A former government minister criticised Oxford University for providing free lunches for its college dons as students face a massive hike in tuition fees. Labour’s David Lammy was referring to the practice by colleges of laying on free meals for professors
SPORTY Ruth Hampson is used to a challenge, but nothing could prepare her for taking part in a wacky TV game show. Viewers will see the 24-year-old tackle extreme obstacle courses in a bid to win £10,000 on BBC1’s Total Wipeout. Miss
Doorstep conmen stole £100 from an 83-year-old woman after calling at her Oxford home. Two men called at the home of the woman in Townsend Square at 2pm on Wednesday. They claimed to be council staff who were there to check her windows. One of the
COUNTY pupils joined a 6,000-strong children’s choir at London’s O2 arena. Children from St Joseph’s Primary School in Headington, Oxford, and Northbourne Primary School in Didcot took part in the Young Voices concert on Tuesday. St Joseph’s music
Well, our new coalition Government has proved one thing for sure – they’re as good if not better at lying than the previous lot. While he was Leader of the Opposition, David Cameron did a lot of whinging and whining about the various taxes
Electric cars are the greatest thing since sliced bread – everybody says so. The Chevrolet Volt has just been named North American Car of the Year thanks to its winning combination of innovation, design and driver satisfaction, among other things.
AEA Technology 6.2 BMW 4957 Electrocomponents 263.2 Nationwide Accident Repair 100.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.58 Oxford Catalysts 70.75 Oxford Instruments 690 Reed Elsevier 547.25 RM 164.25 RPS Group 224.4 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley
What type of car is it? A 1982 Morris Ital which is a derivative from the Morris Marina (but don’t let Jeremy from Top Gear hear about it or he’ll drop a piano on it!). When did you buy it? 1994 How much did it cost? It was advertised at £60
Success is a by-product of good service I’ve been on the right end of some excellent service delivery recently and it got me thinking about how businesses have needed to embrace customer relations over the last couple of years. The Internet, and in
YOUNG Theodore McCormack is happily oblivious to that fact that the Oxford Children’s Hospital saved his life. But his mum Lindsay is thanking them the best way she can – by taking part in the OX5 Run. The ninth OX5 Run will take place at Blenheim Palace
TRANSPORT chiefs are looking at whether a park and ride car park near Bicester Village could resolve traffic problems for the designer outlet centre. Police said over the Christmas and New Year break the weight of traffic heading to the Pingle Drive
POLICE are meeting parents and children at every school in Abingdon in a bid to improve road safety. It comes after Abingdon Neighbourhood Action Group, a police-run group, warned of road dangers to youngsters. They spoke to children about road and
A policewoman was seriously injured after stopping to help the driver of a broken-down van on the A34. The roads policing officer, who is based at Bicester, was helping the driver of a white Ford Transit box van when a blue Ford Mondeo travelling northbound
OXFORD City Council has approved an average 6.7 per cent rise in charges at leisure centres and swimming pools. The new fees will come into force from Tuesday. An adult swim will rise by 30p to £3.90. The fee for the concessionary Bonus Slice membership
AN OXFORD couple were yesterday found guilty of engaging in sexual activity in a church graveyard in front of school pupils. A jury at Guildford Crown Court heard that Andrew Donaldson told police that Reigate, in Surrey, where the incident
Oxfordshire twins Imogen and Edith Langford teamed up to win the girls doubles at the Badminton England under 15 bronze tournament in Kettering. The sisters, who also picked up singles medals, defeated Ciara Linehan and Ellie Wainright, of Northants,
GRASS verges across Oxfordshire could be handed to homeowners if a resident wins a planning battle next week, Kidlington residents have warned. A property-owner is trying to invoke a little-known piece of planning law to secure ownership of
Richmond Wellness Spa is a fantastic brand new facility based within the Richmond Village in Letcombe Regis, near Wantage. The Fitness Club membership is exclusively for those aged over 50 and incorporates a specialised cardio suite, pool facilities
Long-term maintenance of a healthy weight is all about changing your attitude to food — and Kevin Sage is a great example of just how to do that. Kevin, 36, won the last series of The Biggest Loser two years ago, after shedding an impressive 9st 7lbs
AEA Technology 5.85 BMW 4841 Electrocomponents 262.7 Nationwide Accident Repair 99 Oxford Biomedica 5.65 Oxford Catalysts 70.75 Oxford Instruments 703.5 Reed Elsevier 547.25 RM 171.75 RPS Group 223.2 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
Higher Energy Trampoline Club was formed 18 months ago with help and support from the West Oxfordshire School Sports Partnership and the School Sports Coach programme. The aim was simply to offer young people the opportunity to discover a fun way to
With the start of the New Year many people find changing their job is at the top of their new year’s resolutions, but often don’t know how to go about it. Career coach and author, Grace Owen shares some of her tips for taking control and making
NEWLYWEDS Marcus and Vicki Lockhart have been left devastated after burglars stole wedding and honeymoon photos. Using a crowbar, thieves forced open a door at the couple’s home in Pembroke Place, Bampton, on Friday, and stole a laptop, pocket camera
The festive season is over and with nothing else to do (no money) and no fun to look forward to (you have sworn off the alcohol and the carbs), clearing out the cupboards, loft or garage is time well spent — and it might even burn a few calories and take
Tackle your clothes clutter and restore order to your overflowing wardrobe, advises Lisa Haynes. Shopping addict, habitual hoarder or clutter queen, no matter what your vice is, January is all about cutting back on excess. And if you
ONE of the city’s largest primary schools has been told by Government inspectors it is failing after they found Pakistani children were underperforming compared to their white classmates. The standards watchdog said overall results were broadly
So SS Mary and John CofE Primary School has been failed by Ofsted, after inspectors found Pakistani children were underperforming compared to their white classmates. Both the school and parents have come in for criticism. The school, of course
The start of a new year is when we think about our lives and how we would like them to change. For these three women, tapping into their love of sport and keeping fit transformed their careers — and their lives, writes Gill Oliver. As a high-flying
Gill Oliver learned how to improve her diet and health as she chilled out at a beautiful hotel in the Lake District. Desperate to shift the pounds you piled on during the festive season? Don’t bother counting calories, just help yourself to more butter
A police officer was seriously injured in a collision on the A34 in Oxfordshire last night. The roads policing officer, who is based at Bicester, was assisting the driver of a white Ford Transit box van which had broken down on the A34, north of the
CHARLBURY railway station’s busy car park could be extended. Rail chiefs are looking at extending the car park by up to 100 spaces as a spin-off from a major track upgrade project. It is using former allotments next to the car park to
Police are appealing for information after the home of a 101-year-old woman was broken into in Oxford. Police were called to a property in Nelson Street, Jericho, shortly after 7pm on Wednesday after the elderly woman alerted a private alarm firm that
IT may be all Greek to most of us, but one group of children are becoming classical experts after acting out an ancient play. Pupils at St Aloysius Primary school, in Woodstock Road, North Oxford, have been busy learning about ancient Greece
Jason Bowers is urging Chinnor to get back on track when they host Barnstaple in National 3 South West tomorrow (2.15). Chinnor have lost their last three games, albeit over a drawn out period, but head coach Bowers hopes their unbeaten home form will
VOICES were raised during Wednesday’s market in Gloucester Green – and it was nothing to do with the price of fish. More than half a dozen men and women, some traders, some customers, all determined to be heard, spoke over each other, decibels increasing
COUNTY council leader Keith Mitchell has repeatedly asked for cost-saving ideas. If he only wrote to the Oxford Mail on alternate days, this would free up fifty per cent of his time to deal with matters for which he is well paid, not to mention expenses
WOW – yet again another Christmas season of appalling and unacceptable television. Endless repeats and tired old films. Could anyone tell us how they get away with it year after year. But calm down dears, all is not lost. The African Queen and The
DEAR Mr Mitchell, rubbish! Can you please think carefully about the proposal to close the Redbridge waste recycling centre to the public? Prior to the centre being opened, within a quarter mile of here, we saw flytipping that defied belief, such as
IN HIS letter headlined ‘Changes to railway on wrong track’ (Tuesday’s Oxford Mail) Colin Morris talks a load of rubbish. As a Bicester resident, I broadly welcome the prospect of improved train services to London and Oxford. And with Bicester Town
BICESTER-BASED Wirth research is working with Honda to design a sportscar to compete in the top class at the Le Mans 24 Hours race. The Oxfordshire firm and California-based Honda Performance Development (HPD), are also stepping up HPD’s globally successful
STUNNING photographs of the Northern Lights, comets and clouds are on show in Oxford. The exhibition, called Aspreatus, at Art Jericho, in King Street, is the work of professional photographer Nick White, 46, from Thame. He said: “I
CAMPAIGNERS say a clampdown on dogs in Oxford could end up penalising responsible owners. The Kennel Club is now urging dog owners in the city to have their say on Town Hall plans aimed at tackling dog-related problems. Oxford City Council is considering
Oxford United now top another table. They already have the longest run in England and Scotland since last keeping a clean sheet. It stands at 17 league games. League One neighbours Swindon Town are second with 15 games. And the
Ryan Clarke, who this week signed a new three-and-a-half year contract at Oxford United, agrees with the oft-held view that goalkeepers get better with age. The 28-year-old appears a more complete player than when he first arrived at Oxford from Northwich
Duncan Colwell has taken over as boss of Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division Witney United. The former assistant manager replaces Darren Teggert, who left after their 6-0 midweek Oxfordshire Senior Cup win against Marston Saints. Colwell takes
I WROTE to you a few months ago, trying to find two people I made friends with while in the Army at Bicester in 1952, Mervyn Buckingham and Valerie Dance. I have received a letter from Mervyn but not from Valerie as yet. I have received a letter from
I AM writing in response to Sue Carter’s Sassy & Single column in Wednesday’s Oxford Mail, headed ‘Health and safety is snow laughing matter’. The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health did not issue a warning about clearing snow from pavements
When my own council, Wirral, announced plans to close 11 of its libraries, the reaction of residents across the borough and from all sections of society was immediate and vocal. Libraries sowed the seed corn of the future – they served the most needy
Oxford United have a score to settle when they take on Peter Taylor’s Bradford City tomorrow after the 5-0 drubbing they received in Yorkshire last October. That scoreline was very much a one-off for Oxford, though. It was their heaviest
Property consultant Mouchel, which has a multi-million pound contract to manage Oxfordshire's school buildings, fire and ambulance stations and other property, has rejected a takeover bid by construction firm Costain. Mouchel, whose clients
A HOSPITAL last night pledged to make changes to drug trials after an Oxford cancer sufferer endured an “unimaginable nightmare” and died while testing a new treatment. Andy Witney died in August last year after a five-year cancer battle, but an inquest
Drug discovery company Evotec has received £1.6m from German company Boehringer Ingelheim for successfully finding a potential cancer drug. Chief operating officer Mario Polywka said: “This is the 11th milestone achieved as part of this alliance with
PLANNED price increases at an Oxford car park have been changed. Oxford City Council proposed higher charges at Headington car park to haul in an extra £118,000 from the site. But businesses feared the move would drive shoppers away. Under the new
AN OXFORD United fan with a passion for heavy metal music will tonight step into the Mastermind spotlight. Tom Scotney, 27, will be shown on BBC2 in the famous black chair facing a grilling from John Humphrys. His specialist subject
Tomorrow will be the first time Oxford United have faced the Bantams at the Kassam Stadium. Their last home match against Bradford City was in December 1998 in a Division 1 game at the Manor Ground, when the Yorkshire outfit won 1-0.
The death of Andrew Witney following his participation in a drug trial at the Churchill Hospital is truly horrifying. Mr Witney was suffering from mesothelioma and would have died from the illness. A coroner yesterday found the drug trial he
THE project to rebuild Bicester’s Community Hospital has taken a step forward. An advertisement has been placed asking developers interested in building the hospital to come forward. Over the next few months, NHS Oxfordshire will talk with potential
HOMELESS services in Oxford are being “stretched to breaking point”, a campaigner warned last night after a major centre announced it was being evicted. Pete Bonney, who has lived on the streets, said charities are working overtime following the closure
A COMMUNITY centre whose troubled past has included a murder and a stabbing is to be run by residents once again. Blackbird Leys Community Centre will soon be managed by a new community association, seven years after the original association
MORE than 100 people packed a public meeting to oppose plans for a 425ft-high wind turbine. They met at Horspath village hall on Monday to hit out at the £2.5m Partnership for Renewables (PfR) scheme for the south side of Oxford Road, close to the entrance
It’s hard to take someone seriously in Reindeer pattern knitwear so Quarry’s pre-match talk was widely ignored and Game One started with Marston on the attack, playing attractive passing football. They looked dangerous, but couldn’t find a way
