08/04/2017 London News

it's time for the news where you are.

Andy,

Andy, many

Andy, many thanks.

Bye for now.

Good evening from BBC London News, I'm Alice Bhandhukravi.

Hundreds of people have marched in Croydon a week on from the attack

on a Kurdish Iranian teenager.

Reke Ahmed was left with a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain.

The group Stand Up To Racism is calling for unity

in the wake of the attack.

Tolu Adeoye reports.

Their message was clear.

Refugees are welcome here.

Just over a week since Kurdish Iranian teenager Reke Ahmed

was beaten up in a suspected racially motivated attack,

hundreds of people in Croydon came together to denounce the attack.

It's not fair that someone who's come in a vulnerable,

desperate position has been attacked, and they're in their most

desperate moment of need, and that's the hospitality

that we have shown them here?

That's horrific.

I think it's something atrocious which happened to the young man

and it's not acceptable.

What they did to this man is not in my name, basically.

I believe that we should all be here united.

Croydon is a very multicultural town and that's something

which it celebrates.

As people march behind me, Reke Ahmed is still in hospital

being treated for his injuries.

A fund to help support him has now raised more than ?55,000.

I remember going to the Calais jungle around the work we're

doing to support children with Care for Calais.

I think it's a tragedy what happened to him and we have to make sure this

tragedy is never repeated and that what comes out in solidarity

from Croydon, from London, from the UK, to say refugees

are welcome here.

Croydon is seen as a gateway to refugees, with the headquarters

of the Home Office's visa and immigration

departments in the town.

Organisers hope today's march shows new arrivals this is a place full

of people that will stand up for them.

A teenage boy has died after being shot in East London.

A murder investigation is now under way after the boy,

believed to be in his mid-teens, was found in Roebourne Way

in North Woolwich.

A man in his early 20s was found later with a gunshot injury nearby.

He is in a stable condition in hospital.

Residents in a Sutton have been confused and dismayed this week

after one of the area's biggest attractions disappeared.

The ponds in Carshalton all but drained away after the local

water company stopped topping them up.

SES Water and Sutton Council say it's a result

of the recent dry conditions, but local wildlife volunteers say

birds and fish have been harmed.

Helen Mulroy has this report.

These idyllic ponds are one of the main attractions

of Carshalton and they date back centuries, but the pools,

which are usually a haven for local wildlife, currently look like this.

A lack of rainfall in the last few months means

the groundwater level is very low.

That's a problem because the ponds are one of the sources

of the River Wandle.

SES Water usually tops up the ponds but they've stopped doing this

because cracks mean much of the water is seeping away.

Really, we are quite dependent on the skies above us.

If there's no rain we have no groundwater going into the ponds

and therefore Sutton and East Surrey will not be able to pump into this

part of the pond because they've got to maintain the River Wandle further

downstream, where there is the real quality of the environment that

needs to be preserved.

But hopefully the contractors will be able to get in and do

the works that are required before, in fact, the pond

is completely empty.

SES Water say they had no choice but to stop pumping water into these

ponds and Sutton Council say they've used the opportunity to carry out

much-needed repairs.

But local residents say they've been concerned by a lack of communication

and wildlife volunteers say it's the birds and the fish

that are suffering.

Usually you'd be aware of this, they put up signs and the right

people would be contacted, but nobody seems to know anything.

We've had ducks which are so stressed in the park.

And so many fish are dying - there are so many fish that are dead.

I am concerned that it's a beautiful historic area and one of the massive

attractions for our business and our hotel guests.

So it would be great to get some idea of what's happening.

No work was being carried out at the ponds while we were filming

yesterday but the council say it will be completed over the weekend

and they're working with SES Water and the Environment Agency

to have the ponds refilled and back to their normal levels

as soon as possible.

A quick look at the weather now, and after a gorgeous day today

tomorrow is set to look even better.

It'll feel warm, with clear skies and prolonged sunshine,

highs of 24 degrees.

So enjoy the weather if you can, we'll be back tomorrow evening,

from everyone here, bye-bye.