Artist Suzanne O'Driscoll shows off her latest creation - a floral display on a roundabout. The flower bed, at the junction of Oxford and Dunmore Roads and Twelve Acre Drive, Abingdon, contains 6,000 plants, and will be seen by thousands of motorists
A £800,000 expansion programme to create more beds has been unveiled by the John Masefield Cheshire Home, Burcot, near Abingdon - and thanks to a legacy the home will have to raise only a quarter of the cost. The home has seventeen residents from the
Nearly 600 pupils from schools across Oxfordshire will face each other on an army assault course today (Monday) as part of an army schools challenge. St George's Barracks, Bicester, will host the event on Monday with the aim of giving students an insight
Lugging oxygen cylinders around and carrying laundry were demanding tasks for a health chief as he experienced life on the front line. Martin Avis, who chairs the South West Primary Care Trust, tried his hand at portering duties at the Abingdon Community
Students at Oxford Brookes University have protested against plans to introduce a semester system that they claim could leave them with less cash. About 50 students took part in the demonstration on Friday. They claim evening and weekend lectures could
A pub landlord and his assistant have caught a suspected thief breaking into cars at a garage opposite their pub. Mark Day, licensee of the Mount Bay Inn in Nuneham Courtenay, was taking his dogs out for a walk at about 11.45pm on Friday night after he
The body of former model Harriet Boyd was found at her Wallingford home after her worried mother contacted the police. Heather Clarke, who lives in Cornwall, alerted them when she had not heard from her daughter for a week. Police forced their way into
Builders who are door-knocking in the Wallingford area have been accused of charging a 76-year-old man nearly £6,000 for work valued at a quarter of the price. Nicola Williams, of Port Isaac in Cornwall, said her father Patrick, who lives in Wallingford
Champions Banbury at last returned to winning ways on Saturday, defeating lowly Radlett by six wickets in the Home Counties Premier League. On a seaming wicket, Oxfordshire paceman Ian 'Grizzly' Adams accounted for three of the home side's top four as
Judges from the Britain in Bloom competition will be touring Carterton on Friday, July 6.
David Taylor's love affair with the National Club Championship propelled Banbury into the last 16 at the expense of a Knowle & Dorridge side currently lying fifth in the Birmingham League. Taylor was in devastating form as he hammered a brilliant
Woodstock is to get a new youth worker to keep youngsters out of trouble. The town previously had a youth worker who worked one evening a week but the new part-time job is for someone who will be available to take youngsters for five sessions a week.
Students from Thame are all set to head for the hills, mountains and villages of northern Argentina. The 38 pupils from Lord Williams's School will split into three groups, organise their own journeys, buy food from local markets and work on community
A former Oxfordshire footballer has been jailed for dangerous driving after colliding with a police car in a busy car park. Former Thame United player Jefferson Louis, 22, who had been disqualified from driving, jumped into a brook to try and escape capture
A biker was taken to hospital and two others injured when a car was in collision with the back markers on a 300-strong parade. The accident happened on the B4009 Lower Icknield Way as riders involved in the Chinnor Bike Day rode into the village. Off-duty
Matt Floyd led Oxford University's challenge on the second day of the four-day Varsirty Match at Fenner's. Replying to Cambridge's first-innings 296, opener Floyd hit an unbeaten 82 as the Dark Blues replied with 194-5. There was little to excite the
Michael Schumacher cruised to the 50th victory of his career in the French Grand Prix as David Coulthard's title hopes suffered another massive blow. The German triumphed by just over ten seconds in his Ferrari to extend his lead over fourth-placed Coulthard
Champions Banbury at last returned to winning ways on Saturday, defeating lowly Radlett by six wickets in the Home Counties Premier League. On a seaming wicket, Oxfordshire paceman Ian 'Grizzly' Adams accounted for three of the home side's top four as
Oxford's switch to St Catherine's College failed to provide a change of fortune as they came off second best in a drawn encounter against bottom club Wolverton. Skipper Rupert Evans's ploy in inserting the visitors backfired as a lethargic display in
Veteran midfielder Chris Fontaine has turned down the chance to be Abingdon Town's club captain to have another crack at helping Thame United win promotion from Ryman League Division 1. The 37-year-old topped ambitious Abingdon's list of summer transfer
Keith Mustow hit his fourth Minor Counties Championship century for Oxfordshire as they took control on the opening day of their three-day clash with Wales at Swansea's famous old St Helen's Ground. The Oxford & Horspath opener made a classy 110 out
Nearly 600 pupils from schools across Oxfordshire will face each other on an army assault course today (Monday) as part of an army schools challenge. St George's Barracks, Bicester, will host the event on Monday with the aim of giving students an insight
Oxfordshire clubs have been kept apart in the early rounds of next season's FA Cup, the draw for which has been issued. Oxford City, who reached the first round proper two years ago, are drawn away to Redhill from Surrey. COMPETITION DRAWS FA CUP Prelim
A best pub competition in memory of Ted Payne, who started the Oxford Mail pub quizzes, is under way again. Pubs in 20 villages in the Thame and Bicester areas can enter the contest, sponsored by Aylesbury Vale District Council. Mr Payne was a member
Matt Floyd led Oxford University's challenge on the second day of the four-day Varsirty Match at Fenner's. Replying to Cambridge's first-innings 296, opener Floyd hit an unbeaten 82 as the Dark Blues replied with 194-5. There was little to excite the
Launton are to reform after a year in the wilderness under new manager, Robert Dick. Dick, who had a successful spell at Ardley, takes charge of the side who re-assemble. The club have been accepted into Division 1 of the Oxfordshire Senior League, and
A ram-raid at Oxford's Clarendon Centre was not reported until ten minutes after the attack took place, police said. Three men in a stolen dark green Austin Maestro drove through a plate-glass door at the back of the centre, which is under constant CCTV
Oxford Sikhs have asked the city council to provide them with land on which they can build a temple. Sikh leaders say the city should give them the same help it gave the Muslim community, which was sold land at a reduced price for the construction of
Families are preparing to host the second - and possibly last - holiday-of-a-lifetime for children still suffering from the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 15 years ago. Unless a new chairman can be found for the Medicine and Chernobyl committee
A 17-year-old girl was indecently assaulted in bushes at University Parks, Oxford, on Sunday afternoon. The victim was approached by a man who exposed himself before carrying out the assault between 3pm and 4.45pm. Police say the offender is a white,
St John Ambulance staff are celebrating the official opening of their new £550,000 county headquarters in Kidlington. The two-storey building also provides state-of-the-art training rooms where members of the public can take up St John Ambulance courses
The body of former model Harriet Boyd was found at her Wallingford home after her worried mother contacted the police. Heather Clarke, who lives in Cornwall, alerted them when she had not heard from her daughter for a week. Police forced their way into
All weekend cricket results for Oxfordshire sides June 30- July 1 MINOR COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP Western Division: Oxfordshire 376-4 dec (K Mustow 110, A Cook 70 no, R Hawkins 62) v Wales MC. _____________________ NATIONAL KO CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP Regional final
A community project in east Oxford is breaking down the generation gap. Full Circle runs lunchtime clubs at East Oxford First School where older volunteers and pupils share games and crafts, storytelling, gardening and music. Pictured are Rita Holden
There is good news in store for residents of Blackbird Leys with the announcement that a new shop is to be opened. A site next to the Pathway Project in Dunnock Way has been sold to provide a much-needed convenience store for the estate. The site was
The Blewbury Players' open-air summer production will be Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughansa from July 18-21. The Garden Opera Company will perform Mozart's The Magic Flute on August 26, when there will be a Champagne bar and interval picnic. Tickets for
Helen Peacocke enjoys a breath-taking performance by Corin Redgrave Corin Redgrave has taken centre stage to perform one of the most moving love letters ever written - and breathes life into every word. De Profundis was written by Oscar Wilde while he
Hugh Vickers sees the funny side of Goran Jarvefelt's production of Mozart's opera at the Apollol Theatre, Oxford Welsh National Opera is extremely lucky to preserve in its repertoire several productions by the late, great Swedish director Goran J"rvefelt
Helen Peacocke marvels at the style of Corin Redgrave at the Oxford Playhouse If you are terribly selective about what you see at the theatre and only go annually, as long as that visit is this week and the theatre you select is the Oxford Playhouse,
Jeannine Alton reflects on a sparkling Strauss success at Garsington Opera Stalwarts of the Garsington repertory are predictably Mozart, Haydn, Rossini, and less predictably, Richard Strauss. Recent years have brought us his excursions into Greek mythology
Launton are to reform after a year in the wilderness under new manager, Robert Dick. Dick, who had a successful spell at Ardley, takes charge of the side who re-assemble. The club have been accepted into Division 1 of the Oxfordshire Senior League, and
Keith Mustow hit his fourth Minor Counties Championship century for Oxfordshire as they took control on the opening day of their three-day clash with Wales at Swansea's famous old St Helen's Ground. The Oxford & Horspath opener made a classy 110 out
A summer programme to give south Oxfordshire children an active and action-packed sporting holiday has been devised by the district council. Coaching in cricket, hockey, tennis, golf, netball and soccer is available, and two week-long sports camps have
Science company AEA Technology has announced the sale of its nuclear consulting business to Serco. The Harwell-based group said it hoped to agree a deal within the next three months for close to £75m. It is part of a restructuring programme by the company
A former Oxfordshire footballer has been jailed for dangerous driving after colliding with a police car in a busy car park. Former Thame United player Jefferson Louis, 22, who had been disqualified from driving, jumped into a brook to try and escape capture
Local schoolchildren take to the stage in Spin Off at Oxford Town Hall. The show - which aims to demonstrate that love really makes the world go round - is the culmination of months of preparation by staff and pupils participating in the Littlemore Schools
Billionaire Sir Richard Branson has lent his support to two Thames Valley Police inspectors planning a charity cycle ride. Insp Pont, left, with Sir Richard, Martin Bryant and Paul Hayles Keen cyclists, Simon Pont and Paul Hayles, both inspectors at the
Hi-tech offensives are being planned to deter the thousands of motorists who drive off from Oxfordshire's petrol stations without paying each year. "Drive-offs", or bilkings as they are known by police, cost garages across the county thousands of pounds
A teenager was fined £240 and ordered to pay back £289.80 he obtained with a forged cheque. Thomas Jones presented the cheque at a cash exchange shop in Oxford on May 11 after it was stolen from a brief case in a pick-up truck. Shelley Cranshaw, prosecuting
Oxford'S streets are now covered by 21 cameras after its closed circuit television scheme was extended. Two new CCTV cameras cover Park End Street and a two more survey Worcester Street South. Since the first cameras were introduced in May 1999, there
A High Court judge will decide today whether Oxfordshire hospital authorities should pay the £200,000 costs of transferring a female killer from Broadmoor Hospital to a less secure unit. The 23-year-old, named only as 'T', was sent to the high security
Families are preparing to host the second - and possibly last - holiday-of-a-lifetime for children still suffering from the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 15 years ago. Unless a new chairman can be found for the Medicine and Chernobyl committee
Triplets Gillian, David and Helena have met for the first time after 69 years apart, thanks to a Wheatley-based agency. The 70-year-old Hodder triplets were separated soon after being born in 1932. Their mother died the day after they were born and their
A single mother and her child have been told they have little chance of being offered a council house after waiting for more than five years for one. Annette Clark, 25, and five-year-old Jake, have been forced to live with her parents, Rosy and Steve,
A new drive has been launched to encourage pupils from less advantaged areas to go to university. Oxford Brookes University staff and teachers from Peers Secondary School, Littlemore, Oxford, are brainstorming ideas on how to inspire more teenagers to
The new chairman of Oxfordshire County Council, Charles Shouler, plans to promote the local economy while protecting the environment. Mr Shouler, a retired farmer and former leader of the council's Conservative group, who represents the Bicester South
Raiders stole £1m worth of computer games and compact discs when they hijacked a lorry parked off the M40. The 34-year-old German driver was preparing to get into the truck's sleeping compartment when there was a knock on his window at 1.30am on Friday
Hi-tech offensives are being planned to deter the thousands of motorists who drive off from Oxfordshire's petrol stations without paying each year. "Drive-offs", or bilkings as they are known by police, cost garages across the county thousands of pounds
Veteran midfielder Chris Fontaine has turned down the chance to be Abingdon Town's club captain to have another crack at helping Thame United win promotion from Ryman League Division 1. The 37-year-old topped ambitious Abingdon's list of summer transfer
Proposals to force the Government to hold a public inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreak, which has devastated rural communities, have met a mixed response from affected county farmers and businesses. The Trading Standards Institute - the body of trading
Ramblers were allowed to return to footpaths across Oxfordshire this weekend after more than three months of closure following the foot and mouth crisis. The red signs put up by the county council to ban walkers from the county's 2,400 miles of footpaths
A crunch meeting over a pay dispute between union and management at BMW's Cowley plant will take place today, in the week that the new Mini goes on sale. The row centres on a new seven-grade pay structure for workers that BMW's German bosses want to introduce
Sheep farmers in Oxfordshire are being warned to be vigilant after the first reported case of blowfly in the county this year. Farmers in Bicester have reported cases of blowfly - maggots hatched from the eggs of greenbottle flies that eat the flesh of
A 17-year-old youth from Abingdon is facing custody after pleading guilty to two charges of arson. The youth, who is too young to be named, admitted the offences at Oxford Crown Court when he appeared on Friday. He pleaded guilty to an arson attack on
Students from an Oxfordshire school are all set to head for the hills, mountains and villages of northern Argentina. The 38 pupils from Thame will split into three groups, organise their own journeys, buy food from local markets and work on community
New MP David Cameron has called for the re-opening of the railway from Witney and attacked his predecessor, Shaun Woodward, in his maiden Commons speech. The Tory member for Witney said: "Witney itself was for years dominated by blankets, beer and its
A best pub competition in memory of Ted Payne, who started the Oxford Mail pub quizzes, is under way again. Pubs in 20 villages in the Thame and Bicester areas can enter the contest, sponsored by Aylesbury Vale District Council. Mr Payne was a member
Two major fundraising events to help the Watlington Hospital Appeal have been organised. The first, on July 15, is a charity fete at Adwell House which includes a display of Bugattis, boat trips, pony rides and a barbecue. The noon to 6pm event will also
Division 1 title contenders High Wycombe proved too strong for Bicester & North Oxford in Saturday's encounter, winning by five wickets. Batting first, several of the home side's batsmen got a start, but only Aussie opener Rod Davision and skipper
David Taylor's love affair with the National Club Championship propelled Banbury into the last 16 at the expense of a Knowle & Dorridge side currently lying fifth in the Birmingham League. Taylor was in devastating form as he hammered a brilliant
Oxford greyhound racing card for Tuesday, July 3 and all the weekend results - June 30 - July 1. Oxford card - July 3: 7.45 450m A7 Corries Lad...(Jim Morgan) Time Now...(Ian Wills) Carlys Return...(Angie Kibble) Nimble Dove 3...(Paddy Curtin) Johns Picture
Oxford's switch to St Catherine's College failed to provide a change of fortune as they came off second best in a drawn encounter against bottom club Wolverton. Skipper Rupert Evans's ploy in inserting the visitors backfired as a lethargic display in
Division 1 title contenders High Wycombe proved too strong for Bicester & North Oxford in Saturday's encounter, winning by five wickets. Batting first, several of the home side's batsmen got a start, but only Aussie opener Rod Davision and skipper
A woman has admitted assaulting a policeman as he tried to remove her child. Didcot magistrates heard that police were called to her home of Adriana Gribben, 25, at Appleford Drive, Abingdon, on June 25, after she had been drinking. Shelley Cranshaw,
Science company AEA Technology has announced the sale of its nuclear consulting business to Serco. The Harwell-based group said it hoped to agree a deal within the next three months for close to £75m. It is part of a restructuring programme by the company
A 17-year-old girl was indecently assaulted in bushes at University Parks, Oxford, on Sunday afternoon. The victim was approached by a man who exposed himself before carrying out the assault between 3pm and 4.45pm. Police say the offender is a white,
St John Ambulance staff are celebrating the official opening of their new £550,000 county headquarters in Kidlington. The two-storey building also provides state-of-the-art training rooms where members of the public can take up St John Ambulance courses
Dancing of all types, from morris to salsa, Charleston and tap, is being celebrated at the Kingham annual fete on the village green on Sunday, July 8, from noon to 5pm.
A giant mural will brighten the journeys of commuters from Banbury rail station. Chiltern Railways and Railtrack commissioned local artist Nigel Fletcher to create a giant mural on the walls of the newly-refurbished station. The acrylic painting portrays
The Princess Royal was today due to put on a hard hat and take the controls of a JCB digger in a west Oxfordshire village. She was visiting Kingham, near Chipping Norton, just before noon to perform a "turf-turning" ceremony to mark the start of the second
A father-of-two who began taking heroin after the break-up of a relationship has been jailed for three years after being caught with £95 worth of the drug. Neil Hannan, 32, of Jubilee Court, Banbury, denied dealing heroin but was convicted by a jury of
The Old Goal Theatre Company will be staging the famous Yorkshire comedy by JB Priestley When We are Married at the Unicorn Theatre, Abingdon, from Wednesday, July 4 until 7. All profits from this production will go to the Angus Mito Fund, which was set
World champion Mark Loram pulled off a superb victory over Polish ace Tomasz Gollob as Team Great Britain finished runners-up in ther first round of the inaugural World Team Cup in Gdansk, Poland, on Sunday, July 1. Gollob, the current leader in the Grand
Mark Wright was today set to make his third signing of the summer by bringing in a player nicknamed 'Psycho' to toughen up his Oxford United midfield. Described as "an abrasive and feisty midfielder", Martin Thomas was a fans' favourite at his main (last
North Leigh are busy making plans for what they hope will be their best season ever, one which could establish them as the leading club in West Oxfordshire, following Witney Town's demise The first-team management duo of Mark Gee and Dave Ebsworth have
Mark Wright was today set to make his third signing of the summer by bringing in a player nicknamed 'Psycho' to toughen up his Oxford United midfield. Described as "an abrasive and feisty midfielder", Martin Thomas was a fans' favourite at his main (last
Oxfordshire clubs have been kept apart in the early rounds of next season's FA Cup, the draw for which has been issued. Oxford City, who reached the first round proper two years ago, are drawn away to Redhill from Surrey. COMPETITION DRAWS FA CUP Prelim
Job fears at troubled autopart and distribution giant Unipart are set to ease this week thanks to a £28m contract in the pipeline from the Ministry of Defence. Spokesman for the MoD, Laurie Manton, said: "I can confirm that Unipart is the preferred bidder
Investors have pumped £8m into an Oxford company developing a potential treatment for breast cancer. Sterix, based at Oxford Science Park, specialises in design and discovery of new drugs derived from steroids. The £8m is from four venture capital companies
Oxford'S streets are now covered by 21 cameras after its closed circuit television scheme was extended. Two new CCTV cameras cover Park End Street and a two more survey Worcester Street South. Since the first cameras were introduced in May 1999, there
The new chairman of Oxfordshire County Council, Charles Shouler, plans to promote the local economy while protecting the environment. Mr Shouler, a retired farmer and former leader of the council's Conservative group, who represents the Bicester South
Artist Suzanne O'Driscoll shows off her latest creation - a floral display on a roundabout. The flower bed, at the junction of Oxford and Dunmore Roads and Twelve Acre Drive, Abingdon, contains 6,000 plants, and will be seen by thousands of motorists
An Oxford charity plans to employ more disabled people following the purchase of a Second World War wood chopping machine. The Pathway Sheltered Workshop in Dunnock Way, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, has spent £1,000 renovating a 1938 wood cutting machine,
A pub landlord and his assistant have caught a suspected thief breaking into cars at a garage opposite their pub. Mark Day, licensee of the Mount Bay Inn in Nuneham Courtenay, was taking his dogs out for a walk at about 11.45pm on Friday night after he
Roadworks in George Street, Oxford, were finished on June 28 - three days ahead of the deadline. Traffic started to use the road again in mid-afternoon and all bus routes are now back to normal. Richard Dix, the county council's assistant director of
The first Cowley Road Carnival - sponsored by the Oxford Mail - celebrated the multi-cultural life of east Oxford with style and fun for everyone. The event on Saturday, June 30 brought together Indian, Pakistani, Afro-Caribbean and British cultures.
North Leigh are busy making plans for what they hope will be their best season ever, one which could establish them as the leading club in West Oxfordshire, following Witney Town's demise The first-team management duo of Mark Gee and Dave Ebsworth have
A former fellow of an Oxford College spent the night sleeping in the branches of a tree after he was made homeless. Dr Hans-Georg Schneider, 55, was evicted from his home in Cunliffe Close, Oxford, after he was unable to keep up his mortgage repayments
Oxfordshire's Tim Henman faces the most important seven days of his career as Wimbledon enters its second week today. And he is not unhappy with his form as he prepares for his fourth-round battle with Todd Martin, one of the sport's great fighters, which
Veteran midfielder Chris Fontaine has turned down the chance to be Abingdon Town's club captain to have another crack at helping Thame United win promotion from Ryman League Division 1. The 37-year-old topped ambitious Abingdon's list of summer transfer
A High Court judge will decide today whether Oxfordshire hospital authorities should pay the £200,000 costs of transferring a female killer from Broadmoor Hospital to a less secure unit. The 23-year-old, named only as 'T', was sent to the high security
A policy of charging people to have bulky unwanted items like old settees collected has backfired, according to councillors. Oxford City Council introduced a charge of £18.80 for the collection of bulky items in April, hoping it would raise about £100,000
