Archive

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Security team foils thieves

Security guards who foiled an attempted smash-and-grab raid on a car at Pear Tree park-and-ride in Oxford claimed: 'We're worth our jobs'. The number of security guards at Oxford City Council's Seacourt, Redbridge and Pear Tree sites seems likely to be

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Pensioners killed in house blaze

An elderly couple died when fire swept through their home in Abingdon. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus forced their way into the locked detached house in The Motte and found the couple Robson and Pam Makepeace in a bedroom on December 7. Ambulance

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Avoid cuts in patient care

We are told that audit teams are descending on the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust to address the money shortfalls (Oxford Mail, December 3). There is a lot of merit in ensuring that finance wastage is reduced or eliminated. But, and it's a big but

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Blaze averted

A restaurant near Abingdon is back in business after firefighters prevented a major blaze spreading across the thatched roof. Fire crews from Abingdon and Didcot were called to The Plough Inn on the A415 Abingdon Road at Clifton Hampden on December 6

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Town still hopes to get NHS dentist

Hopes linger that Wallingford will get an NHS dentist next year despite a current application being turned down. South East and South West Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust will put in a bid for an NHS dentist early next year. The trust announced in October

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Homes will hurt town'

Councillors in Wantage and Grove have reacted with horror to calls for 1,400 new homes to be built in the two parish communities. They say they are appalled at the decision taken by Oxfordshire County Council as it mapped out its plans to meet targets

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Golf: FAMILY SHOW AT FRILFORD HEATH

The Pepperell family stole the show when Frilford Heath held their annual prize giving. Juniors Joe, 16, Eddie, 14 and Emily, 12, collected five trophies between them to cap a remarkable year. Eddie won the junior club championship and, for the second

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December 8: Good start but it'll get tougher

David Cameron emerged from the lion's den unscathed yesterday during his first exchange with Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Westminster political jungle is notoriously fierce but if Mr Cameron's confidence grows he can be a match for Blair and company

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Vouching for it

Schools in Didcot have been cashing in on supermarket voucher schemes. Primary and secondary schools have netted equipment ranging from computers to javelins and limbo poles. The equipment is courtesy of the Tesco computers for schools scheme and Sainsbury's

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Let's band together

Make Poverty History campaigners in Oxford will join thousands of others across the world on White Band Day III to campaign for changes in world trade rules. On December 10, an international day of action is being held, three days before the beginning

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Cameron keeps his cool

Newly crowned Conservative leader David Cameron was "not clobbered" during his first verbal duel with Prime Minister Tony Blair, according to a political expert. Less than 24 hours after his emphatic victory over rival David Davis, the Witney MP faced

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Santa sprint

More than 100 people donned festive costumes for the annual council Christmas fun run at Christ Church Meadows on December 7. The field was made up mainly of city and county council workers but it was the guests who stole the show with Oxford City runner

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Police move on animal lab demo

Police moved on animal rights protestors targeting a university Christmas party at an Oxford city centre pub. The campaigners gathered outside the Wheatsheaf pub off the High Street on Tuesday as Oxford University's department of experimental psychology

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Football: BRIAN WARMING TO THE TASK!

A change in routine helped Oxford United get back to winning ways in the league at Cheltenham on Tuesday. Manager Brian Talbot decided to take the pre-match warm-up himself, instead of letting his assistant David Oldfield do it. And the result was an

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We're not to blame

I would like to comment on your article, Drivers block disabled ramp, and the problems experienced by John and Pauline Baker in Warren Crescent, Headington, Oxford (Oxford Mail, November 30). They referred to "two houses of about five students each with

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Santa sets off on tour

Santa will be flying around West Oxfordshire throughout December to listen to youngsters' requests for Christmas. He will be visiting the following places with his trusty reindeer Rudolph between 6pm and 8pm during the week and 5pm and 7pm on Saturdays

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Football: Hilford's double clinches semi spot

Hilford John's brace set Oxford United Deaf on the way to a 3-0 win over Leeds Deaf in the England Deaf Football Challenge Cup quarter-final at Horspath Road. After a goalless first half, Oxford manager Jez Belcher made a tactical change to increase his

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Football: Holden hits fab four to sink Jack

Morrells of Oxford Sunday League: There were three hat-tricks in one game as Saxon Warriors continued their excellent form with an 8-3 victory over Jack Marston in Division 1. Wayne Holden led the way for Saxon with a tremendous four-timer, with his strike

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Football: CUP JOY FOR HORSESHOES

OFA Sam Waters Cup: Chris Jordan was the hero for Horseshoes as his hat-trick, including an extra-time winner, helped his side into round four with a 5-4 win over Banbury Spurs on Sunday. Jordan's early strike put Horseshoes in front, but they soon fell

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Injured soldier wins big payout

A soldier who spent six months in a wheelchair after his tank was blown up when it drove over a shell during a live fire exercise has won £525,000 comp- ensation from the Ministry of Defence. But despite having to battle the MoD for compensation for five

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Football: Fisher brothers net deadly doubles in Hendred rout

Autotype UTV League: The Fisher brothers, Jason and Barry, were the stars of the show with a brace apiece as East Hendred cruised to a 6-2 victory over AFC Oxford in Division 1. Jason Fisher heded home a Simon Burgoyne free-kick, then volleyed home No

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Boozing film aims to shame

Parents of boozing teenagers caught in a police sweep of parks and play areas during the weekend will be shown video footage of their children's drunken behaviour. A stash of 20 bottles of beer, cider and vodka were seized from under-age drinkers in Banbury

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Cruise thanks for 40 years

Banbury-based building and plumbing merchants John Nicholls celebrated the company's 40th anniversary by taking 350 customers and business contacts on a seven-night winter cruise of the Caribbean. Sailing on the luxury liner Navigator of the Seas, all

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Student makes modelling contest final

An Oxford University student has been chosen as a finalist in a national modelling competition. Agnia Baranauskaite, 24, who studies international relations at St Antony's College, in Woodstock Road, was selected from 1,000 entrants by London modelling

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Schools to get better funding

Oxfordshire schools will get hundreds of extra pounds for every pupil under a Government funding settlement. The 6.8 per cent rise in the county's schools budget received a cautious welcome from education leaders, who are still calculating whether the

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Mental health ward may shut

Health chiefs in Oxford are considering temporarily closing a mental health ward for 17 people at Christmas to save £1.6m. Cherwell Ward in the Fulbrook Centre at Churchill Hospital, Headington, is the latest potential casualty to emerge in swingeing

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Talking to the faithful

Tory MP Ann Widdecombe spoke to more than 120 people during an Alpha Celebration Supper at St Aldate's Church, Oxford. As her colleague, Witney MP David Cameron was celebrating winnning the Tory leadership race, Miss Widdecombe, a well-known Christian

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Grossly inadequate

In reply to Antonia Bance's letter (Oxford Mail, November 17), I repeat that a sex education programme devoid of a moral and religious base is grossly inadequate. Sex was designed by God to be an amazing and enjoyable experience. It is part of God's plan

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Waste dumped overseas

Keep on recycling -- is the message Oxfordshire County Council is giving residents after a documentary showed how waste is being dumped abroad. Earlier this week the BBC screened a documentary that found 500 tonnes of rubbish had been shipped unsorted