In 1980, amid fruitless police enquiries into murders and assaults by the Yorkshire Ripper, Martin Young went to Leeds for Newsnight to document the feelings of relatives of the victims, and of women who had survived his attacks.

In the powerful interviews each of the people addressed the camera as though speaking directly to the Ripper himself.

Newsnight's librarian Adam Gotch chose this film because he felt that despite the media frenzy that surrounded the murders at the time, it reported the story in an innovative and compassionate way, and really reflected the deep fear that was felt in Leeds at the time.

Originally broadcast on 27 November 1980.

A special programme to mark Newsnight's 30th anniversary will be broadcast on Saturday 23 January 2010 at 8pm on BBC Two.