Archive

  • Oxford junction safety work nears completion

    A REVAMP of one of Oxford's “most dangerous” junctions is due to be completed next week. Work at the junction of Donnington Bridge Road and Iffley Road started five weeks ago and has cost £210,000. New traffic lights, which can react

  • Oxford pupils may be first to get swine flu vaccine

    CHILDREN in Oxford could be among the first in the country to receive a new vaccine for swine flu as early as next month. The city is one of five selected to lead a trial for children aged between six months and 12. A bid for funding for the trial is

  • Architects reject fears on Benson development

    A HOUSEBUILDER has dismissed rumours it plans to build 300 homes in a south Oxfordshire village – insisted it only plans to construct half that many. Architects firm West Waddy ADP, acting on behalf of the landowner, said it aims to submit

  • Abingdon charity worker helps Kenyan street children

    CHARITY worker Eleanor Harrison is helping to revolutionise the lives of Kenya’s street children. She is the director of Abingdon-based charity Action for Children in Conflict (AfCiC), which helps rehabilitate children hit by war, poverty, hunger, abandonment

  • £10m plan for Wood Farm School revamp unveiled

    PLANS have been unveiled for a £10m revamp at an Oxford school. Wood Farm Primary School, in Titup Hall Drive, is set for the overhaul to meet the growing population of the estate. Oxfordshire County Council, which unveiled the plans, welcomed the

  • Oxford hospital staff face parking fee hike

    WORKERS at an Oxford hospital could face parking permit hikes of 15 per cent as part of an attempt to improve facilities for patients. Staff at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, in Headington, also face being refused a permit if they live within 20 miles

  • Bicester eco-town opponents call for support

    CAMPAIGNERS are whipping up support for another public meeting in Bicester to decide how to fight plans for a 5,000-home development. Former town planner Tony Ives is urging residents opposed to the eco town on the edge of Bicester to turn out for talks

  • Mum takes plunge to help Oxford Children's Hospital

    MUM Sam Schad is taking a 100ft plunge from the top of Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital to raise money for sick children. Dr Schad, 41, from Summertown, Oxford, has two big reasons for taking part in the abseil for Oxford Children’s Hospital

  • CRICKET: Hawtin expects derby battle

    Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League Banbury captain Ian Hawtin says beating the Division 1 leaders will count for nothing if they don’t perform in Saturday’s derby at Oxford. A late blitz saw Banbury edge out Henley by two wickets last week

  • A quackers rescue tale

    Four firefighters were called to free a duck which had become entangled in a fishing line in Oxford today. The firecrew from Kidlington was called by the RSPCA at 2.10pm so their inflatable rubber raft could be used to unhook a mallard which was trapped

  • FOOTBALL: Jeffrey banking on strike partnership

    Banbury United boss Billy Jeffrey will be looking to the partnership of ex-Rugby Town duo David Stone and Jason Taylor to fire them to success in this season’s Zamaretto Southern League Premier Division campaign, which starts on Saturday with the visit

  • FOOTBALL: Peace ready for new mission

    Boss Stuart Peace is confident his promoted Didcot Town team will be able to hold their own when they kick off their Zamaretto Southern LEague Premier Division campaign at Clevedon on Saturday. During the summer, Didcot lost the services of goalscoring

  • Oxford United boss Wilder is a happy man

    Four points from two tricky games – Chris Wilder is more than happy with his side’s start. But he knows that there is still a huge room for improvement. Oxford United’s opening two games have seen two very different performances. A scrappy encounter

  • FOOTBALL: Ex-U's aces join promotion bid

    Manager Justin Merritt could give debuts to the ex-Oxford United quartet of Lee Steele, Richard Knight, Matt Day and Michael Alexis as Oxford City begin their quest for Zamaretto Southern League Premier Division promotion when they host Cambridge City

  • Oxford United's unexpected bonus

    Oxford United’s Fifty-50 draw continues to provide a steady stream of additional income at every home game. But even they could not have expected to have landed a surprise windfall at the opening game of the campaign last Saturday. For every ticket

  • FOOTBALL: Slater is buoyant mood

    Abingdon United manager Andy Slater says he wants more consistency when they start their Zamaretto Southern League Division 1 South & West programme at home to Frome Town on Saturday. Last season, Slater’s side took points off the top-seven sides, only

  • Oxford United's Chapman boost

    Oxford United manager Chris Wilder thanked the Northern Ireland FA for allowing Adam Chapman to play at Kettering on Tuesday. The former Sheffield United man, pictured above, was called up for their friendly in Portugal, but was allowed to appear for

  • Oxford United boss Wilder is happy man

    Four points from two tricky games – Chris Wilder is more than happy with his side’s start. But he knows that there is still a huge room for improvement. Oxford United’s opening two games have seen two very different performances.

  • FOOTBALL: Gee seeks progression

    North Leigh manager Mark Gee has rung the changes and is raring to go when their Zamaretto Southern League Division 1 South & West campaign kicks off at Uxbridge on Saturday. North Leigh finished three places outside the play-offs last season – their

  • Chester get thumbs-up

    OXFORD United's Blue Square Premier clash at home to Chester City on Tuesday goes ahead, after an FA commission ruled the Cheshire club can now start playing again. Chester had to postpone fixtures against Grays Athletic and Gatehead because they

  • Wood Farm community groups worried by centre redevelopment

    GROUPS who use an Oxford community centre due to be demolished next year have warned they may be forced to close if an alternate venue is not found nearby. Wood Farm Community Centre, in Titup Hall Drive, is set to be knocked down and rebuilt

  • RUGBY UNION: Scottish double header

    Oxford University will face two testing fixtures on a pre-season tour to Scotland. The Dark Blues will play the Thistles, a combination of Edinburgh and Glasgow’s A teams plus Newcastle Falcons A. They will be based at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh

  • RUGBY UNION: Recruits targeted

    The Leadbitter Oxford Rugby Academy have begun the search for their new intake of 16-19 year-olds. Training is taking place every Tuesday at the Southern Bypass ground, starting at 7.15pm Entry into the academy will be by invitation following a selection

  • RUGBY UNION: Swedish success

    Oxfordshire-based Bootleggers finished runners-up in the Stockholm Tens tournament – the largest event of its kind in Europe. The student side, who were founded by referee Anthony Swift, from Abingdon, and his son Ed, were coached in Sweden

  • Thousands arrive for Cropredy festival

    Thousands of music fans have descended on a north Oxfordshire village for a weekend of folk and fun. An estimated 20,000 people have arrived on site at the annual Fairport Cropredy Convention. Folk rock legends Fairport Convention, who

  • School plans changes

    A school is to reopen in September under new management and with a new name. Bessels Leigh School, near Abingdon, is an independent boarding school for boys unable to find places in mainstream or state special schools. After a poor care

  • Thousands arrive for Croperdy concert

    THOUSANDS of music fans have descended on a north Oxfordshire village for a weekend of folk and fun. An estimated 20,000 people have arrived on site at the annual Fairport Cropredy Convention, which started yesterday. Folk rock legends Fairport Convention

  • Samurai sword man escapes jail term

    A scaffolder caught in Abingdon town centre with a Samurai sword has walked free from court. Leslie Prince, 21, was stopped by police outside Strattons nightclub in the early hours of May 2 when CCTV operators spotted him with an object concealed

  • Changes planned at school for problem kids

    A SCHOOL which caters for problem children is to reopen in September under new management and with a new name. Bessels Leigh School, near Abingdon, is an independent boarding school for boys unable to find places in mainstream or state special schools

  • Cutting crime a piece of cake

    A CHIEF police officer is hand-delivering birthday cakes to criminals in a bid to cut down on crime. Chief Inspector Andy Boyd, the police commander in the Vale of White Horse, even pays for the £1.50 Victoria Sponge himself under a scheme

  • Doctors defend themselves over heart surgery deaths

    DOCTORS have defended an increase in deaths for some types of heart surgery and insisted treatment was improving for patients. The death rate for aortic valve replacements, or AVR, where surgeons replace a diseased valve with an artificial or tissue

  • Man held on motoring charges

    A man has been remanded in custody accused of motoring offences. Rikki Brackett, 29, of Nunnery Close, Oxford, appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court yesterday and has been remanded in custody to reappear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on August 28.

  • Finance guru addresses economic seminar

    A top financial expert is the main speaker at a seminar addressing how the economy looks now and in the near future. Stephen Boyle, chief economist at the RBS Bank, will be providing an insight on global economic forces and their impact on business in

  • The Late Shift

    A regular seminar designed to help people suffering stress in the workplace or facing unemployment is being run by mental health charity Oxfordshire Mind. The Late Shift is described as "an open, safe space for discussion." Topics include: •

  • Local share prices (AM)

    13/08/2009 AEA Technology 28.25 BMW 2759 Electrocomponents 160.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 102.5 Oxford Biomedica 11 Oxford Catalyst 51 Oxford Instruments 170 Reed Elsevier 441.4 RM 165 RPS Group 196.4 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Abingdon woman's killer 'agitated' before murder

    AN EX-SOLDIER suspected of killing an Abingdon woman told work colleagues he was going home to “deal with a flood” hours before her body was found. Stewart Shaw, 45, was described as ‘agitated’ by colleagues at Siemens Transportation Systems depot in

  • Community spirit saves Bicester playgroup

    A PLAYGROUP which faced closure after its building was condemned has been saved by the community in a DIY SOS-style rescue bid. Rainbow Playgroup launch-ed a desperate appeal for money to overhaul its base, but feared it could close before the money

  • Police renew appeal on Didcot collision

    Police today renewed an appeal for witnesses to a collision in which a 74-year-old man was seriously injured in Didcot. At about 10.10pm on Tuesday, a black Saab collided with the man in Lydalls Road. The 74-year-old was taken to the John Radcliffe

  • Rural dream

    The Cotswolds is now firmly established as a place of beauty, with its rolling hills and picturesque villages. But when Shakespeare’s Earl of Northumberland had to travel across it, he complained of being wearied by its “high, wild hills and rough uneven

  • Beautiful pigs

    A delightful picture of an Oxford Sandy & Black appears in Beautiful Pigs (Frances Lincoln, £12.99) a collection of portraits of pigs posing in their home territory. The author, Andy Case, has 25 Oxfords at his farm in Dorset, but I saw a trio of delightful

  • Franklin: Tragic Hero

    FRANKLIN: TRAGIC HERO OF POLAR EXPLORATION Andrew Lambert (Faber, £20)The discovery of the Arctic sea route to the Pacific was the greatest lure in naval history. The North West Passage was the Holy Grail of exploration. It was the ice-bound setting

  • Hospitals crisis

    Ripples of dismay will spread throughout the National Health Service at the news that the District Auditor has referred the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust to the Secretary of State for Health for its failure to break even over the past five years

  • Practice makes perfect for Oxford United

    Adam Murray says that it was extra work on the training ground that helped maintain Oxford United’s unbeaten start to the season. The U’s followed up their opening-day win over York with a 1-1 draw at Kettering. But their goal was a classic – a well-worked

  • Extra work pays for U's

    Adam Murray says that it was extra work on the training ground that helped maintain Oxford United’s unbeaten start to the season. The U’s followed up their opening-day win over York with a 1-1 draw at Kettering on Tuesday night. But their goal was a

  • FOOTBALL: Chester to learn fate

    Chester City should learn their Blue Square Premier fate later today. The Cheshire side have yet to play a match this season, with their two scheduled games called off under the orders of the Football Association. Each Blue Square club was asked to

  • Dead motorbike rider's mum wins 999 change

    A MOTHER’S crusade has changed the way 999 calls to motorbike accidents are handled. Call operators will now be trained to help prevent motorcyclists suffocating in the crucial minutes after a crash. Guy Evans, 17, died a year ago tomorrow while riding

  • Vague plan

    Sir – I would like to make a couple of points about the new Bicester suburb the Government recently approved. Where did this plan spring from? We’ve heard absolutely nothing about it – no leaflets, nothing – and it’s on our doorstep. We heard a great

  • Reasonable curb

    Sir – The new speed limit in Oxford (if enforced) will do more than save life and limb. There should be no doubt that people change their behaviour in the face of the threat posed by traffic speeding through their towns and villages. They walk and

  • Social experiment

    Sir – You will find no other large probation centre in a residential area like Mill Street anywhere in the UK. This will be a first, a social experiment with us, the residents of West Oxford, as the guinea pigs. Thames Valley probation chiefs would

  • Bail-out

    Sir – Now that a £22bn loss has been declared on tax revenues, is it time for the banks to bail out the Government? Surely Goldman Sachs, at least, could help. Tony Crofts, Stonesfield

  • Therapeutic space

    Sir – In his letter (June 25), Professor Tom Burns, psychiatrist and non-executive director of the Mental Health Care Trust, stated that the patients of Warneford Hospital don’t need green spaces such as Warneford Meadow. This is wrong. Shortly after

  • New bridge needed

    Sir – It is excellent news that the city council and the Jericho Living Heritage Trust are both preparing bids to acquire the derelict Jericho boatyard. There now seems a fair prospect that the site may be developed in ways that truly respect St Barnabas

  • Great admiration

    Sir – I refer to to the article on the BBC’s new film about penicillin (Report, July 30). I knew Dr Norman Heatley quite well and greatly admired him. I do not know Dr Mercy Heatley, but applauded her stand on income tax and warfare! Nancie Villiers

  • Fake competition

    Sir – British Gas poached me from Southern Electric a couple of years ago. Now EDF has poached me from British Gas. I expect Thames Water will soon offer me all three utilities for a temporary saving. So this is the long-term result of Thatcherization

  • Voting with my feet

    Sir – I absolutely agree with your correspondent Mandy Hasco (Letters, July 30). Have any of the people involved in making the decision to cut bus stops (on behalf of their elected majority) tried to walk through Oxford at any time during the working

  • Living in real world

    Sir – Whereas most responsible people and political parties are well aware of the environmental warnings which used to be the preserve of fringe groups, we still have to live in the real world, where a certain amount of travel is necessary and desirable

  • VIP airport treatment

    Sir – Re the flights from Kidlington (Letters, July 30). Oxford can never be a ‘Luton’ as the runway is far too short for the medium-sized jet aircraft. In fact the flying at Kidlington has reduced dramatically over the last few years, and the small

  • Charity shop dumping

    Sir – Can urgent action be taken over dumping outside charity shops at the weekend? Huge mounds of stuff accumulate, much of it in a filthy state, and are picked over by opportunists who remove anything of value and most usable articles as well, and

  • Rare breed

    Sir – Local councillors who are engaged in their responsibilities for the benefit of the community are a rare breed. Most of them are no different to any other politicians who are claiming enormous expense allowances for their own benefit and the people

  • Bizarre locations

    Sir – For those of us living in central Headington, the relocation positions of bus stops in central Oxford is bizarre. The 8s, 9s and 7s to Barton have a bus stop in Castle Street, while the 400 Park and ride bus stop to Thornhill (via Headington

  • Brookes campus development 'is being rushed through'

    HOMEOWNERS living next to Oxford Brookes University’s Gipsy Lane campus claim a £150m redevelopment plan is being rushed through while many neighbours are away on holiday. City councillors are being recommended to give consent for the university’s plans

  • The most dramatic battle yet?

    Oxonmoot is always a highlight of the Tolkien Society's year. Held to mark the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo, hobbit lovers from across the world gather at an Oxford college to enjoy academic talks, masquerades (costume is optional) and drink tea

  • Community rescues playgroup

    A PLAYGROUP, faced with closure after its building was condemned, has been rescued by the community. Rainbow Playgroup launched a desperate bid for £200,000 funding for a new base but feared it could be forced to close before the money was

  • Gateway green light

    The £150m scheme to redevelop Oxford Brookes University’s main Headington campus looks set to be given the go-ahead by Oxford City Council. Officers will recommend that plans to create a new gateway to the city should be approved, when they

  • More cycle parking needed

    Sir – Nothing is more infuriating than cycling into town only to find there are no free parking spaces. Adding insult to injury, the lampposts sneer: “Do not park your bicycle here – use the nearest bike rack.” The councils’ joint programme to free

  • Swine flu trial for children

    Children in Oxford could be among the first in the UK to receive a new vaccine for swine flu. Oxford is one of five English cities believed to have been selected to lead a trial for children aged between six months and 12 years. A bid

  • 14,000 on breadline

    Sir – You are right to point out (Report, August 6) that 14,000 people in this county are growing older in poverty. Oxfordshire is often viewed as affluent and advantaged. The reality is, as these official figures show, that there are areas in our

  • Pass poser

    The problems caused by the entirely laudable scheme to issue free bus passes to all those aged over 60 continue to mount. A report commissioned by the Local Government Association has concluded that the passes were an ‘inefficient’ use of public money

  • Troubled water

    News that a public inquiry is being held into Thames Water’s £1bn plan for a reservoir between Abingdon and Wantage is welcome news, but not entirely unexpected. It would have been unthinkable if such a major project could be considered without a meticulous

  • Stronghold for wildlife

    Wildlife is thriving on a 1,500-acre tract of Oxfordshire countryside despite living cheek by jowl with huge storage warehouses, army trucks, forklift trucks, soldiers and civilians. Bicester Garrison might not be a hostile environment but

  • Modern Portugal mixed case, £95

    Modern Portuguese wines have loads of juicy fruit and are very different to the style we used to see some years ago. With the relatively recent emergence of the Douro Valley as a recognised table wine producing area and the use of modern winemaking

  • Means test for bus pass ruled out

    Oxford City Council has ruled out means testing for over-60s’ bus passes, but admitted the scheme had left council finances in crisis. A national report commissioned by the Local Government Association concluded that free bus passes were an

  • Stock up with vintage winners

    The summer holidays are in full swing and – predictably – the weather has deteriorated. Friends with young children at home are going mad: I know because they intermittently land on my doorstep with young Johnny and Chloe in tow, bypassing all

  • Grow your own

    Every fortnight your local Wildlife Trust gives you an expert insight into the wildlife around you and shares some tips on how to enjoy it. Colby Benari, BBOWT volunteer, digs up some fun at the allotment. Allotments are becoming more and more popular