Oxford Mail

On this day:

• Youth centre party to ‘unite the community’

  A KIDLINGTON youth centre will host a festive celebration later this month that aims to bring the whole community together. read more

• Police appeal for help to find missing Jayden Parkinson

  POLICE have tonight issued an appeal to find a girl missing for the past week. read more

• Cyclists asked to slow up if pedestrians are coming

  CYCLISTS who use the Devil’s Backbone to travel between South Hinksey and South Oxford are being urged to be considerate. read more

• Children get a preview of the new swimming pool

  BLACKBIRD Leys youngsters were treated to a sneak peak around the site of the estate’s new £9.23m swimming pool. read more

• Expansion bid for garden cafe could boost skills too

  A COMMUNITY garden is looking to expand its cafe to make it available for more regular use. read more

• Huge backing for new Waitrose, claims chain

  DEVELOPERS behind a new supermarket in West Oxford say they have had almost unanimous support for their proposal. read more

• New SEAT dealership opens

  Car retailer Hartwell has opened a Seat dealership at the Oxford Motor Park in Kidlington. read more

• Council approves plans to build 12 homes

  Plans to demolish a building in Littlemore, Oxford, and replace it with 12 homes have been approved. read more

• Council given £29k to improve air quality

  South Oxfordshire District Council has been given £29,000 to improve air quality. read more

• Car park turn for a sandwich cost family £60

  A FAMILY are fuming after a sandwich cost them £60 because they used a private car park to turn around in. read more

• Celebrating century of city life on the buses

  WHEN William Morris created Oxford’s first bus service on December 5, 1913, he completely changed city life in one fell swoop, a trait that he was later to become renowned for. read more

• Traders upset over build on St Clement's car park told to think of the future

  TRADERS in East Oxford have been told to look to the long-term benefits of student flats being built over the St Clement’s car park. read more

• PATRICK JOSEPH MARTIN

  enchaned liting read more

• New group will focus on future sports facilities

  A NEW working party has been formed to look into Witney’s sporting facilities after a town council meeting. read more

• Officers recommend giving approval to new art school

  PLANS for a new school of art in East Oxford are being backed by city council officers. read more

• Have a nice chat over your food at new Talking Lunch social group

  A NEW lunch club has been launched in Sandford-on-Thames near Oxford. read more

• MP tells Commons of "urgent" A34 need

  “URGENT” investment in the A34 has been called for in Parliament by an Oxford MP. read more

• Oxford father of missing man in Vancouver appeals for help

  AN OXFORD father has made a heartfelt plea to the public, as the search continues for his missing son Tom Billings (pictured) read more

• Monday December 16: Win a Christmas Hamper from Delteys Supermarket

  Deltey’s Supermarket Your local Nisa store, Blackbird leys Oxford read more

• Saturday December 14: 2 for 1 smoothies at Boost Juice Bar

  Get twice as ‘elfy this Christmas! read more

• Friday December 13: Coffee and a mince pie for £2 at Chomsky's Cafe!

  Coffee and Mince Pie for £2 at Chomsky's Cafe read more

• Thursday December 12: £5 off when you spend £30 at Budgens, Abingdon

  £5 off when you spend £30 read more

• It’s ‘veni, vidi, vici’ time as Latin dictionary is finished

  AFTER a century of work, academics at Oxford have finally completed a monumental Latin dictionary. read more

• Wednesday Decenber 11: FREE chips with every fish at Posh Fish, Headington

  Free chips with every fish! read more

• Nothing Pointless about Alexander Armstrong's Bampton church reading

  TV presenter Alexander Armstrong read a spooky Christmas tale in Bampton at a concert to raise funds for a children’s charity. read more

• New video tells drinkers to avoid a sorry Christmas Tale

  PUBLIC health officials are urging festive revellers in Oxfordshire to know their limits as the countdown to Christmas gets under way. read more

• Oxford United fans' discussion

  Have your say on all the main talking points at Oxford United in our 60-minute interactive discussion for supporters. read more

• Genetics lecturer Alison Woollard chosen for prestigious TV talks

  AN OXFORD scientist will use worms and chihuahuas to help explain life’s mysteries after being asked to deliver the prestigious Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. read more

• Appeal to help find missing teenager Sammy McAllister

  Police are worried about the health of a missing teenage boy thought to be in the city. read more

• A number of concerns over supermarket plans

  I CANNOT believe that after all this time Tesco’s has decided to start work on the Friar pub in Marston. I have been informed that work will commence in February, ready for an August opening. read more

• Traders and customers also need a helping hand

  IT MAY be the season of goodwill but not to all mankind if you are Oxford’s Labour-controlled city council. read more

• Perhaps schools should start at a different time

  THE daily traffic queues in and around towns and cities are exacerbated due to poor time schedules. read more

• Dangerous pavements need to be sorted out

  I AM writing to express my disappointment and concern at the condition of pavements in Oxford town centre. In particular around the corner of George Street. read more

• Some care homes are doing amazing work

  I am writing concerning care homes. We constantly see in the press how nurses and health workers do not care anymore. As a nurse working for the NHS it is so sad to read. read more

• Future generations will realise the enormity of this decision on Oxford

  I am writing concerning the Port Meadow buildings. The winter newsletter from the Oxford Preservation Trust contains as usual much of interest. One thing that struck me was a statement made on page 7: “The Port Meadow buildings will not be lowered, despite the campaigners’ best efforts.” read more

• You can never be too careful around trucks says our voice of cycling

  The spate of cyclist deaths in London in November has been the talk of the town here too. There was shock and disbelief as news of five cyclists being killed within 10 days sent shockwaves. News of a sixth death, all six within a fortnight, caused panic. read more

• Just two teams are still undefeated

  Five rounds into the present campaign and only two sides can boast 100 per cent winning records. read more

• ‘Downton’ village fights new homes

  DOCTORS and residents in the village where Downton Abbey is filmed have said its surgery cannot support hundreds of residents new homes could bring. read more

• Supporting Europe is the logical thing to do

  I am writing concerning a letter that appeared on December 5. read more

• Chris Wilder hails his Oxford United Cup kings

  CHRIS Wilder felt his Oxford United side got what they deserved as a double blitz saw off Wrexham to set up an FA Cup third-round trip to Charlton Athletic next month. read more

• RUGBY UNION: Seals goes out on a high as Quins batter Marlow

  SOUTH WEST 1 EAST read more

• Long delays after crash on eastern bypass

  Drivers are facing delays on the Oxford ring road after a crash on the eastern bypass. read more

• Prime Minister welcomes reprieve for children’s centres

  News that children’s services will be protected from closure in Oxfordshire has been welcomed by the Prime Minister. read more

• Helmet fetches record

  A signed helmet worn by F1 racing driver Sebastian Vettel sold at Bonham’s auction house in Shipton-on-Cherwell yesterday for a record price of £72,100. read more

• Teen arrested in connection with laser pen incident

  Police are warning of the dangers of laser pens after teenagers were seen shining a pen into people’s faces in Queen Street. read more

• Tributes to student, 20, found dead in a tent

  THE Oxford University student who was found dead in a tent in Port Meadow has been described as a kind young man who took great pleasure in helping people. read more

• COMMENT: A life of ease for all at Yellow Submarine

  YELLOW Submarine is a fine charity that does good work supporting people with learning disabilities. read more

• Spires Academy says goodbye to old science block

  A HEADTEACHER stepped out of the classroom and into a digger to help bulldoze an old science block. read more

• Old school desk gets music stars all signed up for disability charity

  IT WOULD be the best line-up for a school detention. read more

• Group to hand in petition against centre plans

  CAMPAIGNERS are handing in their petition of more than 2,000 signatures against the £100m plans to redevelop West Way shopping centre tomorrow. read more