SIX suspects have been rounded up by police after the Oxford Mail exposed their faces in our Christmas Badvent Calendar. We teamed up with Thames Valley Police to run the Advent calendar with a difference featuring mugshots of people officers
CONVICTION (15). Thriller. Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver, Melissa Leo, Juliette Lewis, Peter Gallagher, Conor Donovan, Owen Campbell, Clea DuVall. Director: Tony Goldwyn. Few modern actresses embody working-class
THE GREEN HORNET (12A). Action/Comedy. Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz, David Harbour, Tom Wilkinson. Director: Michel Gondry. Oscar-winning writer-director Michel Gondry has steadfastly refused to compromise
Ringmaster – or should that be ringleader – of the Circus of Horrors, Dr Haze talks to Katherine MacAlister about the freak show-style extravaganza coming soon to Oxford. Dr Haze is entirely responsible for the incarnation of the globally
Life is fun for the Saturdays, but as Tim Hughes finds out, fame has come as a bit of a surprise to the girls. IT’s been a whirlwind year for The Saturdays. Since emerging blinking in the limelight two-and-a-half years ago, the girls have
Katherine MacAlister feels virtuous after a delicious, detoxing meal in Woodstock. So kick back, button up, burst out, detox, exercise...yup, it’s January, payback time for the excesses of the previous few months. And there’s a lot of repenting
How would you like to have a picture you drew or painted put on display at Oxford’s world-famous Ashmolean Museum? Better still, what if that picture could be painted or drawn with crayons, coloured pencils, paints, felt-tips – in fact, anything you
G*Mania is a winning formula. Pack a theatre with Glee fans, cast singers from shows like the X-Factor, Pop Idol, and Britain’s Got Talent, give them the best Glee songs, and you’re on to a golden format. Star Andy Scott-Lee, pictured centre, tells Katherine
Rachel O’Connor on Skylarkin’ Soundsystem’s night at The Cellar, Frewin Court, in Oxford. For many, January spells payback time for the over-indulgence of recent festivities and is the month on the calendar known as detox. But now that the
Tim Hughes looks ahead to the first festival of the year from the Truck people. JANUARY. It’s cold, it’s dark and, let’s face it, it’s depressing. What a great time, then, for a festival. Yep. As crazy as it seems, this bleak midwinter
Several waterways in Oxfordshire were this evening on flood alert in Oxfordshire. The Environment Agency issued flood alerts - the lowest level of warning - for the River Ray, River Thame and the Chalgrove Brook. The alert for the Ray
AEA Technology 6.3 BMW 4906 Electrocomponents 265.7 Nationwide Accident Repair 98.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.55 Oxford Catalysts 71 Oxford Instruments 703 Reed Elsevier 541.25 RM 172 RPS Group 224.8 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley
WANTAGE Town Council wants to sell an allotment site, to the fury of plot holders. Only a handful of the 50 plots at the Naldertown allotments are in use – although there is a waiting list. The council says it can meet demand at the town’s four other
WELL-KNOWN Wantage farmer Ben Smith has died aged 77. Mr Smith, who lived in the town all his life, died on Wednesday, January 5, at his home in Manor Road. He, his brother John, 74, and his sister Kate Bridle ran the family business founded by their
JOHN Robson, a former typographer and director of Blackwell Science, has died at the age of 80. Mr Robson, known as JLR to colleagues, was responsible for book production at the company from 1961 until his retirement in 1995. He continued to work as
LOYALTY can be rewarding and Oxford Mail Loyalty Card members can use it to win a share of £250,000. The Oxford Mail launched its new Loyalty Card this week, giving valued readers the chance to get their hands on a raft of money-saving offers from businesses
Police are appealing for information after a burglary in Asthall Leigh. Burglars forced their way into a property some time between 9.15am and 12.55pm yesterday, and stole cash, various items of jewellery, a digital camera and cigarettes. PC Rachel
A PENSIONER has told how suspected rogue traders pressured her into having her driveway cleared. The 74-year-old, from the Thame area, was approached by a man on Saturday who asked whether she wanted weeds removed and parts of the driveway relaid for
A FAMILY are appealing for help to trace their missing dog, who they fear will have a heart attack if she does not get medication to treat an allergy. Trisha Dunn, 36, husband Andy, 40, and son Joshua, five, have plastered Grove with posters
Police today issued an appeal for information after a man was struck around the head in a Banbury nightclub. The 23-year-old man was in The Sound Exchange in High Street when the assault happened. Some time between 2am and 3am on Christmas Day
A newlywed couple in Oxfordshire are appealing for help after burglars stole a laptop and camera containing their wedding and honeymoon photos. Burglars broke into the home of Marcus and Vicki Lockhart in Pembroke Place, Bampton, between 8.30am
Police today released images of a man wanted in connection with a shoplifting incident at a petrol station in Benson. The man shown in the CCTV footage entered the BP petrol station on the B4009 Oxford Road and stole food from the shelves, including
BARRIERS must be installed at Bicester’s car parks to save drivers cash, a councillor said after chiefs approved a major hike in charges. Nick Cotter said drivers should get a ticket when they enter a car park, pay when they return and use
CHURNED up grass verges could be a thing of the past in Blackbird Leys under new council plans. Plastic netting has been placed over verges in Samphire Road and Sandy Lane in a pilot project by Blackbird Leys Parish Council and Oxford City Council.
A couple who spent two back-breaking years restoring an 18th-century Grade II-listed house are giving it up to move nearer their grandchild. When David and Alison Chamberlain took on the property near Burford in 2005, they intended staying. Mr Chamberlain
WALLINGFORD Bridge could have to close again for further water main work after a nine-day closure hit the town. Thames Water said it temporarily plugged a pipe, which burst in freezing temperatures, during the closure, which lasted from December 29 to
In these cash-strapped times, a floating home could offer an attractive alternative to traditional bricks and mortar. One-bedroom versions of the timber-and-steel houses cost as little as £99,000. David Rayfield, of agents Lesters, said: “These floating
Converted barns are popular with househunters but there is stiff competition for unconverted buildings in really good locations. And for those who want to start from scratch, the planning process can be a lengthy one. Planning authorities often regard
CHARITY fundraisers have praised generous donors who gave money to help injured war heroes after their collection bucket was stolen. A hooded yob stole donations for forces’ charity Help For Heroes from a Christmas light show staged by Martin and Debbie
AN OXFORD art gallery is to close after its owner said she had lost her battle against the recession, high rents and a “disastrous” snowbound week before Christmas. Danielle Fox, 39, is calling it a day after 10 years running Inspires art gallery in
The buy-to-let market will grow stronger this year thanks to more available finance, according to one agent. Chris Way, lettings manager of Carter Jonas, believes leading mortgage provider Paragon’s decision to resume lending to buy-to-let landlords
Three girls from Wallingford Rowing Club (from left) Alice Walker, Hannah Whelan and Leanne Reeve have received recognition for their successes in 2010. They were each awarded a grant of £250 as part of the South Oxfordshire District Council’s young achievers
SATURDAY. FOOTBALL. NPOWER LEAGUE TWO. Oxford Utd v Bradford City. ZAMARETTO SOUTHERN LEAGUE. Premier Div: Banbury Utd v Didcot Tn, Oxford City v Swindon Supermarine. Div 1 South & West: Abingdon Utd v Stourbridge Swifts, Mangotsfield Utd v North
Grove will contest the scoreline from Saturday’s victory at Chipping Norton if it is not amended. Saturday’s Southern Counties North clash at Greystones is listed as a 36-12 Grove win on the RFU website. But Grove president John Sevier said: “There
A MAN who joined volunteer searchers hunting for his missing mother said he was humbled by their “fantastic” efforts. Christopher Powles and 30 volunteers from OxSAR (Oxfordshire Lowland Search and Rescue) worked through the night after Ann Powles and
Mark Hubbard, from Radley College, faces a major challenge from former world champion Neil Smith as he bids to retain his British Professional Rackets Championship at Malvern College this weekend. The talented but volatile Hubbard, 36, the rackets pro
Athol Hundermark, starting his third year as coach of the Abingdon School first eight, has high hopes for 2011. The South African, who has been on the school staff for six years, says he is “quietly optimistic” about the coming season. Hundermark has
Sean Curran is to take a break from racing after deciding to quit training at Hatford, near Stanford in the Vale. The 39-year-old, who saddled Iris de Balme to win the 2008 Scottish National at 66-1, has decided not to renew his licence at
A COUPLE from East Oxford were caught romping naked in a churchyard in full view of pupils and staff outside a school, a court heard. Andrew Donaldson and Karen Waters, of Divinity Road, stripped off before having sex between the headstones
The Farmers Bloodhounds fixture at Dunthrop, near Chipping Norton, has bitten the dust. The meeting has been bedevilled by bad weather in recent years, with it falling victim to snow last season. It leaves the Heythrop meeting on Sunday, January 23
Youth round-up Isa Mohammed ran in five tries as Oxford Harlequins Under 14s defeated their Chinnor counterparts 46-15. It was 29-0 to Quins at half-time before the sides fought out a more even second period. Mohammed impressed at No 8, while fly
Oxford United have signed former York City defender Djoumin 'Jimmy' Sangare until the end of the season. Sangare, who can also play in midfield, came on as a substitute for York against Oxford in the Blue Square Conference play-off final at
A HOMELESS centre is looking for a new base after being issued an eviction notice by Oxford City Council. The Gatehouse, which helps between 80 and 100 people a day, has been based at Northgate Hall in St Michael’s Street for nearly 20 years. Now Oxford
TAXPAYERS are finally able to look at Oxfordshire County Council payments but there are concerns it is too hard to wade through. Oxfordshire County Council yesterday answered the Local Government Association’s call for authorities to make the
I wish a happy New Year to all. But is it going to be a happy 2011? I doubt very much if it will be. The dole queue will get bigger this year than it has for years. Getting people back to work is a con; there isn’t any work, and this coalition Government
IT would be great if Roy Darke (Oxford Mail letters January 3) got his facts right – and answered the question – but then again he is a politician. In 1997 government debt was £350bn – now it’s £850 bn. Of that, £72bn was down to the banks. So the last
ONCE again the public are being treated with ill-disguised contempt by local authorities. First off are the health authorities and their disgraceful censorship of the true situation regarding “seasonal illnesses” — flu to the common man in the street
Banbury Bulls coach Grant Holmes criticised his side’s poor fitness as they began the year with another league defeat. Bulls’ 33-9 home loss in Midlands 1 West was their 12th in 13 Midlands 1 West matches. Holmes said: “As a whole we were not fit enough
I HAVE read several letters in recent Oxford Mails, bemoaning the fact that refuse bins had not been collected in various parts of Oxford. Well, we for once on the Horspath Road estate, we had refuse and food collections. What is more, we had our pavements
AS we enter 2011, the European Year of Volunteering, it is a great opportunity to thank all our volunteers for the fantastic contribution they have made to the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability over the past 12 months. I would also like to ask anyone
AS technology advances into the future with more powerful, computers and machines that open many doors of opportunities to new generations, our knowledge and power increases beyond all expectations. But mankind should not forget that we are living beings
Anyone who cares about local democracy should be appalled by the proposal by the controlling group on Oxford City Council to do away with area committees. It’s part of a plan to centralise more power, when the country is doing the exact opposite. Every
IT MUST be said that, while some councillors are getting the headlines, not always for the best reasons, some just get on with the portfolio they hold and very seldom get a mention. One such councillor is Mark Lygo, councillor for the Churchill ward
IF misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows, then Peter Hitchens and Philip Pullman must be very miserable indeed about Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed cuts to the library service. Both have spoken out about their fears to the Oxford Mail
A former TV newsreader has been named BBC Oxford’s new breakfast presenter following a New Year schedule shake-up. Phil Gayle, known for his stint on The Big Breakfast in the late ’90s, replaces Malcolm Boyden, who will now present the mid-morning show
TEMPERS flared as Oxford City Stars won a fiery clash with Bristol Pitbulls 5-3 in South Division 1. Stars had a decent weekend, as they drew 3-3 with Cardiff Devils 24 hours later. Bristol had three players sent from the ice in the
Motorists are facing delays this morning following an accident between a silver Volkswagen Passat and a black motorcycle. Paramedics are currently at the top of Hinksey Hill Drive, near the Westwood Country Hotel, after being alerted at 7.40am. The
A crash involving a car and a motorcycle today closed Hinksey Hill. The road was shut both ways between Foxcombe Road and the Hinksey Hill Interchange.
JUST two months after running the London Marathon in 1995, Keith Jansz was paralysed in a car accident. But, despite being unable to move from the shoulders down, the former sailor and windsurfer set about rebuilding his life using one of the
Oxford Harlequins director of rugby John Brodley says his side are targeting a big push in 2011. Quins spent much of the first part of the National 3 South West season flirting with the relegation zone, but they are now 12 points above the bottom three
OXFORDSHIRE is one of the best performing areas in the country for treatment of stroke patients, according to a health watchdog survey. Hospital stays for people who have had a stroke were reduced from 19 days in 2009 to seven days in 2010. The Care
OXFORDSHIRE County Council has been criticised for not spending enough on getting hospital patients off wards and into alternative care. Figures for the six months from April to November show an average of 119 people were well enough each week
KENNINGTON romped to a 5-0 first-leg victory over Vikings in Group A of the Team Knockout Cup, writes PETE EWINS. Ian Gordon beat Mike Jones in the opening leg 5,880-3,110, before Steven Sheard saw off Bob Allsworth 8,220-3,070 to make it 2-0. Keith
WHITE Horse Harriers’ throws specialist Richard Jégou started his outdoor season at Swindon. After a month’s break through illness, Jégou produced four throws in excess of 10m in the shot, his best being 10.19m. In the discus, Jégou threw 30.39m, and
TRIBUTES have been paid to a mum-of-three who died just 24 hours after falling ill with flu. Tracy Watkins, 47, passed away at the Horton Hospital, in Banbury, on Saturday, less than a day after she started displaying flu-like symptoms.
The phrase ‘the harder I work, the luckier I become’ might have been invented for Banbury-based author Adrian Magson. In what seems a dream-like scenario, he went from having no publishing deal to landing two within 48 hours of each other.
The geographical location of Malta has given it a succession of influences, while its strategic location guaranteed it a rich history. Many gifted writers have described their experiences of visiting this unique place, and Deborah Manley has skilfully
Making An Entrance by Margaret Martin (Green, £12) This is the biography of drama director Gerard Gould, who taught English and drama at Wheatley and then Lord Williams’s School, Thame. The story of how he fled Nazi Germany as a teenager, leaving
A View From the Hill Michael Finch (Barringtons of York, £10) This history of Sibford School, a Quaker day and boarding school near Banbury, is written by a former pupil who later became estate manager and then development officer. It started in
Snowdrops falling but nothing is what it seems. Such a pretty title for a book; such a dainty and delicate dustjacket. But don’t be deceived: A.D. Miller’s Snowdrops (Atlantic, £12.99) is neither a pretty nor a dainty and delicate story. A snowdrop,
Oxford is fast becoming the focal point for a growing battle between mainstream farmers and their organic counterparts. Every January for more than 50 years the city has been host to the Oxford Farming Conference, which sets the agricultural agenda for
DARKSIDE by Belinda Bauer (Bantam, £12.99)Bauer’s first novel, Blacklands, won the Crime Writers’ Association 2010 Golden Dagger award. Would Darkside live up to expectations? It seemed, at the outset, to be more lightweight: the tale of a village copper
AN OXFORD art gallery is to close after losing the battle against the recession, high rents and a “disastrous” snowbound week before Christmas. Danielle Fox, 39, is calling it a day after ten years running Inspires art gallery in Little Clarendon Street
THE Co-op says up to 75 of its staff will travel to work at its new headquarters 45 miles away in Warwickshire following its decision to close its Oxford offices. The Midcounties Co-op is amalgamating its Oxford and Walsall headquarters operations
Sir – The Oxford City Council and all the men and women involved in recent years in the redesign and implementation of the city’s recycling and rubbish collection arrangements deserve congratulations for achieving much higher rates of recycling and making
Sir – As so much has been written in the press lately about poor rubbish collections over Christmas, I feel I must write a note of appreciation to the Oxford binmen. Our rubbish is collected on a Friday and this has not been affected by either Christmas
Oxford United have agreed a deal to keep Steve Maclean at the Kassam Stadium for the rest of the season. And it is now up to the player to decide whether he is happy to stay. United chairman Kelvin Thomas has struck a new agreement
Sir – We, the family of Ann Powles, would like to publicly express our most sincere thanks to all the police officers and to the volunteer search and rescue teams who helped when our mother went missing in the week before Christmas. We don’t know the
Sir – Summertown’s Diamond Place/Ferry Pool car park may soon be sold by Oxford City Council for redevelopment. It would be only at the end of the construction period that the car parking spaces would be reinstated. This would be catastrophic
Sir – It is gratifying to see The Oxford Times defend the public libraries at risk of closure so robustly (Editorial, December 30). From our practical experience of campaigning against library closures, it is apparent that your editorial position does
Sir – Zoe Patrick (Letters, December 30) asks us to be grateful for the “great news” of the pupil premium as an example of the influence of Lib Dems in Government, but even Secretary of State Michael Gove admits it is not new money. In any case, having
Sir – It is completely accepted that the proposal to cease funding some libraries in Oxfordshire will cause dismay and frustration in various parts of the county (Letters, December 30 and January 6). It evokes similar emotions among the very councillors
Sir – I am writing with regard to inaccuracies in your front page article of January 6 about Thames Valley Police’s use of stop and search powers. You state that the EHRC examined the force’s figures on the use of stop and search between February
Nathaniel William Haycock Wilson Was born in a High Street flat Nathaniel William Haycock Wilson Oh . . . let’s just call him When Nat was two On the way to the Park He said to his daddy “Why can’t the Shark Come to the Park?” Daddy
It is disappointing to hear that the developer Carlyle has withdrawn its plan to build a new shopping arcade between St Aldates and Queen Street. As we recall, the developers were bullish at the outset about their ability to press ahead with their development
Sir – Your editorial (December 30) commented on the tiny amount of savings generated by the proposed decimation of Oxfordshire’s library services. In fact it represents 0.05 per cent of the council’s revenue budget. The retired librarian’s letter records
Sir – The county council has not only failed to declare its spending data (Report, January 6). It has failed to tell us what the options are for making savings by cuts to library services. Instead, it has published a list of the rural libraries they propose
Sir – I note that Keith Mitchell as leader of Oxfordshire County Council, justifies the closing of local libraries on the grounds that 82 per cent of visits were to other branches. Would he justify the closing of public toilets on the same grounds?
JOHN Robson, a former director of Blackwell Science, has died, aged 80. Mr Robson, known as JLR to colleagues, was responsible for book production at the company from 1961 until his retirement in 1995. He continued to work as a consultant for the company
The secret was out of the bag even before I'm Still Here went on theatrical release last year. It was all a hoax. Joaquin Phoenix had not decided to abandon his movie career to become a rapper. But he wanted us all to think he had so that we would go
The cinema schedule is often something of a rattlebag in the first few weeks of a new year. The holiday blockbusters have all thundered by and there is usually a gap before the Oscar-nominated worthies receive their belated UK premieres. This January,
According to a recent report by academics from Roehampton University, concerns over spending cuts and the recession have produced a sharp increase in people suffering with mental health symptoms. It is now estimated that one in four of us are affected
A COUNCIL boss has apologised after 40,000 homes were left with unemptied bins for a month. Critics hit out at the Vale and South Oxfordshire district councils for not ordering extra collections to catch up. Furious residents said their properties resembled
Exploring reserves: The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust manages 80 wildlife reserves in the three counties, so there is always something interesting to see all year round. I would like to explore as many of these as possible during the next six months
Most of us are reeling from the expense of Christmas — and that’s just the heating costs. So I was very interested to receive a press release from a vegetable seed specialist informing me that 24 packets of popular vegetable seeds cost £34.36.
An extraordinary tale of devotion to art is being told in the Ashmolean’s new exhibition. Lucien Pissarro in England: the Eragny Press 1895-1914, on until March 13, follows the almost heroic dedication shown by Lucien and his wife Esther to creating fine
Tim Rushton trained at the Royal Ballet School at a time when greats like Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan trod its corridors. There he also made his first contact with Danish dance, in the form of the Danish star dancer Eric Bruhn, the man who
My February blues have arrived early and, as a consequence, I am planning my escape to sunnier climes with vineyard visits at the forefront of my mind. Like most people I have done the ‘drive by, see the sign and pop in’ thing or slavishly followed the
At the season’s halfway stage, Witney teams head three of the four Oxfordshire leagues. Witney 1 top division one and look unstoppable this year. In division two, Witney 2 are top; but they will face a strong challenge form City 2 and Bicester 1. Division
