Roses are back in fashion, writes VAL BOURNE, and are easier to grow, too Roses were voted the nation's favourite flower in a television poll during this year's Chelsea Flower Show coverage, following a spell in the wilderness. Perhaps they became
CHRISTOPHER GRAY uncovers a creepy ghost story concerning rooms above an Oxford newsagent's shop Something "to make your flesh creep," as Dickens's Fat Boy put it. Or more likely not. At any rate, a ghost story which I came across recently and thought
JOS GARBETT, of Oxford Brookes, on how the university prepares students for life outside academia Can texting and going to the pub really help prepare students for the workplace? What do a psychology consultant and a history undergraduate find to talk
Grade-I listed Christ Church is a monument to an eccentric Victorian age, writes CHRIS KOENIG Oxford Cathedral, which doubles up as the college chapel for Christ Church, must be a hot contender for the city's quirkiest place. Not only does it still
Last month, half-baked bureaucracy banned a birthday cake cooked specially for a pensioner on his 96th birthday from being presented to him. It was feared that the Madeira cake, cooked by a friend, would expose the older people attending the celebrations
The Newbury Comedy Festival, which begins tomorrow, has a fun line-up of comedy treats for children as well as adults. The fun begins with James Cambell, the first stand-up comedian for children. His unique style covers everything from parents to Playstations
The "Oxford knee" is well known to orthopaedic surgeons and to anyone whose knees have worn out from overuse or long life. The "knee" recently featured in an epic Land's End to John O' Groats charity cycle ride by Oxford Brookes vice-chancellor Prof
Butterfly Conservation invites beginners to an open day, writes ELIZABETH EDWARDS Save our Butterflies Week may be taking place from July 21 but for supporters of the Butterfly Conservation it is a year-round mission. One of the largest local branches
The popular celebration of arts and crafts, Art in Action, takes place in beautiful Waterperry Gardens, writes HELEN PEACOCKE Once again, more than 200 artists from all over the world are preparing their canvasses, sculptures, ceramics, embroidery,
It is always good to see something positive emerge from tragedy. The two-day Sophie's Silver Lining Festival at Chacombe, near Banbury, is a perfect example. When 19-year-old Sophie Large died in a car crash in 1998, her parents, Stephen and Cherry,
Giles Woodforde previews Creation's Merchant of Venice They say a bad dress rehearsal means that a show will go well on its first night. So does it follow that a damp rehearsal will mean that a show will be bathed in sunlight once it is put in front
AEA Technology 104 BMW 2726 Electrocomponents 232.25 Isoft Group 63.75 Oxford Bio 24.5 Oxford Instruments 208 Reed Elsevier 542.5 RM 162 RPS 218.75 Torex Retail 64 Coutesy of Remayne Bentley, Abingdon
NICOLA LISLEo talks to composer Judith Weir about the revival of her fairy-tale opera Blond Eckbert, which comes to the Oxford Playhouse this week It is now 12 years since English National Opera premiered Judith Weir's extraordinary, strikingly austere
AEA Technology 104 BMW 2726 Electrocomponents 232.25 Isoft Group 63.75 Oxford Bio 24.5 Oxford Instruments 208 Reed Elsevier 542.5 RM 162 RPS 218.75 Torex Retail 64 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
TWO men have appeared before magistrates in Oxford accused of raping a teenager in a Didcot park. On Wednesday, Matus Fecko, 19, of Lydalls Road, Didcot, and Peter Stopko, 43, also of Lydalls Road, were charged with rape. A third man, Marec Schwartz
AEA Technology 103.75 BMW 2718 Electrocomp 232 iSoft 64 Oxford Bio 24.75 Oxford Inst 210.25 RM 160.75 Reed Elsevier 540 RPS 218.5 Torex Retail 64 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
AEA Technology 103.75 BMW 2718 Electrocomp 232 iSoft 64 Oxford Bio 24.75 Oxford Inst 210.25 RM 160.75 Reed Elsevier 540 RPS 218.5 Torex Retail 64 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
It was Christmas Eve and all was quiet in the log cabin. Snug against the frosty night, we cuddled up on the sofa, mesmerised by the tree lights twinkling in the corner of the room. The only sound from outside was the faint cry of geese and water
Oxfordshire MP Tony Baldry has spoken out against plans to close a Ministry of Defence site near Bicester. Defence Secretary Des Browne announced on Monday that the Defence Logistics Organisation's base in Caversfield would close within the next four
The last family link with one of Wantage's oldest trading firms has finally come to an end. John Arbery, who retired in 1997, passed away in The Stirlings home in Charlton Road. He was aged 88. The last remaining owner of one of the town's longest
A dedicated anti-poverty campaigner who worked for Oxfam for 30 years has died at the age of 55. Susie Smith, who had been suffering from cancer for several years, started working for Oxfam when she was 28 and went on to become deputy international
Don McGregor, a well-known member of the community in both Abingdon and Dorchester-on-Thames, has died aged 78. Mr McGregor moved to Abingdon from Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, where he had been head of St Thomas More High School for Boys. Working as education
Did Bob Price know something we didn't? Our 'patriotic' former Lord Mayor confidently predicted England would lose their World Cup quarter-final with Portugal a full four days before they promptly obliged. But the national team's limp exit from the
We always knew that Oxford United fans were a passionate bunch. And they are proving it by flocking to buy season tickets for the coming season. The number snapped up so far has exceeded that for last season when United were in the Football League
How right Glyn Limmer was when he wrote about the danger of prescribed drugs (Oxford Mail, June 3). Now we read that more than two million Britons are to be taken off blood pressure drugs after studies showed they increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks
I am sorry to see that David Duffy has closed his dental practice in Littlemore, Oxford, and will now concentrate his energies at his new surgery in Abingdon (Oxford Mail, June 29). It came as no surprise to me, as during my last visit, he voiced his
A youth shelter designed to cut antisocial behaviour and vandalism in part of Abingdon has been removed a victim of vandals and angry neighbours. In one incident a group of youths picked up the metal, graffiti-covered shelter in Appleford Drive and
As if going to watch England play in the quarter-final of the World Cup wasn't enough, one lucky school pupil managed to meet new national coach Steve McClaren, Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Portugal manager Felipe Scolari on the pitch just minutes
Soldiers will march through Bicester town centre with drums beating and colours flying this weekend. The soldiers, based at St George's Barracks, in Ambrosden, were granted the liberty of the town by Bicester Town Council in April, the highest possible
Residents are celebrating after a pub's planned extra hours were rejected by a licensing panel. Stephen Hill, a spokesman for people living near the Boathouse, at the Old Bridge, in High Street, Wallingford, said: "That's great for starters." Thames
A touch of Continental class could be brought to East Oxford if a businessman has his way. Clinton Pugh, owner of Cafe Coco and Kasbar, in Cowley Road, would like to see Dawson Street, off Cowley Road, transformed into an outdoor cafe and public square
Family, friends and colleagues of former Oxford Mail editor Jim McClure gathered in Wallingford yesterday for his funeral. Mr McClure, who lived in the town, died last month aged 66 from respiratory failure following a long period of illness. Mourners
Oxford United are expecting a bumper turnout from their fans both old and new at Saturday's family fun day. There will be a range of activities on offer at the club and the opportunity to meet chairman Nick Merry, manager Jim Smith and all the players
A football team are worried that their ground looks like being bulldozed to make way for new housing. Grove Challengers, who held a six-a-side tournament last weekend on the village's recreation ground and neighbouring Wasborough Field, say the area
In the week that BMW's Cowley plant celebrates the fifth birthday of the new Mini, another car built at the factory makes its return to the market. The last Maestro to roll off the production line is up for sale on eBay with only 36 miles on the clock
Campaigners fighting to save community hospitals across south Oxfordshire are pinning their hopes on a Government cash lifeline. Yesterday, the Government pledged an extra £750m for community hospitals, saying it should help save some of the smaller
Water supplies in Oxfordshire are holding their own, despite the county receiving only 15 per cent of average rainfall in June. Last month, the county saw only 8mm (in) of rain, a setback after a wet May, when rainfall was 175 per cent of the average
A two-minute silence is due to be observed at noon tomorrow across Oxfordshire in memory of the 52 victims killed in the July 7 London terror bombings one year ago. Scores of churches across the county will ask their congregations to think of all those
A teenager accused of terrorising an Oxford estate has been given a wide-ranging antisocial behaviour order. Lewis Felton has been banned from going out almost anywhere in Oxford at night unless he is with his mother or a teacher, as part of the terms
A police officer told a jury how burglars kicked and punched him and tried to pull his ear off after he caught them carrying out an early morning raid on an Oxford shop. Charles Brown, 34, of no fixed address, and Simon Harris, 31, of Barns Road, Cowley
Travellers with horses and dogs set up camp near homes in Oxford this week, provoking protests from residents. A group of about 12 caravans, towed by transit vans and lorries, moved into Cutteslowe Park, in north Oxford, on Tuesday night at about 7pm
KEITH Sheard recovered from losing his first game to help Morris Motors to a 4-2 victory over Democrats in the Oxford & District League. Sheard lost 4,130-4,040 to John Patey, but scored 21,460 (break 13,840) in the second. Dave Bartlett top scored
OXFORD'S two clubs have begun pre-season training with joint sessions at 7pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Oxford Harlequins and Oxford RFC are training at the latter's Hinksey base. New players are welcome and the venue will host a barbecue at 4pm on
He spots his prize, smashes a window and snatches a £350 satellite navigation system all in just over 10 seconds in the latest craze among crooks. Images from a motorist's private security cameras show, car thieves are now targeting valuable 'must-nick
For much of her working life, psychologist Diana Sanders has been helping patients to deal with what life has thrown at them. But few of those she has helped could even begin to imagine Diana's own long struggle for life, which began almost from the moment
FRILFORD HEATH Ladies' Captain's Day (Red Course) Captain's Prize: 1 M Chaundy 42pts. Silver Div: 1 A Gowing 42pts, 2 C Weldon 39 (cb), 3 B Sandys-Lumsdaine 39. Bronze Div: 1 C Chapman 40 (cb), 2 S Gough 40, 3 U Price 39. Seniors' Championship: 1 J
STUDLEY Wood reached round two of the Shaw & Co Oxfordshire Foursomes League Knockout Trophy after edging past hosts Kirtlington. With the first and third matches halved, it was Darren Drew and Adam Corless's 2 & 1 win over Bob Stevens and Derek Thomas
MAGNOLIA Park duo Dusan Gavrilovic and Mike Cunningham just missed out on the Lombard Trophy final despite their ten-under par 63 at Frilford Heath. Gavrilovic, the club pro, and his amateur partner Cunningham were pipped by Merrist Wood pair Alan
RAIN hindered Oxford University's hopes of victory over Cambridge on day three of the Varsity Match in The Parks yesterday. It proved a frustratingly on-off day, with the players off the field no fewer than four times, leaving only 49 overs possible
OXFORD'S dreams of reaching Lord's in the Cockspur Cup were shattered as they went down to a five-wicket defeat against Ealing in their last-32 clash at Rover Cowley. Put in to bat in the Group 12 (South East 1) final, Oxford made 231-9 from their 45
Clubs in the trouble-torn Oxford Times Cherwell League have been handed an ultimatum by the executive committee back us or sack us. The move comes after Cherwell chiefs took the unprecedented step of suspending themselves at an emergency meeting last
Reigning champions Banbury Central A recorded the biggest win in the history of the Oxford & District Lea- gue, sponsored by Yarnton Nurseries Garden Centre, with a 136-43 thrashing of Banbury Chestnuts. Facing a Chestnuts team missing four key players
Oxfordshire had to give second best to Berkshire again as they went down 118-112 in their Home Counties League clash at Oxford City & County. Beaten 114-111 by their local rivals in the EBA Middleton Cup at Banbury Central last month, Oxon once more
