiring dance teacher Kelly. Her mum died when she was 12 which sent Kelly off the rails. At 25, Kelly hasn't had a full time job, but now she's been taken on for a trial period at the dance school. She's busy getting the dance class ready for their big summer show, but organising over 50 pupils is proving hard work. Can she handle the pressure of the performance and secure herself a full time job?
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