BBC Drama Production today announces the commissioning of a three-part drama serial for BBC One by acclaimed writer Stephen Butchard (House Of Saddam, Vincent).

Five Daughters is a sensitive portrait of events surrounding the discovery of five young women tragically murdered in Ipswich in 2006.

Made with the full co-operation of Suffolk Police and other agencies involved in the case, this factually-based drama will tell the story of the women’s lives through the eyes of family members and friends, as well as following the inside story of the police investigation.

Writer Stephen Butchard says: “These five young women, precious to their families, had heart, ambition and potential; until an event or events, one wrong turn, one chance meeting, led them into the world of heroin and crack. Their dependency on these drugs facilitated their easy exploitation and led them to the street.

“Our hope is that this drama provides a glimpse of the real girls their families knew, and also leads to further debate on the impact of drugs and sex industries upon every town, every city in this country… and what action is, or isn’t, being taken.”

Kate Harwood, Controller, BBC Drama Series & Serials, adds: “Poignant, human and unflinching, Five Daughters sensitively tells the tragic story of the impact of five terrible murders on a small community, but most of all on five families.”