| abstract | - Jamie Armstrong was the son of Tricia Armstrong. Jamie was first seen when he was caught shoplifting from Bettabuy. Since then we have seen another side of him with his interests in Jim McDonald's motorbike and Jack Duckworth's pigeons. In the last few months Jamie has moved from Bessie Street School to Weatherfield Comprehensive. He started looking after Jack's pigeons to get some extra money, but seems genuinely interested in them, cooing and stroking them just like Jack. Jamie has a reputation of being a bad boy, and is the first suspect whenever things go wrong, even when it's not his fault. For example, he saw someone stealing Josie Clarke's bike. In trying to get it back from the thief, he was spotted hanging round the back door by Percy Sugden, who thought he had stolen it when the bike was reported missing. Because of his reputation, it is difficult to make people believe him when he is telling the truth. Tricia always leaps to his defence and tells everyone to stop picking on him, just to haul him about and say "Tell the truth now" when they're alone. However, Jamie isn't all sweetness and light, having implemented a bike puncture scam to get some extra money. People would come out of their houses, get on the bike and say Oh no, a puncture. Jamie would be standing nearby, and just happen to have a repair kit and offer to fix the tyre. In appreciation, the victim would give him some money. He got a fiver from Josie, and wasn't she mad when she learned the truth. Jamie doesn't like being without his mam. When she was in prison for non-payment of the TV licence, he ran away from the foster home and went back to their flat. Deirdre Rachid saw him hanging around and took him in for the evening. Jamie is very good at assuming a little boy lost expression that appeals to everyone's maternal instincts. He was also very concerned when Tricia discovered she was pregnant and was trying to decide what to do. Jamie didn't know what the problem was, but he wanted to help, and made Trish breakfast in bed.
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