Archive

  • United edge past MK Dons

    Midfielder Asa Hall scored the winner as Oxford United got their home pre-season friendly programme off to the perfect start with a 1-0 victory against League One MK Dons on Saturday. The victory extended their unbeaten pre-season run to

  • Youth centre to get funds and advice

    WEST Oxfordshire District Council’s cabinet agreed to donate £5,000 to Witney youth centre Base 33. The centre, which provides services for the town’s most vulnerable youngsters, faced closure a month ago. Public donations had dropped by more than 50

  • Unwanted ‘status’ dogs need homes

    SCORES of unwanted ‘status’ dogs are being turned away from Oxfordshire animal rescue centres because not enough people want to take them on. The Blue Cross animal charity, based in Burford, claims the sheer number of unwanted and abandoned

  • Poet's new role

    Oxford city council has appointed Kate Clanchy as the city’s first official poet laureate. As part of her role she aims to visit all the schools in the city and work with community groups and libraries. She will also have a key role in Oxford’s bid

  • Cycle path bid

    Plans for a new cycle path in Carterton will be put to a leading councillor for decision next week. Oxfordshire County Council wants to widen the footpath on the eastern side of Burford Road between Brizewood and Brize Norton Road from 1.6

  • Bike and ride

    Bainton Bikes, based in Bainton Road, has linked up with train operator First Great Western to offer cycle hire to travellers arriving in Oxford by train. Owner Kevin Moreland, who also runs Walton Street Cycles with his partner Honour Tomkinson, said

  • Pupils help out air ambulance

    Year nine pupils at Fitzharrys School raised £550 for the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust through their own business ventures. Student Courtney Lowe, 14, raised more than £200 through cake sales, car washes, baby-sitting and dog-walking

  • Joy as pregnancy unit earns reprieve

    Supporters of a high-risk pregnancy unit have been celebrating after being told it is safe from reorganisation this year. The Silver Star unit cares for seriously ill expectant mothers and their unborn babies at the John Radcliffe Hospital. In summer

  • Funday is mum's thanks for little Latisha

    A mum is staging a family funday today to pay back a hospital that changed her daughter’s life. Little Latisha McMillan, pictured, was born with a rare condition called unicoronal synostosis, which means the skull bones had fused together before birth

  • Fulbright study for eco-activist

    A former city council candidate and eco-activist has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright Award to study in New York. Sophie Lewis, a Thames Valley People and Planet representative, will research ecological politics in the United States, after winning

  • Extension bid

    A scheme to build a two-storey rear extension and replace a porch at a house in Lime Walk, Headington, have been approved by Oxford City Council officers, under delegated powers.

  • Village housing

    Cascade Partnership has applied to Cherwell District Council to build six affordable homes at land north of Deejay Farm and south of Chestnut Road, in Mollington, just north of Banbury.

  • Temporary car park for staff

    A bid has been made to set up a temporary car park for 100 spaces as part of the redevelopment of Oxford University’s Old Road Campus in Headington. It would be at the neighbouring Park Hospital for Children, lasting for up to two years

  • No to garages

    A plan to knock down two garages at 198 and 200 Poplar Grove, Kidlington, and build two homes was refused by Vale of White Horse District Council.

  • Gardens pavilion

    Green Templeton College has applied to erect a sports pavilion within residents’ gardens in Observatory Street, by the Old Radcliffe Observatory. The 22m by 7.9m pavilion would be up for 10 years in the “redundant” gardens, an application submitted to

  • Flats alteration

    A planning application has been made for flats in Ashurst Way, Rose Hill. The application seeks to provide a two-storey side extension for a one-bedroom flat and a two-bedroom flat and three parking spaces, with access from Desborough Crescent. The

  • Judgement Day for Oxford in Bloom

    It was judgement day in gardens across the city this week, as the winners of this year’s Oxford in Bloom competition were selected. Months of planting, watering, pruning, mowing and deadheading came to a climax as judges Trisha Stevens and John Alcock

  • Subway murals

    Youngsters at The Cherwell School have repainted the underpass connecting the two sides of their site, underneath Marston Ferry Road. Year Nine pupils decorated the subway with murals as part of a project led by teacher Jon McKay.

  • Day centre spaces

    Plans to create an extra parking space, as well as a disabled parking space, at the day centre in Caudwell Close, Drayton, have been submitted. Vale of White Horse District Council hopes to have made a decision by August 14.

  • Church choir's CD hope

    THE COUNTRY’S most popular church choir is hoping to cut an album of Christmas carols to follow up its chart-busting CD of hymns. In March, Wallingford Parish Church Choir was declared Britain’s favourite parish choir. The group beat hundreds of entries

  • Positive changes at failing school

    A HEADTEACHER who turned a failing Witney primary school around has been given a send-off to remember. Julia Hamper, headteacher at Ducklington Primary School, was bid farewell with a parachute display by the RAF Falcons on Thursday. The school in

  • Oxford in Bloom blossoms for silver year

    IT was judgement day in gardens across the city this week, as the winners of this year’s Oxford in Bloom competition were selected. Months of planting, watering, pruning, mowing and deadheading came to a climax as judges Trisha Stevens and John Alcock

  • Firm's delight at Olympic contract

    BOSSES at Witney-based STL Communications are celebrating after landing the telephony contract for the Olympic Games. The telecommunications firm will be responsible for supplying and supporting the telephone systems and associated lines and calls to

  • Pupils trade to aid hurt teenager

    PRIMARY school children have raised money for a teenager who was disabled in a bike crash. Year Six pupils at Hanborough Manor Primary School made £500 by creating and running businesses. They chose to donate the money to Finlay MacBurnie, who used

  • Boxing club needs £46,000 to buy its first permanent home

    A BOXING club that has trained teenagers in Oxford for 39 years is set get its first permanent home. Oxfordshire County Council has agreed to sell the Saxon Centre, in Saxon Way, Northway, to Oxford Boxing Academy. The building is home to a county council

  • Marston residents' chance to talk to police

    Marston residents will be able to tell police about community issues. The Have Your Say Meeting will be held at the Oxsrad sports centre, at Court Place Farm, in Marsh Lane, on Thursday between 4pm and 6pm.

  • Permission for football pitch

    Wantage Town Football Club can now go ahead with plans to build a £650,000 all-weather pitch. The club was given permission for the scheme at a meeting of Vale of White Horse District Council on Wednesday. The full-size floodlit pitch will replace one

  • Search for a star

    The StarCatchers annual talent competition is being held tonight at Rover Sports and Social Club in Roman Way, Cowley. Young people from homes run by local housing associations are competing for a £1,000 first prize in the contest at 6pm.

  • Charity knitting

    Age UK have launched their eighth annual Big Knit, which will see people across the county knitting little hats for charity. Last year, Age UK Oxfordshire received 11,273 woolly hats, which will sit on top of bottles of Innocent smoothie. For every

  • Dancers take winning steps

    Dancers have been celebrating a haul of awards and some great exam results. Over the past few months, members of Bicester Dance Academy, based in The Courtyard Centre, Launton Road, have taken part in a host of festivals, competitions – and more than

  • Green compost

    Compost created from food and garden waste collected from Cherwell homes is being used to condition soil in planters along Sheep Street. The planters were among attractions inspected by Thames and Chilterns In Bloom judges on Tuesday. Cherwell District

  • Police join kids for summer kickabouts

    Children on an Oxford estate will be able to enjoy a kick-about with their local bobby this summer, as police trial a new community project. The Barton Neighbourhood police team have decided to run football games during the school holidays

  • A zipping yarn in Quebec

    Four days into my white-knuckle tour of Quebec and having already tucked kayaking, rock climbing, paddleboarding, white water rafting and bear stalking under my belt, you’d have thought I’d earned a breather. But no, the conveyor belt of adrenaline-fuelled

  • JET-SKIING: Attwell races to victory

    Abingdon jet-skier Paul Attwell won the Am300 Class at the third P1 AquaX round in Plymouth. He made the most of the absence of championship leader Dave Huddleston to close the gap at the top of the table to just six points with two rounds to go. After

  • SCHOOL SPORT: Oxon trio win silvers

    Oxfordshire's Emma O’Hara, Cosima Berry and Freddie Curtis won silver medals for England at the AVIVA Schools’ International Athletic Board Under 17 Track & Field meeting at Cardiff. O’Hara, the English Schools’ champion from Larkmead School

  • GREYHOUNDS: Trainers puzzled

    The decision to run only ten races on a Thursday and Saturday is baffling some trainers, who claim to have ten or more dogs sitting in their kennels. Oxford Stadium management, however, point to the poor racing strength, which is at an all-time

  • ANGLING: Youngsters' big day

    The Masonic Fishing Charity held their latest event for 15 pupils from two special needs schools, Springfield at Witney and Mulberry Bush in Standlake, at Farmoor Fly Fishing Club’s Darlow Water at Standlake. They have been organising events across the

  • Brother’s anger as attacker goes free

    THE BROTHER of a 13-year-old girl sexually assaulted by an RAF Sergeant is furious he walked free from court. RAF Sergeant Daniel Burt admitted touching the girl in a bed at RAF Benson in 2001. He was given a 12-month jail term at Oxford Crown Court

  • GREYHOUNDS: It's a night to savour for Colton

    Nick Colton's kennels featured in a record-breaking night and came away with a handsome £4,500 in prize money at west Yorkshire track Kinsley at this week’s Sky-televised meeting. The Oxford trainer saw Taranis Rex, owned by Tony McCann and Roley Woodcock

  • GREYHOUNDS: Beetle can fly home

    Strong finisher Pennys Beetle, who has been runner-up in his last two runs, can come out on top in the A1 over 450m at Oxford Stadium tonight. Beetle, trained by Tony Magnasco, found Maurice Massey’s Philanimo Bill just too good last time out, but should

  • YOUTH CRICKET: Mannering stars with five wickets

    SKIPPER Max Mannering claimed his third consecutive haul of five wickets or more as Oxfordshire eased to a 113-run victory over Herefordshire in their ECB Under 14 Cup clash at Banbury. On a cool and showery day, but presented with a good looking pitch

  • YOUTH CRICKET: Abingdon turn on the style

    ABINGDON Vale turned on a powerful performance to beat Bicester & North Oxford by eight wickets in the Oxfordshire Under 11 final at Charlbury. Bicester won the toss and batted first, posting 81-5. This was a good effort, with a stand of 53 between

  • CYCLE SPEEDWAY: Horspath mission

    Horspath Hammers return to British Premier League action at Sheffield tomorrow, hoping to bounce back to winning ways. Hammers were beaten in controversial fashion at Leicester last time out and now only lead the East Midlands side by points difference

  • ICE HOCKEY: Memorial occasion

    Oxford City Stars host a memorial match today in memory of Norman Elliott, writes JACK JOHNSON. Past and present Stars members will take part in the game to remember Mr Elliott, who worked at Oxford Ice Rink for more than 20 years. Father of current

  • ICE HOCKEY: Stars on up after takeover

    Oxford City Stars have high hopes for the coming campaign after being taken over by a group of local business people ahead of the new English National League Division 1 South season. Elaine Sutcliffe, Russ Fray and John Harrison will provide the club

  • Drinkers crushed by risk to Grapes

    THE FUTURE of one of Oxford’s most historic pubs hangs in the balance as time is called amid claims of spiralling rents. The Grapes, in George Street, has been serving pints to city punters since King George IV was on the throne in 1820. But the current

  • YOUTH CRICKET: Deadly duo shine in emphatic win

    Three wickets apiece from Josh Megson and Matthew Warner helped Oxfordshire to a seven-wicket victory in a rain-affected ECB Under 17 clash in Bedfordshire. Oxfordshire bowled and fielded well to dismiss their hosts for 180 inside 41 overs at Flitwick

  • YOUTH CRICKET: Shipton secure title joy

    SHIPTON-under-Wychwood’s girls beat Aston Rowant by 82 runs to win the Oxfordshire Under 13 final. Using the eight-a-side pairs format, Shipton rattled up 343, Jess Simpson top-scoring with 36 not out. Rowant made a valiant reply, but the target was

  • MOTORSPORT: Bratt's hope

    Will Bratt is eyeing a swift return to the top step of the FIA Formula 2 Championship podium this weekend, when the pan-European category makes its second visit of the season to UK shores for rounds nine and ten at Brands Hatch. Heading to the famous

  • ANGLING: Thames turns up trumps for Paul

    Thirty anglers fished the Super League practice open on the Thames at Medley and the water was back to its normal colour, but still lacked flow – it was actually going backwards at times. Everyone caught fish and the lowest section winner had just under

  • ANGLING: Club results check

    Jolly Anglers: (Berks/Oxon, Wallingford Cup, Thames at Fairmile, 10 fished) 1 M Marriott 7.6.0 (skimmers; pole or feeder; maggot), 2 M MacDonald 5.14.0 (roach, skimmers; waggler; hemp and maggot), 3 D Mitchell 3.4.0. Marston: (Presidents Cup, Cherwell

  • Rick Stein signs books in city

    CELEBRITY chef Rick Stein got a colourful welcome at a book signing in Oxford yesterday, as staff gave the occasion a suitably Spanish flavour. Zaida Dondin, 25, originally from Madrid and now a waitress at Al-Andalus restaurant in Little Clarendon Street

  • Jobs under threat at RM Education

    BOSSES at a major educational firm last night refused to guarantee jobs were safe following a slump in its share price. Oxfordshire-based RM Education saw its shares drop 16 per cent yesterday after it admitted its results for the year to September

  • Striker Boyce set to get Oxford United chance

    Northern Ireland striker Liam Boyce could feature for Oxford United against MK Dons today (3pm). The 20-year-old is at German side Werder Bremen after impressing in his native country as a youngster. But he will get his chance to show boss Chris Wilder

  • COMMENT: CLA Fair traffic plan is working well

    WITH the traffic problems fixed, we hope that the CLA Game Fair will become a yearly event for the county. The organisers, police and councils came up with a plan that kept any disruption to an acceptable level. Yes, there were delays but you

  • Eviction ends two years of living hell

    A FAMILY behind a torrent of abusive behaviour has been evicted from their home in the first case of its kind in Oxford. The rented terraced house at 18 Kersington Crescent, Cowley, was shut by police and council officials after neighbours said the family

  • COMMENT: New powers are a force for good

    OXFORD City Council are to be commended for using relatively new powers to evict the Reed family from their rented home in Cowley. Reading the evidence collated by the council, it would appear the term neighbours from hell is not a cheap cliche

  • Oxford United boss Wilder must weigh up options

    Oxford United are unlikely to have a goalkeeper on the bench regularly next season. Boss Chris Wilder revealed to the Oxford Mail last night that with the amount of substitutes being reduced from seven to five this season, it leaves him with a problem

  • 'I'm fed up with lack of facilities'

    YOUNG footballers on an Oxford estate desperately need more facilities, not pools and skate parks, according to coaches. Blackbird Leys is set for a new £8.5m swimming pool and a £60,000 skate park. But Ian Fieldwick, welfare officer and coach for Greater

  • Dump closure will mean 36-mile trip

    RESIDENTS are calling on a council to halt the closure of a ‘rubbish tip’ serving thousands of people — including Prime Minister David Cameron. From September, householders in Chipping Norton and the surrounding area face a round trip of up to 36 miles