DUE to the Government being short of money, tough decisions will have to be taken in the next few years. However, it is not necessary to put up income tax or cut education budgets. Why can’t people be treated like adults and allowed to buy cannabis
Following my recent letter in the Oxford Mail responding to Adrian Taylor, he embarked on an email exchange with me, on the issue of time for debate, stating that he would “keep an eye and an ear open for any misdemeanor” that I am involved in. There
I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dan Kemp on November 8. I first met Dan when I went to work for him at his then, small company Timbmet on Cumnor Hill, Oxford. Myself and five of my brothers worked for Dan in different capacities over
WELL done George Duncan, for putting Jeff Clark firmly in his place (last Thursday’s Oxford Mail). We also have these helicopters flying low over our area, and it’s a joy to see and hear them, knowing that the crews are training to protect us and our
l SOME months ago, Miss Bea Bradley observed that “it was the silly season”. It still is. Apart from Mr Lee’s rant (Oxford Mail letters, November 26), you have had a spate of letters about hunting and animal abuse. At the same time, you have had one
l I WRITE regarding the report of Andrew Smith’s whinging (Oxford Mail, October 29). He issued a virtual threat to the constituents of the loss of his services as the result of having to sack his wife in order to comply with the proposed parliamentary
The letter-writing campaign by Labour councillors and known Labour activists against the proposed East Oxford Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) is at best mischievous and at worst seriously damaging. It is political opportunism of the most malicious kind
POLICE want to speak to this woman after a gang stole £4,600 from a mother and daughter at a cash machine. Two women and a man distracted a 60-year-old woman outside the Halifax, at the Westgate Centre, Oxford, at 3.30pm on Monday, by putting ketchup
The Museum of Oxford is safe for another year after councillors agreed to give it a further £120,000 to keep it open until 2011. Councillors last night approved the additional funding to the museum, pictured, at the executive board meeting of the ruling
Councillors tonight voted through a 10p increase in car parking charges for motorists who park for less than an hour at city centre car parks. Charges will also increase by 10p for drivers parking on evenings at Abbey Place, Gloucester Green
THE Bishop of Oxford is calling on world leaders at the Copenhagen summit on climate change to strike a deal for future generations. The summit, starting Monday, is aiming for agreement on measures to tackle climate change, including cutting emissions
Oxford City Stars kept their play-off hopes bubbling with a 6-5 win at basement boys Peterborough Islanders and a 4-4 draw at home to high-flying Chelmsford Chieftains in their English National League Division 1 South double-header. Stars were missing
Only one point separates the top four teams in Section 1 of the Johnsons Buildbase Oxford & District League, writes PETE EWINS. Masons A lead the way, despite going down 3-2 at Democrats, who are one of three teams just a point off the top. Richard
CLUB MATCHES Oxford & District 72, Abingdon 42 (Oxford skips first): R Ednay 16, B Turner 16; H Franklin 13, R Pringer 12; A Tozer 27, A Hall 12; R Plested 16, P Rogers 8. Foxhills 112, Oxford & District 124 (Oxford skips first
TWO Brazilian men arrested last week after immigration officers raided two North Oxford restaurants have been removed from the UK. UK Border Agency officers targeted Mamma Mia Pizzeria and Portabello Restaurant, in South Parade, Summertown, in an operation
A MAN accused of stabbing to death an East Oxford drug dealer, flashed a knife at a crack cocaine user days before the murder, a court has heard. Devon McPherson, who was 42 and lived in Divinity Road, was pronounced dead in hospital on May
A CELEBRITY hairdresser helped restore the confidence of cancer victims yesterday by cutting and styling wigs to suit them. Trevor Sorbie visited Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre after linking the centre in Headington, Oxford, with his charity My New Hair
A WOMAN who went missing from her home in Wheatley has been found. Police appealed for help in finding Ingrid Ferguson, 45, after she went missing on November 24. Last night police said she has been located and was safe and well.
AFTER practising her curtsey for days, Grace Ford Clough’s dream came true when she met the Queen. The four-year-old presented Her Majesty with a bouquet of roses as she officially opened Oxford’s newly refurbished Ashmolean Museum.
I resolved to eat again at the Bear and Ragged Staff in Cumnor, after much too long away, after reading – indeed, sub-editing – a report a couple of months back by my colleague Helen Peacocke on the excellencies of the kitchen under its cheerily
It’s about as unlikely as it gets: in the National Gallery from now until February 21 you walk through a part of Amsterdam’s red light district. A life-sized installation, an evocation of the district as it was in the 1980s, complete with girls
It may seem a little incongruous to be thinking about tulips now. But this is the best time of year to plant them. Tulips are unique in this respect: they are not planted in September along with daffodils and all the other spring-flowering bulbs. They
STUDENTS at an Oxford college were “absolutely thrilled” to welcome the Queen yesterday as she arrived to celebrate a landmark birthday, writes Andrew Ffrench. After Her Majesty toured new galleries at the Ashmolean Museum in Beaumont Street, she was
In our high-tech age, it’s sometimes easy to forget the consequences of our choices when everything is available at the click of a mouse or the touch of a keyboard. The Box is a cautionary tale, adapted from the short story Button, Button by Richard
It is Christmas time; the shops are heaving with food and gifts, encouraging seasonal over-indulgence. Meanwhile, outdoors, our wildlife gets on with the business of surviving the coldest and darkest time of year. A walk in the countryside will reveal
Ravens are again being seen in the skies over north Oxfordshire as the big black birds make a recovery, spreading eastwards from their strongholds in Wales and the West Country. At one time, ravens were fairly common though perhaps not quite so numerous
Flooding this evening closed the entry slip road on the southbound M40 at junction 8A near Wheatley. Problems were also reported on the the A415 Stratton Way, Abingdon, northbound at the Vineyard. Police warned drivers to approach the area with care
Grandmaster Peter Wells took on 23 of Oxfordshire’s finest simultaneously last week. In such an exhibition, a strong player takes on multiple challengers — walking between opponents and moving more or less instantly as he or she arrives at each board.
A woman who went missing from her home in Wheatley has been found safe. Police said Ingrid Ferguson, 45, who was reported missing on November 24, has been found safe and well at an address 'outside the Thames Valley area'.
A man was arrested at about 12.20am today after police were called to a fight in the car park in Greys Road, Henley. The 35-year-old is in police custody. Sgt Graham Pink said: “We responded to the incident within minutes and arrested a man at
There was a moment not far into the Moctezuma exhibition when the mystique and absolute power of this last elected Emperor of the Aztecs struck me. I had walked past a map showing Moctezuma II’s empire stretching across much of central Mexico,
This hard-working small touring company was formed last year, and made its debut at this theatre, where last week they gave four performances of their excellent, small-scale production of The Nutcracker. The company is composed of five men
There is no mathematical formula for musical performance. Putting two exceptional players on to the same band stand does not necessarily double the musical value. But pianist Pat Thomas together with vibraphonist Orphy Robinson on the Spin’s modest
Japanese Noh Theatre, seven centuries old and going strong, is known for its masks, exotic costumes and stylised movement. But a double bill of Noh that comes to the O’Reilly Theatre on Monday has a contemporary twist and a fusion of cultures.
A HOST of celebrities will help a cancer charity celebrate Christmas at a special event tomorrow evening. Macmillan Cancer Support has invited Emmerdale star Freddie Jones, actress Diana Quick, and Alex James, ex-bassist with pop band Blur,
Oxford United fans are being invited to a Christmas auction and raffle party near the Kassam Stadium to raise money for the 12th Man fund for new players. The fund was launched in July and has already raised £5,000 for the re-signing of
Christmas is almost upon us and I hope that not everyone is as disorganised as me; I think this may be the first year that I have got to December without a solitary gift purchased. Ah well, never mind. If you are still scratching around for inspiration
Witney coach Phil Harper said their rise to the top of Southern Counties North is far from an overnight success story. Harper’s side seem to have found the consistency they lacked in previous seasons and have won nine out of nine league games so far.
I found it strange last week at Milton Keynes to find a Falstaff rather smaller in girth than one of his rebellious sidekicks. It was like seeing a Richard III in which someone had a more prominent hump than the usurping Gloucester or a Cyrano
The Watermill Theatre is offering a welcome alternative to the pantomimes filling most other venues over Christmas with a colourful and hugely entertaining production of Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach. With a script supplied by the
Bradley Hayday is all set for his big day out at Twickenham. The 11-year-old Wheatley Park School pupil won our Nomura Varsity Match competition to be Oxford’s mascot for Thursday’s clash. Dark Blues captain Dan Rosen, who names his team today, presented
Banbury Bulls coach Grant Holmes did not find their 22-17 victory at Northampton Old Scouts on Saturday relaxing viewing. Holmes said the Midlands 2 East South clash was “like being on a theme park ride”. “One minute we were playing some attractive
Six Oxfordshire under 16 players have been selected for the south west divisional squad. Nick Boyall (Radley College), Aron Coleman (Gosford All Blacks), Matt Thomas (Shiplake College and Henley), Liam O’Neill (Bloxham School and Stratford), Gus Jones
Oxfordshire clubs must produce more referees if the junior game is not to stagnate locally. That is the view of Keith Latham, president of the county referees’ society, who fears youngsters will suffer if no new officials come forward. Latham said:
Oxford University Greyhounds thrashed Cambridge LX Club 40-0 in their muddy second-team Varsity Match at Iffley Road today. Their tries came from full back Jon Hudson, a Swiss international, scrum half Sam Waite, lock Alex Nicholls, hooker Graham Cochrane
AEA Technology 25.5 BMW 2865 Electrocomponents 169.3 Gladstone 29.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 79.5 Oxford Biomedica 11.35 Oxford Catalysts 54.5 Oxford Instruments 215 Reed Elsevier 468.1 RM 171 RPS Group 203.5 Courtesy of Redmayne
For someone who contributed material toward the infamous Jerry Springer opera, and entitles his latest show “If you prefer a milder comedian, please ask for one”, it is not unreasonable to expect Stewart Lee to be a little outrageous, outspoken
A teenager was robbed as he walked home in the early hours in Headington. At about 3.30am on Saturday, a 19-year-old man was walking along the path from Girdlestone Road to The Slade when two men came up to him and demanded he hand over his belongings
Thames Valley Police have entered the world of social networking by launching their own Facebook page. The page will act as a gateway for Facebook users in the Thames Valley to engage with their police force and find out how to support Force campaigns
Holy Trinity, Headington Quarry, Quarry Road Sunday 20 December 10.00am All Age Communion with Nativity Play Christmas Eve 2.30pm & 4.00pm Children’s Christingle Service 11.30pm Midnight Mass Christmas
Woodstock Road Baptist Church Saturday 12 December 3.30pm Children’s Carol Service Followed by refreshments Sunday 20 December 6.30pm Carol Service Refreshments from 5.45pm Christmas Day 10.30am
A VENUE which raises cash for a museum has come up with a novel way to pull in the punters – building an ice rink. Families will be able to visit the open-air facility at Lains Barn, near Wantage, over the festive period. The rink, which
THE future of a cash-strapped football club is hanging in the balance — despite a pledge of cash from two anonymous benefactors. Last week, Bicester Town FC was told it needed to come up with a one-off payment of £3,500 to pay part of a £9,000 debt owed
St. Michael and All Angels Parish Church, Lonsdale Road, Summertown Services in celebration of Christmas Sunday 6 December 8.30am BCP HOLY COMMUNION 10.00am Parish Eucharist and Toy Gift service (Please bring an unwrapped
ROCK star Nick Cope is more used to playing to crowds of thousands of screaming fans rather than noisy young children. But the former lead singer of Oxford band The Candyskins has now set up his own Rock School, running music and movement classes for
THE Corner Club, formerly the QI Club, has closed for the last time after failing to agree the terms of an extended lease. The QI Club in Turl Street was bought out by A Curious Group of Hotels in 2007, and for the past three years it has been trying
CHILDREN at a city primary school put in a soup-er effort to keep the homeless warm and well-fed in the run-up to Christmas. Pupils at St Aloysius Primary in Woodstock Road made more than 24 litres of vegetable and lentil soup to donate to homeless people
A NURSE from Oxford who swore at a patient after the man attacked him during a row about medicine has been let off with a caution. Andrew Buckland, 46, called the mentally ill man a “f*****g faggot” and shoved his finger in the man’s face after the pair
AN OXFORD estate will party under the stars as residents and churchgoers unite to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. Church Group Barton, made up of five congregations in and around Barton, is hosting an open-air festive event at Underhill Circus
ABINGDON, Wallingford and Wantage are all gearing up for their big Christmas illumination switch-ons. Abingdon girl and GMTV presenter Kate Garraway will be doing the honours tomorrow night at the town’s annual Christmas Extravaganza Evening. The TV
Woodstock Harriers’ new signing Steven Naylor saw off defending champion Steve Kimber to land the Maylarch Eynsham 10k and Oxfordshire County Championship titles. Naylor crossed the line in 33mins 16secs, 17 seconds ahead of Kimber (Windsor Slough &
Oxford City’s Hannah England finished sixth in the under 23 women’s category at the McCain Liverpool Cross Challenge, which doubled up as the European Cross Country Championship trials. But despite her performance, England, who is running as an under
OXFORDSHIRE ladies’ champion Jane Binning is looking to turn professional after a successful year on the amateur circuit. The 27-year-old Frilford Heath member has entered the Ladies European Tour qualifying school at La Manga, Spain, which starts on
LESTERS estate agents claimed victory in Hadden Hill’s first charity open, which raised over £1,000 for Style Acre. Their team of (from left) Richard Gesner, Dave Allen, Robbie Gesner and James Gesner won with a score of 85 stableford points Hadden
PHIL Wilkins hit 17 dolls to lead Cricketers to a 4-2 win over Garsington Sports in a cracking clash in the Gladiator Beer Seller Friday League. Wilkins reeled off 6, 5, 6, while teammate Adrian Shepherd (5, 5, 6) racked up 16 dolls, and Steve Greenough
Supporters of the Royal Family were out in force in Oxford today to welcome the Queen to the city. In the morning she toured new galleries at the Ashmolean Museum in Beaumont Street, which opened last month following a £61m refurbishment.
Supporters of the Royal Family were out in force in Oxford today to welcome the Queen to the city. In the morning she toured new galleries at the Ashmolean Museum in Beaumont Street, which opened last month following a £61m refurbishment. Then she was
Present Lakis Christodoulou, Steve Simmonds, Paul Lyon, Mary Simmonds, Tracey Haslam, Chris Madden, Kevin Trendall, Claire Newell Apologies Alan Wilkins, Kenny Moore, Neil Smith, Kevin Foley 1. Minutes of last meeting Agreed as true
CONCERNS have been raised that people have been given false hope over a rescue plan for paediatric and maternity services at the Horton Hospital. Proposals for consultants to run those services at the Banbury hospital have been agreed in principle by
A SEA captain who spent almost 50 years travelling the world has been recognised for his services to merchant shipping. Captain Nicholas Cooper, of Church Lane, Cropredy, went to sea aged 18. On Monday, at a ceremony in London, Captain Cooper, 67,
A 14-YEAR-OLD boy has been handed a three-year antisocial behaviour order (Asbo) after a court heard he has been abusive, threatening and violent. Sandeep Kumar is banned from parts of Saunders Road and Weymann Terrace, in East Oxford, and
A 14-year-old boy has been handed a three year Anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) after a court heard he has been abusive, threatening and violent towards residents and neighbours. Sandeep Kumar is banned from parts of Saunders Road and Weymann
FATHER Christmas will start his rounds early this year. The Lions Club of Witney is taking its float to Cogges Hill Road, Oxlease, Manor Road, Hollis Close, on Thursday. It will be collecting money for charity. On Friday, it will be
David says: SEAT. Isn’t that the sporty Spanish car company whose cars are all sweeping Latin curves and fiery passion. So what’s a SEAT badge doing on the bonnet of a solid, sensible, dare I say, sober saloon? The answer is that the
Oxfordshire business tycoon Richard Branson is set to sign a deal with the new Formula 1 team Manor GP. The Yorkshire-based outfit, whose cars are designed, developed and built by Wirth Research in Bicester, will be rebranded as Virgin Racing as one
An oxford surgeon delivered an early Christmas present to people in the Gaza Strip whose lives have been torn apart by conflict. Earlier this month, Prof Christopher Bulstrode, an orthopaedic specialist at the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington
Police are appealing for witnesses following a burglary at a property in Binsey Lane, Oxford. Thieves forced their way into the property some time between 7.30am and 7.30pm on Monday. Items stolen in the break-in included two 42in TVs
Drivers were delayed on the A34 this morning following a crash involving two cars on Oxford’s Western bypass. The accident happened at 7.50am on the southbound carriageway near the Botley interchange. A spokesman for South Central Ambulance said:
WORK on the long-awaited £70m Bicester town centre redevelopment will start in January. Building work on a 50,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s supermarket, a seven-screen cinema, car parking and six shops and restaurants should be complete by the end of
The Queen will officially reopen Britain's first public museum after a £61 million redevelopment at Oxford University. The Ashmolean Museum, which hosts a collection of man-made and natural specimens from across the world, has 39 new galleries, an education
James Constable and Alfie Potter were credited with providing the spark which brought Oxford United a dramatic 2-1 win at Crawley last night. The U’s snatched a dramatic victory from the jaws of defeat with two goals in the last ten minutes
IT IS good to see Oxford City Council cracking down on owners who let their dogs foul our parks and streets, a week after our story. Three people have been fined so far since the Cleaner, Greener Oxford campaign was launched. Catching these foul people
BICESTER and Abingdon can both celebrate today at significant steps forward to badly-needed regeneration of their town centres. The feelgood factor in Witney after the opening of Marriotts Walk shows the boost such developments can give towns. Traders
DOG owners who let their animals foul the streets have been hit by £50 fines – one month after the launch of the Cleaner, Greener Oxford campaign. On-the-spot notices have been given to people in Hollow Way Recreation Ground, Cowley, and Rose Hill’s
THE RSPCA last night appealed for people to report illegal dog fighting across Oxford. The charity claims it has had reports of arranged dog fights in Oxford, but has not been able to track down the yobs behind the crimes. It has reports of people seen
James Constable won a late penalty, missed it, and then headed in an injury-time winner as Oxford United fought back in stunning fashion to earn victory at Broadfield Stadium last night. The contest was in the 92nd minute – the ref having indicated
