Helen is often helped by her supportive friend Laura Lancing (Julia St John), Brittas's calm and efficient deputy manager. Laura (though she is fully aware of his incompetence and the annoyance he causes his colleagues and customers) has a grudging admiration for Brittas whom she regards as an honest and decent man. Brittas's other deputy manager is the dim-witted but kind Colin Weatherby (Mike Burns) (credited as Michael Burns in series 1, 2 and 3). Colin has several medical problems including skin allergies, a constantly bandaged infected hand and a sizeable boil on his face. Although he is technically a deputy manager, he works more efficiently as the centre's caretaker.