Archive

  • U's duo make up after fracas

    Matt Day says he and Billy Turley have shaken hands and made up after their amazing bust-up as they left the field at Plainmoor. Turley vented his full fury at full back Day as the players walked off down the tunnel following Oxford United's 3-2 defeat

  • FOOTBALL: Didcot up to second

    Didcot Tn 3, Burnham 1 Didcot went second in the BGB Southern League Division 1 South & West after defeating fellow promotion chasers Burnham. The home side rode their luck at times with Burham hitting the post twice in the second half. It was

  • Torquay Utd 3, Oxford Utd 2 (08/04)

    CRAIG McAllister made a dream return to Oxford United's attack by scoring in just 51 seconds at Plainmoor last night. But former United striker Chris Zebroski scored a goal in each half to bring second-placed Torquay back into it, and they then struck

  • Murder accused 'spotted on CCTV'

    JURORS were today shown CCTV footage which places the man accused of murdering two squatters in a fire in Oxford close to the scene on the night of the blaze. James Cox, 63, of no fixed address, is accused of killing Sian Sanchez, 36, and Howard Blake

  • Lorry cuts off power

    ABOUT 1,400 homes were left without electricity today after a lorry pulled down high-voltage cables in Ascott-under- Wychwood. Power was cut off at about 4pm, when the lorry reversed into cables over Tyack's coal yard, alongside the railway station

  • Murder accused spotted on CCTV

    Jurors were today shown CCTV footage which places the man accused of murdering two squatters in a fire in Oxford close to the scene on the night of the blaze. James Cox, 63, of no fixed address, is accused of killing Sian Sanchez, 36, and Howard Blake

  • Memories won't fade away

    Curators of a graveyard are trying to preserve the memory of two boys who died in a skating accident 180 years ago. The Old Church Preservation Society wants to restore the weather-worn headstone that marks where James Joiner, 16, and Charles Pugh, 15

  • Lorry cuts off electricity

    About 1,400 homes were left without electricity today after a lorry pulled down high-voltage cables in Ascott-under- Wychwood. Power was cut off at about 4pm, when the lorry reversed into cables over Tyack's coal yard, alongside the railway station,

  • Cruise couple's ordeal over

    A COUPLE left in limbo on board the cruise liner Van Gogh are relieved to be home. Ray and Margaret Young, from High Street, in Milton-under-Wychwood, hoped the cruise, which cost about £16,000, would be the trip of a lifetime. But it seemed, after

  • Boys beaten in vicious attack

    POLICE today appealed for witnesses to a brutal attack in broad daylight which is thought to be linked to gang rivalry in East Oxford. The clash happened at the junction of James Street and Cowley Road, at about 6pm yesterday, in full view of people

  • Boys beaten in vicious attack

    Police are appealing for witnesses to a brutal attack in broad daylight which is thought to be linked to mounting gang rivalry in East Oxford. The clash happened at the junction of James Street and Cowley Road, at about 6pm on Monday, in full view of

  • Couple's cruise ordeal over

    A couple left in limbo on board the cruise liner Van Gogh are relieved to be home after days of "frustrated trauma". Ray and Margaret Young, from High Street, in Milton-Under-Wychwood, hoped the cruise, which set them back around £16,000, would be the

  • Lying dentist can return to work

    A dentist who lied about his surgical experience before giving a lecture to a room packed with Oxford graduates and surgeons can now return to work. Vishwadev Anand embellished his CV and boasted of having published articles in a magazine that did not

  • FOOTBALL: Super Slade secure first silverware

    Slade Farm United won the first silverware in their short history with a 2-0 victory over fellow Division 1 side Ruscote in the Banbury District & Lord Jersey Mid Oxon Cup final. Ruscote were on the back foot in the first half and the breakthrough came

  • FOOTBALL: Southrop brushed aside by Combe!

    Combe bolstered their Division 2 promotion chances with a 6-0 victory over Southrop. Martin Reeves, Guy Newland, Simon Baker, Tom Sharp, Matt Baker and Robin Chan were all on the scoresheet. Finstock have promotion in their own hands as they beat

  • Sh Sh Shakespeare

    Rehearsals for RJ - a musical based on Romeo and Juliet. Photography by marcbrome.com

  • Working hard

    Rehearsals for Thoroughly Modern Millie. Millie (Hayley Bater) and Miss Dorothy (Laura Chaitow) in front

  • Wherefore art thou?

    Cast members perform RJ, a rock musical based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Photography by marcbrome.com

  • Supporting cast

    Clare Denton, daughter of Rod and Barbara Denton who helped start the society, and a group of boys from the cast of Bugsy

  • All together

    A group photo of the cast of Annie Get Your Gun in 1992

  • Arrr me mateys

    Iain Johnston (left) and Andy Cannon, with members of Musical Youth Company of Oxford at The Oxford Playhouse.

  • FOOTBALL Icknield's wait is over

    Icknield Community College (Watlington) ended a 21-year wait for glory with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over St Birinus (Didcot) in the Vale of White Horse Under 13 Cup final at Letcombe. The 4-3 success on spot-kicks was the school's first

  • FOOTBALL: Vale off to flying start

    Number 13 was not unlucky for the Vale of White Horse when they opened their four-match programme at the annual English Schools' FA Festival on the Isle of Wight with a 4-1 victory over Mid-Somerset on Monday. The Vale have had a 100 per cent record

  • Production team

    Members of the production team - director Guy Brigg, managing director Julie Todd, chairman Ian Ritchie, costume manager Sarah White and committee member Tess Blenkinson

  • Evenin' all

    Costa Cambanakis (left) and his younger brother Freddie in a production of Pirates of Penzance (Broadway version) in 2005

  • FOOTBALL Horwood keeps Tower on track

    Tower Hill stayed on course for the Giles Sports Witney Youth Under 13 A League title with a hard-earned 3-0 victory against Chipping Norton Town Swifts. Jake Horwood (2) and James Gough were the scorers. Ross Barrettt slammed a four-timer as Wychwood

  • Modern Millie

    Hayley Bater as Millie in this week's performance of Thoroughly Modern Milllie

  • FOOTBALL Webster puts Hinksey on the brink

    AFC Hinksey virtually wrapped up the RT Harris Oxford City FA title by winning 5-1 at home to Great Milton thanks to a fantastic foursome from Tobias Webster and a single from the consistent Gavin Preston. Their closest rivals, AFC Woodfarm, won 3-

  • FOOTBALL: Hailey cruise into last four

    Hailey booked their place in the semi-finals of the Witney & District FA Senior Cup with a 3-0 win against fellow Premier League side Hanborough. Victory was sealed through strikes from Sean and Joel King, plus Ollie Oswin. Division 4 side Chad Park

  • Show goes on and on...

    For two decades youngsters have been bitten by the acting bug thanks to the Musical Youth Company of Oxford (MYCO). Children of all ages - and whole families - have been enchanted by the lure of the spotlight and the smell of greasepaint. And many

  • FOOTBALL Brilliant Botley stun champions

    Botley United, lying only fifth in Division 3, took their third big scalp to reach the final of the North Berks Charity Shield, as they beat last year's double winners Ardington & Lockinge in a penalty shoot-out, writes AAndy Wells Following a goalless

  • FOOTBALL Wootton hold title-chasers

    Wootton & Dry Sandford got a vital point in their battle to beat the drop from the North Berks League's Division 1 when holding title-chasing Lambourn Sports to a 1-1 draw. Wootton took the lead through Josh Nicholls after a fine cross by Jonathan Weir

  • GIRLS' FOOTBALL: Hannah's haul in vain

    Oxford Mail Girls' League Hannah Godin hit a hat-trick for Kidlington in their clash with Banbury - but it was not enough as her side slipped to a 4-3 defeat in the Under 12 League. Natasha Seeney fired a treble for Banbury, with Leah Reed hitting

  • FOOTBALL: Ronnie leads Rover goal-fest

    Ronnie Williams hammered a five-timer as Premier Division leaders Rover Cowley racked up the first double figure tally of the season with a 10-2 thrashing of relegation-haunted Wat- lington in the Oxfordshire Senior League. Williams opened his account

  • ‘I was victim of ID fraud’

    Mum-of- two Lorna Rivers always thought she was careful when it came to protecting her identity. She shredded old bills and correspondence and guarded her Internet shopping passwords closely. But one day last year, a harmless looking piece of mail

  • Gang racially abuses boy

    A 15-YEAR-OLD boy was chased through a village after being racially abused by a gang. Police are appealing for witnesses to a racially aggravated incident in Eynsham on Sunday. At about 8.15pm, a white 15-year-old boy was walking along Merton Close

  • Man arrested after girl abducted

    A 30-year-old man has been arrested after a 15-year-old girl was dragged into a car and abducted by two men in Blackbird Leys on Sunday. Police said the teenager was grabbed outside the Spar shop in Dunnock Way at 7.30pm on Sunday and pulled into a

  • Man held over abduction attempt

    A 30-year-old man has been arrested after a 15-year-old girl was dragged into a car and abducted by two men in Oxford on Sunday. Police said the teenager was grabbed outside the Spar shop in Dunnock Way, Blackbird Leys, at 7.30pm and pulled into a red

  • Couple get unwanted sex swap

    An April Fool's Day administrative error has seen an elderly husband and wife undergo an unwanted 'sex swap' on their new bus pass identity cards. Pensioner Katrina Snelling, 85, got a shock when she opened her mail and found her new bus card carried

  • A united front

    Last June, as Tracy Dixon's husband Paul lay in the JR undergoing gruelling cancer treatment, she joined 8,000 other women in running five kilometres for the Cancer Research UK Race for Life. This year, Tracy, her sister-in-law and her mother-in-law

  • Centre options explored

    A new community facility should be built on the site of Cowley Community Centre, it has been recommended. The run-down centre, which has been effectively condemned by fire safety experts, has been at the centre of controversy since Cowley Community

  • New trio walk the beat

    Blackbird Leys in Oxford is to get three new Police Community Support Officers. Richard Osborn, Kate Hellenburgh and Kate Howkins will finish their classroom training next week before officially beginning full-time duties such as tackling antisocial

  • Brothel closed in raid

    POLICE swooped on a brothel operating yards from an Oxford primary school today. Around 20 officers charged into the house, in Marston Road, at noon where they found five women working. Two men were also found in the property, but they were

  • Sportsman comes to terms with paralysis

    After dislocating his neck in a snowboarding accident and 'dying' three times, you could be forgiven for thinking Tom Nabarro should be worrying about more than his looks. But the North Oxford man believes checking his hair is a sure sign he is still

  • Career puzzle was easy to solve

    Kim Abrey has never pulled a pint in her life - but that will not stop her taking charge of an Oxford pub this week. Mrs Abrey, 47, and her family are moving into the Red Lion, in Oxford Road, Old Marston, and the former crossword compiler is promising

  • How many bosses?

    How many managers have Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council? In your report of plans for a little bridge over a brook in Leafield Road, Cowley, Oxford (Oxford Mail, March 31), you quote the county council manager for bridges, Peter Brown

  • Plea answered

    We understand Wai Ming Lee's concerns about privacy (Oxford Mail, March 29) and as a result of his helpful suggestions to us, we have reduced the amount of information we send out in renewal e-mails. In fact,the key safeguards the passenger. In the

  • No treatment

    While it was great to see your article celebrating the 20th anniversary of Headway, the Oxford brain injury support group (Oxford Mail, April 2), I would like to mention what appear to be the forgotten long-term coma patients. My family and I have endured

  • Minister puts her foot in it

    Like most people in this country, I usually take what Labour ministers say with a truck full of salt. However, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has outdone herself this time. For one of the most partisan, and frankly vacant, Government ministers

  • Brothel closed in raid

    Police swooped on a brothel operating mere yards from an Oxford primary school today. Around 20 officers charged into the house, in Marston Road, at noon where they found five women working. Two men were also found in the property, but they were not

  • Update: Five held after street brawl

    FIVE teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm following a fight in James Street, in East Oxford, yesterday. Police were called to the junction of James Street and Cowley Road at 6.15pm after reports of a disturbance

  • Today's local share prices (AM)

    AEA Technology 71.5 BMW 2562 Electrocomponents 198 Nationwide Accident Repair 125.5 Oxford Biomedica 22 Oxford Catalyst 162 Oxford Instruments 190 Reed Elsevier 658.75 RM 202 RPS Group 300.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Council stalwart dies

    Christopher Bartram, a former college lecturer and county, district and town councillor for Witney, has died at the age of 84. He lived with his wife Nancy at Langdale Gate and leaves a daughter Anne. The funeral is tomorrow at St Mary's Church, Witney

  • Former councillor dies

    CHRISTOPHER Bartrum, a former college lecturer and county, district and town councillor for Witney, has died at the age of 84. He lived with his wife Nancy at Langdale Gate and leaves a daughter Anne. The funeral is tomorrow at St Mary's Church, Witney

  • Five arrested after 'street fight'

    Four teenagers and one man have been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm following a fight in James Street, in East Oxford, yesterday. Police were called to the junction of James Street and Cowley Road at 6.15pm after reports of a

  • Firefighters tackle flat blaze

    ABOUT 20 firefighters battled with a fire in Thame early today. Four crews were called to Park Street at 3.30am to fight a fire in a bedroom in a first-floor flat. Two firemen wearing breathing apparatus used a hose to tackle the blaze. The

  • Death-crash victim named

    A WOMAN killed in a car crash in south Oxfordshire was named today. Sharron Avery, 37, of Checkendon, died in a crash on Wednesday, April 2, when her Ford Mondeo crashed in Main Street at about 8.15pm. An inquest into the death is due to take place

  • Car crash victim named

    A woman killed in a car crash has been named this morning. Sharron Avery, 37, of Checkendon, died in a crash on Wednesday April 2, when her Ford Mondeo lost control in Main Street at about 8.15pm. An inquest into the death is due to take place later

  • AEA delivers upbeat report

    Bosses at climate and energy consultancy AEA Technology have delivered an upbeat assessment of the company's fortunes. The Harwell-based firm said trading had remained strong to the end of the financial year on March 31 and predicted its pre-tax profits

  • Where did all the words go......?

    Last night’s Ladies’ Day rehearsal lacked a little something. The words. Not having rehearsed for a week and getting over a severe bout of man ‘flu I was probably the main suspect. However in over thirty years (Thirty years!!) of amateur dramatics I don

  • Autism rise 'linked to diagnosis'

    THE rise in autism since the 1980s could be partly explained by changes in how children are diagnosed, according to a new Oxford University study. Some youngsters diagnosed with severe language disorders in the 1980s and 1990s would today be diagnosed

  • Burglars strike three times

    BURGLARS struck three times in as many days in Grove escaping with cash, computers and a car. The first break-in happened between 10.30pm on Wednesday, April 2, and 4am Thursday, April 3, in Colne Close. The burglars stole clothing, computers and

  • Burglars strike in Grove

    Burglars struck three times in as many days in Grove escaping with a hoard of cash, computers and a car. The first break-in happened between 10.30pm on Wednesday April 2 and 4am Thursday April 3 in Colne Close. The burglars stole clothing, computers

  • Cold snap set to continue

    TEMPERATURES are expected to fall below freezing tonight as the cold snap contines across the county, the Met Office has warned. Following the weekend's heavy snow - which forced the cancellation of the OX5 charity run at Blenheim Palace - the big

  • Tory calls for pubs policy rethink

    TWO Oxford pubs were given the chance to sound off over higher rents and beer prices when a top Conservative politician dropped in yesterday. Jeremy Hunt, the MP for South West Surrey and the Tories' shadow secretary of state for culture, media and

  • PM applauds estate improvements

    PRIME Minister Gordon Brown yesterday backed an Oxford estate, following a row over slurs made by a senior Cabinet minister. Residents of Blackbird Leys are furious with Hazel Blears, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. She

  • Firefighters deal with flat blaze

    Around 20 firefighters battled with a house fire in Thame in the early hours of this morning. Four crews were called to Park Street at 3.30am to fight a fire in a bedroom in a first floor flat. Two firemen wearing breathing apparatus and a main hose

  • Farm fire causes A40 delays

    FIREFIGHTERS have extinguished a blaze which caused traffic problems on the A40 near Witney today. At its height, 25 firefighters were tackling the fire at a garage at Salutation Farm House, near Barnard Gate. The fire in the single-storey double

  • Autism rise linked to diagnosis change

    The rise in autism since the 1980s could be partly explained by changes in how children are diagnosed, according to a new University of Oxford study. Some youngsters diagnosed with severe language disorders in the 1980s and 1990s would today be diagnosed

  • UPDATE: Fire crews extinguish A40 blaze

    Firefighters have extinguished a blaze which caused traffic problems on the A40 near Witney this morning. At its height 25 firefighters were tackling the fire at a garage at Salutation Farm House near Barnard Gate. The fire in the single story double

  • PM tries to calm the storm

    It was too much to expect Gordon Brown to disown Hazel Blears over her damaging comments about Blackbird Leys. But at least the Prime Minister gave the Oxford estate his full backing. From that, we can interpret that he disagrees with the view of

  • Never let it happen again

    So our (in the loosest terms) ambulance service is blaming "human error" for sending paramedics 50 miles off course for a teenager who had collapsed. It was always going to be the outcome. Someone in South Central Ambulance's control room in Milton

  • Priest breaks down language barrier

    BRAZILIAN and Portuguese families living in Oxford have been given the chance to worship in their own language following the arrival of a new priest. Father Frederico Ribeiro, from Taubate, Sao Paulo, in Brazil, has been recruited to serve Portuguese-speaking

  • Cash pumped into Clumps

    A NEW wildlife space in the shadow of Wittenham Clumps is one of eight projects across the county to benefit from more than £250,000 in community funding. The Northmoor Trust, which looks after the clumps, near Didcot, is to get £39,325 from Waste Recycling

  • Homeless man told to move on

    A HOMELESS man who has lived at an Abingdon beauty spot for the past year, has been given his marching orders. The Vale of White Horse District Council has ordered him to leave. Last month, we reported that the man was living in the field along the

  • Rare find could be Saxon

    EXPERTS now believe a dozen skeletons discovered in a mass grave in the centre of Oxford may have belonged to executed criminals from Saxon times. A team of three archaeologists have been digging in the quadrangle of St John's College in Blackhall Road

  • Cat saves the day

    RESIDENTS in a block of flats owe their lives to a cat which raised the alarm after smelling a fire. The cat, whom firefighters have now christened Lucky, woke its owner after the blaze broke out in the ground-floor flat at Florence House in Bath Road

  • Police call in on villagers

    PEOPLE in the Wheatley and Chalgrove area are being invited to meet their local neighbourhood officer and speak to them about any concerns that they might have within the community. PC Paul Gregory and Police Community Support Officer Ken Cooney will

  • Do you know your neighbours?

    More than 20 years ago, when Jane Carlton Smith moved into Aston Street, in East Oxford, her neighbours came round to introduce themselves. It was a friendly place to be and people felt there was a community heartbeat. Today, however, many residents

  • Fire crews deal with blaze on A40

    One lane of the A40 at Barnard Gate, near Witney, is closed as fire crews battle a blaze at a garage. Firefighters were called at around 5am this morning following reports of flames at a building next to the road. It is not yet known whether anyone

  • Kempster joins cross-country entry

    CHIPPING Norton's Ray Kempster driving a Protruck R4 joins at least 63 teams taking part in the opening round of the 2008 Britpart MSA British Cross-Country Championship at Baden Hall, in Staffordshire, on April 12-13. The entry has been arranged

  • Star opens £250,000 park attraction

    TV presenter and comedienne Ruby Wax unveiled a £250,000 visitor attraction at the Cotswold Wildlife Park. Ms Wax opened the interactive walk-through experience, Madagascar, which has taken a year to plan and construct. People from across Oxfordshire

  • £2m cash boost for school

    PUPILS in Wantage are delighted at a £2m cash boost to transform their school with brand new facilities. Fitzwaryn School, in Denchworth Road, which educates children with special educational needs, several with severe learning disabilities, will soon

  • Crime falls

    CRIME in the Cherwell area has fallen by three per cent, according to the latest figures. Statistics released by Thames Valley Police show there were 140 fewer crimes between April, 2007 and the end of January, compared to the same period the previous

  • Skaters 'being driven out'

    YOUNG people say Oxford's crumbling skate-park facilities are forcing them to travel out of the county. Enthusiasts of the sport hit out at Oxford city councillors for not supporting their bid for a new skate park, as they boarded a coach to Northamptonshire

  • Brown backs slur-hit city estate

    Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday backed an Oxford estate, following a row over slurs made by a senior Cabinet minister. Residents of Blackbird Leys are furious with Hazel Blears, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. She

  • Digging in at the Old Gaol

    ARCHAEOLOGISTS are hoping to find historic artefacts as a dig begins at Abingdon's Old Gaol in preparation for its redevelopment. Depending on what is found, the work will determine when the development of homes, shops and restaurants can proceed.

  • Cold snap set to continue

    Temperatures are expected to fall below freezing tonight as the cold snap continues across the county, the Met Office has warned. Following the weekend's heavy snow - which forced the cancellation of the OX5 charity run at Blenheim Palace - the big