The future of Oxfordshire’s children’s heart services has been secured after a two year campaign. A link between Oxford and Southampton hospitals — which sees county children cared for in Oxford but receive surgery in Southampton — was saved
TROLLEYS were at the ready in Abingdon as the winners of the Oxford Mail’s Trolley Dash claimed their prize. Harriet and Leon Turner, pictured, had 60 seconds to get their hands on everything they could from the Budgens store in Northcourt Road last
THE residents who battled for four years to save Warneford Meadow from development now have 20 days to enter a new fight to buy it. Town Green status was given to the area in 2010 following a High Court battle, thwarting the Department of Health
HEALTH officials have just confirmed Oxford will join Southampton as the centre for future children's heart surgery and services. More to come shortly.
A LINK between Oxford and Southampton hospitals — which sees county children receive heart surgery in Southampton and other treatment back in the city — has been saved as experts gave it their full backing tonight. It signals the end of
BLUES great Lazy Lester is one of those rare things - a living musical legend. He's been playing since blues was king, and still carries the tradition almost single-handedly around the world several times over each year. As a musical icon his talents
THE final stitches are being put to flags, banners and bunting in preparation for Oxford’s big Olympic torch welcome. More than 20 different groups have helped create the colourful display of 60 flags and 250 pieces of hand-painted and individually
Banbury's Marussia F1 Team today said that test driver Maria De Villota had lost an eye as a result of the crash at Duxford. In a statement, the team said the surgical team at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge embarked on a lengthy procedure
The Oxford branch of stricken greetings card retailer Birthdays will close on Friday after administrators failed to find a buyer. The outlet in the Westgate Centre is among 17 Birthdays and Clinton Cards stores nationally to shut their doors in the latest
The main road linking Oxfordshire with Northampton and points east — the dual-carriageway A43 — will be closed to through traffic tomorrow and on the two days following to give priority to motor racing fans travelling to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone
AS part of our celebrations of our 150th anniversary, we have a voucher in The Oxford Times on Thursday, July 12, for a free mackerel from the Fishmarket in Osney Mead, Oxford. Just be one of the first 150 readers to present the voucher at the Fishmarket
When Alice discovered that live hedgehogs were used as croquet balls and flamingos acted as mallets in the Queen of Hearts’ croquet match, she thought it was all very curious. Hedgehog bread rolls are a fun thing to make and certainly something that children
Overheard as I left Milton Keynes Theatre on Monday night after the Agatha Christie Theatre Company’s production of Murder on the Nile: “That’s why grandad didn’t come — because he remembered the end.” Well, clever old grandad, I thought, for isn’t it
‘Extraordinary how potent cheap music is.” Noël Coward’s memorable observation (from Private Lives) came naturally to mind last Thursday as I watched the matinée performance of Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing at Oxford Playhouse. Like his later hit
Ross Buchanan was serving cocktails to me — and to rather a lot of other people — at Brown’s and the Duke of Cambridge longer ago than either of us might care to remember. Following that, he shook his way round the world, so to speak, during four
Once upon a time a March Hare, a Hatter and a Dormouse were crowded together at one corner of large table laid for tea, when a young girl with long blond hair joined them, occupying a large armchair at the end of the table. So began the Mad Hatter
Alice and Frideswide were two girls who took boats along the same stretch of the Thames, both rowing past Osney where this newspaper office stands today. One started her journey from where the other finished it. They could almost have met as they
WE have six pairs of tickets to giveaway for the Battle Proms Concert at Blenheim Palace, only in Thursday's edition of The Oxford Times. The concert is being held at the luxurious west Oxfordshire attraction on Saturday, July 14, and is a blen of music
For the fifth year, Oxford Playhouse is bringing the world-famous Shakespeare’s Globe to perform in the heart of Oxford. Hamlet will play in the Old Schools Quadrangle at the Bodleian Library from Tuesday until July 26. Learning his father
Jools Holland made an appeal to the Boogie Woogie God to stop the rain halfway through his Sunday night set, which brought the ninth Cornbury Festival to a close. “No rain,” the ever-good-humoured Cornbury crowd chanted as the drizzle became heavier
The repatriation of three servicemen killed in Afghanistan will take place tomorrow. Warrant Officer Class 2 Leonard Thomas, 44, of the Royal Corps of Signals, and Guardsman Craig Roderick, 22,and Guardsman Apete Tuisovurua, 28, both of the
It’s been quite a year for flesh. Lucien Freud in London to begin with, heroic nudes over at Christ Church Picture Gallery, Oxford in time for the Olympics, and now at Modern Art Oxford (MAO) British painter Jenny Saville, who is most known for
When I talked to Flavia Cacace (right) a couple of weeks ago, she claimed that this show featured some of the best tango dancers in the world. This was no idle boast; the dancing is terrific. But this is more than just a sequence of tangos; it’
Those of us familiar with Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, as it was in the 1937 novel or big-budget film adaptation of 1978, are likely to consider that a stage version of the story without Hercule Poirot is a bit like Hamlet minus the Prince. In
Absolutely magnificent. If anybody can be relied on for a good evening’s entertainment it’s Russell Watson, and on Friday night, against the spectacular backdrop of Waddesdon Manor, he dished up a real Jubilee treat with all his usual warmth and joie
In the very week that David Cameron declared war on “the benefit scroungers” the Mill at Sonning Dinner Theatre opened its revival of a splendid comedy that fully reveals the profits and perils associated with cashing in on — or in this case fraudulently
‘Uplifting and happy” is how choir director Jules Francis describes the Oxford Gospel Choir’s forthcoming concerts at the Town Hall. Soul in the City sees the choir joining forces with ACM Gospel Choir, semi-finalists in the BBC’s Last Choir Standing
The Oxford Theatre Guild returns to the lovely setting of Trinity College Gardens for one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies, Much Ado About Nothing — a tale of romance, deceit, disguise, intrigue, revenge and razor-sharp wit, all wrapped up
The ever-reliable Tomahawk Theatre return for their outdoor summer production, taking to Oxford Castle to perform one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies.This pared down version of the play runs at less than 2½ hours, but manages to pack everything
LONDON Welsh's stay at the Kassam Stadium will kick-off in style after being handed an opening day match against Leicester Tigers. The game will be screened live on Sky Sports on Sunday, September 2. Their tough start continues the following
HUNDREDS of staff from helicopter base RAF Benson will march through Wallingford tomorrow to demonstrate their strong links with the town. RAF Benson was granted the Freedom of the Borough in 1957 and last exercised its right to march through the town
A FUNDRAISER has won an award after collecting more than £6,800 for a parents charity. Nicky Brock, from the Abingdon branch of the National Childbirth Trust (NCT), has organised regular Nearly New Sales in the town for the last three years. In the last
KING Alfred’s Academy is to build new science and music rooms after landing more than £650,000 in Government cash. The Wantage secondary school won the £661,525 grant last week for facilities at the school’s east site, in Springfield Road. The development
Scientists including those based at Harwell Oxford science centre today hailed the "momentous" discovery of what appears to be the "God particle". Teams at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the £2.6 billion atom-smashing machine near Geneva,
Witney Motor Show, which was due to take place tomorrow, has been postponed because the site is waterlogged. The event will now take place on Henry Box School playing field, off Ducklington Lane, on Thursday, July 26. More than 2,000 people were
The reopening of Abingdon’s historic museum is set to trigger a revival in the town, traders believe. The £3m restoration and refurbishment on the 17th century County Hall Museum began in October 2010. And it is to reopen to visitors
OXFORD could get its first new parish council in 40 years, if a group of self-proclaimed ‘do-gooders’ get their way. The group of residents from St Margaret’s, which lies to the south of Summertown, and north of Jericho, want to take control
EXACTLY 150 years ago today, Oxford don Lewis Carroll took little Alice Liddell for a picnic and began telling her a wonderful story about talking animals, mad queens and magical potions. His story, which became the classic novel Alice’s
AEA Technology 0.2 BMW 4772 Electrocomponents 212 Nationwide Accident Repair 61 Oxford Biomedica 2.35 Oxford Catalysts 64.5 Oxford Instruments 1298 Reed Elsevier 520.25 RM 75.25 RPS Group 209.6 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
OXFORD: Researchers at Oxford University have produced a genetic map of the British people. They used the latest analysis techniques to look at how people’s DNA sequence varied at 600,000 different sites. They then grouped people together according
KIDLINGTON: Airshow Fly to the Past has gone from being a two-day event to one-day because of a lack of sales. Tickets for Sunday’s airshow are 50 per cent up on last year, according to organisers, but tickets for Saturday’s concert have not sold
A SUPER COMPUTER capable of helping combat swine flu and finding new planets was unveiled in Oxfordshire yesterday. The million-pound machine – called Emerald – will be used by researchers to crunch medical research data on Tamiflu, create
WOLVERCOTE CC are looking for new players to boost their ranks, especially in Saturday league matches. The North-Oxford based club, who field teams in OCA Divisions 5 and 10, also play Sunday friendlies and midweek Twenty20 fixtures. An annual membership
Marussia test driver Maria De Villota is conscious after suffering what were initially described as “life-threatening injuries” in a test crash. The 32-year-old Spaniard. pictured left, was taking part in her first test for the Banbury-based Formula
SIXTY bogus benefit claimants were caught by council staff in 2011/12, Oxford City Council has revealed. They were successfully prosecuted, cautioned or given penalties for fraud worth £212,921, the council said. And a council report said it found £90,388
ABDULLAH Mohammad returned the remarkable figures of 8-7 to set a new club record for Oxford-based Isis CC. Mohammad’s superb spell of 6-1-7-8, with seven batsmen bowled out, saw opponents Charlton-on-Otmoor skittled for just 19 in 12 overs at The Queen
It may have taken longer than the Ferrari her classmate opted for, but Sophie Fisher was more than happy with a tractor as her lift to the prom. The 16-year-old was taken to the ball by her boyfriend, Grant Curtis, in a tractor from LJ and CA Cannings
HANNAH England could not hide her joy after learning she will be going to London 2012. But it was heartbreak for Hatti Archer, who missed out on a place in the 3,000m steeplechase. Oxford City 1,500m runner England was yesterday named in Britain’s team
I at my wits' end trying to get my mother’s rubbish removed from her house on a fortnightly basis. She should be on the assisted collection service, as she is disabled. But after numerous telephone calls and emails, her rubbish remains and is building
There was disappointment for all five Oxfordshire players in local final qualifying for The Open Championship. Eddie Pepperell came closest to claiming one of the last 12 places for the field at Royal Lytham & St Annes later this month. The Frilford
Former Oxford United winger Chris Hackett has joined fellow npower League Two rivals Northampton Town. The 29-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Cobblers, who are looking to strengthen after selling Michael Jacobs to Derby County last month. Hackett
N OXON: One lane was closed on the M40 northbound between junction 10 for Ardley and 11 for Banbury yesterday. Fire crews attended after the engine of a lorry caught fire at around 8am. Delays were experienced on the road until noon.
OXFORD: City councillors will discuss adding more electric cars to their fleet of vehicles at a meeting of the executive board at the Town Hall today. They have been recommended to approve the replacement of cars and vans in their fleet with
WHEN Clive Stone carries the Olympic torch aloft through the streets of Woodstock, his mind will not be on the crowds who line the streets. Instead the determined cancer campaigner will be thinking of the many people who have fought alongside
LEGENDARY West Indies pacemen Courtney Walsh has been added to the Lashings World XI to play at Magdalen College School, Oxford on Sunday. Walsh, who picked up a then world record 519 Test wickets, will appear alongside fellow West Indian Gordon Greenidge
In reference to Mrs P Cooper’s letter on June 29, I was saddened to read her request for dogs to be banned not only from all children’s play areas but also sports fields and parks. I do get quite annoyed at people like her as it’s so one-sided. I can
OXFORD: The Oxford University Hospitals board will meet in public tomorrow. Hospital chiefs will discuss the move to Foundation Trust among other issues. The meeting will be held at 10am at the George Pickering Education Centre, Level
OXON: Police have urged people wanting information about the Torch Relay when it comes to the Thames Valley not to call the police non-emergency 101 phoneline. Thames Valley Police said local authorities and the London Organising Committee
OXON: Police have urged people wanting information about the Torch Relay when it comes to the Thames Valley not to call the police non-emergency 101 phoneline. Thames Valley Police said local authorities and the London Organising Committee
OLYMPIC torchbearer 17-year-old Jade Brathwaite met the Games’ official mascots yesterday. The official Olympic mascot Wenlock and Paralympic mascot Mandeville made the visit to King Alfred’s Academy to join in with the school’s sports day.
IF YOU’RE not fussed about the Olympic Torch, you’re not really going to be able to ignore it next week. The torch has caught the imagination wherever it has gone and we’re sure Oxfordshire will turn out to see this piece of history. But a word to the
GREAT & Little Tew skipper Andy Harris says his players will learn lessons from their seven-wicket humbling by Gloucestershire champions Apperley in the Yorkshire Tea Village Cup. The last-32 defeat ended Tew’s hopes of national glory and Harris admitted
Adrian Taylor’s letter (Oxford Mail, June 25), was most amusing and rang several bells with me. I too think we were very green back in the old days, admittedly often forced upon us by the aftermath of the Second World War: shortages, rationing, ‘make
ROGER Goodall and Alan Goodgame were in top form as Six Bells C Kidlington came from behind to beat Gladiators A 2-1 in a high-scoring contest, writes ANDY BEAL. Gladiators made a fast start, winning the opening leg of the Premier & Section 1 clash 35
I READ the column by Katherine Macalister (June 27) with ever-increasing revulsion. She likens the readers to bits of rotted flesh stored under a rock and herself to a crocodile. Well, she should know about herself… Eventually we get to her hot topic
ARE councils stupid or do you have to be stupid to be on the council? Their contractors cut the grass verges and don’t pick up the grass. The cuttings work into gutters and blocks drains or into pavements and makes them slippery. This is dangerous
GREENE KING OXFORD AND DISTRICT LEAGUE Premier & Section 1: Three Pigeons 2, Garsington Sports A 1; Six Bells C Kidlington 2, Gladiators A 1; Red Lion B Kidlington 1, Cricketers B 2; Red Lion A Eynsham 1, New Club A 2; Black Swan 1, Red Lion
THE Mota-Vation Series race due to be held at Combe tomorrow night has been postponed due to waterlogging. Race director Michael Collins said: "After inspections of the Recreation Ground on Monday night and Tuesday, and with more rain forecast, and discussions
AN OPEN-top Buick gave a touch of American glamour to the Larkmead School prom. The classic car, complete with Californian number plate, was selected by friends Chloe Lyford, Tom Baldwin, Kelsie Maxwell, Jess Mills McGowan and Georgina Harper
My daughters often accuse me of having selective hearing. I don’t think it is actually true but sometimes I wish I could blot out the cacophony of sounds that bombard me all the time. Take, for instance, mobile phones on public transport. Do I really
I WRITE regarding the letter from the Reverend Stead, vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Headington Quarry, (Oxford Mail, June 4), referring to the extension and alterations proposed for the church. I am pleased to note he has made clear that the Quarry Road
You’ve got to keep you children on their toes. It’s a make or break essential. And a bit of respect goes a long way because otherwise you might as well give up. But getting it is another matter. And I was low on points, my personal bank of
TEENAGERS took to the catwalk in outfits they had made themselves from recycled materials. The Great Green Garment Gala was one of the many activities held at St Gregory the Great School, Cricket Road, Oxford, for its environment day yesterday. Lakisha
TOM Costley has underlined his potential by making the South West regional squad for the Bunbury Festival. The 15-year-old Oxford Downs seamer is in a 14-man party for the prestigious competition at Repton School, Derbyshire from July 23-27
CONCERNS about understaffing and the use of temporary doctors at a Witney GPs surgery are to be raised by councillors next week. Patients at Deer Park Medical Centre said earlier this year they were having to wait up to two weeks to see a doctor. Before
OXON: A woman was airlifted to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford after suffering head injuries in a head-on collision near South Newington yesterday. Two cars collided on the A361 at about 8am. One car ended up in a ditch while the other crashed
BICESTER: Police were last night searching for a 24-year-old missing deaf man last seen three weeks ago. Brian Kraus, pictured, was seen at his home in Swallow Close on June 13, but was reported missing to police on Monday. His family have told police
SHOPPERS are being reminded to support independent traders across Oxfordshire today. People are being encouraged to buy at least one item from a local independent shop to celebrate Independents’ Day. It is part of a national campaign
A HISTORIC family butchers is returning to the site where it opened its first shop almost 220 years ago. A new branch of the Meatmaster cash and carry will be set up in Oxford’s Covered Market, bringing the butchery business of the Alden family
THE return of a butcher’s business descended from the original Alden family shop to the Covered Market is a real boon to today’s Independents’ Day push by retailers. As we report today, a new branch of Meatmaster cash and carry is to settle back into
THAMES Valley’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) will get between £3m and £5m to fund victims’ support services. The new cash will be raised by increasing fines and fixed penalty notices across the country, including Oxfordshire. The Home Office,
A NEIGHBOURHOOD Watch style scheme which finds people with dementia when they go missing has been pioneered in Oxfordshire. Health chiefs have been given £191,000 to roll out the Neighbourhood Return scheme across the county and country.
Hannah England could not hide her joy after learning she will be going to London 2012. But it was heartbreak for Hatti Archer, who missed out on a place in the 3,000m steeplechase. Oxford City 1,500m runner England was named in Britain
A DECISION which will determine the future of Oxfordshire’s children’s heart services is expected today. The decision will affect where county children with heart problems receive surgery. The Government ordered the Safe and Sustainable review after
A NEIGHBOURHOOD Watch style scheme which finds people with dementia when they go missing has been pioneered in Oxfordshire. Health chiefs have been given £191,000 to roll out the Neighbourhood Return scheme across the county and country.
PLANS to pump £840,000 into the city’s cycle network are set to get the go-ahead tonight. Oxford’s four-year cycling strategy includes money for new cycle lanes, better signage and contraflow permission for cyclists in 25 one-way streets. Priority areas
A BLUE plaque dedicated to the Cowley girl who won an Olympic silver medal will be unveiled this weekend, thanks to a local campaign. In February, residents contacted the Oxford Mail to say they believed the memory of Maureen Gardner had been lost in
These are the pupils hoping to have a museum all of their own. West Kidlington Primary School is one of the six primary schools which have been shortlisted for this year’s School Build SOS competition. They are competing for a £7,500
A magician, bouncy castle and story corner all kept little ones enthralled during the weekend’s Littlemore Fair. Taking place at the Giles Road Community Centre in Littlemore there was a host of entertainment for all ages. Attractions included a magician
