Hello everyone..
Just think - in two weeks' time, it'll be Boxing Day.
Presumably, that's good news if you love or loathe Christmas. Not long to wait until it's here - or not long to wait until it's all over. Of course, it might not be such good news if you haven't started your Christmas shopping yet...
Now, what do we have for you in the '13 days to go until Christmas' edition of London Tonight..?
First up - it seems a policeman's lot is not a happy one these days. Big meetings in London today after the Government said it wouldn't backdate their latest pay deal. What do the coppers do now? Well, they've called for the Home Secretary to resign... and they're talking about going on strike. But, legally, they can't do that? So should they be allowed to. Thoughts anyone? We'll be asking for them this evening.
Another story that'll get you thinking is that of a two year old boy who was taken by his father to Dubai. And he never brought him back. And he should have done, you see, because not only is his mother here - the High Court has ruled she has custody and the boy's father is breaking the law. What's more, young Carl was taken back in 2003. He's seven years old now and his desperate mother hasn't spoken to him for almost 5 years.
We'll have the latest on that.
What else?
Well, one for any 'Strictly' fans out there. Would you believe there are only TWO ballrooms in London and, this evening' we'll be reporting on the possible closure of one of them. That would cut the capital's ballroom capacity by half, yes HALF.
Sticking with fractions, would you believe that a recent survey showed that four out the top five scariest road junctions in the country are in and around London. Which gives me a thought. Why don't we scrap the congestion charge and instead put up lots of signs saying 'FOUR of the FIVE SCARIEST JUNCTIONS are here in LONDON'. That'll keep the numbers down.
Sticking with scary things now and would you believe Sweeney Todd? That 's the question. I mean, do you think there really was a demon barber of Fleet Street who slit his clients' throats while his 'woman that does' turned the bodies into pies... or is it all a figment of some very strange writer's imagination. Apparently, opinion is divided on this and, what with a new film coming out early in the new year, we thought we'd look into it a little further.
And... AND Chrissy's going to be in a Winter Wonderland. Cue music...
See you at SIX,
Ben
