Fifty five firefighters from across Oxfordshire were called to tackle a raging blaze at the derelict Fox & Hounds pub on the corner of Abingdon Road, Oxford, tonight. Oxfordshire fire and rescue received several calls from worried members
Monthly police figures show there have been about 600 fewer crimes in Oxfordshire in the past three months compared to the same period last year. Between April 1 and June 30, there were 12,100 crimes reported across the county, a drop of five per cent
A FORMER BBC Radio Oxford volunteer who fell to his death from an eight-storey London restaurant was wearing a designer suit and had just ordered Champagne. “Style meant everything” to stockbrocker and Oxford University graduate Anjool Malde
DISABLED motorists say they are “utterly frustrated” at trying to find somewhere to park in Oxford city centre. One driver said the lack of spaces had become so bad she had been forced to turn around and head home. Fifteen of the 98
PENSIONERS have welcomed the extension of a bus service which will now call at two extra hospitals in Oxford. Until now, the 700 service from Water Eaton park-and-ride, near Kidlington, has only called at the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington.
AN OXFORD teenager described as “the pride of Blackbird Leys” has died after a five-and-a-half year battle with cancer. Jake Spicer, from Shepherd’s Hill, died aged 15 surrounded by close family at Helen House, East Oxford, in the early hours
Oxfordshire County Council’s biggest opposition party has picked its shadow cabinet. In last month’s elections, the Liberal Democrats won 10 of the council’s 74 seats. Grove and Wantage councillor Zoe Patrick has been re-elected as the party’s group
A 20-year-old cafe which employs adults with learning difficulties has less than three months to survive unless it attracts more customers. Managers at Bytes, the coffee shop at charity HFT, formerly the Home Farm Trust, in Potash Lane, Milton Heights
THE A40 will be shut for nine hours this weekend as work on the £44.4m replacement scheme for the Wolvercote Viaduct enters a critical phase. The road will be closed from the Wolvercote roundabout to Cassington from 10pm on Saturday until 7am on Sunday
Parents are battling to keep open an Abingdon pre-school which may close unless committe members are found soon. Riverside Pre-School, in Cotman Close, has been running for 41 years and helps youngsters with speech and language problems. However, the
Three different options for the redevelopment of Bicester’s Market Square are to be put out to consultation with the public in the autumn, although details are yet to be finalised. Oxfordshire County Council has allocated £750,000 to the project, and
A vicar has been told to get on her bike after a decade serving churches in her west Oxfordshire parishes. The Rev Jane Knowles was presented with a bicycle so she can get around the countryside at her retirement cottage. Mrs Knowles served the Forest
A new information and IT centre boosted by a grant from the Gannett Foundation has been unveiled at a branch of Age Concern Oxfordshire. The centre in White Lion Walk, Banbury, is intended to let people learn new computer skills at their own pace. Also
THE third Sobell House hospice Moonlight Stroll through Oxford takes place on Saturday night. A record 1,150 people have signed up to take part in the eight-mile walk through the city, many of whom have personal experience of the hospice’s work. Sobell
A COMMUNITY group that has fought off developers and crime sprees to preserve a unique part of Oxford will toast its half century on Saturday. Friends of Iffley Village are holding a day of activities to mark the occasion, including an exhibition of
SATURDAY CRICKET SERIOUS CRICKET HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE Div 1: High Wycombe v Banbury, Oxford v Welwyn Garden City. Div 2: West: Falkland v Aston Rowant, Wokingham v Thame Tn. THE OXFORD TIMES CHERWELL LEAGUE Div 1: Bicester & NO v Horspath
Oxford's Katie Greves is one of several Oxfordshire rowers in the Great Britain team, sponsored by Siemens, for the final World Cup regatta in Switzerland this weekend. Britain go into the fixture at Lucerne, which starts today, in pole position in the
Isis and Oxford Brookes fared best of the local clubs, winning the Visitors coxless fours and the Prince Albert coxed fours respectively. Both the local combinations were selected, but Isis, composed of one current Blue and three 2009 Isis reserve boat
Ben Barker and Lubos Tomicek will complete the Oxford Cheetahs team for the four team tournament at Swindon on Thursday, July 30, writes ROB PEASLEY. They join the previously announced Niels-Kristian Iversen and Adam Skornicki in a mouthwatering Oxford
ECB 50+ County Championship Ian Caunce starred again as Oxfordshire Over 50s made virtually certain of their place in the last 16 with a cracking six-wicket win over Warwickshire at Great & Little Tew. The Oxford Downs opener smashed 85 as the reigning
Didcot Town midfielder Jack King, could be on his way to Zamaretto Southern League Premier Division rivals Farnborough. King, the ex-Swansea City apprentice, who scored 23 goals in all competitions last season, and helped Stuart Peace’s side clinch promotion
Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League Banbury captain Ian Hawtin has rung the changes as his side bid to stay in Division 1 title contention. Hawtin has dropped three men for Saturday’s trip to High Wycombe, with opening batsman
npower Village Cup Aston Rowant believe they can go all the way as they prepare for Sunday’s last 16 clash at Miskin Manor, near Cardiff. Rowant skipper Dave Ridgley has once again named a 14-man squad for the match, which will be narrowed down to
Shola Adebisi gets set to unleash a forehand stroke on the way to helping Banbury to a 3-1 win over Oxford Sports in the Wilson OLTA League Men’s Black Division last weekend. Due to the unavailability of results we are unable to publish our
Not so long ago, the only thing the steering wheel would do on a mid-range family car is, you guessed it, steer. You only have to study the three-spoke wheel of the new Toyota Avensis to understand how sophisticated cars in this market sector
Heathfield House Nursing Home, Bletchington, is a registered ‘pet friendly’ care home with the Cinnamon Trust. The Cinnamon Trust is the only national charity which seeks to relieve the anxieties, problems and sometimes injustices faced by elderly
Music festivals are firmly established as one of the highlights of the British summer. But all that roughing it, barely sleeping and dining on festival fast food can wreak havoc with your health. "Festivals are great occasions," said
He earns £90,000 a week, was once the youngest goalscorer for the Premier League and has become one of the most recognisable faces in the world. For Wayne Rooney though, it is not just the face the world recognises — it is the receding hairline
Everyone is equal in the eyes of swine flu. Whether you are a Scottish football fan or a student at Eton, the virus does not discriminate. Confirmed cases of the bug have steadily crept up in the UK, with 278 at the last count, but despite mass
Forty-seven drivers were caught breaking the law during a police operation in Steventon today. During checks on Hanney Street and High Street, 30 drivers were issued with fixed penalty notices for exceeding the 30mph speed limit. A further
The FIA has suggested the latest threat to the future of Formula One could be over "in the coming days". Issuing a statement entitled 'Setting The Record Straight', motor sport's world governing body has responded in kind to FOTA's claim from Wednesday
Two men were arrested on suspicion of theft of metal from the back of a house in Headington in the early hours today. The men, both 19, were detained outside the property in Old Road by police, and a large amount of lead flashing was discovered
TWO men were assaulted during a brawl between rival football teams. Police are appealing for witnesses to the attacks in Corn Street, Witney, at about 2am on Sunday. One of the men suffered minor injuries after he was assaulted outside USA Fried Chicken
Artist Adrian Smart is celebrating double success after being commended in a top BBC competition and accepted into an elite London gallery. Three of his paintings were chosen for the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year final where more than 700 paintings
A GIRLS’ club has been hosting weekly footballing sessions to tackle the problems of obesity, bullying and antisocial behaviour. The Barton Girls and Young Women Group was set up in 2007, after it was decided there was little for girls on the estate
A CAMPAIGNER will deliver a petition against the closure of a much loved subway to 10 Downing Street at the weekend. Mick Haines, of Croft Road, Old Marston, will hand in a 2,500 name petition on Sunday protesting against the planned closure of the subway
A SERVICE which offers a lifeline to victims of sexual abuse in Oxfordshire has been given a cash boost to take on its first paid workers. Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre has been able to appoint two co-ordinators to run the organisation
A SCHOOL is hoping to celebrate its 350th anniversary by opening a £1.4m music block. Building work is due to begin in August on a new music block at Henry Box School, in Church Green, Witney, which will include a recording studio and seven
A GIANT mural has been created featuring shops, businesses and historic landmarks to brighten up a street in Oxford. James Salter, who has run Cowboymod hairdressers in Walton Street for the past 14 years, came up with the idea for the colourful
MORE than £15,000 has been awarded to clubs and organisations in west Oxfordshire. In its latest round of grants, the district council gave six groups cash to help community projects. Bampton in the Bush Cricket Club will get £5,000 towards replacing
A CHURCH in Kidlington is hosting a summer club for older people. The club — called Holiday at Home — will run from Monday to Friday, August 3-7, and provide a package of activities and entertainment for older people in the village.
AEA Technology 26 BMW 2235 Electrocomponents 136.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 79.5 Oxford Biomedica 11.5 Oxford Catalyst 60 Oxford Instruments 139 REED 459.25 RM 159.75 RPS Group 201
SCHOOLCHILDREN have been trying their hand at circus skills, street dancing, African drumming and flamenco dancing. About 210 youngsters at Hagbourne School, in East Hagbourne, enjoyed the week-long arts and music festival, which ends today
Oxford United could be set for a huge windfall if their former midfielder Dean Whitehead completes a move from Premier League Sunderland to championship side Ipswich Town. According to reports, Whitehead, 27, and teammate Darryl Murphy are
In a collaboration with Casillero del Diablo, the Oxford Mail Guide's section is giving away WINE. Readers have a chance to win 2 Franzia (5.0 litre) bottles and 4 Double Magnums (3.0 litre) bottles of this Chilean wine. The trick is you
Four men accused of a random hammer attack on a tourist have been released by police pending further inquiries. A 25-year-old accountant, from Canada, was attacked as he walked with friends along Little Clarendon Street, in North Oxford, at
TWO Oxfordshire companies specialising in green buidings, have combined to exhibit at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Oxford Green Roofs, of Drayton, supplies meadow roofs which contain plants that attract wildlife, and LivingARKS of Cowley supplies
This was a “happy story”, as Oxford East MP Andrew Smith remarked, after the 1.5 millionth new Mini — a Clubman destined for a British buyer — rolled off BWM’s Cowley production line to the applause of assembled media, politicians, company bosses
The File: A Personal History Timothy Garton Ash (Atlantic, £9.99) This book first came out in 1997, after Oxford historian Prof Garton Ash asked to see the file on him compiled by East Germany’s secret police, the Stasi, under Communism. This edition
Traffic is being diverted through north Oxfordshire after a lorry overturned on the A43. The A43 is closed on the northbound carriageway near Brackley, between the A422 Oxford Road and A421 / B4031 Barleymow roundabout. The road was closed at
Traffic is being diverted through north Oxfordshire after a lorry overturned on the A43. The A43 is closed on the northbound carriageway near Brackley, between the A422 Oxford Road and A421 / B4031 Barleymow roundabout. The road was closed at about
The threat of a breakaway series again looms over Formula One after the latest breakdown in communication between FOTA and the FIA. The eight members of FOTA on Wednesday met with the head of the FIA's Sporting Working Group, Charlie Whiting, and the
DEADLY SINS Nicholas Coleridge (Orion, £12.99) Perhaps Nicholas Coleridge would hate to be thought of as a ‘beach read’, but there it is. Apart from its physical size, which might make you fall foul of cabin baggage restrictions, Deadly Sins is the
Picture postcard views of Dorchester represent Oxfordshire’s only entry in The Most Beautiful Villages of England (Thames and Hudson, £14.95. It’s a contentious selection, and a coffee table book par exellence, with a short entry on each village by James
The popularity of the TV series Lark Rise to Candleford, about turn-of-the-century life in rural North Oxfordshire, has inspired the latest book by local historian Martin Greenwood. At first his book was to be centred on the so-called Shelswell group
If you have a spare £20, you could do a lot worse than buy the complete set of Ox-Tales, produced in aid of Oxfam. These are four collections of short stories contributed by renowned writers, and they have been gathered into four separate themes — earth
Oxford United’s pre-season will have a different feel both for players and fans when the U’s kick-off their programme of friendlies against Oxford City on Tuesday. Last season, under then boss Darren Patterson, United paraded no fewer than seven triallists
CHILDREN have been left fenced out of a new play area after vandals broke in and defaced it, hours after its grand opening. It is not known when the specially carved climbing rock and sandpit, which has been two years in the planning, will reopen. Friends
Sir – We’ve now had a week without lane markings under the railway bridge, and it’s been a lot easier cycling under there. Most of the time, the cars queue forming an impromptu cycle lane on the left-hand side going into town, and you get a clear run
Sir – The attempt to replicate Cowley Road Carnival in South Park this year was a damp squib. There was too much space and too little going on. The whole point of the carnival is that it is a celebration of Cowley Road and its diverse communities.
Sir – The idea of closing some public toilets in order to improve others defeats their purpose as fewer people are then within a convenient distance of one (Report, July 2). Public houses and coffee bars create the need for toilets. Pubs, which always
Sir – It was refreshing to see, in your coverage of The Great Public Lavatory Controversy (July 2), due attention being given to a subject which concerns universal human needs — as opposed to the usual narrow debates about cycle paths and bus gates.
Sir – Annually over 25,000 thousand people in Oxford are saying ‘yes’ to carnival, and last Sunday’s Carnival in the Park was another huge success, as has been the Cowley Road Carnivals in previous years. A huge number of people from within the community
Sir – On visiting the Nuffield Orthopedic Hospital for treatment, finding a parking space took 20 minutes. When I eventually arrived at the physio dept I was feeling very dehydrated in this warm weather. The receptionist kindly went to find me a drink
Sir – Oxford is increasingly becoming a café society and is all the more attractive for it. Unfortunately, in many of its best cafés it’s virtually impossible to sit and read a paper or chat to friends because of the ceaseless blare of music through
A POPULAR former BBC Radio Oxford volunteer, who later became a stockbroker, has been found dead at the bottom of an eight-storey building in London. Anjool Malde worked for the station at its Summertown studios between 2005 and 2006 during
Sir – You report that Oxford Brookes University believe they have ‘met the residents halfway’ in reducing their 25-metre high building to 22 metres. By any rudimentary mathematics, halfway would be a reduction of 12.5 metres. In all seriousness
Sir – There have been several letters in The Oxford Times, and an article in Private Eye, regarding disquiet felt at the insensitive expansion of Oxford Brookes in Headington. These produced a joint response from Shami Chakrabarti, Jon Snow and Baroness
Sir – You report (June 18) that Brookes University has submitted new plans for the redevelopment of its Gipsy Lane site which reduce the height of the main building. This modification does not go far enough. The building is still too large and far
Sir – A packed meeting of the Iffley Field residents’ association exposed the limits of local democracy in our city. The issue was the planned controlled parking zone (CPZ) and specifically the 11th- hour introduction of pavement parking and a reduction
Sir – Oxford citizens are currently complaining bitterly about pedestrianisation schemes in central Oxford, and car parking schemes in the suburbs. This comes down to the same problem. When the county council controls roads, this doesn’t just mean
Sir – I am the person who supported the planned Controlled Parking Zone in the Magdalen Road area, in the meeting that Peter Lewis recounts (Letters, July 2). Here’s why. The county council’s consultants have done an impressive job, given the historical
Sir – Last week, English Heritage issued a statement about conservation areas, drawing attention to the fact that many are seriously at risk, because of neglect by the local authorities who have the duty of declaring and maintaining them. North Oxford
Sir – It is not very many years since the great campaigns to get better accessibility for the disabled won several triumphs – public places (including restaurants, pubs, etc) have now established accessible toilet facilities; lifts and other aids are
The sun was shining on the summer fete on the lawn outside the Women’s Centre at Oxford’s John Radcliffe hospital. But the mood had become markedly gloomy at the fundraiser for the Silver Star Unit, the JR’s nationally-acclaimed facility for seriously
The Beaujolais region stretches from the granite-based hills just south of Mâcon to the southern end of Burgundy and is famous for its relatively light and extremely fruity wines made from the Gamay grape. These are ultra-fresh, aromatic wines that refresh
THE modesty of Patsy Just shows just why she, Julie Maddison and Sidney Street are such worthy recipients of the Sovereign of Malta. All three have been commended for their unstinting work as carers, yet Mrs Just neatly sums up their collective
OUR reporter Chris Walker wanted to show off the beautiful side of this city when he invited five friends from Canada. But all these guests saw was the worst – after just an hour here. The group of six were out in Little Clarendon Street for a meal when
BUS stops will be moved out of Queen Street from Sunday, July 19, as part of the scheme to make one of Oxford’s busiest shopping streets more pedestrian-friendly. Oxfordshire County Council has now released full details of where the Queen Street
When he walked past Oxford’s semi-derelict former LMS railway station in the 1970s, aspiring actor Andrew Macbean can scarcely have imagined that one day he would take to the stage on that very same site. “I was at the Oxford Poly from 1974-77,” Andrew
Babies and vulnerable mothers could be put at risk if ‘efficiency’ plans at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, go ahead, it has been claimed. Fears were raised about the future of the hospital’s acclaimed Silver Star Unit, which provides
The news that changes are being made to the way that vulnerable mothers and their babies are being cared for at the John Radcliffe Hospital has led to understandable concern. The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust is seeking to make savings of
FIVE hundred jobs are to be axed by Oxfordshire County Council, the newly-elected Conservative group has announced The ruling Tory group has revealed that it is planning to make ten per cent savings of £90m in its budgets over the next five years
Common sense also seems to be sadly lacking following the introduction of South Oxfordshire District Council’s new wheelie bin waste collection service. Inevitably with such a fundamental change, mistakes will be made — it would be miraculous if they
The Royal Mail decision to seal up a postbox in Wallingford for health and safety reasons beggars belief. The box has been in the same position near a fire station for more than 30 years. We can only assume that a person with a clipboard has been wandering
Charles Frieth is a pre-eminent composer, conductor, and prodigious womaniser. He expects his orchestral players to do what they’re told — and that includes jumping into bed with him the minute a rehearsal or concert is over, should he so decide
