A leading animal charity is calling for an urgent review of the conditions endured by farm animals. The RSPCA says outbreaks of foot and mouth disease, BSE and swine fever have focused attention on farming methods and animal welfare. The charity wants
Members of an Abingdon canoe club are preparing to embark for France and the white water challenge of a lifetime. Nine members of the Kingfisher Canoe Club in Abingdon will leave on Friday, May 24, for the Alps and a "white water" challenge against their
Motorist Paul Magee failed to stop at a Give Way sign and collided with a Mercedes at crossroads, magistrates heard. At Didcot court, he was fined £250 with eight penalty points for failing to stop and give particulars after the crash, and £150 for careless
People fed up with party politics, but still keen to exercise their democratic right to vote, have an electronic alternative. The grassroots campaigning group No Spin is inviting the electorate to register their disapproval and call for more emphasis
A student has won the right to take Oxford University to court over claims it racially discriminated against him because he is Asian. Hertford College student Nadeem Ahmed, 33, of Jericho, is claiming Oxford University discriminated against him when he
A residential home for adults with learning difficulties has received £650 thanks to a new sewage scheme. Staff at Thames Water Utilities and contractor Gleeson held collections to thank Stowford House in Shippon, near Abingdon, for its co-operation on
Kennington 2nd XI skipper Colin Bowerman won't forget his first game in charge for a long time. Bowerman, 44, led the side into their OCA League Division 7 game at home to Shrivenham 2nd on Saturday and was asked to bat after losing the toss. Half an
Beer-lovers will be able to sample 23 real ales from around the country at Standlake's fifth annual beer festival on Saturday. Entertainment will be provided by The Sealed Knot, whose members will perform a drill display in full seventeenth century costume
Tennis players celebrated the official opening of three new artificial courts at their village club. Top TV sports producer Martin Hopkins cut the ribbon to officially open the Shipton-under-Wychwood courts on Saturday (May 19). The £96,000 scheme, which
Five 15-year-old students from Carterton Community College have spent a week on the beat with Thames Valley Police as part of the college's work experience programme. Nichola Kennard, Simon Dishman, Zoe Walker, Michael Blythe and Maria Foulks are all
Thame Youth Theatre has been promised £4,900 a year for three years by South Oxfordshire District Council's community trust fund.
Those enroling in a 20th century poetry course will get an insight into the works of poets such as Thomas Hardy and Seamus Heaney. The eight-session Tuesday morning course will be held at the town's community education centre at Lord Williams's Lower
Green-fingered residents are preparing for the annual Thame In Bloom competition. The organising committee has several categories for prizes involving all aspects of the town. The competition was started 33 years ago by Thame In Bloom's chairman Len Webb
Artists, actors, musicians and photographers are gearing up for a major festival. The Wantage Summer Festival is a month-long season of arts events celebrating the town and surrounding area. This year's event,the sixth to have been staged, is expected
Bicester's team of 16 boys came fourth at the Westminster Lodge Stadium, St Albans, in their second match in Division Southern 2 North of the McDonalds Young Athletes League. The opposition came from Highgate, London Heathside, St Albans, Aylesbury, Watford
Newly-formed Oxford & Horspath CC have received a massive boost after securing a major sponsorship deal. The new club, who were founded this year by the merger of Oxford and Horspath cricket clubs, are being backed by Cowley-based Smith & Osman
Woodstock Harriers successfully defended both the senior and veteran team trophies at the 45th international Isle of Wight Marathon on Saturday. Regarded as one of the toughest marathon events in the UK calendar, the race runs from Ryde to Newport, through
A record 914 finishers completed two laps of the Silverstone Formula 1 circuit this year in the annual 10K. Witney Roadrunner Jerry McCarthy finished an excellent 16th in 33.25 in a high-quality field which saw the course record broken in a time of 29.26
Two fire crews from Bicester put out a car fire on the southbound carriageway of the M40 between the Ardley and Wendlebury exits.
Radley's A team gave an outstanding team performance to win their Southern League Division 1 match at Tooting Bec on Saturday. They amassed a remarkable 207 points, beating their rivals by 15 points. This victory now puts them in fourth place in the Division
People fed up with party politics, but still keen to exercise their democratic right to vote, have an electronic alternative. The grassroots campaigning group No Spin is inviting the electorate to register their disapproval and call for more emphasis
Loose forward Gerry Rushworth scored a brilliant last-minute try to seal a 26-18 win for Oxford Cavaliers at Ipswich Rhinos in Summer RL Conference Central Division. Ipswich built up an 18-0 half-time lead, but after the break, Oxford were utterly dominant
AFC Wallingford beat Walton Casuals 3-1 in the Courage Combined Counties League Premier Division on Tuesday night with goals came from Gary Stevens, Andy Shildrick and Pete Bryan.
An alternative therapy day was being held in Stonor Close today, organised by the South Oxfordshire Housing Association. Residents were able to try out a range of different therapies.
Audiences in fast-developing Didcot might be able to relate to a play being performed at the civic hall this week. Didcot Phoenix Drama Group is staging Willy Russell's One for the Road, about life in the 1980s on a new housing development. Jane and Roger
Millions of television viewers will tonight be asked to help trace a man wanted in connection with the murder of a former Oxfordshire woman. The case of Carol Evans, who was found dead in an outbuilding at her home, will feature on the BBC's Crimewatch
Formula One champion Michael Schumacher and Radiohead singer Thom Yorke are among those helping an Oxfordshire charity. The Ferrari driver has signed a team cap and Thom Yorke, who went to Abingdon School, a copy of the Oxford band's combined CD and book
Pupils at Banbury School played host to primary pupils. They spent the day designing and building battery-powered racing cars.
Police and licencees in Banbury are launching a poster campaign to alert people about the danger of 'spiked' drinks. The move follows ten reports of women becoming unwell during nights out, two of whom needed hospital treatment. Officers fear women could
Buyers of the new Honda Civic have good reason to feel they have gone up in the world. The five-door Swindon-built supermini is a little shorter but much taller than the previous model. Honda says it used an 'inside-out' approach to design the car, concentrating
Audiences in fast-developing Didcot might be able to relate to a play being performed at the civic hall this week. Didcot Phoenix Drama Group is staging Willy Russell's One for the Road, about life in the 1980s on a new housing development. The comedy
A ripple of heightened expectation flows through the auditorium as the audience prepare for a night of flesh-creeping horror at the Oxford Playhouse, writes Helen Peacocke. The theatre is currently being haunted by Susan Hill's The Woman in Black, adapted
Veteran athlete David Kuester is looking for sponsors to help him compete in the world veterans pentathlon championships in Australia. Kuester, 57, is hoping to fly out to the tournament in Brisbane in July and needs to raise around £1,700 to cover expenses
Andrew Wingfield Digby, the former Dorset captain, was making his debut for Oxfordshire Over 50s in their opening ECB 50-Plus Championship match of the season against Shropshire at Banbury today. A former Oxford Blue, Wingfield Digby now plays his club
The waft of boiled cabbage coming from the serving trolley in ward 7F was quite overwhelming. "Some vegetables don't regenerate very well," Trevor Payne, head of facilities, apologises. Regenerate, in non-catering speak, means travel and reheat, and as
A semblance of summer has arrived and new bikes are being wheeled out for display in the sunshine. After a cruise through country lanes and a blast along the B-roads, you arrive at your favourite bikers' gathering place and park your new pride and joy
Oxfordshire MEP Chris Huhne has been visiting businesses in Wantage in support of Liberal Democrat candidate Nigel Fawcett. The two men had lunch with members of Wantage Chamber of Commerce at The Bear Hotel to discuss local economic issues. Mr Huhne,
Being a marine detective is the aim of a children's workshop, "Commotion in the Ocean" at Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Held between 2pm and 4pm on Wednesday, May 30, and Thursday, May 31, the workshops in the museum in Parks Road, are
Flood defence experts have been meeting in Wallingford to review the latest developments in protection techniques. The water engineering company HR Wallingford hosted the Flood Protection Update, an event that was attended by scientists and engineers
A wildlife group is pushing for city council planning guidelines to preserve a rare habitat. An ecological assessment of the grounds of Milham Ford School in Harberton Mead, New Marston, Oxford, will be considered at an Oxford City Council planning committee
Eight organisations have penned a hard-hitting letter to parliamentary candidates in Oxford demanding their views on a scheme to privatise city hospital buildings. The letter asks contenders for the two city seats - Oxford West/Abingdon and Oxford East
A student has won the right to take Oxford University to court over claims it racially discriminated against him because he is Asian. Hertford College student Nadeem Ahmed, 33, of Jericho, is claiming Oxford University discriminated against him when he
Former employees of a department store could be eligible for a grant to help them through hard times. From 1991 to 1996, Owen Owen had a branch in the Westgate Centre, Oxford. Former employees, who worked full or part-time, and their dependants could
Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan returned to his former Oxford college as part of an official visit to Britain. The Prince started his visit yesterday with a tour of Merton College, where he met tutors and students. He studied at the college for a post
Christmas illuminations for Oxford city centre have been given the go-ahead, after last year's failure to provide any festive lights. The city council agreed to contribute £23,000 towards the cost of this years lights and about £10,000 is now being sought
Two new credit card scams involving cashpoints are claiming victims in Oxford, police have revealed. Officers are aware of at least six cases of people having money stolen by fraudsters using distraction tactics or devices fitted into cashpoint machines
A wildlife group is pushing for city council planning guidelines to preserve a rare habitat. An ecological assessment of the grounds of Milham Ford School in Harberton Mead, New Marston, Oxford, will be considered at an Oxford City Council planning committee
A burglar was arrested after he fell asleep in the building he had broken into. Nikki Duncan, prosecuting, told Oxford Crown Court Santiago Taboada, 19, broke into Unipart House, Cowley, where he damaged a prefab building. She said: "An employee from
Kennington 2nd XI skipper Colin Bowerman won't forget his first game in charge for a long time. Bowerman, 44, led the side into their OCA League Division 7 game at home to Shrivenham 2nd on Saturday and was asked to bat after losing the toss. Half an
Pupils from two schools paraded at the start of an afternoon of dancing. The tradition started at the turn of the century and has taken place at Church Green, Witney, every year since, apart from the war years. Pupils enjoy a dance in the sun About 300
A nationwide survey of people attending Christian services on Sundays has revealed Oxfordshire to be a comparatively devout part of Britain. The latest figures, compiled by Dr Peter Brierley, a former Cabinet Office statistician, revealed 7.8 per cent
Eleven patients waiting for urgent operations at Oxfordshire hospitals have been turned away for treatment in the last two months. For two of the patients, it was the second time their surgery had been cancelled because of bed shortages at the John Radcliffe
Kennington 2nd XI skipper Colin Bowerman won't forget his first game in charge for a long time. Bowerman, 44, led the side into their OCA League Division 7 game at home to Shrivenham 2nd on Saturday and was asked to bat after losing the toss. Half an
Radley Ladies turned out for a second time in two days for their McDonalds Premier Division meeting at Southampton and produced a magnificent effort to take first place from Windsor, Slough & Eton. From the start, it was a quality match with some
Radley's A team gave an outstanding team performance to win their Southern League Division 1 match at Tooting Bec on Saturday. They amassed a remarkable 207 points, beating their rivals by 15 points. This victory now puts them in fourth place in the Division
Thames Valley Police has admitted for the first time that its traffic officers are given monthly targets for handing out speeding tickets. Supt Norman Bartlett, head of the force's traffic department, has set each of his 240 officers a target of issuing
Members of a camera club were in the frame for a three-day exhibition when more than 100 of their prints were on display. It was Abingdon and District Camera Club's first public display in ten years, held in the Guildhall, and featured work by its 25
A printing manager was caught "with his fingers in the till" to the tune of £4,867, magistrates heard. Jason Fox, 33, of Well Cottage, High Street, Drayton St Leonard, was project manager at PPL, Market Place, Abingdon, until he was sacked when it was
Budding young journalists at a junior school are breathing new life into their school newspaper after it went out of print. Caldecott Junior School's Caldecott News is back in circulation after a lapse of nearly two years and copies are being snapped
Five 15-year-old students from Carterton Community College have spent a week on the beat with Thames Valley Police as part of the college's work experience programme. Nichola Kennard, Simon Dishman, Zoe Walker, Michael Blythe and Maria Foulks are all
Fire crews were called when a horse got its head stuck in a gate next to the river bridge on the ring road. A vet sedated the horse and the gate was lifted so the animal could be removed.
Flood defence experts have been meeting in Wallingford to review the latest developments in protection techniques. The water engineering company HR Wallingford hosted the Flood Protection Update, an event that was attended by scientists and engineers
West Oxfordshire planners have agreed a planning brief for the business park on the new north east Carterton development.
All the candidates fighting the Witney parliamentary seat have been invited to an election public meeting at Woodstock Community Centre on Tuesday May 29 at 7.30pm. The former Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev David Shepherd, has agreed to be chairman.
A riding for the disabled centre is back in business after being closed due to foot and mouth controls. The New Yatt RDA, based at North Leigh, is resuming horse riding lessons for more than 50 children and adults a week. The centre has received another
Pupils from two schools paraded at the start of an afternoon of dancing. The tradition started at the turn of the century and has taken place at Church Green, Witney, every year since, apart from the war years. Pupils enjoy a dance in the sun About 300
A man sexually abused three girls while they were growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a court was told. Paul Miles, 42, of Woodstock Road, Witney, denies two charges of rape, five charges of indecent assault and one of gross indecency between
A small group of rail passengers who use village halts to commute to and from work face going home an hour later. Thames Trains is applying to the Strategic Rail Authority to cut the 5.22pm service from Oxford on the Cotswold Line and replace it with
Witney FC chairman Brian Constable has accused a police chief of "acting like God" in his reponse to its controversial plan for a late-night party. Mr Constable criticised Insp Derek Nation over comments he made in response to the club's application for
Oxfordshire MEP Chris Huhne has been visiting businesses in Wantage in support of Liberal Democrat candidate Nigel Fawcett. The two men had lunch with members of Wantage Chamber of Commerce at The Bear Hotel to discuss local economic issues. Mr Huhne,
Loose forward Gerry Rushworth scored a brilliant last-minute try to seal a 26-18 win for Oxford Cavaliers at Ipswich Rhinos in Summer RL Conference Central Division. Ipswich built up an 18-0 half-time lead, but after the break, Oxford were utterly dominant
Oxford City came last in their Southern Women's League meeting at Havant, yet despite that, there were some noteworthy performances. In the under 15s, Martin had personal bests in the 800m in a time of 2.56.1, and javelin with her throw of 17.44m. Among
Radley Ladies B team went to High Wycombe for their second Southern League Division 3 meeting of the season and in a hard-fought competition, they came away with ten personal bests and second place overall. There were some outstanding efforts, with Hannah
Radley Ladies turned out for a second time in two days for their McDonalds Premier Division meeting at Southampton and produced a magnificent effort to take first place from Windsor, Slough & Eton. From the start, it was a quality match with some
Police are still no nearer discovering what caused a gas explosion at a house in Bicester more than two weeks ago. Father-of-five Andrew Rushton, 36, received severe facial burns in the blast at the family home in Manzel Road, Caversfield on May 7. His
Roger Cotterell showed his premiership pedigree when scoring 14 dolls for Kennington SC in Section 11 of the Morrells Oxford and District League. Cotterell clanged off 4, 4, 6 to clinch a 2-1 victory over Star Eynsham. Nine dolls from Section 7's top
Oxford City came last in their Southern Women's League meeting at Havant, yet despite that, there were some noteworthy performances. In the under 15s, Martin had personal bests in the 800m in a time of 2.56.1, and javelin with her throw of 17.44m. Among
Oxford City chalked up no fewer than 30 first positions and 15 personal bests as they took second place in their McDonalds Boys League meeting. Athlete of the match was James Wilson who came first in the Under 13 800m in a time of 2.28.6, a Grade 2 standard
Veteran athlete David Kuester is looking for sponsors to help him compete in the world veterans pentathlon championships in Australia. Kuester, 57, is hoping to fly out to the tournament in Brisbane in July and needs to raise around £1,700 to cover expenses
South Oxfordshire District Council has rejected plans to extend Ladygrove pub in Cow Lane to create an additional dining area.
A man sexually abused three girls while they were growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a court was told. Paul Miles, 42, of Woodstock Road, Witney, denies two charges of rape, five charges of indecent assault and one of gross indecency between
The threat of another postal strike in Oxfordshire has been averted after an agreement was struck between workers and the Royal Mail. Members of the Oxfordshire branch of the Communication Workers Union have withdrawn their request for a ballot calling
A nationwide survey of people attending Christian services on Sundays has revealed Oxfordshire to be a comparatively devout part of Britain. The latest figures, compiled by Dr Peter Brierley, a former Cabinet Office statistician, revealed 7.8 per cent
Christmas illuminations for Oxford city centre have been given the go-ahead, after last year's failure to provide any festive lights. The city council agreed to contribute £23,000 towards the cost of this years lights and about £10,000 is now being sought
Plans for six new classrooms at The Warriner School, Bloxham are to be discussed by county councillors today. Members of Oxfordshire County Council's education management committee are expected to approve to the £534,000 project. The new classrooms will
A pensioners' shopping bus that had been threatened by council cuts has been saved. The B7 Banbury service, which runs from Bretch Hill through Poets Corner to the town centre and Grimsbury, is mainly used by the elderly who have no other means of transport
A Conservative candidate is seeking reassurances from Oxfordshire Health Authority that Chipping Norton ambulance station will not close. David Cameron, who is standing for election in the Witney constituency, said: "I understand the health authority
Car headrests at the wrong height are costing Britain more than £2bn a year in whiplash injuries, says the RAC Foundation. Painful neck injuries from road accidents are caused when headrests fail to protect the neck, the organisation said. Its national
Road safety could be revolutionised by a car night-vision system that can detect people and animals at a greater distance than conventional headlights. In cars, the heat-seeking infra-red beam could be used alongside headlights to alert drivers sooner
The new Maverick is Ford's entry into the UK's fast-growing compact sports utility vehicle segment. The vehicle has been designed for customers across the world and will be sold in more than 150 countries. It was first launched in the US as the Ford Escape
Kirtlington ran riot in extra time to beat a Lord Jersey Representative side 5-0 in the Derrick Allen Cup final on their home ground. Tom Green (2), Chris Please, Matthew Moore and Matthew Tarry starred in Kirtlington's late show as they clinched victory
People fed up with party politics, but still keen to exercise their democratic right to vote, have an electronic alternative. The grassroots campaigning group No Spin is inviting the electorate to register their disapproval and call for more emphasis
A Conservative candidate is seeking reassurances from Oxfordshire Health Authority that Chipping Norton ambulance station will not close. David Cameron, who is standing for election in the Witney constituency, said: "I understand the health authority
Beer-lovers will be able to sample 23 real ales from around the country at Standlake's fifth annual beer festival on Saturday. Entertainment will be provided by The Sealed Knot, whose members will perform a drill display in full seventeenth century costume
More than 250 visitors attended the Banbury Job Fair at Bodicote Rugby Club yesterday (tuesday). Sponsored by the Oxford Mail, the all-day event was attended by 18 local businesses and recruitment agencies. The next Banbury Job Fair is planned for October
Two new credit card scams involving cashpoints are claiming victims in Oxford, police have revealed. Officers are aware of at least six cases of people having money stolen by fraudsters using distraction tactics or devices fitted into cashpoint machines
A small group of rail passengers who use village halts to commute to and from work face going home an hour later. Thames Trains is applying to the Strategic Rail Authority to cut the 5.22pm service from Oxford on the Cotswold Line and replace it with
A burglar was arrested after he fell asleep in the building he had broken into. Nikki Duncan, prosecuting, told Oxford Crown Court Santiago Taboada, 19, broke into Unipart House, Cowley, where he damaged a prefab building. She said: "An employee from
Being a marine detective is the aim of a children's workshop, "Commotion in the Ocean" at Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Held between 2pm and 4pm on Wednesday, May 30, and Thursday, May 31, the workshops in the museum in Parks Road, are
People living on Oxford's Blackbird Leys estate have been promised a parking scheme to prevent an influx of fans driving to the new Oxford United stadium. The last game has been played at the club's Manor Ground in Headington and the team will start next
Millions of television viewers will tonight be asked to help trace a man wanted in connection with the murder of a former Oxfordshire woman. The case of Carol Evans, who was found dead in an outbuilding at her home, will feature on the BBC's Crimewatch
Witney FC chairman Brian Constable has accused a police chief of "acting like God" in his reponse to its controversial plan for a late-night party. Mr Constable criticised Insp Derek Nation over comments he made in response to the club's application for
Woodstock Harriers successfully defended both the senior and veteran team trophies at the 45th international Isle of Wight Marathon on Saturday. Regarded as one of the toughest marathon events in the UK calendar, the race runs from Ryde to Newport, through
A record 914 finishers completed two laps of the Silverstone Formula 1 circuit this year in the annual 10K. Witney Roadrunner Jerry McCarthy finished an excellent 16th in 33.25 in a high-quality field which saw the course record broken in a time of 29.26
Green-fingered residents are preparing for the annual Thame In Bloom competition. The organising committee has several categories for prizes involving all aspects of the town. The competition was started 33 years ago by Thame In Bloom's chairman Len Webb
Members of an Abingdon canoe club are preparing to embark for France and the white water challenge of a lifetime. Nine members of the Kingfisher Canoe Club in Abingdon will leave on Friday, May 24, for the Alps and a "white water" challenge against their
Members of a camera club were in the frame for a three-day exhibition when more than 100 of their prints were on display. It was Abingdon and District Camera Club's first public display in ten years, held in the Guildhall, and featured work by its 25
As summer approaches, the Meningitis Research Foundation is appealing for people in Oxfordshire to celebrate Midsummer from June 21-24 with fundraising activities. The charity has produced a 'midsummer madness' fundraising pack encouraging people to raise
A leading animal charity is calling for an urgent review of the conditions endured by farm animals. The RSPCA says outbreaks of foot and mouth disease, BSE and swine fever have focused attention on farming methods and animal welfare. The charity wants
Radley Ladies B team went to High Wycombe for their second Southern League Division 3 meeting of the season and in a hard-fought competition, they came away with ten personal bests and second place overall. There were some outstanding efforts, with Hannah
