Fernando Alonso believes defending his Formula One world title will prove harder than winning it as he braces himself for a four-team battle at the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend. The Enstone-based Renault F1 team driver wrapped up the 2005 championship
How teams have adapted to Formula One's seemingly perennial changes to its rules and regulations will be put under further scrutiny in the sweltering Malaysian conditions. The decision to downgrade the size of the cars' engines from V10s to V8s was
Abingdon's Bury Street shopping precinct looks set for a major refurbishment. After years of deadlock between the leaseholders Threadneedle, part of American Express, and the Vale of White Horse District Council, an agreement appears to be edging closer
Charlton Athletic yesterday claimed golf's Premiership title at The Oxfordshire, but unlike in the real world Chelsea only finished in mid-table. Led by former striker and now BBC pundit Mark Bright, Charlton won the inaugural London Golf Show Premiership
A young Oxford City Stars side ended their South Division season on a high with an encouraging 3-2 victory at home to Milton Keynes Thunder. Stars, with a squad including seven under the age of 20, dominated the first period - one of their best of the
Morrells of Oxford Sunday League: Goalkeeper Huw Evans was the hero for Cold Arbour as his crucial spot-kick helped them reach the semi-finals of the President's Cup with a thrilling 8-7 penalty shoot-out victory against Premier Division rivals Rover
Autotype UTV League: Gary Smith bagged a brace as Dorchester United marched through to the Ridgeway Cup final with a 5-2 victory against Long Wittenham. Brian Rawlings fired Dorchester ahead from the penalty spot after Colin Royall was brought down. Ian
Anne Diamond was heralded as the centrepiece of BBC Radio Oxford's much-criticised revamp 18 months ago. Now the so-called jewel is going. She announced her departure to listeners of her Breakfast Show on air yesterday. The BBC said that her experience
Controversial plans for a 3,200-home estate to the west of Didcot are unlikely to be decided until the autumn. The Great Western Park development, the largest new housing estate in the county, would stretch from the A4130 in the north, as far as the A34
A club that trains gymnasts to world-class level is pleading for sponsorship to create a proper teaching centre. The Oxford School of Gymnastics, which has had no premises for the past three years, is asking businesses to donate £50,000 by Monday, to
A man sacked after he developed muscular dystrophy took his firm to a tribunal to 'show that disabled people should not be thrown on the scrapheap' -- and won. Bill Howard, 62, of Green Furlong, Berinsfield, was diagnosed with the disease while he worked
A hooded teenage gang repeatedly stabbed a man on his doorstep and slashed another across the face with a knife during two attempted robberies on an Oxford estate. The gang of three boys and a girl, three of whom were seen with knives, launched their
An Oxford pre-school which almost closed four years ago because of poor standards is now offering good provision for children, Ofsted has found. When Linda Jedynowicz took over as supervisor of Rose Hill Pre-School, in Ashurst Way, it was given six months
It was December 6, 2005, when the chairman of the Conservative backbench MPs' group the 1922 Committee, Sir Michael Spicer, told us what we had suspected for a long time -- that, at just 38, David Cameron was the new leader of the Tory Party. Since then
Thames Water plans to switch off water supplies to Oxfordshire households for set periods during the day if dry weather persists. The company admitted yesterday that the measure -- called an Emergency Drought Order -- did form part of its contingency
Up to 1,000 Oxford United fans vented their frustration over years of footballing decline at the Kassam Stadium last night (March 15). Fans spell out their feelings Disillusioned supporters, in a protest against club owner Firoz Kassam, chanted "Kassam
As a lifelong supporter of Oxford United, the current situation is very painful to watch. I live in Sydney, Australia, where, as you can imagine, there isn't a great deal of news on Oxford's situation. For months, there has been only one thought. Every
Plans to transform Wallingford's listed Corn Exchange theatre have been given the go-ahead by South Oxfordshire District Council. Now all that is needed is the money to make the dreams a reality. Philip Burton, the general manager of the Sinodun Players
Robbers used a crowbar to break into a garage yesterday morning (March 15) in the fourth incident of its kind in less than a week. Masked men forced their way into Bellinger and Sons garage on Station Road in Grove at about 3.30am. The alarm was triggered
Organisers of the annual Oxford Lord Mayor's Parade have promised to make the day one to remember -- after last year's event was branded a let-down. The colourful celebration marks the start of incoming Lord Mayor Jim Campbell's one-year term of office
Plans to extend police powers to take alcohol from people behaving badly in Oxford streets are designed to stop drink-related problems spiralling out of control. Inspector Andy Talbot, of Oxford police, said proposals to allow officers to take drink from
A man who stabbed his wife to death told a jury yesterday how he only snapped out of his trance-like state when he saw her blood dripping off his knife. Brian Smart -- who is accused of murdering his 27-year-old estranged wife Sarah -- claims he cannot
Anne Diamond has quit her job as presenter of BBC Oxford's breakfast show just 18 months after she was controversially brought in to raise the profile of the station. Anne Diamond has had a tumultuous year The former golden girl of early morning television
A late swoop by Swindon Robins scuppered Oxford Cheetahs' hopes of an opening night victory in this challenge match at an icy cold Oxford Stadium last night. Until the final stages, the home side gave as good as they got. It was only after the interval
New Oxford United boss Darren Patterson saluted the spirit of his side after they battled to their first victory in 11 games last night. Steve Basham's penalty midway through the second half brought the U's a precious 1-0 win over Bristol Rovers which
I am 42 and I have supported Oxford United since my father took me to my first game in 1969. I have held a season ticket every year since I was 15. We have had some bad seasons, but after the defeat on Saturday and the announcement by Kassam on Friday
We will be keeping a close watch on the progress of Peers School as it adopts new methods of classroom discipline developed in the United States. US behaviour expert Prof Jerome Freiberg says school children on the other side of the Atlantic are different
CHARLTON Athletic yesterday claimed golf's Premiership title at The Oxfordshire, but unlike in the real world Chelsea only finished in mid-table. Led by former striker and now BBC pundit Mark Bright, Charlton won the inaugural London Golf Show Premiership
An Oxford man has started his third fundraising campaign to help victims of the Asian earthquake rebuild their lives. Salman Khan has already taken more than £50,000 worth of aid to Kashmir in Pakistan during two mercy missions to the region which was
Up to 1,000 Oxford United fans vented their frustration over years of footballing decline at the Kassam Stadium last night. Disillusioned supporters, in a protest against club owner Firoz Kassam, chanted "Kassam out" and "We love Oxford, we love Oxford
Morrells of Oxford Sunday League: Goalkeeper Huw Evans was the hero for Cold Arbour as his crucial spot-kick helped them reach the semi-finals of the President's Cup with a thrilling 8-7 penalty shoot-out victory against Premier Division rivals Rover
Autotype UTV LeagueGary Smith bagged a brace as Dorchester United marched through to the Ridgeway Cup final with a 5-2 victory against Long Wittenham. Brian Rawlings fired Dorchester ahead from the penalty spot after Colin Royall was brought down.
A young Oxford City Stars side ended their South Division season on a high with an encouraging 3-2 victory at home to Milton Keynes Thunder. Stars, with a squad including seven under the age of 20, dominated the first period one of their best of the
A late swoop by Swindon Robins scuppered Oxford Cheetahs' hopes of an opening night victory in this challenge match at an icy cold Oxford Stadium last night. Until the final stages, the home side gave as good as they got. It was only after the interval
