"the Famous Five" Five On A Secret Trail(1978) May 2026

The plot follows the children—Julian, Dick, Anne, George—and their dog Timmy as they go camping near a derelict, ruined cottage on the moorland near Kirrin.

The adventure begins when Anne and George witness strange flashing lights coming from the abandoned cottage at night. "The Famous Five" Five on a Secret Trail(1978)

Some viewers criticized the 1978 adaptation for its use of "dark filters" during nighttime scenes, which can make the footage difficult to see even in remastered versions. The group meets a young boy, Guy Lawdler,

The group meets a young boy, Guy Lawdler, who is involved in a local archaeological dig. Episode Summary They soon discover a gang of

was the eleventh episode of the first season of The Famous Five television series, premiering on September 18, 1978 , on ITV . This episode, like the rest of the Southern Television series, updated Enid Blyton's 1956 novel with a contemporary late-1970s aesthetic, featuring the children in modern attire like jeans and polo shirts. Episode Summary

They soon discover a gang of criminals is using the cottage to search for a hidden secret tunnel. This tunnel reportedly contains a "precious blueprint" that the criminals are desperate to recover.

The Five eventually uncover the truth behind the "ghostly" lights and foil the gang's plot. Production & Reception