08/04/2017

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0:00:01 > 0:00:03it's time for the news where you are.

0:00:03 > 0:00:03Andy,

0:00:03 > 0:00:03Andy, many

0:00:03 > 0:00:04Andy, many thanks.

0:00:04 > 0:00:07Bye for now.

0:00:12 > 0:00:16Good evening from BBC London News, I'm Alice Bhandhukravi.

0:00:16 > 0:00:22Hundreds of people have marched in Croydon a week on from the attack

0:00:22 > 0:00:24on a Kurdish Iranian teenager.

0:00:24 > 0:00:29Reke Ahmed was left with a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain.

0:00:29 > 0:00:32The group Stand Up To Racism is calling for unity

0:00:32 > 0:00:33in the wake of the attack.

0:00:33 > 0:00:36Tolu Adeoye reports.

0:00:36 > 0:00:37Their message was clear.

0:00:37 > 0:00:40Refugees are welcome here.

0:00:40 > 0:00:43Just over a week since Kurdish Iranian teenager Reke Ahmed

0:00:43 > 0:00:47was beaten up in a suspected racially motivated attack,

0:00:47 > 0:00:51hundreds of people in Croydon came together to denounce the attack.

0:00:51 > 0:00:54It's not fair that someone who's come in a vulnerable,

0:00:54 > 0:00:57desperate position has been attacked, and they're in their most

0:00:57 > 0:01:00desperate moment of need, and that's the hospitality

0:01:00 > 0:01:02that we have shown them here?

0:01:02 > 0:01:05That's horrific.

0:01:05 > 0:01:07I think it's something atrocious which happened to the young man

0:01:07 > 0:01:10and it's not acceptable.

0:01:10 > 0:01:13What they did to this man is not in my name, basically.

0:01:13 > 0:01:17I believe that we should all be here united.

0:01:17 > 0:01:19Croydon is a very multicultural town and that's something

0:01:19 > 0:01:21which it celebrates.

0:01:21 > 0:01:25As people march behind me, Reke Ahmed is still in hospital

0:01:25 > 0:01:28being treated for his injuries.

0:01:28 > 0:01:33A fund to help support him has now raised more than ?55,000.

0:01:33 > 0:01:35I remember going to the Calais jungle around the work we're

0:01:35 > 0:01:40doing to support children with Care for Calais.

0:01:40 > 0:01:44I think it's a tragedy what happened to him and we have to make sure this

0:01:44 > 0:01:48tragedy is never repeated and that what comes out in solidarity

0:01:48 > 0:01:50from Croydon, from London, from the UK, to say refugees

0:01:50 > 0:01:52are welcome here.

0:01:52 > 0:01:55Croydon is seen as a gateway to refugees, with the headquarters

0:01:55 > 0:01:57of the Home Office's visa and immigration

0:01:57 > 0:01:59departments in the town.

0:01:59 > 0:02:02Organisers hope today's march shows new arrivals this is a place full

0:02:02 > 0:02:07of people that will stand up for them.

0:02:07 > 0:02:10A teenage boy has died after being shot in East London.

0:02:10 > 0:02:13A murder investigation is now under way after the boy,

0:02:13 > 0:02:16believed to be in his mid-teens, was found in Roebourne Way

0:02:16 > 0:02:22in North Woolwich.

0:02:22 > 0:02:26A man in his early 20s was found later with a gunshot injury nearby.

0:02:26 > 0:02:33He is in a stable condition in hospital.

0:02:33 > 0:02:35Residents in a Sutton have been confused and dismayed this week

0:02:35 > 0:02:37after one of the area's biggest attractions disappeared.

0:02:37 > 0:02:40The ponds in Carshalton all but drained away after the local

0:02:40 > 0:02:45water company stopped topping them up.

0:02:45 > 0:02:47SES Water and Sutton Council say it's a result

0:02:47 > 0:02:50of the recent dry conditions, but local wildlife volunteers say

0:02:50 > 0:02:51birds and fish have been harmed.

0:02:51 > 0:02:52Helen Mulroy has this report.

0:02:52 > 0:02:55These idyllic ponds are one of the main attractions

0:02:55 > 0:02:57of Carshalton and they date back centuries, but the pools,

0:02:57 > 0:03:00which are usually a haven for local wildlife, currently look like this.

0:03:00 > 0:03:03A lack of rainfall in the last few months means

0:03:03 > 0:03:04the groundwater level is very low.

0:03:04 > 0:03:07That's a problem because the ponds are one of the sources

0:03:07 > 0:03:08of the River Wandle.

0:03:08 > 0:03:11SES Water usually tops up the ponds but they've stopped doing this

0:03:11 > 0:03:14because cracks mean much of the water is seeping away.

0:03:14 > 0:03:17Really, we are quite dependent on the skies above us.

0:03:17 > 0:03:21If there's no rain we have no groundwater going into the ponds

0:03:21 > 0:03:25and therefore Sutton and East Surrey will not be able to pump into this

0:03:25 > 0:03:30part of the pond because they've got to maintain the River Wandle further

0:03:30 > 0:03:33downstream, where there is the real quality of the environment that

0:03:33 > 0:03:34needs to be preserved.

0:03:34 > 0:03:37But hopefully the contractors will be able to get in and do

0:03:37 > 0:03:39the works that are required before, in fact, the pond

0:03:39 > 0:03:40is completely empty.

0:03:40 > 0:03:44SES Water say they had no choice but to stop pumping water into these

0:03:44 > 0:03:47ponds and Sutton Council say they've used the opportunity to carry out

0:03:47 > 0:03:49much-needed repairs.

0:03:49 > 0:03:53But local residents say they've been concerned by a lack of communication

0:03:53 > 0:03:56and wildlife volunteers say it's the birds and the fish

0:03:56 > 0:03:59that are suffering.

0:03:59 > 0:04:02Usually you'd be aware of this, they put up signs and the right

0:04:02 > 0:04:05people would be contacted, but nobody seems to know anything.

0:04:05 > 0:04:08We've had ducks which are so stressed in the park.

0:04:08 > 0:04:12And so many fish are dying - there are so many fish that are dead.

0:04:12 > 0:04:15I am concerned that it's a beautiful historic area and one of the massive

0:04:15 > 0:04:18attractions for our business and our hotel guests.

0:04:18 > 0:04:21So it would be great to get some idea of what's happening.

0:04:21 > 0:04:24No work was being carried out at the ponds while we were filming

0:04:24 > 0:04:27yesterday but the council say it will be completed over the weekend

0:04:27 > 0:04:29and they're working with SES Water and the Environment Agency

0:04:29 > 0:04:32to have the ponds refilled and back to their normal levels

0:04:32 > 0:04:40as soon as possible.

0:04:40 > 0:04:44A quick look at the weather now, and after a gorgeous day today

0:04:44 > 0:04:45tomorrow is set to look even better.

0:04:45 > 0:04:48It'll feel warm, with clear skies and prolonged sunshine,

0:04:48 > 0:04:53highs of 24 degrees.

0:04:53 > 0:04:56So enjoy the weather if you can, we'll be back tomorrow evening,

0:04:56 > 0:05:00from everyone here, bye-bye.