Archive

  • Man burned in cylinder blaze

    A man needed hospital treatment for burns after two propane gas cylinders caught fire today. Twenty-five firefighters were called to the blaze in Thame Road, Towersey, at 5pm. A spokesman for Oxfordshire Fire Service said: "The man suffered burns when

  • SPEEDWAY: Cheetahs face threat

    Oxford Cheetahs' elevation to the Premier League is under major threat - and the future of the club could even be in jeopardy. Promoter Allen Trump is struggling to gain a response from Oxford Stadium owners, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA),

  • SPEEDWAY: Trump takes the reins at Coventry

    Oxford promoter Allen Trump is the new boss at Elite League Coventry. Trump has leased the speedway rights from Avtar Sandhu, with an option to buy the team at the end of the 2008 season. Sandhu will remain as Coventry stadium owner. There was already

  • FOOTBALL: U's need to police Constable!

    Darren Patterson has warned his players to be on the look-out for Kidderminster hot-shot James Constable when they travel to Aggborough today. The former Walsall striker has netted 11 time in all competitions this seasons. Oxford boss Patterson, who

  • FOOTBALL: All change for Guinea

    Oxford United's prestigious home game against the Guinea national side at the Kassam Stadium will have to be re-arranged. The U's were due to host the West African side as part of a two-match series on January 8 , but they have now switched their Weymouth

  • Girl's parents to sue JR over death

    The parents of a five-year-old girl who died at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital during an operation to remove her spleen are launching a medical negligence claim. Bethany Bowen, pictured, had a vital artery ruptured by a surgical instrument, a coroner

  • ANGLING: Farmoor fishing well

    DESPITE the onset of colder conditions, Farmoor is fishing well, with 115 anglers catching 232 fish last month. The trout have switched to feeding on fry, so fry imitations are working well, sometimes quite high in the water. Boats are now available

  • Hospital faces claim over girl's death

    A FIVE-year-old girl who died during an operation in Oxford to remove her spleen had her aorta ruptured by a surgical instrument, a coroner ruled today. The operation at the John Radcliffe last year was meant to cure Bethany Bowen's anaemia but she

  • Taking on grown up jobs

    Children across the county took on the roles of adults today as part of the 11 Million Takeover Day. Role reversals across Oxfordshire saw children becoming teachers, hospital workers and even police community support officers. The aim of the day, which

  • Directors miss out in city shake-up

    THREE strategic directors at Oxford City Council look set to apply for jobs elsewhere after failing to win new posts in a management shake-up. Mark Luntley, Michael Lawrence and Sharon Cosgrove, strategic directors for finance, housing and leisure

  • Palin explores museum's secrets

    A MULTI-million-pound facelift of Oxford's most eccentric museum has opened to the public. The £8m extension to the Pitt Rivers Museum includes a new conservation laboratory, library, lecture theatre and facilities for visiting researchers. This

  • Council directors fail to win new post

    Three top strategic directors at Oxford City Council look set to apply for jobs elsewhere after failing to win new posts in a management shake-up. Mark Luntley, Michael Lawrence and Sharon Cosgrove, strategic directors for finance, housing and leisure

  • Church hosts immigration debate

    A debate on immigration in Deddington on Sunday will discuss the subject from a Christian viewpoint. The debate will ask the question 'Is it unChristian to seek to limit immigration?' The speakers will be Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch

  • Palin explores museum secrets

    A multi-million-pound facelift of Oxford's most eccentric museum has opened to the public. The £8m extension to the Pitt Rivers Museum includes a new conservation laboratory, library, lecture theatre and facilities for visiting researchers. This weekend

  • 'Half of children suffer bullying'

    More than half of Oxfordshire's children and young people say they have been bullied. The figure was revealed in a survey released at a conference on bullying held at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium. Of the 6,539 young people who took part in the Children

  • ANGLING: Beesley rules on cold

    The previous week's hard frosts had a big impact on the latest round of the Oxford Division Angling Times Winter League on the Oxford Canal around Banbury. From the 60-strong field, there were ten blanks recorded and more than half the anglers caught

  • GREYHOUNDS: Platonic interest!

    Former world car touring champion Jason Plato (pictured) appears to have got the greyhound bug after his first visit to the Stadium on Tuesday. The Oxford-based 2005/06 champion was runner-up this year, being hampered after receiving severe burns during

  • ANGLING: Making up for lost time!

    Since the July floods, Linear Fisheries officer Chris Blunt has not been able to squeeze in a session at the Stanton Harcourt fishery because of his workload. But he made up for lost time when he spent 36 hours on Manor Farm Lake. He chose to fish the

  • ANGLING: Farmoor trout biting

    Despite the onset of more wintery conditions, Farmoor is fishing well, with 115 anglers catching 232 fish last month. The trout have switched to feeding on fry, so fry imitations are working well, sometimes quite high in the water. Boats are now available

  • ANGLING: Rivers to get barbel stock

    The Environment Agency are planning to stock some rivers around the country with small barbel. This is welcome news, but I wonder if the EA are going to include the Thames around Oxford, as over the years, there has been a decline in these fish. Two

  • Man jailed for raping teenager

    A MAN who raped a teenager after a drinking session with friends has been jailed for four years and six months. Paul Preedy, who admitted a charge of rape, said he knew the 19-year-old did not want to have sex with him but told police "The devil got

  • Hospital facing claim over girl's death

    A five-year-old girl who died during an operation in Oxford to remove her spleen had her aorta ruptured by a surgical instrument, a coroner ruled today. The operation at the John Radcliffe last year was meant to cure Bethany Bowen's anaemia but she started

  • Cars crash on A44

    PARAMEDICS were called to the A44 between Wootton, near Woodstock, and Enstone at 2.15pm today following a collision between two cars. There were three people in the vehicles and one received treatment for minor injuries.

  • Fears grow over busy junction

    Residents have warned someone could be killed after learning traffic lights will not be installed at the entrance to their Oxford estate. They say the junction of Wood Farm Road and The Slade is an accident waiting to happen, because it is so congested

  • Hospital facing claim over girl's death

    A five-year-old girl who died during an operation in Oxford to remove her spleen had her aorta ruptured by a surgical instrument, a coroner ruled today. The operation at the John Radcliffe last year was meant to cure Bethany Bowen's anaemia but she started

  • Rapist jailed for attack on teenager

    A man who raped a teenager after a drinking session with friends has been jailed for four years and six months. Paul Preedy, who admitted a charge of rape, said he knew the 19-year-old did not want to have sex with him but told police "The devil got

  • GREYHOUNDS: Atkins rejects Wheble move

    An initiative from Oxford's promotions manager Mick Wheble, has been given the cold shoulder by one of Oxford's most experienced trainers Terry Atkins. Wheble's plan to attract new owners to the sport is for trainers to give them a free kennel for three

  • BILLIARDS: Plucky Morris shock leaders

    Morris Motors pulled off a shock 2-1 win at Division 1 leaders New Club in the Oxford & District League. Ian Case (+50) gave New Club the lead beating Roger Tomlin (+50) 150-145, but Doug Baker (+70) levelled against Dave White (+80) 150-144. In the

  • SNOOKER: Calcutt boosts Witney charge

    Witney A kept up their quest for the Premier Division crown with a 4-2 victory against Riley D, writes DAVID WHITE. Lewis Calcutt defeated James Stone, knocking in a 55-break in the first frame before taking the second with breaks of 37 and 40. Justin

  • TABLE TENNIS: Forum wreck rival's record

    Forum A reclaimed the top spot in Division 1 of the Oxford & District League with an 8-2 victory against previously-unbeaten Rutherford. Rutherford went ahead with Chris Rowlatt's win against Fraser Harris, before Forum fought back with maximums from

  • BOXING: Abingdon want help for big move

    Abingdon Amateur Boxing Club are looking for help from businesses and individuals after being granted permission to build their own gym. The club have always relied on the children to pay for the cost of hiring training venues, but after getting the

  • BOXING: Young guns to bid for glory

    Berinsfield bantamweight Danny Reed goes for glory today when he takes part in the ABA Novice Junior Championship finals in Manchester. And he will be joined by Oxford Boxing Academy bantamweight Jordan Otwell. Reed, who turns 16 next month, beat

  • Cars collide on A44

    Paramedics were called to the A44 between Wootton, near Woodstock, and Enstone at 2.15pm today following a collision between two cars. There were three people in the vehicles and one received treatment for minor injuries.

  • Special ones need support

    Weighing just 3lb 7oz, James Cox fits neatly into his father Mark's hands. But James isn't a newborn baby. He is 11 weeks old. When he was born on September 5, he was three months early and weighed just 1lb 5oz. James is one of about 700 babies

  • Supergrass back for Christmas

    Supergrass, one of Oxford's best-loved bands, are returning to the city for two Christmas shows - three months after one of their members broke his back in a fall while he was sleepwalking. The band, who grew up in Wheatley, will play at Oxford Town

  • Euro football disaster fallout

    The England football team's humiliating exit from the Europ 2008 Championships could cost the county's economy £4m. That is the view of Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce board member Keith Slater after he surveyed the loss of income for sports shops, pubs

  • Rock 'n' roll start to lights switch-on

    Thousands of Didcot residents will begin the festive season in rocking style next week, when the town holds its annual Christmas Street Fair. The event on Thursday, which this year is all about cars, transport and rock 'n' roll, starts at 4pm and has

  • Charity sitting pretty

    A west Oxfordshire volunteer centre will be sitting pretty after a £1,000 grant from the Oxford Mail's parent company Gannett. Volunteer Link Up (West Oxfordshire) helps match volunteers with local groups who are in desperate need of help. Based in

  • 'Encore!' for school plays

    DAVID Overton is another former pupil with fond memories of the stage productions at Wheatley Secondary School. He appeared in several shows while he was a pupil there from 1954-58. One of them was John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, the production in

  • Making a stomp and dance

    Improvised dance troupe Stomp met fans and admirers at an Oxford theatre this week. The group, who have been a fixture in London's West End, are playing a series of shows at the New Theatre, in George Street, from February 12 to 16 next year. But they

  • End for smells of teen spirit

    The Oxford Mail has been given an exclusive glimpse of what the city's biggest nightclub will look like - and smell like - following a £500,000 refurbishment. Park End, in Park End Street, will be relaunched as a Lava Ignite club on Friday, once building

  • Help name Victory revellers

    Another picture of Oxford people celebrating the end of the Second World War has come to light. It was taken at a street party thrown for the children of Parsons Place and Tawney Street in East Oxford in 1945. The photograph was sent in by Eunice

  • Local share prices

    23/11/2007 pm AEA Technology 112 BMW 2889 Electrocomponents 216.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 129 Oxford Biomedica 24.75 Oxford Catalyst 148.5 Oxford Instruments 211.5 REED 576.75 RM 198.5 RPS Group 331

  • Police issue Christmas crime warning

    Burglars could be targeting your Christmas presents in the coming weeks, police have warned. Burglary awareness days have been held by police across Oxfordshire to warn households of opportunist thieves on the prowl during the festive season looking

  • Nurses ponder change of site

    Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre nurses are having one-to-one meetings with managers to discuss their future after plans to move the hospital's paediatric care were approved. By March 2008, young inpatients at the Headington-based hospital will be treated

  • No money available to cut noise

    There is no money available for noise reduction barriers on the M40 - unless local communities finance the project themselves. That was the stance from John Gardner, general manager of UK Highways, which maintains the M40 on behalf of the Highways Agency

  • Santa, A Panto Dame and a Brass Band all get on to a bus…

    Insert your punch line here … The thing is, this actually did happen! On Saturday 17 November, Aladdin, Princess So-Shi and Widow Twankey drove in to town on a Park & Ride bus with the full Kennington Brass Band and, no one less than Mr. Claus himself

  • Southern Italian Mixed Case, £72

    After the success of the Central Italian case offer in July, we have put together a special mixed case of rich southern Italian and Sicilian wines that are a perfect match for hearty winter foods. Two of them come from Puglia, the fertile heel of Italy's

  • Why wait? Drink it now.

    It's the season for corporate wine tastings. On the whole they are great fun, but the curse of the mobile phone has begun to play an interesting role in these events. It goes something like this: one of the happy crowd will approach me at half-time and

  • Keep going

    Residents at Wood Farm in Oxford have put up a spirited fight for traffic lights at the junction of Wood Farm Road and The Slade which, they say, is dangerous. Oxfordshire County Council has turned down their requests. But our advice to them is to

  • Nasty fumes

    I wonder if anybody else has noticed, especially cyclists, like me, the sudden increase of vans and other vehicles polluting our breathing space with diesel fumes. This burns the nostrils and is not acceptable healthwise. Buses used to do it, now

  • Pantomime villains

    There is no escaping the fact that not only are winds now blowing a seasonal cold blast, but it is the annual time for pantomimes and jolly audience participation with the obligatory 'It's behind you', plus the boos, hisses and cheers. Which is, perhaps

  • Revoke smoke ban

    I wonder if the MP who called for a smoking ban has looked at the damage it has done to the pubs and clubs. It just cannot be right, people having to stand outside to smoke. How many pubs and clubs have closed through the bans in Ireland, Wales, Scotland

  • Action, please

    You report that the police are to target people parking on pavements in upper Cowley Road in Oxford (Oxford Mail, November 13). May I ask the police to visit First Turn, Wolvercote, on any Sunday morning after 11am? Due to the farmers' market at Wolvercote

  • Firework explosion

    I recently commented in a letter on the daft celebration of Guy Fawkes' Night on any night other than November 5. I believe the proliferation of firework displays, presumably sanctioned by Oxford City Council, on days other than November 5, have directly

  • Plug missing city centre bus link

    I am a 75-year-old, living alone in sheltered accommodation in East Oxford. With no car, buses are my lifeline and the county council must know that we are not being served by bus companies when neither has continuous routes from east to north, through

  • Fatal crash witness sought

    Police investigating the death of a former teacher in a road crash want to speak to a elderly couple who stopped at the scene. Christine Diacon was killed on the A40 slip road near High Cogges, Witney, at about 4pm on Thursday, November 15, after being

  • Jobs at risk at F1 team

    Dozens of jobs at Formula One racing team Super Aguri are under threat after bosses launched a 30-day redundancy process at their base near Witney. Up to 30 staff from a number of different departments at the Japanese firm on Leafield Industrial Estate

  • Popcorn goes off with a bang.....

    So there we have it. Our 2007 autumn production of Ben Elton’s Popcorn opened in Kingston Bagpuize Village Hall last evening for a three-night run. The audience numbers were very respectable for a first night and the play got under way at 8pm sharp. I

  • Witness hunt follows death crash

    POLICE this afternoon appealed for three people to come forward who may have seen a traffic collision near Witney where a woman pedestrian was killed. The incident happened at about 3.53pm on Thursday, November 15, on the slip road of the A40 towards

  • F1 team jobs under threat

    Dozens of jobs at Formula One racing team Super Aguri are under threat after managers launched a 30-day redundancy process at their base near Witney. Up to 30 staff from a number of different departments at the Japanese firm on Leafield Industrial Estate

  • Drug dealers lose appeal

    A DRUG dealer involved in cultivating cannabis on a massive scale on an Oxfordshire farm has lost his appeal against conviction. The Appeal Court in London heard that the factory, where police found more than 1,300 cannabis plants, had been estimated

  • Katie the affectionate cat

    This lovely lady is Katie, she is a 13-year-old Domestic short hair. Katie came into the centre through no fault of her own and is now looking for a lovely new owner to call her own. Katie is a very gentle and affectionate cat that loves all the fuss

  • Drug dealers lose appeal

    A drug dealer involved in cultivating cannabis on a massive scale on an Oxfordshire farm has lost his appeal against conviction. The Appeal Court in London heard yesterday that the factory, where police found more than 1,300 cannabis plants, had been

  • Taxi drivers consider strike

    DISGRUNTLED cabbies in Bicester, Banbury and Kidlington are today considering whether to take strike action. The drivers plan to walk-out this weekend if they are not satisfied with the outcome of a meeting with Cherwell District Council. It comes

  • Lib Dem hopeful visits hospital

    LIBERAL Democrat leadership contender Chris Huhne will today make a flying visit to an Oxford hospital in an attempt to drum up support for his campaign. Mr Huhne has already won the backing of the city's Oxford West and Abingdon MP Dr Evan Harris -

  • Lib Dem candidate visits city

    Liberal Democrat leadership contender Chris Huhne will today make a flying visit to an Oxford hospital in an attempt to drum up support for his campaign. Mr Huhne has already won the backing of the city's most high-profile Liberal Democrat - Oxford

  • Hips set for smaller homes

    The roll-out of controversial Home Information Packs to cover smaller properties has met with a mixed reaction from Oxford property professionals. The Government announced yesterday that anyone selling a home in England and Wales will need one of the

  • Today's local share prices (AM)

    AEA Technology 112 BMW 2867 Electrocomponents 215.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 129 Oxford Biomedica 25 Oxford Catalyst 148.5 Oxford Instruments 211.5 REED 566.75 RM 199.25 RPS Group 325.75 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Tiresomely sickly

    FORGET iPods, mp3 players, Walkmans, radios and other portable music devices. The soundtrack to your daily life is hidden beneath the clatter and crash of the urban sprawl: the percussive rhythm of a pneumatic drill or pedestrian footfalls, the reedy

  • Cabbies consider strike action

    Taxi drivers in the Cherwell District Council area were considering going on strike this weekend, if a meeting with council chief executive Mary Harpley proves unsatisfactory. The council has announced plans to increase the number of cab licences issued

  • Hybrid racer wins award

    THE Toyota Supra HV-R hybrid race car which made history by being the first hybrid race car ever to win a competition, has gained further honours winning the award for Race Engine of The Year 2007. The nominations were selected by the editors of Race

  • Intrepid star pays visit

    INTREPID explorer and former Monty Python star Michael Palin dropped in to Oxford. He appeared at Borders bookshop in Magdalen Street for a book signing, then went on to the Pitt Rivers Museum, where he is a patron of the Friends' group, to welcome

  • Government will not meet flood costs

    PLEAS for Government money to help Oxfordshire meet the cost of July's floods look to have fallen on deaf ears. The message from the Government is that 'the cheque is not in the post', county councillors were told this week. A joint appeal from council

  • Labour Party orders suspension

    OLIVE McIntosh-Stedman was last night suspended from the Labour Party. Immediately after her conviction for benefit fraud, McIntosh-Stedman, an Oxfordshire county councillor who has represented Cowley and Littlemore since 1997, was told she had been

  • Councillor dishonestly claimed £3,000

    COUNTY councillor Olive McIntosh- Stedman has been convicted of dishonestly claiming council tax benefit. A jury took just over an hour yesterday to find the 65-year-old guilty of making a false statement to obtain the benefit. She was acquitted of

  • Stop-check targets stolen cycles

    POLICE hoped to send out a message to cycle thieves in the city's first stolen cycle stop-checks. Dozens of cyclists were flagged down by police on Magdalen Bridge in Oxford during a two-hour operation yesterday. Owners of some cycles police believed

  • Mickey is U's No 2

    OXFORD United boss Darren Patterson has confirmed youth team manager Mickey Lewis as his assistant. Patterson said he was delighted that Lewis, 44, who was No 2 at Doncaster Rovers, had decided to step up. "He'll be with me 90 per cent of the time

  • Cost of a free swim

    The city council cannot escape blame for the trouble it has got into on spending. It is facing a £5.2m hole in its budget next year. The statistics say it is an expensive authority to run. By that, we do not mean that it chooses to spend more money

  • Outrageous remark

    Sir - Christopher Gray's comment that Maggie Smith has 'more wrinkles than Mick Jagger' (Gray Matters, November 16) is outrageous. Trevor Davies, Great Rollright

  • Negative remarks

    Sir - Mr Augarde may not share the sentiments of Wilfred Owen's poem Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - It is sweet and right to die for your country (Weekend, November 16) but he should be mindful that, were it not for those who did die for their

  • Stacking the odds

    Sir - I read, with some cynicism, about the recent decision to Government approve scientists plans to produce human/animal hybrids, ie Chimera. It should be obvious to any logical thinking person that, if it is being openly talked about now, some

  • Slavish following

    Sir - On Sunday on Desert Island Discs on Radio 4 I heard the impressive Eliza Manningham-Buller, former head of MI5, state that the British Intelligence community had been disappointed by the spurious link made by the administration in Washington between

  • Disgraceful fall

    Sir - I refer to your reporter's assessment of Jim Smith as being "Oxford United's greatest manager" (Sport, November 16), a very controversial statement and a purely personal view which very many people would disagree with. He is obviously not versed

  • Missing opportunities

    Sir - You rightly warn that the redevelopment of the Westgate will cause disruption and be unsightly during construction (Editorial, November 16). Others of us are far more worried by the promise of an unsightly Westgate and West End once construction

  • Dinosaur in danger

    Sir - Andy Boddington's eloquent response (Letters, November 16) to Michael Tyce, claiming that climate impacts "will be virtually imperceptible", is like a breath of fresh air. Ironically Mr Tyce added that "a cause which relies on untruths can never

  • Mutual respect

    Sir - Your newspaper this week makes great play about the need for us to respect the 'sacrifices' made by soldiers in both world wars whose actions are commemorated on Remembrance Sunday and then publishes a letter from Michael Tyce complaining about

  • Serious about funerals

    Sir - Despite your rather light-hearted item about 'barmy' funerals with no religious reference (Report, November 2), your readers may be re-assured to learn that the British Humanist Association (BHA) has registered at least half-a-dozen (serious)

  • Cycling ordeal

    Sir - As a cyclist who likes to travel by train with my cycle, I have reached the point where I dread train journeys. Having paid through the nose for the ticket, none of the station staff ever seem to know whether the cycle carriage is at the front

  • Assessing flood risks

    Sir - The packed flooding meeting in Abingdon on Friday highlighted our justifiable concerns about future flooding. Like Tewkesbury, two rivers flow through this town and, whilst only the Ock flooded this time, the Thames avoided it by just a few

  • Why no sweeping?

    Sir - Further to Roger Morton's excellent letter Dreadful collection (November 16), which highlights the complete indifference of our locally elected representatives to the increasingly visible presence of litter and other detritus in our streets, all

  • Closed door policy

    Sir - I ask that your paper, and its sister papers, embark on a "name and shame" campaign against traders who operate an "open door" policy (ordained or de facto), and do their very best to heat the street, as well as their shop. None of us would

  • Thundering lorries must not be allowed

    Sir - As residents of Banbury Road north of the ring road your article about the proposed construction of a waste recovery plant on the site of the current grain silo filled us with mixed feelings. We would be delighted to see the demolition of the

  • Elvis fans help hospices

    THE branch of the Elvis Presley Fan Club will host a charity dance in aid of Helen and Douglas House Hospices tomorrow. The event takes place at the Empress Ballroom, Roman Way, Cowley, between 8pm and midnight and as well as live music there will also

  • Design will not enhance area

    Sir - The claim (Letters, November 12) that Zaha Hadid's design for extending the Middle East Centre at St Antony's College responds "with sensitivity" to the site is surprising. This large structure is set against the western boundary of the garden

  • CBI launches climate change report

    A CONFEDERATION of British Industry report on climate change is being launched today at Didcot power station. The report, compiled by 18 leading chairmen and chief executives, makes a commitment to tackling the causes of climate change. CBI regional

  • Fears raised on NHS finances

    MANAGERS at Oxfordshire's largest hospital trust want to offer more private treatment to more overseas patients to help avoid cost-cutting measures later in the year. The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust has started a formal review of its finances

  • Hybrid waits in wings

    THE seven-seat Audi Q7 SUV has new version of its 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine which brings lower emissions, higher power and torque and improved performance and fuel economy. The even more efficient 2008 Model Year Q7 3.0 TDI quattro, which is also now

  • Suzuki adds diesel option

    SUZUKI'S SX4 sport crossover range, which blends the character of a sporty compact with that of a lightweight SUV, is being offered with a second diesel option. The new 1.6 DDiS engine - supplied by Peugeot - complements the existing 120 horsepower

  • Hotter hatch

    Bold shoulders, bold wheel arches, and an even bolder price mark out the new Clio Renaultsport 197 Cup as a petrolhead's dream hot hatchback. The 2.0-litre, three-door flyer arrives in British showrooms next month, and will cost £14,995 - that's £1,000

  • Voyager ups luxury stakes

    Chrysler says its new Grand Voyager will be one of the safest, and certainly one of the most luxurious, people carriers around when it launches on to the British market next February. The latest uptake on the firm's seven-seater comes with updated

  • Price is right

    The city car price is, for once, right: Fiat are pitching in the new 500 at under £8,000 when it arrives here next January. That buys the 1.2-litre Pop, at £7,900, then all other models, 1.2 and 1.4-litre petrols, or 1.3-litre diesels, powering eight

  • Club marks 100 years — or so

    By Neil Lewis and David Smith OXFORD Motor Club officially celebrates its centenary this year - but research shows it is even older. The club's secretary, David Smith, spent two years researching the club's history in old newspapers, archives kept

  • Roadtest: Time to cross over

    THE noisy and largely ill-informed campaign being waged in this country against 4x4s has had precious little effect in the showrooms. Since 2000, registrations of 4x4s in the UK have risen by 55 per cent, and by the end of last year they accounted

  • No NHS funding for dentist

    A NEW dentist practice in Oxford has been refused funding to look after NHS patients. Although thousands of people are searching for somewhere which offers low-cost dental care, Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust has rejected an application from Eurodental

  • Burger chain bites back

    WORK to create Oxford's 'hamburger' roundabout took a £220,000 bite out of business at a nearby fast-food restataurant. Now McDonald's is fighting back after enduring months of misery, by giving the Headington branch a £200,000 facelift. Last year

  • Gloomy Christmas for Farepak families

    DOZENS of families in Oxfordshire are set to endure a second Christmas without the money they lost following the collapse of a festive hamper scheme. It is estimated that families in the county lost more than £120,000 when Farepak called in the administrators

  • Police assurances over North Oxford

    POLICE have moved to reassure residents that levels of violence in North Oxford are not as disturbing as new figures suggest. Local councillors expressed alarm when latest police statistics showed the number of violent crimes in Oxford's most affluent

  • William's day as the Bishop

    NINE-year-old William Godley got the chance to find out what it's like to be the Bishop of Oxford for a day. William, who attends St Ebbe's Primary School, in Whitehouse Road, South Oxford, helped the Rt Rev John Pritchard with a service to mark the

  • Farmers' markets score victory

    A VICTORY for farmers' markets in west Oxfordshire could point the way to changes across the country. District councillors have approved three separate planning applications from the Thames Valley Farmers' Market Co-operative to put up signs in the

  • Stars help in rags to riches auction

    A BLAZER worn by late comedy legend Ronnie Barker and a shirt signed by the England football team are among items being auctioned today to raise money for Oxfordshire charities. The items will join more than 50 other items donated by the likes of Gordon

  • Circulation aid is out of this world

    TECHNOLOGY developed for astronauts has been brought to Oxfordshire to help people suffering from circulation problems in their legs. A new clinic in Bicester is the first place in the UK to offer the Nasa equipment, which was originally designed to

  • College to train school cooks

    AN Oxford college has been chosen to house one of the Government's first training centres for school cooks. A new Feast (Food Excellence and Skills Training) centre will open at Oxford and Cherwell Valley College, in Oxpens Road, in February. One

  • Cyclone victims 'need our help'

    PEOPLE in Oxfordshire can help rebuild homes or provide new shelters for hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis, who are victims of Cyclone Sidr, say Oxfam bosses. Bangladeshi families are returning to their homes to find devastation following last

  • The smart approach

    AS he walks to work at the Covered Market, Oxford, Mathew Thomas is made to confront his past every day. As a former history undergraduate and pupil at a leading public school, doubtless the sight of bright young things cycling along the High stirs

  • Back home but ready for more

    After more than six months under fire in the heart of the Iraq conflict, Lance Corporal Chris Hutchinson could be forgiven for wanting to take it easy. The brave 25-year-old has seen his best friend shot and other close pals in 4 Rifles killed in bloody

  • Councillor must step down now

    Public figures like Olive McIntosh-Stedman and the hundreds of serving councillors across Oxfordshire are in unique positions of trust. So when one is convicted of a criminal offence, there can be only be one outcome. Yesterday, the flamboyant 65-

  • Councillor guilty of benefit fraud

    County councillor Olive McIntosh-Stedman has been convicted of dishoneslty claiming council tax benefit. A jury took just over an hour yesterday to find the 65-year-old guilty of making a false statement to obtain the benefit. She was acquitted of

  • Private care

    Last week, we reported how medical teams in Oxford successfully delivered quins to a Russian couple unable to get the same standard of care in their home country. The delivery involved a significant number of medical staff at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital

  • Death was an accident

    A HOMELESS man died as the result of an accident, a coroner has recorded. Gerald Conneely, 37, was living at the Oxford Night Shelter, in Luther Street, when he died on the A40, near Wolvercote, on September 28 last year. Oxfordshire Coroner Nicholas

  • Mondeo makes hill starts easy

    FORD'S high-tech new Mondeo helps drivers make the perfect hill start no matter how steep the gradient or how heavy the load. The car's sophisticated software detects the attitude of the Mondeo every time it becomes stationary - for example at traffic

  • Flood cash hopes dry up

    Oxfordshire taxpayers look likely to directly bear the brunt of paying for July's devastating floods. It emerged last night that Oxfordshire - which claimed to be £3.3m out-of-pocket because of the disaster - has been told Whitehall would not be providing