Margaret Cunningham is an elderly lady who has had numerous entaglements with Eric Pollard.
In August 1996, Eric and his assistant Sam Dingle visited her house to value some of her possessions. He noticed that she has some valuable items, but was going to con her. She later arrived in the village to find Eric in the tearooms. She showed him a vase and asked if it is worth anything. It was, but Eric conned her and she paid him just £10. She returned a few days later and asked for Eric's advice on an old plate, which Eric was quick to pay her £15 for. She later requested him to go to her house for future valuations. Margaret arrived at the village hall and told Sam that she thinks the plate she took to Eric mistakenly went into his possession, and it was of sentimental value to her as it was a present from her husband, Billy. Sam promised to get it back from Eric. Assisted by his brother Butch, Sam went to a shop in town. Sam found the plate, but the shopkeeper was too busy gossiping on the phone to serve him. Sam left a £10 note and ran out. Butch drove off when a policeman approached and the shopkeeper shouted that Sam was thieving. Sam was arrested and the plate was smashed. A week later, Margaret returned to the tearooms, having heard of Sam's trouble and offered to help him. Eric became aggressive with her, blaming her for Sam possibly going to prison, but Sam leapt to her defence.
Margaret returned in June 1998, and went on a date with widowed farmer Jed Outhwaite. He planned to get her alone for a romantic meal, but it's soon turned into a disaster when a chip pan set the house on fire.