Petula is Bren's mother who often pops into the canteen to talk about or do something ridiculous or to ask a favour. She gave Bren up for adoption when she was little but is now back in her life.
She lives in a caravan and, during the second series, it is parked on boyfriend Reg's petrol station forecourt. She is always dirty and has a blanket that is covered in all sorts of stains.
She lives in a fantasy world and often tells Bren and the girls stories about various celebrities she says she knows, such as Sophia Loren, Jane Fonda and Richard E Grant.
During series one, she caused mayhem when she started a relationship with Clint, a 16 year old boy. His mother went mad and, because Petula's caravan was parked in the factory carpark, the factory almost came to a halt when she chained herself to the gates until Petula came out and faced her.
During series two, she turned up and claimed she was pregnant. She said she was being a surrogate for Gwenyth Paltrow and Leonardo Di Caprio.
At the end of the series, Petula told Bren she was dying and only had a few weeks to live. Bren was skeptical but she did later die. She left Bren a video message and a bag full of money.