IT was a sad day in our house on Sunday. Some would say it’s always a sad day if you watch Heartbeat.

This was sadder than normal though — it was the last ever episode after 18 years and so was bound to end in tragedy.

Only it didn’t, as the inevitable death was of former cop and irritable/irritating publican Oscar Blaketon rather than someone you might actually like.

Heartbeat is, admittedly, a little twee, but, set in the 1960s in the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors, it would be.

And from the moment its theme tune kicks in with scenes of PC Joe Mason biking across the countryside, on his way to Whitby to heroically tackle a mystery conman who has returned to Aidensfield after years away but no-one has recognised him (or, more likely, to pick up some fish and chips for the lads at the station), I’m hooked.

There have been 372 episodes and there will be no more — or will there?

As usual, the mystery stranger rolled into town and was duly apprehended after nicking a taxi and local numpty David’s sausages. Turned out the chap was suffering from memory loss and didn’t even know his own name. Elsewhere, there’s a body in the quarry and an odd chap who claims to be in the area to pursue his interest in photography.

Meanwhile, Oscar and Alf are planning to trek round France visiting some old war sites — and they intend to camp.

There’s the comedy element as they attempt to pitch tent on the moors in the pouring rain and abandon the idea in favour of going to the boozer for the night.

There’s intrigue as the photographer — and not the missing memory man — turns out to be a double agent working for the Communists (tsssk, reds under the bed, or, in this case, in it, as he was staying in the Aidensfield Arms), and tragedy as the series ends with Oscar seriously ill after he is stabbed.

Will he survive? Doubtful, but who can tell? Come to think of it, who will ever know if this really is the final call for Heartbeat?

I sense a Christmas special starring Nick Berry at the very least.