Archive

  • James Corden joins Childish Things show

    Organisers of Childish Things, the show in aid of children and young adults’ hospice charity Helen & Douglas House, have announced updates to the line-up. James Corden, of Gavin and Stacey fame, joins the line-up at the New Theatre, in Oxford

  • Cowley playground gets £20k upgrade

    A POPULAR Cowley playground has been extended to help cut the queues for the slides and swings. The play area in Cowley Marsh Recreation Ground is so popular with children that it becomes overcrowded during school holidays. So, thanks to £20,000 of

  • FLOOD ALERTS: Latest river updates

    The River Ock through the Vale of White Horse to Abingdon and the Letcombe Brook in Wantage, Grove and East Hanney have been placed on flood alert by the Environment Agency. The Langford and Wendlebury brooks and their tributaries from Stratton

  • Brother's memory inspires jockey to victory

    SAM Waley-Cohen knows his brother Thomas would have relished his victory in one of Britain’s biggest steeplechases on Saturday. The amateur jockey’s triumph in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park saw him beat some of the best in the world

  • TODDLER DEATH: Pair given police bail

    A MAN and a woman arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm following the death of a toddler have been released on police bail again. Twenty-two-month-old Tayler Mason, from the Banbury area, was admitted to the Horton Hospital

  • Man attacked for watch and phone

    A 18-YEAR-OLD man was assaulted by two men who tried to steal his watch and mobile phone. He was at the junction of Hightown Road and Oxford Road at 12.50am on Sunday when the attack happened. The man struggled and the two men ran off. They may have

  • Local shares (PM)

    AEA Technology 5.9 BMW 4946 Electrocomponents 261.1 Nationwide Accident Repair 98.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.65 Oxford Catalysts 70 Oxford Instruments 685 Reed Elsevier 557.75 RM 165.75 RPS Group 227.2 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Peer's relative 'angry' over claims

    A relative of a former Conservative peer accused of making false expenses claims has said he was "shocked" and "quite angry" when told that the politician had used his address as a main place of residence on his claim forms. Robert Taylor, half nephew

  • Solar farm plans on display

    PLANS for a new 23-hectare solar farm at Cornbury Park will go on display this Friday. People are being invited to come and have their say on the development, which would involve the installation of about 27,000 solar panels, each over two

  • Local author

    A Habit of Dying by D. J. Wiseman (Matador, £8.99) This novel by a local author features family history sleuth Lydia Silverstream, who buys house clearance mementos with the intention of reuniting them with their rightful owners. In this story, she discovers

  • Teenager attacked in Banbury

    Police today appealed for information after a teeanger was attacked in Banbury. An 18-year-old man was at the junction of Hightown Road and Oxford Road at 12.50am on Sunday when he was approached by two men who assaulted him and attempted to

  • OX5 sponsor has marathon ambitions

    RECRUITMENT boss Rob Allen is used to putting people through their paces, but he will be the one feeling the heat when he takes part in this year’s OX5 Run. Mr Allen, 49, who lives in Barnard Gate, near Witney, is a co-director of Allen Associates,

  • Animated film scores triumph in talent contest

    A BUDDING Walt Disney has won a primary school talent competition by creating an animated film. Sam Thomas, nine, of Sandfield Road, Oxford, used stop-motion animation to create a minute-long film about the football rivalry between his team, Stoke City

  • Grandad back with RAF after 29 years

    A GRANDFATHER is back in uniform and serving in Afghanistan, 29 years after he left the RAF. Jim ‘Izzy’ Izzard trained as a mechanic working on attack jets when he was a teenager but left the RAF as a 21-year-old to launch his own electrical firm in

  • Twelve skeletons found in Bicester car park

    TWELVE skeletons have been found under the car park at a Bicester church. The bones were found by builders who are midway through constructing the John Paul II Centre in the grounds of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, in the Causeway

  • Godwin Lawson murder trial: 'No reason to murder cousin'

    A MAN accused of murdering teenage footballer Godwin Lawson told the Old Bailey he had no reason to attack his ‘cousin’. Moise Avorgah, 20, said he had known the 17-year-old, who was a member of the Oxford United Football Club Academy, for several years

  • Glad to be back, say fisherman

    THE big thaw proved relief at last for Oxfordshire’s fishermen as ice on the water of the county’s fishing lakes finally melted. At Linear Fisheries, in Stanton Harcourt, its 11 lakes were closed for more than six weeks over the normally busy Christmas

  • Club searches for new home

    A FOOTBALL club is appealing for help to find a temporary home after floods caused by a burst pipe left it with nowhere to play. Berinsfield Football Club has been homeless since a pipe burst over the Christmas break and flooded the club pavilion. It

  • Local share prices (AM)

    AEA Technology 5.9 BMW 5018 Electrocomponents 261.2 Nationwide Accident Repair 99 Oxford Biomedica 5.75 Oxford Catalysts 70 Oxford Instruments 689.5 Reed Elsevier 558.25 RM 165.5 RPS Group 226.4 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Flooding hits A417

    Flooding partially blocked the A417 Faringdon Road at Stanford in the Vale today. The eastbound road was just passable due to flooding between Ware Road and Warmans Close. The road was flooded in several places and traffic could only

  • Margaret marks 100th birthday at her old school

    MARGARET Hoddinott celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday in the building where she first went to school. Miss Hoddinott marked the occasion with family and friends at the old St Katharine’s School – now St Katharine’s House care home – in Ormond Road

  • HOCKEY: City in storming comeback

    City of Oxford turned on the style in the second half as they twice came from behind to beat West Hampstead 4-2 in Division 3A of the South Clubs’ League. Caitlin Bailey-Williams equalised, only for City to fall further behind after a poor clearance

  • RUGBY UNION: Symonds shines as rivals see red

    Round-up Alchester saw off Gosford All Blacks 41-21 in a BB&O Premier Division derby that featured two red cards. No 8 George Symonds scored a hat-trick of tries for Alchester, who pulled clear in the closing stages. Gosford scrum half Tim Sutton

  • Nowhere left for learner bikers to take their test

    A VETERAN motorbike instructor may give up his business because EU rules, bureaucratic bungling and bad weather has left budding bikers unable to take their tests in Oxfordshire. John Wheeler, 66, from Manor Way, Kidlington, has been getting people through

  • New Bishop of Reading is out of Africa

    The new Bishop of Reading is to be the Rt Rev Andrew Proud. Bishop Andrew, who is currently Area Bishop of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, replaces the Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, who became Bishop of Chelmsford in November. The Bishop of Reading is one

  • RACING: Sarando sparkles

    Banbury trainer Paul Webber can start planning a route to Cheltenham with Sarando after he made himself eligible for the £60,000 bonus for winning a chase at Prestbury Park with victory at Plumpton yesterday. Heavy overnight rain left the

  • RACING: Somersby may miss Ascot test

    Somersby, the star of Henrietta Knight’s West Lockinge stables, near Wantage, could sidestep another clash with Master Minded in Saturday’s Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot. The seven-year-old finished third to Paul Nicholls’s former dual two-mile champion

  • Police fear trouble over Royal Wedding late pub opening

    POLICE fear plans to allow pubs to stay open until 1am to celebrate the Royal Wedding could spark trouble. Oxfordshire police licensing officer Tony Cope said police will not know where the big gatherings will take place. Prince William and Kate Middleton

  • DARTS: Oxon promotion bid takes a knock

    Oxfordshire’s Rileys British Inter County Championship Division 1 promotion hopes suffered a setback at the weekend as they went down 23-13 against Hampshire at Fareham. The writing was on the wall after the first day, with the men’s B team suffering

  • DARTS: Smith in title coup

    Oxfordshire player Dennis Smith (has won the CIU (Clubs and Institutes Union) national singles title for a second time. Smith, who took the crown in 2002, beat champion Chris Thompson (York) 4-3 in the semi-final and then demolished Paddy Lenagh (Durham

  • DARTS: Youth teams face Bucks

    Oxfordshire Youth play Bucks at Wing Sports & Social Club in Leighton Buzzard on Sunday. Under 18: S Smith, M Burns, J Lucas, M Clarke, J Carter, D Mobey, S Allmond, S Wright, A Scott, J Bumpass, R Bull, L Stallwood. Under 21 ladies

  • DARTS: Deadly Democrats go storming on at top

    Greene King Oxford & District Darts Association Winter League Section 3 leaders West Oxford Democrats Club proved too strong for East Oxford Conservative Club as they ran out 6-3 winners. Alan Malyinko put the home side one up, East Oxford

  • RUGBY UNION: Bulls are battered

    Midlands 1 West Banbury Bulls could not hold on to the lead in a 47-12 battering at Lichfield. They led 5-0 after prop Perriss Wilkins’s try and 12-5 when fly half Mike Smith converted wing Sam Boyle’s score on 20 minutes. Lichfield ran in six converted

  • RUGBY UNION: Grove rally tames Tadley

    Southern Counties North Grove fought back from 12-0 down to defeat Tadley 30-12 at Cane Lane. Two tries and a conversion gave the visitors a 12-0 lead and they were also held up twice on the home line. Grove recovered and went close through wing

  • DARTS: Smith lands CIU crown for second time

    Oxfordshire player Dennis Smith has won the CIU (Clubs and Institutes Union) national singles title for a second time. Smith, who took the crown in 2002, beat champion Chris Thompson (York) 4-3 in the semi-final and then demolished Paddy Lenagh (Durham

  • Mystery over covert cop's role in power station demo

    POWER station bosses said last night they had no knowledge of an environmental protest in Didcot which involved an undercover police officer. A RWE Npower spokesman said he had “no prior knowledge” of individuals, activities or intentions of protesters

  • RUGBY UNION: Stradwick brace

    National 2 South Tom Stradwick scored two tries as Henley Hawks defeated Westcombe Park 22-10 at Dry Leas. The blindside flanker struck twice soon after the break in a bonus-point win. Hawks broke the deadlock on 20 minutes when lock Dave Clements

  • RUGBY UNION: Collins blow for Witney

    South West 1 East Witney hooker Sam Collins was stretchered off with a broken ankle in his side’s 20-10 home defeat to Reading Abbey. Collins was taken to hospital after the injury to his right leg and was operated on the following day. He was due

  • HOCKEY: King Cresswell hits four-timer

    Dave Cresswell hit four goals as South League Premier Division 2 leaders Oxford Hawks won an amazing match 7-5 against second-placed Lewes. Hawks met at Cokethorpe School to find their normal pitch with no goals, and set up for netball. It meant they

  • Our allowance cut would have helped save libraries

    I have to disagree with your correspondent AA Williams (letters, January 11) about a “deafening silence from the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors as to how much they will cut from their allowances”. At the county council meeting

  • County leader's logic is hard to follow

    I suppose it was inevitable to learn that a proposal to reduce county councillors’ allowances was opposed (Oxford Mail, January 12) when there seems to be unbounded enthusiasm to cut everything else. It is also difficult to follow Mr Mitchell’s logic

  • Allowances could fund library costs

    IT is hard to believe that the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, Keith Mitchell, and councillor Jean Fooks have to rely on the Oxford Mail to communicate on important matters such as the closure of libraries. He notes that Mrs Fooks opposes the

  • Shop's sorry to disappoint potential customers

    As the proprietor of the establishment featured on Page 5 of the Oxford Mail last Thursday, I would like to make it clear that Rochester’s Story Supplies cater only to Oxford’s fictional community. Alas, the shop is unable to serve customers in the real

  • On Yer Bike: Time to splash out on a new bicycle

    IN the aftermath of the Christmas and New Year festivities we all seem to have less spare cash kicking around, especially me. Oxfordshire councils have been announcing cuts in their spending and if the big boys are broke what hope is there for the rest

  • DARTS: Demos go storming on at the top

    Greene King ODDA Winter League Section 3 leaders West Oxford Democrats Club proved too strong for East Oxford Conservative Club as they ran out 6-3 winners. Alan Malyinko put the home side one up, East Oxford levelling when Alan Davis beat John Fagg

  • Ask the Vet: Get your iguana to the vet ASAP

    Q I have a young male iguana about nine months old. He has a red round bulge protruding from the left side of his vent area. I’m wondering what this could be, he seems fine in himself. Toby Miles, Oxfordshire A Just inside the vent is a chamber called

  • Welcome input on running our libraries

    ON the subject of libraries, can I say to councillor Mike Gotch (Oxford Mail letters, January 12) that I welcome his plea to “give us a fair chance to run local libraries” and my answer is “Yes – most certainly”. I want the libraries we

  • Don't forget disabled when cutting budgets

    AT a time when local councils are deciding how they are going to make massive savings to their budgets, I am urging them not to forget how vital social care support is for people with a learning disability. Everyday activities such as washing, eating

  • Support RNLI lifesavers

    This month, the RNLI will hold its biggest day of fundraising – RNLI SOS Day on January 28 – and I would like to invite readers to join me in supporting this tremendous event. Last year, during our travels at sea, my wife and I had the privilege of meeting

  • Two-mile tunnel to take power to university labs

    WORK has begun on a two-mile tunnel underneath the city aimed at making sure Oxford University’s labs have enough power. Drilling work has already started to connect a sub-station in Ferry Hinksey Road, West Oxford, to laboratories in the University

  • U's off to the US

    Oxford United are planning a first pre-season trip to the USA. The week-long trip would involve going to Boston, and has come about through the club’s links with Virgin Atlantic and Seacoast United, who are based in New England. Details of the trip

  • DARTS: Oxfordshire promotion hopes take a knock

    Oxfordshire’s promotion hopes in Division 1 of the Rileys British Inter-Counties Championship suffered a setback at the weekend as they went down 23-13 away to Hampshire at Fareham. The writing was on the wall after the first day, with the men’s B team

  • RUGBY UNION: Knapp seals it for Quins

    National 3 South West Flanker Tim Knapp’s try earned Oxford Harlequins a 21-17 victory at their bogey side Coney Hill. The Gloucester club have usually been the scourge of Quins in recent seasons, but the visitors were deserving victors on this occasion

  • COMMENT: Private work leaves us ill at ease

    THERE is an itch that is hard to scratch over John Radcliffe staff ‘moonlighting’ in their private time to tackle the Oxford hospital’s NHS backlog. It is difficult to demonise Enda McVeigh, the JR gynaecologist who is also a director of the company

  • COMMENT: Above and beyond

    ALL our service personnel show great commitment and dedication to their country, but Jim Izzard is going above and beyond. He did his time as a youngster but, approaching the age of 50, he decided to help by joining up as a reservist and is now at Camp

  • RUGBY UNION: Hutchings hails grafters

    Chinnor captain Matt Hutchings was delighted with the way his side battled in the second half against Barnstaple. He said: “We were confident at half-time. It was important not to panic. “We were a bit disappointed because we hadn’t

  • Rivers placed on flood alert

    A number of rivers in Oxfordshire have been put on flood alert following recent heavy rain. The alert - the lowest level of warning issued by the Environment Agency - is in force on the River Ock, the Langford and Wendlebury brooks, the River

  • RUGBY UNION: Second half surge is key

    Chinnor 20, Barnstaple 8 A sterling second-half display saw Chinnor deservedly earn victory in this wind-affected National 3 South West clash. After leading 15-3 at half-time, but with the wind gusting strongly in Barnstaple’s favour, many Chinnor

  • McLaren's got no doubts

    Oxford United’s new midfielder, Paul McLaren, says it’s no surprise to him that the club are climbing the npower League Two table. The U’s have won three games out of three since the former Tranmere player came into the team. And the 34-year-old ex-Sheffield