Archive

  • East Oxford pair sentenced over graveyard sex romp

    AN EAST Oxford couple who had a naked sex romp in a graveyard in full view of grammar school pupils have walked free from court. Andrew Donaldson, 41, and Karen Waters, 43, of Divinity Road, received suspended prison sentences yesterday after being

  • Faringdon residents invited to shape their future

    FARINGDON residents have been invited to a meeting to help shape the future of the town. Vale of White Horse District Council wants residents, community groups and businesses to create a community action plan. Shaping Faringdon – Have Your Say will

  • Exhibition goes behind the scenes of Oxford Fashion Week

    The Oxford Times photographer Ed Nix is among photographers set to showcase the drama, glamour and excitement of Oxford Fashion Week. His images will be part of an exhibition at the O3 Gallery at Oxford Castle from the 2009 and 2010 shows.

  • Exhibition goes behind the scenes of Oxford Fashion Week

    OXFORD Mail snapper Ed Nix is among photographers set to showcase the drama, glamour and excitement of Oxford Fashion Week. His images will be part of an exhibition at the O3 Gallery at Oxford Castle from the 2009 and 2010 shows. Gallery

  • Police plan blitz on anti-social behaviour

    Volunteer police officers throughout Thames Valley will be cracking down on noise, drug taking and excessive drinking to mark National Specials Weekend over the next three days. A spokesman fof Thames valley Police said operations would be

  • Pick up new habit for a cleaner city

    ALMOST 100 community groups including 26 schools have signed up for Oxford’s annual spring clean. OxClean is now in its fourth year and 96 organisations have joined the campaign. Organisers are now calling on more groups to pitch in on March 4 and

  • Local share prices (PM)

    AEA Technology 5.25 BMW 5332 Electrocomponents 271.75 Nationwide Accident Repair 100.5 Oxford Biomedica 6 Oxford Catalysts 85 Oxford Instruments 614.5 Reed Elsevier 589.75 RM 167 RPS Group 212.1 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Move to scrap green trusts criticised

    SCRAPPING trusts that dish out cash for environmental projects has been branded “stupid, crass and mad”. Vale of White Horse District Council wants to wind up Joint Environmental Trusts (JETs), which have given tens of thousands of pounds to projects

  • Street pastors to start Abingdon patrols in May

    Street pastors will begin patrolling the streets of Abingdon on Friday nights in May to to help drunken revellers stay safe. The Street Pastors programme, already running in Wantage and Oxford, was launched at Strattons nightclub on Wednesday by the

  • College unveils new campus

    INTERNATIONAL college Bellerbys has officially opened its new £10m campus in Oxford. Trajan House, in Mill Street, West Oxford, will give the private college room to expand from 370 foreign students to 500. The college moved from Broad Street in September

  • Proud auntie to take on OX5 Run

    PROUD auntie Karen Bamford will run this year’s OX5 for nephew Marcus Hayles so other children don’t have to face his daily battle with cerebral palsy. Mrs Bamford, 46, from Woodstock, will join runners at Blenheim Palace for the first time

  • Family centre says thanks to volunteers

    A FAMILY centre in Oxford said a big thank-you to volunteers over a spot of cake and tea. Staff at The Roundabout Centre in Waynflete Road, Barton, held a lunch for its dozen helpers. Children’s centre practitioner Kathy Shepherd said: “We wanted to

  • Town preparing for jubilee

    PLANS for Bicester to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in style have taken a step forward. A public meeting this month agreed to set up a committee to organise a celebration for the milestone, to be marked with a four-day bank holiday weekend at

  • MY WHEELS: Renault Kangoo

    ESTHER Browning, of Southmoor, executive director of Oxfordshire Artweeks (May 7-30), talks to Jeremy Smith about her Renault Kangoo What type of car is it? An old Renault Kangoo of indiscernable colour. For the vehicle connoisseurs who

  • WHEELING IN: Mini Countryman Cooper D ALL4

    THERE is very little that is mini about the new Mini Countryman. It is the first Mini to come with four doors, the first Mini over four metres long and the first with plenty of space for up to five people. And, even more impressive, it is the first

  • What your MP thinks of forests plan

    COUNTY MPs have given their verdicts on controversial Government plans to sell off some of England’s publicly owned forests. The Government has proposed offloading up to 100 per cent of England’s 258,000-hectare public forest estate from the Forestry

  • THE CAR'S THE STAR: Lotus Evora

    BEING a policeman is a hard job. They don’t get paid as much as they should, they work long hours and every day they risk being sued just for doing their job. But being a cop just got sexy. Lotus has donated an Evora to the West Midlands Police and it

  • Volunteer backs Give An Hour campaign

    Meg Barbour spent seven years looking after her husband Cedric as he slowly deteriorated from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. She was his full-time carer, feeding, clothing and bathing him, and her one consistent break was for one hour, once a week

  • 1933 MG tops Sandown sale

    The star of the show at Barons’ first sale of 2011 was a charming 1933 MG J2 Midget, which came with five decades of history of ownership in the same family. This lovely old MG was bid to £24,300, well above the estimated sale price. The number of

  • Brookes students exhibit at Pitt Rivers

    The crammed cabinets of curios have fascinated visitors to Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum for generations. Now young artists from Oxford Brookes University have given their own take on the collection, producing artwork inspired by the museum.

  • Knife robber snatches cash in Headington

    A knife-wielding robber snatched cash in an armed robbery on a Headington betting shop. At about 9.55pm yesterday, a man wearing a motorbike helmet walked into Ladbrokes, London Road, and threatened a member of staff with a knife. The offender

  • Appeal to give a bit of time as a carer

    WHEN pensioner Meg Barbour’s husband turned into a mumbling stranger, she proved her love really was until death do us part. The 67-year-old spent seven years looking after her husband Cedric as he slowly deteriorated from the effects of Alzheimer’s

  • Solar power farm plans sent to council

    PLANS have been submitted for a solar farm at Cornbury Park, near Charlbury, the home of Lord and Lady Rotherwick. The application to West Oxfordshire District Council says the 23 hectare site will help meet the “global challenge” of climate

  • 'Outstanding' school changes lives

    PUPILS at a school for children with emotional and social difficulties have spoken of how it has changed their lives, after praise from inspectors. They said Woodeaton Manor School, two miles outside Oxford, played a key role in their development. Ofsted

  • Excellence award recognises Oxford United's family fare

    Oxford United are among six clubs to have been awarded the Football League Family Excellence Award for the first time. The award looks to reward those clubs that have actively tried to attract families through their gates and secure the next

  • Millers on new territory

    Rotherham United make their first visit to the Kassam Stadium. They last played in Oxford in the final season at the Manor Ground. And that was a memorable match in a forgettable season. Manny Omoyinmi (2), Andy Scott and Rob

  • Craddock is yellow peril for Oxford United

    Oxford United seem to have had fewer suspensions for the accumulation of bookings this season than for many years. The only United player to have been suspended for yellow cards this campaign is striker Tom Craddock, and one of those was for

  • FOOTBALL: Boxer joins Witney relegation fight

    New signing Tom Boxer will hope for more of the same when Witney United travel to Flackwell Heath on Saturday as they bid to pull further away from the relegation zone. Boxer, 19, a central defender, made his home bow in the 3-2 win against Reading Town

  • BADMINTON: Boys lead way as Oxon break duck

    OXFORDSHIRE Under 17s broke their duck in the Shires League with a 14-6 victory over Berkshire at Bartholemew School, Eynsham. The victory, which came after two defeats, saw Oxon’s boys lead the way with a perfect singles and doubles record. Oxfordshire

  • Music of the air

    Were you ever a musician in the Royal Air Force? The RAF Music Services Association is looking for new members. We wish to contact any retired and former musicians who served in any of the RAF established bands or orchestras, including the WRAF band

  • No more jams

    IN CASE of a repeat of last month’s massive traffic jam in Headley Way (January 20), during which it took a very long time to get to and from the John Radcliffe Hospital, could not some of our boys in blue high-tail it to the jams using old fashioned

  • Local share prices (AM)

    AEA Technology 5.1 BMW 5192 Electrocomponents 271.8 Nationwide Accident Repair 100 Oxford Biomedica 6 Oxford Catalysts 85 Oxford Instruments 617 Reed Elsevier 585.25 RM 167.5 RPS Group 213 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Cause of Oxford car park death still mystery

    A CORONER has been unable to discover what led to a man falling to his death from the Westgate car park in Oxford. Joshua Nunan’s body was found on Boxing Day, 2009. Oxfordshire Coroner Nicholas Gardiner yesterday said it appeared the 22-year-old, of

  • Health changes come under fire in Oxfordshire

    A MOVEMENT to ‘kill the NHS reform Bill’ is gathering pace in Oxfordshire. The Government has ann-ounced plans to hand control of 80 per cent of the NHS budget to GP-led commissioning groups by 2013. Doctors from 83 practices in Oxfordshire will create

  • RUGBY UNION: Oxford pull out of cup clash

    OXFORD have pulled out of Sunday’s Oxfordshire Cup quarter-final against Grove due to a lack of front-row replacements. Grove get a bye into the semi-finals and must now await the draw to learn their opponents. Oxford, who don’t have a Southern Counties

  • Firefighters called to house blaze

    Firefighters were called to tackle a blaze at a home in Frilford last night. Two crews from Abingdon were called to Oxford Road at around 10.10pm after a fire is believed to have started in an electric shower at the two-storey property. Two

  • Music fans in raptures over new Oxford record store

    MUSIC lovers and artists gathered to celebrate the launch of a new independent record shop. The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, Ute and Dreaming Spires took to the stage at the new Truck Store in Cowley Road, East Oxford, last night to mark

  • ROWING: Olympic rowers pay visit to Abingdon

    THE Great Britain heavyweight coxless fours, winners of the 2009 world championships and 2010 World Cup, took time out from their busy Olympic preparations to row with the Abingdon School first eight. Alex Partridge, Alex Gregory, Ric Egington and Matt

  • Wright aiming to keep lethal Le Fondre in check

    Centre back Jake Wright says Oxford United’s defence will need to stick tight to Adam Le Fondre to stop him punishing them again. The division’s 18-goal top scorer, Le Fondre scored both goals when Rotherham beat Oxford 2-1 earlier in the season. He

  • Oxford United set for 'six-pointer'

    At the business end of the season, that familiar phrase “six-pointer” comes out – and tomorrow’s clash with fourth-placed Rotherham is another of those. The term refers to what a win is effectively worth when you are playing one of your rivals

  • Inquiry to look at Oxford's poor test results

    COUNTY councillors are planning an inquiry into why Oxford’s seven-year-olds have the worst Key Stage One test results in England. Oxfordshire County Council’s children’s services scrutiny committee will decide next week whether to set up a

  • FOOTBALL: Jeffrey joy at Ashton return

    Banbury United manager Billy Jeffrey has applauded the attitude of Jack Ashton ahead of the visit of Halesowen Town on Saturday in the Premier Division. Ashton moved to Oxford City in the summer, but decided to go back to Spencer Stadium this week.

  • Lost teddy bear spurred me into act of compassion

    ONLY the heartless would have driven by. He looked so pathetic, lying at the road side, his left leg bent beneath his mud-splattered, naked body, his head twisted at an uncomfortable angle. Yet had I not been in nostalgic mood, induced by BBC television

  • Off with his head

    OUR new Chancellor, George Osborne, may not be popular, following his recent VAT rise, but he’s not as unpopular as one of his predecessors. Chancellor Simon Sudbury introduced the poll tax for the first time in 1377. Sadly for him there was a public

  • Dumping money

    SO Oxfordshire County Council intends closing the Redbridge recycling centre at the cost of closing and clearing the site. Oxford City Council then proposes spending money purchasing and setting up another recycling centre. I thought they were trying

  • FOOTBALL: Boss Williams salutes "gladiator" Bartley

    Didcot Town boss Ady Williams says the superb performance of striker Michael Bartley in their midweek victory at Oxford City can help galvanise their season – starting with Saturday's trip to Bedford Town. Bartley capped a brilliant display

  • A hollow ring

    Although fully justified, calls from the US and UK governments for the Egyptian people to be granted freedom, justice and democracy have a somewhat hollow and ironic ring when the ethnic-cleansing of Diego Garcia is recalled. An idyllic archipelago in

  • Money's gone to Iceland

    WE keep hearing about how the county and district councils are so short of money, and the excuses why they have to make cuts, which generally affect those in most need. A couple of years ago we also had the same old story with the councils crying poverty

  • University's fee hike is a shameful move

    I am an Oxford University graduate and the son of an Oxford University graduate. I have known the university as an insider in many ways over the past half-century, but I never thought that I would feel shame to such an extent that, if they had given

  • RUGBY UNION: Quins ready for double-header

    OXFORD Harlequins director of rugby John Brodley says they will follow the old cliché and take it one game at a time this weekend. Quins host Barnstaple in a rearranged National 3 South West clash tomorrow then visit Witney in the Oxfordshire Cup quarter-finals

  • LADY DRIVER: Steady on...

    I AM definitely getting old. Television’s Grumpy Old Women have got nothing on me, and compared to my daily rants they seem quite a mild-mannered bunch. My week of bellowing all started with traffic – speeding traffic and traffic at a standstill. Funnily

  • Oxfordshire recycles its way to the top

    PEOPLE in Oxfordshire throw away less rubbish than anywhere else in the country. On average every person in the county gets rid of almost 329 kilos of refuse, compared to wasteful folk from North Yorkshire who chuck out around 515 kilos per person.

  • Teenager's arm broken in Abingdon street attack

    A TEENAGER was last night recovering after getting his arm broken in a violent incident in Abingdon town centre. The 18-year-old was attacked outside the library in The Charter at about 2.30pm on Wednesday. Witnesses said the injured teenager was kicked

  • Council puts buildings up for sale

    CASH-STRAPPED council chiefs are to sell about £10m worth of buildings, including a former public toilet for studio flats. Oxford City Council is set to boost its coffers by selling properties, including cemetery lodges, stables and barns.

  • COMMENT: Watching waste

    THE county’s waste crusaders can feel justifiably proud of themselves at figures showing Oxfordshire recycles more than anywhere else. There were a lot of nay-sayers who doubted the public would fall into line with recycling but many of the schemes and

  • COMMENT: No point in retaining properties

    THE list of property put up for sale by Oxford City Council makes fascinating reading. Of course, your attention won’t go too far past spending £180,000 on an old public toilet to convert into rather interesting living quarters. Stephanie

  • SPORTS CALENDAR February 11

    SATURDAY FOOTBALL NPOWER LEAGUE TWO Oxford Utd v Rotherham. ZAMARETTO SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Banbury Utd v Halesowen, Bedford Tn v Didcot Tn. Div 1 South & West: North Leigh v Bideford, Taunton Tn v Abingdon Utd. UHLSPORT HELLENIC LEAGUE

  • Church lead thieves who 'caused havoc'

    TWO men have pleaded guilty to stripping lead from church roofs in Didcot, East Hagbourne and Wantage, and selling it for thousands of pounds. James Wall, 20, and Aaron Hennessy, 24, appeared before Didcot magistrates charged with stealing

  • Make some noise for Oxford United

    THE backing from their passionate fans can help push Oxford United to success again this spring, manager Chris Wilder believes. United have already seen their 100,000th home supporter pass through their turnstiles this season. The club reached the milestone

  • Football charity gives boost to marginalised

    A FOOTBALL charity which helps homeless and marginalised people is among good causes to benefit from Comic Relief cash. Streets Revolution got £2,500 in September towards its weekly sessions at Oxford University sports pitches in Iffley Road

  • Council wins more money for libraries

    MORE cash has been promised for Oxfordshire’s threatened libraries after County Hall netted its second Government windfall of the week. Central Government confirmed last night it would provide £640,000 to fund Oxfordshire County Council’s music service

  • Bonnie proves to be a classy buy

    WHEN horse lover Lee Harfield picked up a new puppy she never expected the tiny dog would go on to be a world-class competitor. But five years on, Bonnie and her owner have been picked to represent England in the World Agility Open Championships. Bonnie