Hidden London

The World Today's David Whitty has been taking a look at hidden parts of London, aspects of the city most people - even those who live here - never get to see.

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MARKET TRADERS:

London's wholesale markets are the big fresh produce markets that open in the middle of the night and are finished by the time most Londoners are waking up.

They are vital for the city and provide about 80% of the vegetables, fruit, flowers, meat and fish for the shops, street markets, restaurants and hotels.

David missed out on a night's sleep to talk to traders in three of the big markets: Billingsgate fish market, New Covent Garden's fruit and vegetable market and its flower market.

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MUSICIANS:

Every week there are live concerts and gigs all over London, at which musicians of every style perform for the paying public.

But what about the practice, the rehearsals, the hard work which goes into those final perfect performances?

David Whitty has been sitting in on the practice sessions of a band called Pama International, a classical musician called Jack and singer-songwriter Diana de Cabarrus from the band Candythief.

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BELL-RINGERS:

Bell ringing developed in 17th Century English churches, and even in a modern cosmopolitan city like London, you still regularly hear church bells being rung in complicated sequences.

David found two bell-ringers, Michael and Alan, taking a rest under the ringing church spire of St Clement Danes near the river Thames.

They began by explaining that bellringers are not always popular with nearby residents.

First broadcast 27-29 December