0:00:00 > 0:00:00Join me now on BBC Two.
0:00:00 > 0:00:12Here on BBC One it's time for the news where you are.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Good evening. for the news where you are.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Police are hunting a man who they believe has carried out 25
0:00:17 > 0:00:22sexual assaults on women and children in south-east London.
0:00:22 > 0:00:23One was just eight years old.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Detectives have released CCTV footage of the suspect,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29who attacked his victims in broad daylight.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Ayshea Buksh reports.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35He appears to target young women on their way to work or school.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39In the last year it's thought the same man has carried out 25
0:00:39 > 0:00:41attacks in south-east London, sometimes within
0:00:41 > 0:00:44hours of each other.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47And this is where the latest incident happened, at 8:30am
0:00:47 > 0:00:52on the 22nd of November here on Sandbourne Road,
0:00:52 > 0:00:55a residential street in Brockley.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Just the week before, the same man, it's thought,
0:00:58 > 0:01:00carried out another assault, that time on an
0:01:00 > 0:01:04eight-year-old child.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07The majority of attacks have happened in the Borough of Lewisham
0:01:07 > 0:01:09but there have been similar assaults in Greenwich, Bromley,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Southwark and Bexley.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Police say they are looking for a white man in his 40s,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18with fair hair and blue eyes.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21The suspect attacks victims by grabbing their intimate parts.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25And this is a very, very serious offence and we are treating it
0:01:26 > 0:01:27with the utmost seriousness.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29A number of victims have been traumatised as a result of this
0:01:29 > 0:01:32offence, which is why it's very important for us for the public
0:01:32 > 0:01:36to try to help us by looking at the CCTV and perhaps providing us
0:01:36 > 0:01:39with some names of the people they think is on that CCTV.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42The police say there could be other victims who've yet to come forward
0:01:42 > 0:01:44and they are working with local schools and community
0:01:44 > 0:01:47groups to raise awareness.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50The victims are all traumatised as a result of the offences that
0:01:50 > 0:01:53have been committed against them, and what I would say, the reason
0:01:53 > 0:01:56we have linked the offences is because the description
0:01:56 > 0:01:59of the suspect is often very similar and the actual nature
0:01:59 > 0:02:02of the offence is very similar.
0:02:02 > 0:02:03But our age ranges differ.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Around a third of our victims are adults, our oldest
0:02:06 > 0:02:08victim is 35 years of age.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Our youngest victim is eight and we do see a number
0:02:10 > 0:02:12of offences committed against early teenage
0:02:12 > 0:02:14schoolchildren.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Anyone with any information should call Lewisham police
0:02:17 > 0:02:23station on 0208 284 8346.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26These assaults have increased since the summer and police hope
0:02:26 > 0:02:28this man will be caught before he commits any more.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33Ayshea Buksh, BBC London News.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Is London facing a rat epidemic?
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Councils are receiving more than 100 rodent related complaints a day,
0:02:39 > 0:02:41according to a report by the Conservatives
0:02:41 > 0:02:42on the London Assembly.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45And they claim the problem is getting worse.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Our political editor Tim Donovan joined one pest controller in north
0:02:47 > 0:02:51London this morning.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Nice to meet you.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Pest control, not exactly a welcome visitor to a house-warming.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01But when Jess bought this place last month she found it wasn't
0:03:01 > 0:03:04quite vacant possession.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06They were coming in through a hole in here.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11We blocked it off.
0:03:11 > 0:03:19They got in through the sewer, so Jess stuffed the pipe with wire.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23We shoved steel wall down both the holes.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25We are not living here at the moment.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27That shifted the problem upstairs to the bathroom.
0:03:27 > 0:03:28This is what tends to happen.
0:03:28 > 0:03:29It is made of plastic.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31They come up and chew through it and before
0:03:31 > 0:03:33you know it you have rats.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36There is a fresh dropping here.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40Sorry!
0:03:40 > 0:03:48That is very fresh, within three days easily.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Helping to highlight the problem was this street
0:03:50 > 0:03:51in Harrow over the summer.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Since when the woman who filmed it says things have improved.
0:03:54 > 0:04:00The Tories say it has become a big political issue.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Rats bother a lot of people in London.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05They want the streets to be cleaner.
0:04:05 > 0:04:10We need to look at bin collections again.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12There's more rubbish on the streets.
0:04:12 > 0:04:13None of us like that.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Sadiq Khan is in charge of London.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18He needs to do an awareness campaign and he needs maybe to have a word
0:04:18 > 0:04:25with some of the places where rats are worst.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27In Jess's kitchen the poison is being laid.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31I'll just put down some tracking dust.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33That identifies the movement of the rats.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35That is the dust that reveals important stuff
0:04:35 > 0:04:36under ultraviolet lights.
0:04:36 > 0:04:43It shines up nice and bright.
0:04:43 > 0:04:44You will see any footprints.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47You don't think you will be coming into a house and dealing
0:04:47 > 0:04:48with a rat problem.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50It's not very nice to deal with.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52How would you describe London's rat problem?
0:04:52 > 0:04:53Chaotic.
0:04:53 > 0:04:54It is, yes.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56For me, it's fantastic for my business.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01I feel for my clients.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Jess is hoping to move in before Christmas.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Next - the temporary accommodation for struggling families in south
0:05:07 > 0:05:10London where conditions were so bad it was raised in Parliament
0:05:10 > 0:05:13a few weeks ago.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16But councils insisted it met all the regulations.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Now BBC London has learnt there are plans to move families out
0:05:19 > 0:05:20into better housing.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24Chris Rogers has the story.
0:05:24 > 0:05:31Welcome to Connect House, emergency housing for homeless families.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35This small room is home for Victoria and her ten-year-old daughter.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40When I got here, I said to them, I'm disabled, I have pain condition,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43I really can't share a bed with my daughter.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47It's going to cause me a lot of pain and a lot of trouble.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51And they said, that's it, take it or leave it.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54They were evicted when their landlord decided to sell up.
0:05:54 > 0:05:55So you're on housing benefits.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58I'm on housing benefits.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01So you need to find a landlord that is willing to take
0:06:01 > 0:06:03on someone who is relying on the state, basically.
0:06:03 > 0:06:04And none of them will.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07So she ended up here.
0:06:07 > 0:06:08Take it hour by hour.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11It's very hard.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14How they can charge £210 a week for this room,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18I think it's disgusting.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Connect House is on an industrial estate in converted
0:06:20 > 0:06:22offices in Mitcham.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25It's used by four councils.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26Although temporary, many struggling families have been
0:06:26 > 0:06:29here for more than a year.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33Victoria's daughter is one of 200 children here.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37Honestly, I feel depressed, I feel sad.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39This place isn't a place to live in.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42There's no playground round here.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47Some people, they will come out and shout if we're too loud.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50This isn't the first time we've been here.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52When we first exposed these poor, cramped conditions,
0:06:52 > 0:06:59councils insisted everything was within regulations.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Now they are offering residents like Samantha,
0:07:01 > 0:07:06her partner and two children a deposit to secure private rent.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08They came round to visit everyone in the building.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11They offered people private rent either in the borough
0:07:11 > 0:07:13or out of the borough.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15But there's a problem.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Those who have been offered privately rented accommodation fear
0:07:19 > 0:07:22that eventually money may run out or that the landlord
0:07:22 > 0:07:26will kick them out.
0:07:26 > 0:07:34And then they end up back somewhere like this.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36For now there are few alternatives for people like Victoria who have
0:07:36 > 0:07:38fallen on hard times.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40It's a very hard thing to ask someone to take
0:07:40 > 0:07:42you in and I can't do it.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45And I don't have anyone to ask.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Tonight, all four councils have confirmed, if they haven't already,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51they are now determined to move all families out
0:07:51 > 0:07:53and end their use of Connect House.
0:07:53 > 0:08:00Chris Rogers, BBC London News.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02It's a first for a principal dancer - exploring depression
0:08:02 > 0:08:04through underwater ballet.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07The film, aimed at younger audiences on social media,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11is a collaboration between a mental health charity and the Royal Ballet.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14And the idea is to raise awareness in a compelling new way,
0:08:14 > 0:08:20as Tarah Welsh explains.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23She might make it look effortless, but this wasn't the easiest role
0:08:23 > 0:08:27for this rising star.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29I'm actually not a very good swimmer at all.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32I'm also allergic to chlorine.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34I don't like watching myself dance on camera.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36I find it really hard.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39The clips in the underwater are the only times I've enjoyed
0:08:39 > 0:08:44actually watching me.
0:08:44 > 0:08:53Francesca Haywood has been dancing since she was three.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56From next week, she'll be starring as the Sugar Plum Fairy
0:08:56 > 0:08:59and Clara in the Nutcracker, but it's this short film to raise
0:08:59 > 0:09:06awareness of mental health that she's proud to watch.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08The dancers met with people who've experienced
0:09:08 > 0:09:11depression before filming.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14They were able to inform how to portray the performance,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18so the fact it is an underwater piece brought to life how
0:09:18 > 0:09:21it can feel when you have depression and it can feel
0:09:21 > 0:09:23like you are fighting against the tide, or trying
0:09:23 > 0:09:26to struggle to get your head above water.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29It's hoped social media will help get it through to an audience that
0:09:29 > 0:09:33might not normally engage with the ballet.
0:09:33 > 0:09:38We wanted to target people in secondary schools.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42We feel like this is a time that is a vulnerable age
0:09:42 > 0:09:45and has a lot of pressures.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49As audiences arrive to see this festive favourite next week,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53this production will also be released, aiming to touch
0:09:53 > 0:10:03viewers in a different way.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06That's it for now from me, but let's find out what
0:10:06 > 0:10:07the weather's up to with Nick Miller.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16After the excitement of the flurries we saw today, there will be more
0:10:16 > 0:10:19around overnight, more substantial wintry showers to the north of
0:10:19 > 0:10:23London are tending to die out as they get closer to the capital, but
0:10:23 > 0:10:27some winter refueller is around, not amounting to much. Risk of icy
0:10:27 > 0:10:30patches. Temperature is not going down as far as last night, because
0:10:30 > 0:10:34we have more cloud around. Many of us will be above freezing as we
0:10:34 > 0:10:39start off on Friday. Milder air starts to move in. A lot of the
0:10:39 > 0:10:42showers early on will turn to rain as we go through the morning, before
0:10:42 > 0:10:45fading away and leaving us with a fair amount of sunshine into the
0:10:45 > 0:10:48afternoon. Temperatures will be a bit higher tomorrow compared to
0:10:48 > 0:10:52today, not as cold or wintry. We get the sunshine coming through after
0:10:52 > 0:10:57the early showers. There is a change to less cold, milder air, coming in
0:10:57 > 0:11:01over the weekend. It's a slow process, more so we