Didcot Town will be without Jordan Tabor and Andy Williams as they take on Zamaretto Southern League Premier Division high-fliers Nuneaton Town at Loop Meadow on Tuesday night. Williams is out due to work commitments, while Tabor has a knee injury.
THESE days, the Women’s Institute is not just about singing Jerusalem and making jam. More than 70 WI members gathered at the institute’s adult educational centre Denman College, in Marcham, today, to pick up power tools and get to grips with basic DIY
A 23-YEAR-OLD man who carried out a knife attack after a road-rage incident escaped prison “by a whisker” today. Ross Chittock attacked Edward Kent, in Long Wittenham, near Didcot, on November 6, 2008, after a friend of Chittock’s was frustrated by the
A DRUMMER who lost control of his Porsche 911 and smashed into a van which killed his passenger was behind bars tonight. Thomas Clare, of Steventon Road, Drayton, crashed in Milton Road, Didcot, on December 18, 2008, killing 36-year-old James Candy.
ALMOST 200 people gathered to pay tribute to a young musician who died unexpectedly in Witney. Lewis Warren, 20, was found at his home in Mirfield Road on Tuesday, February 23. He is thought to have died two days earlier. Scores of his friends – many
Tony Baldry has won an apology from a national newspaper after it accused him of acting improperly as an MP. In an Independent On Sunday story, the Banbury MP was alleged to have misused his position as an MP to help an African politician named
A CONTROVERSIAL bus lane has been axed after just six months because it caused mile-long tailbacks for passengers. Oxfordshire County Council spent £6,000 last September reducing a two-lane section of Kidlington’s Bicester Road into one carriageway
POLICE have joined forces with youth workers to deal with trouble caused by young people congregating outside Witney shops. Since Christmas, police have received several complaints that teenagers have harassed shopkeepers in Burwell Drive and Thorney
A mother-of-two who died in her home was described tonight as “bubbly” and “easy-going”. Police were called to a semi-detached house in Purslane Drive, Bicester, at 1.24am today. Officers found Lisa Consterdine, aka Lisa Emmitt, 48,
Organisers of the annual Truck Music Festival have announced that one of this year’s headliners will be Danish band Mew. The festival takes place on July 23-25 at Hill Farm. Adult tickets are £80 for the weekend. Go to thisistruck.com
Celebrity chef Raymond Blanc was taken to hospital after he fell down the stairs at his Oxford home today. The TV chef, 60, broke his leg in the fall. His fiancee, Russian-born doctor Natalia Traxel, was at the house when the chef fell
RIVERS across Oxfordshire were placed on Flood Watch today by the Environment Agency — but dry weather is now forecast for the region. Flood Watches were placed on the River Thames and its tributaries from Buscot down to Kings Lock above Oxford. Also
LEE Webb and Liz Morgan had given up hope of seeing their beloved pet dog Sadie ever again. The Jack Russell disappeared from Miss Morgan’s parents’ pub at Checkendon on October 11 and dozens of people took part in searches for the missing
Oxford weighed in fractionally the smaller crew at yesterday’s challenge for the Xchanging Boat Race, the 156th in the historic series, but coach Sean Bowden remains confident of success. “Our chances are good, but it looks tight, with no runaway favourite
THE proportion of children securing a place at their first-choice schools has fallen, new figures have revealed. Oxfordshire County Council said 87.6 per cent of children got their number one choice primary school, down from 89.6 last year.
Alchester coach Chris Kimber was one happy man after their victory over Drifters. He said: “I’m so proud of every single player who played today and all the subs. They gave everything and did exactly what we asked them to do. “Drifters
A MOTHER-OF-TWO found killed in her home was last night described as “bubbly” and “easy-going”. Police were called to a semi-detached house in Purslane Drive, Bicester, at 1.24am today. Officers found Lisa Emmitt, 48, unconscious in an upstairs bedroom
Alchester 22, Drifters 6 Two tries in the final quarter from George Symonds helped Alchester clinch the RFU Senior Vase’s Southern Counties final. Alchester’s battling display at a very muddy Marston Ferry Road means they are now just two wins away
Midlands 2 East South Banbury Bulls increased their lead at the top to six points after a 27-3 victory at third-placed Leicester Vipers. With title rivals Market Harborough having their match postponed, Bulls took full advantage by bouncing back from
Oxfordshire Shield Tim Ellis scored 30 points as Gosford All Blacks reached the final with a 55-17 demolition of Faringdon. The wing bagged four tries and five conversions to hand Gosford a clash with either Alchester or Oxford at Iffley Road on Sunday
National 3 South West It was doubles all round as Oxford Harlequins cruised to a 54-7 victory at relegated Maidenhead. Skipper Simon Chadbone, centre Dom Maley and lock Adam Pearson all bagged braces in the nine-try romp, which could have been more
National 2 South Henley Hawks managed a losing bonus point in a 20-13 defeat on Dings Crusaders’ muddy Lockleaze ground. Hawks made an ominous start by losing the first scrum against the head, but neither side could make significant progress in the
Witney were knocked off top spot in Southern Counties North after title rivals Amersham & Chiltern won on Saturday. Amersham went two points ahead of Witney, who didn’t play. OTHER SCORERS BB&O Premier A: Oxford Harlequins 2nd 6pts (pens M Forth 2
Banbury picked up their fourth draw in six Premier 1 games when they drew 3-3 at third-placed Chichester. The north Oxfordshire side, now heavily involved in a scrap at the bottom, face a vital two weeks. This Saturday, they host Ashford, who are already
CHILDREN learned how to stay safe while using the Internet during a school’s information day. Pupils from Finstock Primary School were given computer-based lessons during the Safer Internet Day. ICT governor Fraser Howard said: “Though it is just a
A GREAT-grandmother said her name was dragged through mud after she was mistakenly taken to court for not paying her council tax. Ann Makepeace – who has fostered 58 children – only discovered she had been prosecuted in Didcot Magistrates’ Court when
Oxford Hawks Ladies put on one of their best performances at Reading 1A in South Clubs’ League Division 1, but lost 2-1. Kathryn Poulter fired them ahead on five minutes, calmly taking the ball around defenders before netting, and Hawks were unlucky
CELEBRITY chef Raymond Blanc was taken to hospital after he fell down the stairs at his Oxford home today. The TV chef, 60, broke his leg in the fall. His fiancee, Russian-born doctor Natalia Traxel, was at the house when the chef fell. She rang for
A FOODBANK that dishes out supplies to families in need is seeking new storage space. The Oxford Emergency Foodbank, based at St Francis Church, Cowley, has handed out thousands of packages of food to people in urgent need in less than two years. The
THE Oxford International Women’s Festival was launched in a party atmosphere on Sunday night. Dozens of women — and a handful of men — packed out the Jam Factory in Hollybush Row to mark the start of the festival, the 21st in the city and the biggest
CAMPAIGNERS armed with a spoof version of a poster of David Cameron demonstrated in his constituency. Members of the Vote For Change coalition, armed with a mock-up billboard of the Conservative leader, travelled to Witney to urge him to drop
TONY BALDRY has won an apology from a national newspaper after it accused him of acting improperly as an MP. In an Independent On Sunday story, the Banbury MP was alleged to have misused his position as an MP to help an African politician named in a
Police are seeking two people after an attempted robbery by the River Thames in Oxford. The incident happened at around 11pm on Friday at Mill Stream Walk, at the rear of the ice rink in the city centre. The victim, a 46-year-old man, was cycling along
A man died in hospital after being struck by a car in Banbury. The collision happened at about 11.30pm yesterday, on the A361 Horsefair. Police said a black Audi A4, driving towards the Southam Road, collided with a pedestrian.
A Bicester woman has been sentenced to 56 days in prison after she persistently misused the emergency 999 system. Leslie Shields, 44, of Wadham Close, Bicester, was sentenced at Bicester Magistrates’ Court. Sgt Adrian Thomas, of the Bicester neighbourhood
Oxfordshire bid to put a narrow defeat against Division 1 leaders Cornwall in their last outing behind them when they take on second-placed Surrey this weekend. Oxon lost 20-16 at home to the leaders and need a victory to retain any chance of promotion
Rileys Social Club opened up a five-point lead at the top of Greene King ODDA Winter League Section 2 after defeating visiting Cricketers Arms A 5-4 in a thriller. Steve Skelton (180) gave the home side the lead, the visitors hitting back to go 2-1 up
Three people needed hospital treatment and several others were injured following a late-night brawl in an Oxford restaurant. Police were called to Hi-Lo Jamaican Eating House, in Cowley Road, Oxford, at 2.30am on Saturday. Det Sgt Suzette
Q I got my Malamute at nine weeks old and he is now 17 weeks old. I still can’t feed him any dog food as he has permanent diarrhoea with it, so he is on chicken and rice. Why does my dog always eat mud from the garden? I’m also struggling to clear
A HISTORIC Oxfordshire church has been reopened and rededicated after a major programme of refurbishment. Plans to improve St Mary-le-More Church, in the centre of Wallingford, were launched in 2002. On Sunday, the Bishop of Reading, the Rt Rev Stephen
More Oxfordshire rivers hsve been placed on flood watch. The River Thames from Buscot through Oxford and its tributaries in the Oxford area, are now on alert, along with the River Cherwell and River Evenlode. A number of other waterways
EVER taken a sneaky photograph at Modern Art Oxford, even though you knew you weren’t supposed to? If so, the gallery would like to hear from you. As the museum in Pembroke Street gets ready to close for six weeks for refurbishment, staff are hunting
Businessman Clive Taylor is raising money for Oxford Children’s Hospital to thank staff who cared for his daughter when she needed an eye operation. Three years ago, Mr Taylor’s daughter Harriet, then five, suffered a growth on her eyelid
A 21-year-old man has been charged with a robbery in Oxford. Cameron Forbes, of Kempson Crescent, Littlemore, was charged after an incident outside a property in Marston Street, where he is alleged to have robbed a 22-year-old man. The
Three people needed hospital treatment and several others were injured following a late night brawl in a Jamaican restaurant. Police were called to Hi-Lo Jamaican Eating House, in Cowley Road, Oxford, at 2.30am on Saturday. Det Sgt Suzette Allcorn this
Drugs were seized from a house during a raid yesterday morning. Two people were arrested after police raided the house in Merewood Avenue, Sandhills, Oxford, at about 10am. A stash of white powder was removed and taken away by a specialist
Icy roads caused a series of accidents for drivers and motorcyclists across Oxfordshire this morning. There was a crash on the B4012 at Postcombe, near Thame, between the A40 and Thame Park Road, and another on the A417 at Vicarage Hill, East Challow
Headington sneaked a last minute winner at Blewbury today. In a very open and even game it was Blewbury that took the lead when a right wing cross wasn't cleared and was neatly tucked away. Half time 1-0. Headington pushed for the equaliser in the
POLICE officers are currently stationed outside a house where a 48-year-old woman was found dead. A 50-year-old man, who police said was the woman's partner, was arrested on suspicion of murder at the home in Purslane Drive, Bicester, at 1.24am. A police
ICY roads caused a series of accidents for drivers and motorcyclists across Oxfordshire this morning. There was a crash on the B4012 at Postcombe, near Thame, between the A40 and Thame Park Road, and another on the A417 at Vicarage Hill, East Challow
A 50-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder in Bicester in the early hours today. Police were called to a home in Purslane Drive, Bicester, at 1.24am. On arrival officers discovered the body of a 48-year-old woman. The
PANTOMIME stars in Oxford had to be on their toes to make quick changes of costume during performances. But there was always one woman to help them – Winnie Hounslow. She worked as a dresser at the New Theatre in George Street, assisting actors and
LONGWORTH youth club was a lively place for young folk. We have already published photographs of members playing darts and indulging themselves in the tuck shop. This picture, from the collection of Dave Shallis, of Cherrytree Close, Southmoor, shows
CLASSES at St Thomas the Martyr School in Oxford were not all about the three Rs. Aileen Mason, who was at the Osney Lane school from 1938-47, remembers a wide range of lessons and activities. She writes: “We were taught ancient history
MANY of Oxford’s building firms have been in existence for many years. Knowles & Son is no exception, with its roots going back more than four centuries. Some of the firm’s staff posed for this picture, but we’re not sure when it
READERS were quick to identify the footballers who represented Oxfordshire in a county match (Memory Lane, February 8). The picture came from a collection belonging to Stewart Jacobs, long-serving secretary of the Oxfordshire Football Association, and
Village wheelwright Reginald Boddington was a craftsman all his life. During his working life at Weston-on-the-Green, he built farm wagons. In retirement, he made model wagons. He is pictured, aged 80, working on his latest model in 1961. He had exhibited
Chris Wilder is hopeful that winger Alfie Potter will be back much sooner than expected. The Oxford United manager had planned to be without the on-loan Peterborough man for at least six weeks after he tore his hamstring in the home game against Histon
OXFORD is an international city and, if tourists are demanding something, then we should look at accommodating them. But switching from the good old traditional English pint to German-style litre steins is surely too much. Landlords
ONCE again, the county faces a major dilemma about protecting what makes Oxfordshire such a desirable place to live in. The Government is pushing for us to be the largest supplier of gravel in the South East, with a 20 per cent increase demanded. Oxfordshire
WHEN a Taliban bomb blew up his armoured vehicle in Afghanistan, Private Saloly Joof did not falter. His training kicked in – he knew what needed to be done. For his bravery, the 23-year-old soldier has been honoured with a joint commander’s commendation
A 50-YEAR-OLD man was arrested on suspicion of murder in the early hours of this morning. Police were called to a home in Purslane Drive, Bicester, at 1.24am. On arrival officers discovered the body of a 48-year-old woman. The man was arrested on
A headteacher insisted plans backed by the Government to transform his school into an academy provided the best solution for its future. Paul O’Brien, executive headteacher at Oxford School, in East Oxford, spoke after the Government’s Department for
A MOTHER has been warned she will face legal action if her Internet campaign against a school headteacher escalates into defamation. Samantha Barson criticised the performance of Rose Hill Primary School headteacher Sue Mortimer on the social networking
