THERE are two traffic problems dogging commuters tonight. The M40 southbound is partially blocked at Weston-on-the-Green following a three-vehicle collision. Reports says there is debris on the road at junction nine, Bicester. A vehicle
FAMOUS mountaineers will attend an event at Oxford University’s Museum of Natural History on November 13 to celebrate the ‘Sacred Mountain.’ The fundraising event will celebrate major triumphs and mountaineering firsts on Kangchenjunga, the world
PEOPLE who have dedicated their time to helping Oxfordshire communities have been honoured by the county’s Lord Lieutenant. British Empire Medals were presented to six people by The Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire Tim Stevenson. It is the first
People convicted of offences at magistrates' courts around the county recently: Georghe Cernica, 28, of Horton View, Banbury, admitted being over the drink-driving limit on a moped in Stratford Road, Wroxton, on September 6. Had 41 milligrams of
IT’S been lost for about a century but one man is hoping to uncover a missing piece of Oxford’s history. Headington resident and traffic campaigner Nick Fell believes he knows where the lost Headington flag is and he is doing his best to help unearth
THREE Oxford men were arrested as part of a series of raids on organised crime suspects. In all, 18 people were arrested and suspected criminal cash was seized in 11 of the searches across the Thames Valley Police area. Two men from Hurst Street
PEOPLE will be able to share their family’s First World War history when a Europe-wide project comes to Oxfordshire. Historians are seeking items from the 1914-18 Great War to share via the internet. Roadshows are being held across Europe to
WHAT a way to start a show... The Goggenheim take the stage, dressed a la Yorkshire People's Liberation Front, and begin an eerie intro, into which steps the transfixxing Geisha Grace X - and we are plunged into a new world of strangeness.
TRUMPETS will sound as the City of Oxford Silver Band celebrates its 125th anniversary. Since its foundation as the Headington Silver Band in 1887, the group has played hundreds of concerts, trained thousands of young people and even built its
CORONATION Street stars Jack P. Shepherd and Ryan Thomas will switch on this year’s Christmas lights in Banbury. The actors – who play David Platt and Jason Grimshaw – will be the stars of the show at the event on Sunday, November 25. They
DISCOUNT chain Poundland looks set to open in Bicester but no site has been announced. The chain said it is hoping to open a store before Christmas but its plans to move to the town are yet to be finalised. But according to the Poundland website
ENTREPRENEURS wanting to start their own firms are having to find the cash themselves, a new report has revealed. The findings of the Oxfordshire Business Barometer show 79 per cent of county businesses had financed their business this year using
BANBURY mayor Tony Ilott felt like the Pied Piper as children followed him to get free rides at the annual Michaelmas Fair. Rides occupy the Market Place and Horsefair, and in a long-standing tradition the town mayor carries a 14cm brass key. When
AN OXFORD primary school that was told it must become an academy to drive up standards is on the right track. That is the verdict of Ofsted, which has rated Windale Primary School in Blackbird Leys as “good” in its most recent inspection. The
RESIDENTS fighting “aggressive development plans” in Kingston Bagpuize could make a film to spearhead their campaign. And the villagers are no strangers to the silver screen. They recently featured in the romantic comedy Tortoise in Love but
WOULD-BE movie-makers will be able to get a postgraduate degree for the first time from an Oxford charity. Film Oxford in Catherine Street is offering up to eight students the chance to study for a masters degree in film. It is being run by
A VOLUNTEER-run shop at an Oxford Hospital has issued a ‘desperate’ appeal for more to join its ranks. Each morning a dedicated army of helpers make their way to the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre to prepare sandwiches to sell in the League of Friends
Volunteers are needed to help a team of young movie-makers create a feature-length film. Ross Arrowsmith, 16, is urging young people from across the Bicester area to take on a host of roles, in front of and behind the camera. Filming is expected
CANDIDATES for the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Election have been announced today. The deadline for nominations has now closed and voting takes place on Thursday, November, 15. The full list of candidates is: Patience
AN Oxford school’s Christmas preparations are already well under way. The Dragon School’s choir is taking part in the Spirit of Christmas concert at Christ Church Cathedral on December 5, in aid of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Peter Allwood
HEADINGTON residents have raised more traffic concerns after the announcement of a multi-million-pound cancer centre on their doorstep. The area in the north east of Oxford is already home to five hospitals, two higher education campuses and one
FORMER teacher and devoted great-grandmother Minerva Booth has celebrated her 100th birthday. Mrs Booth, pictured, reached the milestone on Tuesday and has spent the week celebrating with her large family. Born on October 16 1912 in Liverpool
WITH boys outnumbering girls three to two at Dry Sandford Primary School, the challenge is on to make reading cool. The school, which has just 130 pupils, is the latest to sign up to the Oxfordshire Reading Campaign. Ithad already identified
A MAN has died after falling through a barn roof. The 46-year-old was working on the roof of the barn at Great Park Farm in Besselsleigh when he fell, suffering serious injuries. He was taken by the air ambulance to the John Radcliffe Hospital
THE rag and bone men are calling for any old iron at Oxford Playhouse this week. A production of Steptoe and Son, based on the classic BBC sitcom, runs until tomorrow. Company founder Mike Shepherd, playing “dirty old man” Albert – pictured right
OXFORD has the worst binge drinking problem in the South East region, it has been revealed. That’s according to one of two new reports on excessive alcohol use, showing that millions are spent on dealing with the problem across the county.
Clanfield will give striker Sean McKeon a late fitness test ahead of tomorrow’s Oxfordshire Senior Cup first-round home clash with Headington Amateurs. Jordan Tabor (holiday) and Jimmy Deabill (unavailable) miss Kidlington’s home game against Division
Didcot Town manager Gary Elkins is backing his side to continue their adventure at home to Arlesey Town in tomorrow’s fourth qualifying round. Since he took over at the end of August, his Division 1 South & West side have lost just one of their
Mick Freshwater was the star of the show in the owners’ ranks last Saturday. The Witney businessman had three open-class winners on a night which produced an attractive assortment of open races. Freshwater’s winners were Slippery Patch, Barnish
North Leigh manager Mark Gee is looking for his side to make it three in a row when they host Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West leaders Poole Town visit tomorrow. Last weekend’s league win at Taunton Town was followed by a 2-
Oxford's Mallam Findley-Grant won the boys’ 10 and under title in a mini tennis event at St Hugh’s School, Faringdon. Findley-Grant beat Albert Tait, from Watlington, 5-4 in the final, while Faringdon’s Immy Hunt took the girls’ crown, defeating
Oxfordshire 2nd began their County Championship Division 4 Central campaign with a convincing 12-3 home victory over Warwickshire 3rd. Newly-promoted Oxon were level 2-2 after the singles, with player-of-the-match Emma Cramond and Kathryn Schutterlin
A HIGH-profile sex slave case has united Oxford to uncover underground human trafficking. Pimps Anastassios Papas and Graham Cochrane became the first to be convicted of sex trafficking in Oxfordshire, in August last year. They ran an Oxford
CHAINED-UP and screaming, children were led through Oxford city centre yesterday as part of a demonstration against human trafficking. More than 40 youngsters were taken up High Street, through Cornmarket, and into Broad Street where a mock slave
NO doubt there is a problem with too much traffic on roads into Oxford including the A40, and much of it is peak-hour commuter traffic. One way to reduce traffic is through ‘demand management’, especially a workplace parking levy. The Transport
ON October 11, I found a dove with a broken wing. We kept it overnight and fed it seed and water. I tried to contact the RSPCA on a local number. After 15 minutes with no reply, not even an answerphone, I tried head office. I got a reply – a 10
WHAT I AM CALLED: Usually Neil. I have been called various names over the years, mostly complimentary – at least the ones I know about are! MY AGE: Old enough to look back and wish I knew then what I know now. WHAT I DO: Apart from earning
SCIENTISTS and software engineers at Harwell Oxford’s Diamond Light Source will take part in a national protest about pay and conditions. Workers for the national synchrotron facility will travel to London tomorrow to take part in the Trades Union
Oxford City boss Mike Ford has applauded the contribution of his backroom staff to this season’s success. City sit in fourth having thrashed Workington 5-0 last weekend and will look to keep up their good form when they travel to Vauxhall Motors
DOES anybody watch Formula 1 these days, with its overpaid racers representing teams of great wealth? It’s a good way of getting rid of a Sunday afternoon but, let’s face it, is rather like watching paint dry. I am going to speak up for the bikers
I HAVE no doubt that Oxfam’s intentions are truly honourable – however, while their latest statement complains that half the world’s food is wasted, it should have added that half the world’s food, as well as water supplies, are wasted on farm animals
I AGREE with Michael Treadwell concerning paupers’ funerals (ViewPoints, October 15). These funeral parlours treat everyone the same. I know for a fact you don’t have to be embalmed but everyone is unless you mention it to them, as we did when
CHRIS Wilder wants Oxford United to go back to basics tomorrow as they attempt to turn a dismal run of form around. Only rock bottom Barnet are below the U’s in the npower League Two form table after picking up just four points from their last
I WOULD like to thank everyone who attended our MacMillan coffee morning that was held by the residents of St Mary’s Mead on October 9. As well as the admission fee, there was a bring and buy stall and a raffle. Together, with donations from
AS I probably instigated one of Mr Siret’s two recent letters, it’s worth a reply. Mr Siret uses the aberration of one drug-abusing American sportsman to support his views that there is good and bad in everyone. No one doubts that there are
AS a former carer for a relative with Alzheimer’s disease, I am horrified by the proposed increase in charges for those attending day care in Oxfordshire. I was only able to continue caring for my relative at home because I had the support of day
THEY were up to something. Two boys, aged circa 13, giggling mischievously, had loitered behind their 12-strong school party. The pair was crouching below a dining room window of the Randolph Hotel. Sitting at a table near the window were three
THERE was flooding across Oxfordshire after more than half the month’s expected rainfall for the county fell in just 12 hours. Oxford University’s Radcliffe Meteorological Station in Woodstock Road measured 37mm of rain between 10am on Wednesday
ALFIE Potter is hoping Oxford United’s supporters stick with the side again tomorrow. The side are on a poor run and will be looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Port Vale on Monday when they take on Accrington Stanley. Despite slipping
Tevita Vaikona urged Oxford Harlequins to maintain their progress after collecting their first win of the National 3 South West season. Quins’ director of rugby Vaikona was happy with their battling 29-28 victory over Malvern, but knows they face
Andy Whing will make his first start of the season tomorrow as Oxford United turn to their senior players for the visit of Accrington Stanley. A groin injury has limited the 28-year-old to just two substitute appearances so far this season.
SATURDAY FOOTBALL NPOWER LEAGUE TWO Oxford Utd v Accrington Stanley. BLUE SQUARE BET NORTH Vauxhall Motors v Oxford City. FA CUP 4th qual round: Didcot Tn v Arlesey Tn. EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Bedworth
THE suspension of births at the Cotswold Maternity Unit is worrying, as is the silence from Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. All health bosses would say last night is that the “suspension” is down to concerns raised by staff and women who
DANIEL Boateng needs to show an improvement if he is going to force a way into Oxford United’s side, according to manager Chris Wilder. The 20-year-old joined on loan from Arsenal in August, but has made just two appearances in npower League Two
EXPECTANT mums will not be able to give birth at a West Oxfordshire maternity unit following fears over ‘working practices’. Births at the Cotswold Maternity Unit based in Chipping Norton were last night suspended ‘with immediate effect’ after
THE case against a man alleged to have hit someone with a piece of wood near Osney Bridge was thrown out yesterday. David Watson, 54, who lives on the narrowboat Chivori, was at Oxford Magistrates’ Court accused of assaulting two men. But one of
FORMER drug smuggler Howard Marks and Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens locked horns last night to debate the legalisation of cannabis. An audience of about 70 people were at Waterstones in Oxford to listen to each argument before firing
A DECISION on whether to allow electric “pedicabs” to trade in Oxford has been put off until the New Year. Members of the city council’s general purposes licencing committee met on Wednesday to discuss a bid by Veloform UK to get its “CityCruiser
EDUCATION chiefs have expressed their disappointment that Oxfordshire continues to be below national averages for GCSEs. Yesterday the Department for Education published official figures showing how well Oxfordshire pupils performed in this summer
WHAT really grates with many commuters crammed on trains between Oxford and London is the constant promise of ‘things will get better.’ Granted, there have been minor improvements, but nothing to fully ease the cattle-truck conditions and painful fare
A £130m rail link between Oxford and London Marylebone has been given approval. The Secretary of State for Transport cleared the way for Chiltern Railways to expand its service in an announcement yesterday. The move effectively gives thousands
AN AID worker who turned adventurer after he was left paralysed by a car accident in Bosnia is helping create a paralympic legacy. On Tuesday, October 30, Mike Mackenzie, 63, will launch a £3,000 appeal to buy equipment to help young or newly disabled
