Archive

  • Stormy time at troubled biotech firm

    STORMY scenes erupted at troubled drug development firm British Biotech's annual meeting. A series of investors called on the Cowley-based firm to drop its legal action against former research chief Andrew Millar. Chairman John Raisman said the company

  • GPs issue flu jab plea

    GPs have issued a special plea for people aged 75 and over to have jabs against Asian flu. It follows a Government decision to extend for the first time this year the categories of patients recommended for flu jabs. Immunisation is recommended for those

  • Chemical spillage alert for villagers

    A chemical spillage alert which led to a village being virtually sealed off was caused by a farmer spilling dairy waste on the road. Fire crews, police and environmental protection officers all rushed to Horspath after reports of a chemical spillage,

  • Man denies sex attacks on girl, 11

    A young girl was raped and indecently assaulted over a period of a year, a court heard today. Jan Lawrykiewicz, 35, of Mereland Road, Didcot, stood charged at Oxford Crown Court today with two counts of rape and two of indecent assault in Bampton between

  • Inquest told of mystery collision

    Scaffolder Michael Miller died when he crashed his motorbike into a van after driving the wrong way round a roundabout. The divorced 38-year-old, of Queensway, Didcot, braked hard and tried to avoid the Peugeot 305 van but he fell on to it and suffered

  • Road ragers put cyclists at risk

    Motorists who take out their frustrations by shouting and sounding their horns at cyclists can actually endanger the lives of bike users, it is claimed. Margaret Meadows White and her husband Spencer, who both own bikes as well as a car, have been verbally

  • Report praises ambulance turnaround

    Oxfordshire's ambulance service has been voted third best in England and Wales - and a Government review promises to improve performance further. It marks a dramatic turnaround for the service, which just four years ago was voted the second worst. The

  • Reserves crash at Pompey

    Portsmouth Res 4, Oxford Utd Res 1 DEFENSIVE errors cost United's Reserves once again after they dominated last night's Avon Insurance Combination game at Fratton Park but crashed to defeat. In the first minute, Brian Wilsterman's poor back pass resulted

  • Thomas signs for the Sky Blues - aged nine

    Thomas Roberts has the world at his feet after being signed up by Premiership soccer club Coventry City, writes PAUL WARNER. The truly remarkable thing is that he's only nine years old. The former Bicester Colts player was facing the likes of Bardwell

  • Stand-up Caroline's aiming for the big time

    Caroline Quinlan has had people rolling in the aisles since she decided to pursue a comedy career. KATHERINE MacALISTER reports... It's one of the hazards of the job, according to Caroline Quinlan. "When people find out I'm a comedian they always say,

  • All in the genes?

    Researchers in Oxford are looking for volunteers for a project to learn if there is a genetic basis for left-handedness - and whether it affects intelligence and personality. Health reporter KAREN ROSINE found out more... The big question puzzling scientists

  • On the elusive Virgin trail...

    ...or how I finally got to talk to a top tycoon, by GEORGE FREW You get to interview Richard Branson only after your fingertips are bloody from punching in legions of phone calls and your patience is stretched thinner than Oxford United's back four. Still

  • Havoc by joyriders

    Joyriders caused more havoc for a troubled estate when they crashed into a wall this morning. They sped around the Horspath Road maisonettes in Oxford three times last night, swearing and shouting and leaving behind a thick black cloud of exhaust fumes

  • Mum's fury at sentence for crash driver

    Angry mum Kim Charlton has lashed out at the sentence given to her daughter's boyfriend for the death crash that killed her. Andrew Northover, 20, was given 50 hours' community service and a year's driving ban after being convicted of dangerous driving

  • Driver in fatal A44 smash named

    A van driver who died in a three-vehicle smash near Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, was named today. Christopher Haines, 56, of Woodstock Road, Begbroke, was driving his Nissan van towards Oxford along the A44 when the accident happened. A Peugeot 205 and

  • Sad divorcee took overdose

    DIvorced Pauline Stringer, who never got over the shock of her husband leaving her for her sister, was found dead from an overdose. The unemployed shop assistant, 44, of Girdlestone Road, Headington, had tried to take her own life many times in the past

  • Olive's in pole position again!

    Olive Burnard, once renowned for her fondness for being at the head of the queue when new shops opened, found herself in pole position again - to celebrate her 100th birthday. No self-respecting store, be it Woolworths, Marks & Spencer or Boots, used

  • Union attack on plans to recruit nurses

    Nursing unions have criticised a plan to spend an extra £50m to tackle staff shortages - because no new pay rises have been promised. Health minister Alan Milburn yesterday unveiled the new scheme to deal with crippling nursing shortages - but none of

  • Cheetahs pipped in thrilling finale

    Oxford 44, Ipswich 46 OXFORD Cheetahs provided an exciting finale to a disappointing season when they just missed out against the Elite Speedway League champions Ipswich in a superb night's racing at Oxford Stadium. In the end, the Witches proved to be

  • Branson: Why it's no to United

    OXFORD United fans harbouring slender hopes that tycoon Richard Branson might emerge as the saviour of the cash-strapped club have had their hopes dashed. The Virgin chief said he had no plans to become involved with the U's "in the forseeable future.

  • Back on our feet again

    Whatever the level of your disability, there's an exercise suited to you. FIONA TARRANT and GEMMA SIMMS talk to two women whose lives have been changed... Vivien Davies lost all her energy when she was struck down with multiple sclerosis. But the ancient