Archive

  • Jury told about top cop's love triangle and arson attack

    A TOP policeman set fire to his own car before claiming a love rival had a grudge against him, a jury heard. Chief Superintendent Jim Trotman’s Citroën C4 Picasso was destroyed in a fire in Boars Hill, near Oxford, on October 20, 2009, in what

  • Crash partly blocks A417

    A two-vehicle crash this afternoon partly blocked the A417 Lechlade Road, near Faringdon. The road was blocked westbound between Canada Lane, Faringdon, and Snowswick Lane, Buscot.

  • Flood alert for county villages

    Areas of South Oxfordshire have been placed on flood alert after heavy rain caused river levels to rise. The Environment Agency is warning anyone living near the River Thame from Marsworth to Shillingford, including Thame, Ickford, Waterperry, Wheatley

  • Man accused of breaching Asbo

    A 50-YEAR-OLD man is facing court today accused of breaching his antisocial behaviour order. Leslie Belcher was given an Asbo in October that banned him drinking or possessing alcohol in public within Oxford's ring road, congregating with people

  • Architects design £10,000 re-brand

    Oxford Architects gbs has undergone a £10,000 re-branding exercise. As part of the review gbs, formerly known as Gray, Baynes and Shew, carried out research among clients, partners and employees and then commissioned local agency Creative Answer

  • Oxford United eye USA trip

    Oxford United are planning a trip to the USA this summer, according to chairman Kelvin Thomas. The week-long trip, which would include going to Boston in pre-season, has come about through the club's links with Virgin Atlantic and Seacoast United. More

  • Brighouse tracks back to Chiltern

    Rob Brighouse has been appointed as the new managing director of Chiltern Railways. Mr Brighouse will join once he has fulfilled a series of projects at London Overground where he is currently deputy managing director. He is returning to Chiltern Railways

  • Man held over suspected ASBO breach

    A 50-year-old man from Oxford was due in court today on suspicion of breaching his Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO). Leslie Belcher was arrested at his home address on Magdalen Road at 4pm yesterday after allegedly being spotted congregating with

  • Stevenson to chair chemical giant

    Tim Stevenson, the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, is to be appointed as chairman of chemical company Johnson Matthey. Mr Stevenson, 62, will succeed Sir John Banham. He will join as chiarman designate from March 29 and will take up his position officially

  • Local shares (PM)

    AEA Technology 6 BMW 4939 Electrocomponents 260.6 Nationwide Accident Repair 98.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.75 Oxford Catalysts 70 Oxford Instruments 693.5 Reed Elsevier 554.25 RM 163.25 RPS Group 226.65 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley,

  • Two new faces at Henmans

    Law firm Henmans has has recruited two new staff. George Awty is joining from London firm Speechly Bircham as a partner in the agricultural property team, while Kylie Morsley joins from Thomas Eggar to work as an assistant in the employment team. Julia

  • YouTube is just the job for Claire

    Public relations firm Bottle PR has appointed Claire Dunford as a social media consultant following an application via the YouTube website. The Eynsham company ran a Social Media Challenge through its online blog and Twitter profile that invited candidates

  • Course offers key to communication

    A course focusing on presentation skills is taking place on January 25 and 26. Real Presentations, run by Witney-based training and coaching specialist Quadrant 1, will offer in-depth advice on captivating, engaging, influencing and motivating an audience

  • Scales of justice

    OXFORD Winston Fine, 45, of Territorial Way, Oxford, admitted shoplifting food, of an unknown value, from Budgens in Didcot on September 4 and food, of an unknown value, from BP in Benson on July 15. Also admitted driving while disqualified

  • U12 CUP: Oxford Blackbirds 1 Didcot Casuals 4

    A brace apiece from Lee Davis and Joe Marriott helped Casuals to a deserved 4-1 win over Oxford Blackbirds in the 2nd Round of the League Cup. Casuals started brightly and Matty Brown shot just wide in the opening minute of the game. The first

  • ‘River weir could power our village’

    FOR a thousand years the Thames at Sandford has helped power industries such as paper and corn mills. Now a village group wants to use the power of “the Lasher” – as Sandford Weir is known locally – to light up their homes and businesses. An ambitious

  • Runners know how to build up a thirst

    A SPORTS group which describes itself as a “drinking club with a running problem” has appealed for more members. The Oxford Hash Harriers, meet every week for a run, followed by a drink. Hashing, a type of hunting on foot, is a tradition dating back

  • Pub faces uncertain future after sale

    USE it or lose it. That’s the message to drinkers living near one of Didcot’s most historic neighbourhood pubs. The Sprat, in Hagbourne Road, thought to date back to 1874, has been sold to Oxfordshire property developer Brian Jezzard by Enterprise Inns

  • Tesco appeal over Fox and Hounds pub plan

    SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has launched an appeal after being refused permission to demolish a fire-damaged Oxford pub. A plan for a Tesco Express store and four flats at the Fox and Hounds, in Abingdon Road, was rejected by Oxford City Council

  • New bishop unveiled

    The new Bishop of Reading is to be Rt Rev Andrew Proud, Downing Street has announced. Rt Rev Proud replaces Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, who became Bishop of Chelmsford in November. Bishop Andrew, who is 56, is currently Area Bishop of Ethiopia and the

  • Jeff’s Ice Creams

    Tel: 07885 567044 Email: info@jeffsicecreams.co.uk Web: www.jeffsicecreams.co.uk

  • Doorstep traders left out in the cold

    COLD callers face police action for pestering residents under a scheme being rolled out across Oxfordshire. Five ‘no cold caller zones’ in Oxford, Grove, Wantage, Abingdon and Adderbury aim to deter uninvited tradespeople from knocking on residents’

  • £52million cuts put police jobs in Oxfordshire at risk

    THAMES Valley Police Authority will meet next month to decide where more than £50m of budget savings will be made. About 250 police jobs and 55 other staff posts could be axed across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire as the force aims to save

  • Didcot worker awarded £17,000

    A WOMAN who was sacked by an airport security firm after she complained of sexual harassment has won more than £17,000 compensation. Diana Jackson, 39, sued Didcot-based ICTS Services Limited for damages alleging sex discrimination and public

  • Oxford teenager lands part in controversial TV series Skins

    DRUGS, sex and suicide are all the subject of E4 teenage drama, Skins, and one Oxfordshire pupil is about to join the series. Sebastian de Souza, a 17-year-old pupil at St Edward’s School in Oxford, has been cast as new character Matthew.

  • WEEKEND RESULTS: January 15-16

    FOOTBALL NPOWER LEAGUE TWO Oxford Utd 2, Bradford City 1. ZAMARETTO SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Banbury Utd 2, Didcot Tn 1; Oxford City 2, Swindon Supermarine 1. Div 1 South & West: Abingdon Utd 1, Stourbridge Swifts 1; Mangotsfield Utd 3, North

  • Local share prices (AM)

    AEA Technology 6.25 BMW 5929 Electrocomponents 260.6 Nationwide Accident Repair 98.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.75 Oxford Catalysts 70 Oxford Instruments 695.25 Reed Elsevier 553.25 RM 167.75 RPS Group 226.2 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • DOMESTIC ABUSE: Getting help

    DOMESTIC abuse can be psychological, physical, sexual or emotional and can include breaking of trust, psychological games, harassment and financial control. It is normally a pattern of abuse and controlling behaviour. It can affect adults in

  • COMMENT: Inspirational story has a clear message

    There is no doubt, Coral Newman’s story is inspirational. It was mightily brave of her to talk to us and raise the issue of domestic violence. The attack in 2008 was so horrific she thought her attacker, Mark Bray, had done enough to kill her. The monster

  • Fixers @ Equitruck, O2 Academy Oxford

    THE O2 academy housed the return of Equitruck on January 15- an all day music event showcasing some of Oxford’s most promising bands, and giving a taster of some of the talent that will be playing later this year at Truck 13. The first band to really

  • FOOTBALL: Butler treble boosts Milton bid

    Finchampstead 0 Milton Utd 5 (Butler pen 35, 40, pen 89, Sanders pen 70, McCabe 78) Milton United boosted their Division 1 East promotion prospects with a five-star display at Finchampstead, thanks to a hat-trick from Ross Butler.

  • FOOTBALL: Banbury seal derby spoils

    Banbury Utd 2 (Martin 31, Stone 45) Didcot Tn 1 (Osborne-Ricketts 90) Banbury United celebrated their first double of the season with victory against Premier Division derby rivals Didcot at Spencer Stadium on Saturday. After a disappointing result

  • Children's parties marked New Year

    JANUARY was the month when children enjoyed New Year parties. Karen and Alison (we don’t know their surnames) are seen enjoying themselves at the Oxford Post Office children’s party in 1979. More than 70 four to 10-year-olds munched

  • Transport teams travelled country to help RAF

    REPAIRING damaged aircraft wasn’t Cowley’s only role during the Second World War. It was also home to 50 MU (Maintenance Unit) RAF, a salvage organisation that sent out gangs in all weathers to pick up crashed aeroplanes. We recalled

  • DOMESTIC ABUSE: My ex burned me alive

    A LOT of people don’t go out, they don’t live, they don’t want to live... but I have been there and you can lead a normal life again.” Those were words of Coral Newman who, days before Christmas two years ago, was soaked in petrol and set on

  • FOOTBALL: North Leigh get United

    NORTH Leigh have been handed an away tie against Oxford United in the quarter-finals of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup. OXFORDSHIRE SENIOR CUP Quarter-finals: Oxford Utd v North Leigh, Kidlington v Old Woodstock Town or Oxford City Nomads, Banbury Utd v

  • FOOTBALL: Battling City hang on for welcome win

    Oxford City 1 (McIIwain 2, Mekki 70) Swindon Super 1 (Morris 54) Ten-man Oxford City boosted their hopes of escaping the drop with their second league win of the season at Court Place Farm on Saturday. It was the first time that Mike Ford’s side

  • FOOTBALL: Taylor keeps up scoring run

    Mangotsfield 3 (Knighton 3, Groves 4, Clark 9) North Leigh 3 (Burnell 7, Taylor 8, 10) North Leigh had to be satisfied with a share of the spoils as they in a six-goal thriller as they extended their unbeaten run to five matches. All the goals came

  • FOOTBALL: Gardner’s spot-on

    Abingdon Utd 1 (Gardner pen 42) Stourport 1 (Mussell 11) Jon Gardner netted the equaliser from the penalty spot as Abingdon United made it two games unbeaten in Division 1 South & West. Swifts took the lead when Lee Mussell’s high cross caught in

  • COMMENT: Big things ahead

    Great to see two local youngsters excelling. First up, the son of pub landlord James French, who has scored a spot at the Royal National Ballet in Covent Garden. We reckon it’s a real life Billy Elliot-style story. Meanwhile, teenager

  • Country dancers in spin

    OXFORD Town Hall was a popular venue for dancing. People would flock there in the evenings to dance to an orchestra or band. And it was also well used by schoolchildren, as the picture above shows. It was taken in 1962 when 400 children took part in

  • Bus parcels service just the ticket

    OXFORD buses transported not only thousands of passengers to all parts of the county, but provided an efficient parcel delivery service as well. Anyone needing a parcel to be delivered on a bus route could drop it off at Gloucester Green – and it would

  • The changing face of Steeple Aston

    Zoe Clarke, 10 – dubbed the Blonde Bombshell – powered to victory in a heat of the under-12 running race in the village Bank Holiday Races in 1985, seen in the firt picture. Apart from children’s events, there was a slow bicycle race, a sack race

  • Singers took stage for school show

    HERE is another picture of a production at Wheatley Secondary School. It was one of a number of shows staged by teachers Gerard Gould and Jeffery Babb in the 1950s, although we are not sure which one. The picture comes from former pupil Chris Payne,

  • Kidlington Youth 4 - 7 Radley. Under 10s Red Cup.

    Kidlington conquered by Radley Visitors Radley edged past a resilient home challenge to progress to the red cup semi-finals in terribly windy conditions at Kidlington. A strong Radley septet dominated the first game and only several

  • Didcot worker awarded £17k in sex discrimination case

    A WOMAN who was sacked by an airport security firm after she complained of sexual harassment has won more than £17,000 compensation. Diana Jackson, 39, sued Didcot-based ICTS Services Limited for damages alleging sex discrimination and public interest

  • Bicester sex attack - police warning to women

    A SEX assault on a 20-year-old woman in Bicester could be linked to a similar attack in November, detectives warned last night. The woman was walking along George Street, near to the Highfield Social Club, at 10.30pm on Thursday, when a man

  • Wilder hails 'electric' Oxford United players and fans

    Chris Wilder saluted the fans for the part they played in Oxford United’s thrilling 2-1 comeback win over Bradford at the weekend. And he praised his players for continuing to believe, and not feeling sorry for themselves when they trailed

  • Assault offender loses his appeal

    A MAN who cut off a chunk of a man’s lip before stamping on his head has had his claims he was wrongly convicted thrown out by senior judges. Nathan Hawkins, 22, of Howard Road, Banbury, was jailed for three years, four months at Oxford Crown Court in

  • Mum’s anger after huge bus fare rise

    A MUM has seen the cost of sending her son to school nearly double after a new company took over his bus route and raised charges. The change has hit youngsters using the 18 and 19 routes from Oxford to Bampton and Witney to Carterton respectively.