Height of good taste?

The Shard of Glass at London Bridge is now the UK's tallest skyscraper. But will it be good for London? Here's my BBC News feature.

Meanwhile, here's a second feature I wrote on a war being waged on London's strip clubs: Too much sex for the city?

Murders they wrote

From the butchery of Jack the Ripper to the organised crime of the Krays, an ambitious project is under way to map every London murder case since the 19th Century.

Murder Map's founders Nick Cullen, 27, and Peter Stubley, 33, are plotting this macabre visualisation, which could prove gruesome and grossly insensitive to some, but fascinating and potentially useful to others.

Here's my BBC News feature.

London Rebranded

Fancy catching a black cab from Cityside to Noho via Midtown? Me neither. Here's my BBC News feature.

Carnival fever

When a feather-clad cast of several hundred danced to calypso beats through west London's streets for the first Notting Hill Carnival in 1964, few would have thought the event would develop into the vast and vivid expression of multiculturalism it is today.

I was lucky enough to be BBC News' online reporter for 2010's carnival.

Here is the trilogy of features I wrote.

As a gargantuan glistening golden dragon, strapped onto 16-year-old Vernon Francis' back, turns onto Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill Carnival's carnal throng can be seen far into the distance.

The carnival has grown from an essentially Trinidadian template of mobile steel bands, into Europe's largest street party, with performers embracing cultures from the Caribbean and beyond.

As the sequins shimmer, feathers flutter and steel drums rumble at this weekend's Notting Hill Carnival, organisers will be thinking "you ain't seen nothing yet" as they look forward to 2012.

Banksy gallery eviction

Pete Doherty read poetry there, Kate Nash performed there and in the basement stood a six-metre high Banksy mural.

But now developers plan to replace the iconic Foundry pub with an 18-room art-themed hotel. I interviewed the squatters the day before they were evicted.

Tube strike chaos

Commuters marched out of central London's Kings Cross station, armed with their most comfortable walking shoes, A-to-Zs and stiff upper lips. Here’s my BBC News report.

In the summer time

The festival season is upon us. But some of us aren't convinced.

For some, simply hearing the word Glastonbury, conjures up images of waking up in a mud-sinking tent with the prospect of a day's swamp fishing for their worldly belongings.

If you're one of those people, then perhaps London's festivals are more appealing. You can see your favourite artists before catching the last tube home and wake-up fresh faced after a decent night's sleep.

Here's my BBC guide to the biggest and some of the more bizarre festival offerings this summer.

Art attack

My exclusive story on how police in riot gear were sent to raid a central London gallery after it put a fake bomb in the window.

Bronson art on Tube

A victims' charity has said it is "astonished" artwork by notorious British criminal Charles Bronson has been put on display on the Tube.

The drawing, which depicts a head with three faces poking out of a straitjacket, went on display at Angel station in north London in April.

Here's my BBC News exclusive.

Gangs of London Fields

London Fields has in recent years become a destination for east London's young, fashionable, arty crowds to congregate.

On a Saturday in May, people flocked to the Hackney park, to make the most of one of the hottest days of the year so far, be it to sunbathe, drink cider, meet friends or people watch.

Then, in the middle of the afternoon, two gunshots were fired that ended the festival atmosphere.

Pitched up in Parliament Square

London's Parliament Square, home to the statues of Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill, is a popular attraction for visitors to the capital.

Tourists gather to enjoy the sights and take photos of the Gothic towers of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

But, over the past two weeks, its green and pristine lawns have steadily been transformed with a sea of peace protesters' tents and flags into what has been dubbed Democracy Village.

I went to take a look for BBC News.

Election 2010

Here are a couple of the BBC features I wrote for the general election:

Mayoral question for East End

Bangladeshi battle in Bethnal Green

Tunnel Vision

Roman goddess of love Venus, a Gay Times magazine cover model and a graffiti face.

Not the most likely trio, but all three have featured on posters censored for use on the Tube by Transport for London (TfL) or its advertising contractors. Here's my BBC feature.

‘Hijab’gate

A plan to install headscarf-shaped arches at both ends of east London's Brick Lane has been criticised by local artists and residents.

The arches are part of a £1.85m "cultural trail" proposed by Tower Hamlets Council for the street.

But local residents, including artist Tracey Emin, have said the plans are culturally insensitive. Here's my BBC News feature.

‘Tombstone’ Tower

Shoreditch in London's East End is famous for its resident artists, who say they draw inspiration from the historic buildings and strong social fabric of their surroundings.

But a 51-storey skyscraper has been given the go-ahead despite opposition from a local campaign group, supported by famous artists including Tracy Emin and Rachal Whiteread.

Doing it for the kids

Last Christmas Day, more than 2,000 children and young people arrived on the doorstep of a south London school, eagerly expecting lunch, entertainment and presents from Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of the Kids Company Charity.

Ms Batmanghelidjh took some time out to talk to me at BBC London about her childhood, her style and what she would do if she had the power to transform childcare services in Britain.