It’s time to race. But sport is rarely a plain sailing road to success. Coming from different trajectories, all competitors are aiming for a target the size of an eye of a needle. The pinpoint accuracy needed to attain that single gold medal
THE welfare reforms have had a huge impact on hundreds of families across Oxfordshire with households struggling to make ends meet. And during hard times when people are finding it difficult to afford the basics, for some paying for pets is the
JOHNNY Mullins's strike in the sixth minute of stoppage time preserved Oxford United's unbeaten start to the season. The U's lost their 100 per cent record, but were staring at a defeat to ten man Wycombe Wanderers as Dean Morgan returned to haunt
AN Oxford DJ is cycling to his native Liverpool for his grandmother, who has dementia. And he is setting off hours after a late-night DJ set at the O2 Academy. Graphic designer Andrew Dawson, who helps design Liverpool Ladies’ FC official programme
A HOSPITAL business manager hopes to take on more 100-mile bike rides after raising £600 in the RideLondon-Surrey 100 earlier this month. Phil Rankin, who works for Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, raised cash for the Injury Minimisation
GARDENERS have been praised by Wallingford residents for the town’s bright and beautiful floral displays. Worshippers at Wallingford Methodist Church in particular have thanked the three members of Wallingford Town Council staff responsible for
ONE of the ladies in our picture used to dance on stage in London’s West End. One of them had never been to a dance class before. But on National Dance Day all of these ladies, residents at Richmond retirement village in Letcombe Regis, had
OUR assistant picture editor Ed Nix takes his pick of the week’s best photographs and tells us why he reckons they make the grade. DEAD OF NIGHT: Being set the task of getting a dark and eerie image about a forthcoming bat evening in the middle
ONE lane of the A34 is closed causing long delays today after a crash involving a caravan north of Oxford. The crash has happened just after the B4027 Islip turn-off. The left hand slow lane is closed, with severe tailbacks reported all the
TWO years after celebating becoming the world’s 1,000th Fairtrade town, Witney can finally signpost visitors to the fact. “Witney Fairtrade Town” notices have been put up on the Congregational Church in Welch Way and the High Street Methodist Church
IT was lucky number 13 for a Faringdon Community College teenager when she opened her GCSE results. Natascha Blesing, from Longcot, managed a clean sweep of 13 A*s as well as an A in additional maths – the top grade – and an A in her AS-Level world
OXFORDSHIRE farmers have a new Olympic champion on their side. Former Olympic rower Annie Vernon is now working for the National Farmers’ Union (NFU). She won a silver medal at Beijing in 2008, but before her eight-year international rowing
PROFESSIONAL basketball players were on hand at a free event aimed at helping young people learn new skills. The session at Cutteslowe Multi-Use Games Area in Wren Road on Wednesday evening, run by basketball team Oxford Hoops, was part of a three-year
Good afternoon and welcome to the Kassam Stadium, home of the Sky Bet League Two leaders. Oxford United have started the season like a runaway train, but can it continue is afternoon against Wycombe Wanderers? You'll have to stick around to
Chipping Norton-based Fergus Walkinshaw returns to his home track of Knockhill in the latest rounds of the Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup this weekend. “After a disastrous weekend at Snetterton, the only way is up!” said Walkinshaw. “We’ll have a
THIS is the moment the first English soldier rode into a small Belgian town nearly 95 years ago. For the residents of Erquelinnes, this arrival heralded the beginning of the end of the First World War, as soldiers from the Queen’s Own Oxfordshire
THE bunting is up and final preparations are being made for the arrival of fairground rides in time for the first annual Littlemore Fayre. Landlord of The George and grandfather-of-10 Nigel Woodley has been busy organising the day on Monday for
Oxford's Jason Plato says he is looking forward to the challenge of Knockhill when he competes in the next round of races in the British Touring Car Championship at the Scottish venue this weekend. “Knockhill is a great circuit because it is undulating
A TOWN faces losing its only book store when its owner retires in January. Jon Carpenter of Evenlode Books in Charlbury is hoping someone in the town will step forward to take on the store, but has so far not had any offers. It comes as other
A WING mirror was pulled off a vehicle in Stratford Road, Kidlington, between 10pm on Monday and 6.30am on Tuesday. Call police on 101 with information.
A JEWELLERY box and its contents were stolen from a house in Green Close, Steventon. Thieves broke into the house near Abingdon between 7am and 6.15pm on August 19. Anyone with information should contact detective constable David Evans from
A BURGLAR forced open a kitchen window to break into a home in The Green North, Warborough, between 8pm on Tuesday and 12.50am on Wednesday. Police said it was unclear if anything had been stolen but asked witnesses to call 101 with information
Kimi Raikkonen has told Lotus he will not enter into negotiations to stay with the team until they resolve his current issues. After missing his media duties at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit due to illness on Thursday, the Finn was asked about
OXFORD City Stars will be almost at full strength for tomorrow’s final pre-season friendly at home to Bracknell Hornets (6.15pm). Their only absentee is Warren Jones, who will miss the next one or two months due to work commitments. Stars will
A WALLINGFORD five-a-side league is seeking new teams. The league runs on Mondays from 6.30 to 8.30pm at the Hithercroft Sports Park. Contact Davey Seville on 07733 101004. Entry is £20.
GROUP A leaders Great & Little Tew suffered their first defeat of the Oxfordshire Under 17 competition at Banbury. Dan Bartlett (42) and Bradley Taylor (35) helped the hosts to 154-5 off their 20 overs. A half-century from Jack Haggett,
LONDON Welsh will play Bedford Blues three times in the regular Greene King IPA Championship season as part of plans to raise the league’s profile. All clubs have been allotted one extra match at a neutral venue on the opening weekend of the season
AN elderly man was the victim of a distraction burglary at his home in Danesmoor, Ruscote, Banbury. A tall white man approached the pensioner’s home on Tuesday, and while he kept the householder busy, two accomplices got in his home from the rear
DRIVERS need to take more care over the bank holiday after a spate of vehicles being broken into or vandalised in Oxford, police warned. Between August 16 and 22 there were ten vehicle crimes around the city. A wallet was taken from a vehicle
TOURISM across Oxfordshire has seen a sharp rise this summer, with the good weather and the Olympics legacy getting the credit. A total of 195,301 people used the county’s visitor centres in the past four months compared to 174,785 this time last
WYCHWOOD Ladies HC are marking their 40th anniversary with a fun day for current and former players. The Witney-based club, who were originally founded in 1973, are holding the event on Saturday, September 7 at Cokethorpe School. There will
A MAN convicted of two charges of rape has also admitted an attempted robbery. Liam Pipkin, formerly of Boundary Brook Road, Oxford, was found guilty of assault by battery and two charges of rape between June 1 and September 6 last year. A
IT IS said the grass isn’t always greener. But residents on Oxford’s largest estate could soon have a beauty spot to rival any in the city thanks to a £60,000 cash boost. Spindleberry Nature Park, off Pegasus Road, in Blackbird Leys, is to
THIRTY-FOUR anglers and a similar number of the UK’s top carp hunters took part in this year’s Fish With The Stars event at Linear Fisheries’ Stantion Harcourt complex in aid of Motor Neuron Disease. After raising £17,500 in 2011 and £23,000 last
WOMEN'S MATCHES BANBURY won Division 2 Northants of the ECB Women’s Midlands League after an eight-wicket victory at Wellingborough. Banbury have lost just once in their debut regional league season and beat Wellingborough with ease. The
PETER Edwards has particular reason to relish London Welsh’s friendly clash with Llanelli Scarlets tomorrow, as he played for the visitors last season. Prop Edwards lined up for the Scarlets when they beat Welsh 23-17 this time last year in a pre-season
THE former president of Abingdon Chamber of Commerce has denied 20 counts of sexual offences against teenage girls. Paul Townsend, 28, of Hadland Road, Abingdon, faces the charges over alleged incidents involving four complainants between May 2010
MATCH FISHING DRENNAN Banbury Gunsmiths Red finished second in the final round of the Oxford Summer League on the Thames at Medley, but took the title overall. The individual winner was Graham Godwin (Turners) with 34 points. He dropped
LONDON Welsh’s prep-arations for the new season will go up several gears when they host Llanelli Scarlets at the Kassam Stadium tom-orrow (2). That is the view of club captain Matt Corker, whose side hammered Chinnor 107-5 in their opening warm-up
THE number of complaints about graffiti in Oxford has dropped by half as the money being spent on cleaning it has risen. In 2010-11, Oxford City Council received 825 reports, falling to 679 the following year and 390 in the past 12 months.
PERHAPS the most surprising thing about Ron Atkinson’s appearance on Celebrity Big Brother is that the show is still going. With so many competing programmes involving “celebs”, our society’s obsession with the rich and famous isn’t going anywhere
SIX people were injured during a collision involving three cars on the A34 yesterday. It happened at 4.30pm on the southbound stretch near the Milton Interchange. The fast lane was blocked while highways teams cleared the scene, and vehicles
A 30-YEAR-OLD man charged with a sex attack on an 18-year-old woman has appeared in court. Adam Barker, of Merlin Way, Bicester, is accused of a sexual assault in London Road in Bicester on Sunday, July 21, at about 3.30am. He appeared In Oxford
AN APPEAL by the founder of Crunchy’s Animal Rescue against her prison sentence for neglect has been dismissed. Yesterday a judge at Oxford Crown Court told Angela Russell that her crimes “amply justified” the maximum six-month jail term. The
HE is Oxford United’s record appearance holder and was the influential captain during the 1960s. Now ‘Big Ron’ Atkinson has hit the screens for the latest series of Celebrity Big Brother. Mr Atkinson walked into the notorious Big Brother house
A 60-YEAR-OLD woman has appeared in court charged with possessing a firearm with intent. Wendy Spriggs, of Thame Park, Thame, attended a preliminary hearing yesterday in Oxford Crown Court. She is charged with possessing an air pistol with
Oxford United have to make one enforced change today from the side which started the 3-1 win at Torquay a week ago. Sean Rigg (hamstring) is out, but Alfie Potter, another casualty from the trip to Devon, has had the stitches in his nose injury
OXFORD Health has some serious questions to answer. How was a prisoner, serving a life sentence for stabbing his former lover, able to walk free from a mental health hospital and flee to a seaside resort in Europe? The question is all the more
Andy Whing admits being top of the league has given Oxford United’s players an added buzz which they have no intention of giving up against neighbours Wycombe Wanderers this afternoon. Victories in the opening three games, scoring nine goals in
CALLS have been made for an independent inquiry into Oxfordshire’s mental health provider after two high-profile cases involving its patients. Oxford Health has been criticised after life prisoner Ian McLean walked out of Littlemore Mental Health
THIS Venetian gondola is just one of the boats taking part in a river relay on the Thames next month. Owner and Oxford resident Richard Bailey will pass from Osney Lock to Iffley Lock on day five of the relay on September 5. The two-week event
OXFORDSHIRE churches which make themselves welcoming to dementia sufferers could be recognised in a new award scheme. Just as churches which offer events, services and support for young people and children can be accredited as youth and child-friendly
MOST compensation claims over damage from the county’s roads are rejected, figures uncovered by the Oxford Mail reveal. Of the 2,524 property damage claims lodged at Oxfordshire County Council over the last three years just 546 (21 per cent) were
YOUNGSTERS had the chance to be wild at heart at a free outdoors activity session in Rock Edge Nature Reserve, Headington. The session on Wednesday was organised by Oxfordshire-based charity Heart of the Wildwood, which aims to encourage children
A UNIT that has remained empty since Witney’s £50m Marriotts Walk Shopping Centre opened four years ago has finally been let. Cotton Traders began fitting out unit 1B on Tuesday. The shop is set to open in the first or second week of September.
AN Oxford theatre hopes to gather together artists to create the largest single display of handcrafted items the city has seen. Pegasus Theatre is currently recruiting local and international artists to display their wares at its Magdalen Road
