Chopper: Billy Chorlton or Chopper as he is more commonly known is the main character of Ar’ Back Yard. As we follow him from his teenage years into his early twenties on the first wave of the roller coaster ride that he will take you on, with his friends and allies alike, through some of Manchester’s best and worse years as he progresses into one of Manchester’s most notorious characters.
Scotty: Scott O’Conner or simply Scotty – Chopper’s life long best friend, has been by his side since they were little kids growing up on the estate in Hulme, and is seen more as a brother than friend. Scotty’s character will see how when times change – so do friendships – no matter how close you once were.
Kezlo: Mark Kulshaw recognised as Kezlo – stemming from the fact he is one of Manchester’s leading Graffiti Artists - then D.J.’s back in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Kezlo joins up with Chopper and Scotty later on in life, but before long the three become inseparable and Kezlo enjoys one criminal activity after another with his two new friends.
Prey: Kieran O’Prey simply referred to as Prey is the unpredictable leader of the main crew of lads from Hulme in Manchester. Prey runs the estate with military style precision, which extends to the city limits. Prey is the one who see the potential in Chopper that nobody else has recognised, and that he will take full advantage of.
Sean Macreedy: Sean Macreedy is what Prey refers to as his Chief Lieutenant in his organisation. Like Chopper and Scotty, albeit the elder version of those two, Prey and Sean have also grown up together from small children into the men the have become and between the two of them they run one of Manchester’s tightest crews.
Steve Griffin: Steve Griffin comes into everybody’s lives at a later stage – yet the timing couldn’t be more perfect for everyone involved. For he is a lot older than all of them and with that he carries a wealth of knowledge in not only the distribution side of the business, but more importantly the production side of the business with Class A Drugs which as the 1980’s progress, so does the level of drug intake by everyone involved.
Donna Hayes: Donna Hayes comes into Chopper’s life and he falls for her like he has for no other girl. She is the reasoning voice behind Chopper, and the one thing in his life that he couldn’t bare to be without. She is very head strong and very independent, and what she sees in Chopper, is another side to him which doesn’t consist of all the drugs and violence that everybody else associates with him.
Sleeper: Known simply as Sleeper, he is originally from Manchester but now resides down in London. He is one of Prey’s oldest friends despite the distance between their locations. Sleeper is a mysterious character who we learn more about as the story progresses – and the more we learn – the more afraid of his dark side we will become.
Eazy: Eazy – with a Z as he will remind you, is a huge character both in stature and personality. He runs his own record shop down in Brixton, London where both he and Sleeper grew up together. Eazy has a more gentle side to him despite how he looks, yet he always the first to step up to the plate if Sleeper ever requires anything.
Chan Yung: Chan Yung is the owner of Chan’s Restaurant that is located in China Town, Manchester. He has been indebted to Prey for a number of years, and through that they have become great friends. For Chan has another side to him, and the restaurant is merely used a cover for his other activities.
Paddy: Patrick McNally or Paddy as he more commonly known is from the neighbouring city of Salford and he has a fierce reputation, especially for chopping people up with a machete. He runs everyone around him with fear rather than respect, and it isn’t long before both his and Prey’s paths cross for all the wrong reasons.
Chris Walker: Chris Walker is from Salford, and is the closest as a friend can get to being one with Paddy. For he has known Paddy all his life he is the only one that has remained loyal to him throughout all the years. And when there is any sign of trouble he knows better than anyone else, that he’s got his own personal human pit bull in the form of Paddy.