COUNCIL leaders in the Vale of White Horse have ditched a planning policy which could have made it easier for developers to build new village homes. Earlier this year, the council said it planned to relax its planning policy until 1,000 new homes are
IT HAS been a long road from May 6, 1989, when I first fought and won the Bloxham seat. I have contested and held it every four years since. I joined a horribly hung county council. It is difficult to believe now but the three parties held
Abingdon’s Sea Cadets have been honoured with a special flag marking their improvements over the past year. The mayor of Abingdon, Mike Badcock, and the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, William Alden, were among those at the TS Marlborough Abingdon Sea Cadets
IF you buy your Oxford Mail on Friday, May 18, from the Spar in Greater Leys, you will get a free pack of doughnuts. Be in quick as the offer is while stocks last.
AEA Technology 0.22 BMW 5301 Electrocomponents 211.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 71.5 Oxford Biomedica 3.95 Oxford Catalysts 48.5 Oxford Instruments 1144 Reed Elsevier 500.5 RM 80.25 RPS Group 215.4 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
THERE'S no messing about with this week's prize in the Oxford Mail's Guide section - we have two pairs of tickets to see Sir Elton John live to give away. The music legend is playing at Birmingham's LG Arena on Friday, June 15. Pick
NEW Oxfordshire County Council leader Ian Hudspeth has today unveiled his cabinet of senior councillors, retaining many of Keith Mitchell’s team in their senior posts. Mr Hudspeth was formally installed as leader of the council today, following
Holders Shrivenham were dumped out of the OCA League's Airey Cup in the first round of their defence, losing by seven wickets at home to Oxenford. They were shot out for 100 as Rinchan Mirza claimed 5-15, before Zain Iqbal hit 61 not out in Oxenford
A CONVOY of Britain’s best-loved vehicles paraded through Wallingford for the town’s annual celebration of motoring. Much-loved brands from Rolls-Royce to Mini featured in this year’s Wallingford Vehicle Rally and Parade on Sunday. They
Asa Hall has completed his move to League One side Shrewsbury. The midfielder turned down a new deal with Oxford United and today finalised a move to the newly-promoted side.
A TEAM of soldiers will run, ride and row 115 miles in two days to raise cash to send a little boy to America for a life-changing operation. Just six weeks ago Barry and Danielle McConnell launched a £72,000 appeal to raise enough cash for an operation
A WOMAN who used botox to tackle her chronic migraines said she is thrilled the treatment could soon be available on the NHS. Pam Mason, 46, suffered constant migraines for 30 years until she started paying £350 for the injections two years ago. Now
WORK to rebuild a community centre torched in a suspected arson attack could begin as soon as September, campaigners say. Tenders have gone out to rebuild Dean Court Social Club in Pinnocks Way, with the hope it will open early next year. For years,
THE splendour of Blenheim Palace inspired children to get creative as the Duke of Marlborough gave awards for work based on trips to his Woodstock home. A pupil of Witney’s Madley Brook School, Alicia Mariani, six – pictured with her sister Olivia,
CAR parts worker Alan Huntley fulfilled a boyhood dream by driving a steam locomotive and raising funds for charity. Mr Huntley, 41, from Minchery Farm, Oxford, paid £10 for two rides on the footplate of Great Western railway Mogul locomotive 5322 at
A BRAIN injury charity that had 12 months to find funding has received nearly £300,000 to continue running for another three years. Bosses at Headway Oxfordshire feared they would have to start winding down operations after 24 years, before the Big Lottery
AEA Technology 0.22 BMW 5366 Electrocomponents 215 Nationwide Accident Repair 71.5 Oxford Biomedica 3.95 Oxford Catalysts 49.5 Oxford Instruments 1144.5 Reed Elsevier 503.75 RM 80.25 RPS Group 217.3 Courtesy of Redmayne
Minster Lovell had mixed fortunes in an OCA Division 1 double header. On Saturday, they crashed to a 120-run defeat at Garsington, only to bounce back with a seven-wicket win against Charlbury 24 hours later as Eddie Dunn and Matt Green starred with
Take a walk anywhere in the countryside these days and one change from the old days is apparent: there is far more metal about and far less wood. Years ago all those five-bar gates, now made of metal and sometimes not even five-bar, were made of wood
OXFORD: A 65-year-old woman has had benefit fraud charges against her dropped. Aida Atia, of Harts Close, Kidlington, always denied nine charges relating to more than £70,000 of benefits. At Oxford Crown Court yesterday the Crown Prosecution
OXFORD: A 23-year-old man has been warned he faces prison after admitting a robbery. Jack Titcomb appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday . He admitted robbing Joshua Gunning of a mobile phone and headset on January 23. Titcomb, of
JURORS will continue their deliberations this morning in the case of a motorist accused of causing death by careless driving. Jonathan Bridger, 20, has been on trial at Oxford Crown Court charged with causing a crash that killed a motorcyclist. Christopher
CHERWELL LEAGUE Divisions 6-10 ANDY Haynes rolled back the years to take 4-12 and help bowl Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts 2nd to an eight-wicket success at home to Didcot 2nd in Division 6. He was supported by Kamran Ahmed, who claimed 3-23
CHERWELL LEAGUE Division 5 CHALLOW & Childrey 2nd opened up a big lead at the top of the table after they narrowly beat Brackley in the only game in the division to start. Mark Taylor (4-32) and George Hook (3-22) helped restrict
Mature student Keith Scattergood lives in a three-bedroom, detached house just seven miles from Oxford’s city centre. Nothing unusual about that, until you learn he has the whole place to himself but pays just £200 a month, including bills. Keith is
THE future of an Oxfordshire special school last night looked in doubt. Residents in Chipping Norton fear the town’s Penhurst School could close. And last night charity Action for Children, which runs the school, refused to commit to
FEWER than one of every four eligible voters in Barton and Sandhills ward bothered to go to their local polling booth for the Oxford City Council elections earlier this month. We hope there is a greater level of interest in the planning
CHERWELL LEAGUE Division 2 NEWLY-promoted Oxford Downs 2nd clung on for a draw at home to Aston Rowant 2nd in their first match in the second tier. Rowant posted 222-9 through Paul Plumridge (62), Tom Needham (60) and Adam Muttit
ABINGDON: Organisers of Abingdon’s annual dragon boat day have scheduled a new date of September 9 for the charity fundraiser. More than 3,000 people were due to gather at Rye Farm Meadow next to Abingdon Bridge on Sunday but the event was postponed
OXON: Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Sara Thornton is believed to be a front runner to become Her Majesty’s new Chief Inspector of Constabulary. Sir Denis O’Connor will retire on July 31 after more than three years in the role. The website policeoracle.com
BATTLELINES are being drawn in the fight to influence plans for Oxford’s biggest new estate for a generation. Views for and against 1,000 homes near Barton will be heard by a government appointed inspector at a five- day public hearing in July
PLANS for two Oxfordshire schools to expand were agreed yesterday. Melinda Tilley, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for schools improvement, gave the nod to allow both Eynsham Primary and Orchard Meadow Primary in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, to
CHERWELL LEAGUE Division 3 JAMES Coleman took 5-41 to bowl Cropredy to victory at home to Bicester & North Oxford in one of only two games in the division to be played after the recent wet weather. The hosts had struggled to get
CHERWELL LEAGUE Division 4 HORSPATH 2nd already look strong favourites to win the division after they hammered Great & Little Tew 2nd by a massive 132 runs. Joey Todd (55), Stephen Green (41) and Adrian Manger (35no) all found the visitors’ bowling
A MOTORCYCLIST has been taken to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital after a crash in Botley this morning. The ambulance service was called about 8.50am after a collision between a car and a motorbike by the Seacourt Bridge Inn in West Way.
INDIANA Jones fan Sam Graham was thrilled to find some archaeological remains on his first ever dig. Archeox, the East Oxford Archaeology and History Project, has been running a series of digs in the Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys area.
JURORS will continue their deliberations this morning in the case of a motorist accused of causing death by careless driving. Jonathan Bridger, 20, has been on trial at Oxford Crown Court charged with causing a crash that killed a motorcyclist. Christopher
Sir Frank Williams has no doubts Pastor Maldonado has what it takes to become a Formula 1 world champion. Although a fire that gutted his team’s garage took the gloss off Maldonado’s victory in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, Williams was still full of
A CONVICTED paedophile began downloading hundreds of images of child abuse just months after being released from prison. Darren Hawkins was found with hundreds of photos that had been accessed in the same year he was released from a 21-month jail term
Striker Steve Basham scooped a double at Oxford City’s end-of-season presentation night at Court Place Farm. Basham, who scored 22 goals in all competitions as the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division side clinched promotion to the Blue Square Bet
COUNCIL should go to place it serves (Oxford Mail, May 7). I am forced to write, both with amusement and astonishment at the claims in this article, which seems to be an attempt to both decry the city council’s seeking a central venue for area forums
John Tanner, in his letter of May 10 where he thanks the Littlemore voters for re-electing him on to the city council, says: “We will do our best to protect Oxford people from the worst effects of the coalition cutbacks.” Well John, what about providing
In my twenties I was a hot-under-the-collar leftie and would never in a million years have imagined celebrating a Conservative politician’s success. My generation’s first experiences of Tories was terribly negative – in the heady punk era of the early
CHERWELL LEAGUE Division 1 HORSPATH enjoyed a successful return to the Cherwell League when they saw off Great & Little Tew by five wickets. Champions in 2010, Horspath won only once last season on their way to finishing bottom of Home Counties
FORMER News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks and her husband Charlie Brooks are to be charged with perverting the course of justice during the phone-hacking scandal. In a statement the pair, who live near Chipping Norton, said: "We deplore
Premiership rugby could be coming to Oxford next season after the Kassam Stadium won the right to host the second leg of the Championship play-off final. London Welsh are using the ground as their ‘home’ second leg against Cornish Pirates in the play-off
HE was a fine ambassador for the Royal Air Force. That was how Corporal Brent McCarthy, an RAF policeman based at RAF Brize Norton, was described yesterday as he was named as one of two servicemen killed in Afghanistan four days ago.
ONCE again, an undemocratic election in the city that changes nothing really. What a waste of time and money! How much did it cost? I don’t suppose the council will ever tell us. Undemocratic? Yes, for two reasons. First, only some 30 per cent of voters
THE Tesco store at Didcot supports charities by allowing them to collect money donations outside the building. However, within the store itself RSPCA supporters have been begging for food donations from the public to feed pets. Am I the only one to
RE: Disgraceful pavements – Witney High Street. Your correspondent, M Howell, (Oxford Mail, April 24, letters), is so right. I have been fighting for this stretch of pavement to be improved for two years with WODC, who palm it off to OCC, who pass
VERY good news to have it reported (Homes and schools named top priorities, May 12) that Councillor Bob Price, Labour leader of Oxford City Council, said the “city council would invest £400,000 a year over the next four years” on state-maintained schools
I SINCERELY hope the proposals to move Our Lady’s School don’t take a step further forward. My understanding as a parent is that the school is consulting us about whether to go ahead with the decision to move. While I appreciate there is a problem
WHAT I’M CALLED: Natalie Brook. MY AGE IN YEARS: 28. WHAT I DO: I manage Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre, a charity that supports women and girls who’ve experienced rape or other forms of sexual abuse. We run a telephone helpline, email
CHERWELL LEAGUE Match of the day A LATE flurry of runs took Cumnor close to victory over Oxford Downs on the opening day of the Division 1 season. Carl Thompson’s belligerent 29 not out threatened to snatch an unlikely victory for the home side
Oxfordshire player Jon Jukes has moved a step closer to a dream game against Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, after beating hundreds of amateurs to qualify for the televised tournament. Jukes, 27, stepped up to the oche at a nationwide qualifying event for the
The Kassam Stadium – home of Oxford United – is in the frame to host Aviva Premiership rugby next season after emerging as a contender for London Welsh games. The Exiles’ home ground is unlikely to meet the strict criteria in the top flight, so they
Asa Hall admitted it was a tough decision to leave Oxford United, but the prospect of playing in npower League One next season was too good to turn down. The 25-year-old was one of three United players to be offered a new contract last week, but has
A MAN was arrested after a group of people in a car in Bicester were allegedly threatened with a gun, police have said. Officers were called to Market End Way at 7.07pm on Friday to reports of an argument taking place in the road between a man and the
PASSENGERS on this bus through Cumnor finished their journey with a bang. The X30 caught fire in Kenilworth Road yesterday at 1.37pm and two fire engines were called to the scene. Firefighters put out the blaze in the engine of the single-decker
A FORMULA One worker who suffered severe burns in a blaze just minutes after his team won the Spanish Grand Prix was last night said to be “in good spirits”. The Oxfordshire-based man was left with 40 per cent burns in the fire in the Williams’ pit area
OXON: Some 1,600 homes around Cumnor, Fyfield and Farmoor were left without power last night. The power went out at about 5pm and Southern Electric engineers were working on the fault. The company apologised for the inconvenience.
FUNDING to extend the railway station car park at Long Hanborough looks set to go ahead after it won Government approval. First Great Western wants to build a bigger 197-space car park to deal with soaring demand. The number of passengers
CHILTERN Railways is off track with its plan to lighten the mood of commuters with amusing quips from staff. However light-hearted the intent, it will only ever come across as forced and scripted unless the staff in question are actually phemonenally
A 14-year-old boy was punched in the face in Dukes Meadow Drive, Banbury, by the passenger of a dark green 4X4 vehicle. The teenager was crossing the road with friends at 8.40pm on Saturday, May 6, when the car stopped. The driver got out and started
A DRUG dealer who tried to run away from police at a rave has been jailed. Simon Joseph was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court yesterday having earlier admitted six offences. The 26-year-old was sprayed with CS gas by officers at an outdoor event at Radley
OXFORD: Three people were last night in the John Radcliffe Hospital after two cars crashed on the A40 Northern Bypass. One person had to be freed by firefighters after the crash, which happened between Headington and Cutteslowe at about 1.30am yesterday
ENSTONE: Staff caught in a blaze at a plastics factory were back at work yesterday. A 55-year-old man was trapped in part of the plant at the Enstone Airfield industrial estate when the fire broke out at 8pm on Friday and was rescued before firefighters
Rail staff have a cunning plan for new announcements. Passengers on trains through Oxfordshire will be treated to comedy timing thanks to Blackadder star Tony Robinson. Mr Robinson, who played dim-witted Baldrick in the hit series, spent
THE first performance of a choir formed by wives and girlfriends of soldiers serving in Afghanistan hit all the right notes with their first public performance. About 100 shoppers gave a warm reception to the Abingdon Military Wives Choir at the weekend
