A report has revealed that 366 prisoners at HMP Bullingdon were last year forced to share cells designed to accommodate only one person. The Howard League for Penal Reform said that the research showed that prison overcrowding was a greater problem
OXFORD Catherine Sherrell, 23, of Mill Street, Islip, near Kidlington, admitted driving faster than the 30mph speed limit on Bayswater Road in Oxford on April 6. Fined £300 and told to pay a £30 victims’ surcharge and £65 costs. Licence endorsed
DRIVERS are facing delays of around 35 minutes after two vehicles crashed into the central reservation on the A34 northbound near Bletchingdon. Police were called at around 4.15pm to the scene near the Islip turn-off. Traffic is backing up
MORE crime is committed in nightclubs than anywhere else in Oxford, according to new statistics that reveal crime hotspots across the city. The Home Office police.uk website show the locations where crimes are reported across the county. Compared
OXFORD’S annual celebration of fashion has been postponed in a bid to make the event bigger and better. The announcement comes as Oxford Fashion Week took over the Ashmolean Museum on Friday for a monthly LiveFriday event. Carl Anglim, the
I am replying to the question concerning David Brown’s photograph of August 26 as to what the insect is. It is a periplaneta Australasiae or in plain English, an Australian cockroach. Unlike politicians, these creatures are quite harmless JOHN
ONE of the extraordinary things about Oxford is that you can walk from Abingdon Road in the south all the way to the ring road in the north, and enjoy almost uninterrupted views of paddock, parkland, commons and farmland on one side or the other.
MOST folk discussing life expectancy will insist they look forward to a full and active life for as long as possible but when their time comes they would wish to die quickly and peacefully. With all the medical research and techniques available
AFTER the car, it is the turn of the buses. What will be next? Probably the pedestrians. They have the temerity to clutter the pavements and even walk down Cornmarket. In doing so, they are causing a nuisance and impeding the cyclists. They should
The recent planning consultation by the Westgate Alliance left me bewildered – the issue of car parking being one of the main concerns. The multi-storey car park in Oxford has room for 1,200 cars. The temporary solution during construction of the
It’s 8.47am, I’m on a train pulling out of Plymouth, I’ve a glass (plastic) of Prosecco to the left of my iPad, two crab sandwiches to the right, a stag ‘do’ of eight rugby players in ‘onesies’ two rows in front and sand in my left ear... Yes,
A RECENT advert has intrigued me: “It’s never too early to think about Christmas.” It left me wondering what do people think about Christmas? We live for a short span of time in this infinitesimal planet of a vast universe. What significance is
It is good to see Cherwell District Council react to the support in the National Planning Policy Framework for self-building by allocating space in the large development planned for the edge of Bicester. The ambition to have 1,000 plots might even
“We know we are fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the country but the high costs of transportation and loss of many local services can mean that some people like new parents or older people can easily become socially isolated, said Cheryl Wilson
A DRUG dealer has been sent to prison for two years after police found heroin and crack cocaine with an estimated street value of up to £920 in his home. Andrew Harris, of Gordon Woodward Way, South Oxford, admitted two counts of possession of
IT IS always worrying when a family pet goes missing. So imagine Wantage couple Steve and Ann Marie Young’s relief when their beloved labrador Barney was found by a dog warden half an hour after disappearing. Then imagine their bafflement when
A SMALL town’s very large festival attracted crowds of more than 20,000 over the weekend. And organisers have said that Wallingford’s free community festival BunkFest was the biggest ever. The festival has been growing every year since the
Dr Hojjat Ramzy, director of the Oxford Islamic Information Centre As one of the representatives of the Muslim community of Oxford, I am very glad that Parliament voted against the decision to take military action in Syria on Thursday, and that
Picture 1: These children from Mill Lane School helped an injured sailor they had never met in 1976. Friends of Mick McGoldrick, who broke his neck aboard HMS Blake, called at the Crown public house before visiting him in Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
THIS was the scene on the Oxford-Kennington road in 1979 after the county had been hit by torrential rain. A stranded cyclist pondered his next move as floods halted traffic at the north end of the village, near the entrance to the Oxford Management
THIS donkey race got off to a rather erratic start, but everything turned out well in the end, with a healthy profit for good causes. The ninth annual Chinnor Donkey Derby was organised by Chinnor Boys’ Football Club and Chinnor Rifle and Pistol
A PLACARD tied to a cow neatly summed up the message at this demonstration. Farmers staged a demonstration at Bicester in 1970 to press home their argument that while the price customers paid for a pint of milk went up by 31 per cent between 1954
VILLAGERS went to town when someone suggested a spot of village spring cleaning in 1972. Children, housewives and even members of the parish council at Benson turned out to help. The operation was run by members of the Women’s Institute, some
TEACHERS went on strike – and so did the pupils! Some staff walked out of Bartholomew School at Eynsham in 1985 during a pay dispute with the Government. And 200 pupils were so frustrated that their lessons were being disrupted that they walked
BRIGHTON had its nude beach – and Eynsham wasn’t going to miss out! A team of scantily-dressed folk appeared on this float during Eynsham Carnival in 1980, with the message – ‘Brighton has got nothing on us’. The float had other messages – ‘Get
DAWN Griffis remembers her moment of horror when she saw two red crosses in her school maths book, and the word ‘LAZY’ in big red letters. She knew immediately what to come – the dreaded slap. She recalls: “Generally, I had gold stars on my
THESE children took to the river to celebrate their school’s birthday. Shepherd’s Hill Middle School at Blackbird Leys, Oxford, had reached the grand age of 21. This was clearly an occasion to be marked with a special treat. So with exams
Ryan Brooks scored the winner as Ardley United reached the first qualifying round with a 1-0 win against Combined Counties League Premier Division visitors Hanworth Villa at Oxford Road. After a largely forgettable first half in which Ardley’s
WORK to repair a busy road near Wallingford damaged by rabbits burrowing beneath it is expected to be finished next month. It was discovered in April that rabbit burrows beneath the A329 at the junction with Halfpenny Lane, between Moulsford and
AFTER years of fundraising, a new community hall in West Oxfordshire will fully open this month. Freeland Parish Council has been fundraising to build the facility, in Wroslyn Road, since 2009. Phase one, the hall itself, was completed in September
A SMILE and a wave from old soldiers of the 43rd Royal Marine Commandos, who held a reunion in Oxford in 1979. They met at the Oxford Europa Lodge at Wolvercote roundabout and their guests included three generals and a Yugoslav admiral. Eighty
Jam packed with factory memories MY SISTER, Ivy, showed me the photograph of Mr Benford’s retirement presentation at Frank Cooper Ltd, the Oxford marmalade manufacturers (Memory Lane, July 8). I can pick out some of those in the picture – Zena
REGULARS at an Oxford pub got all tied up to take part in a three-legged pub crawl for charity in 1985. Teams from the Magdalen Arms in Iffley Road visited 11 pubs in East Oxford during the crawl, which lasted more than two hours. The 22 pairs
MORE than 200 children from seven Oxford schools staged a production of Sleeping Beauty. Two performances were held, with half the children in each. The show was part of the 1962 Choral and Orchestral Festival held at Oxford Town Hall.
Picture 1: Parish councillors were so fed up with waiting for Oxfordshire County Council to repair Heritage Lane, they decided to do the work themselves. With their shovels, they filled in potholes and made the surface smooth – and helping them on
YOUNG Farmers’ Clubs took part in regular public speaking competitions. It appears that young and prospective farmers felt the need to speak properly to customers and perhaps even their animals. Branches from all over the county sent teams
THESE were some of the youngsters who took part in the fancy dress competition at the annual Morris Motors’ gala day at Cowley in 1971. Even Father Christmas managed to get in on the act, despite it being August! The gala day was intended as
Adam Lovegrove smashed four of Oxford City Nomads’ goals as they moved up to second in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division with an 8-0 thrashing of Abingdon Town on Saturday. Strikes from John Rixon, Jack Self, Ben Moses and an own goal
A NEW music festival is to take place in Oxford later this year, aimed at boosting young women’s confidence. The “Womanity” festival is being organised by the Young Women’s Music Project (YWMP) and is to be held in November. It will include
SOME will remember it as the site where Oxford’s famous marmalade was made. There have been plenty of reminders in Memory Lane this year that the building in Botley Road was once home to Frank Cooper Ltd, the well-known preserves company. But
ONE of Chris Haynes’s treasured possessions is a photograph of his mother receiving a wedding present from her work colleagues. Violet Lowe was pictured being given a radio at Morris Motors, Cowley, where she worked as a typist. The photograph
SHAW GIBBS OXFORDSHIRE FOURSOMES LEAGUE Section 2: Feldon Valley 2, Witney Lakes 1. Section 3: Shrivenham Park 3, Bicester 0.
UHLSPORT HELLENIC LEAGUE Premier Div: Abingdon Utd 1, Holyport 2; Brimscombe & Thrupp 2, Thame Utd 4; Kidlington 2, Ascot Utd 0; Oxford City Nomads 8, Abingdon Tn 0; Wootton Bassett Tn 3, Shrivenham 0. Div 1 East: AFC Hinksey 7, Burnham
North Leigh United ended Shortwood United’s unbeaten run in Uhlsport Hellenic League Division 1 West with a 3-2 home win, Jozef Fullerton scoring a double. Josh Dutton-Black completed their tally, with Chris Underwood replying twice. Letcombe
Banbury United suffered last-gasp agony as they went down to a 2-1 injury-time defeat at Spencer Stadium on Saturday. The result condemmed Banbury to their third Calor League Premier Division defeat. With the game going into injury time, Banbury
W OXON: Oxfordshire Mind’s charity summer fete took place on Saturday. The event at The Masons Arm in North Leigh included live music, a charity raffle and games. All proceeds are donated to Oxfordshire Mind.
OXFORD: Thousands of people turned up for the first Oxford Thai Food and Culture Festival 2013 yesterday. The event featured classical Thai dancing, boxing, folk songs, massages and food demonstrations. It took place at Botley Park. For
OXFORD: A 63-year-old man will appear in court today accused of sexually assaulting two girls and two women. Michael Robinson, of Bessel’s Way, Blewbury, is charged with four counts of sexual assault by touching. The complainants, aged between
SCRAP metal dealers will be visited by officers as part of a crackdown on rogue traders. Under the new rules, which come into force next month, Oxfordshire councils will have the power to enter and inspect sites and revoke or refuse licences if
OCA LEAGUE Division 1 Shrivenham 288-7 (C Taylor 92, A Kill 84, A Bowles 37, R Wycherley 32, S Morgan 3-46), Broughton & NN 245 (O Evans 66, S Walton 43, A Tucker 3-47). Chadlington 217-6 (S Hunt 51no, F Magee 40, D Harding 30), Oxenford
CHERWELL LEAGUE Division 1 Banbury 2nd 265-6 (L Sabin 73, N Hawkes 68, A Sabin 43, A Krol 4-63), Horspath 187-7 (J Biggs 35, A Blanchard 3-26). Great Brickhill 223-9 (Davison 48, Aris 37, Price 5-72), Oxford 2nd 177-8 (Sutton 74no, Humphries
SERIOUS CRICKET HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE Division 1 Banbury 162-9 (50 ovs, J Cater 55), Burnham 164-5 (R Rehman 57). Burnham 25pts, Banbury 4. Harpenden 241-8 (50 ovs, B Frazer 64, D Blacktopp 63), Henley 171. Harpenden 25, Henley 5
CRITCHLEYS UTV LEAGUE Premier Div: Exeter Hall 2, AFC Jericho 9; FC United of Oxford v Barton Utd pp; Oxford SSC 2, Zubry Oxford 4. Div 1: AFC Valley v Freeland Yeoman pp; Tree Grove v Iffley Harriers pp; Rutherford 3, Northway 1; Sporting
Oxford City were denied their first Skrill North win of the season after letting slip a 3-0 lead at ten-man Bradford Park Avenue on Saturday, writes Matthew Bruce. Bradford had Adam Clayton sent off as City bossed the first half, but the hosts
A much-changed Banbury side slipped to a five-wicket defeat at Burnham, who secured their Division 1 status as a result. Banbury opted to strengthen their second team in order to boost their chances of staying in Cherwell League Division 1.
Andy Caton netted a second-half double as North Leigh set up a trip to county rivals Didcot Town on September 14 after a 2-1 FA Cup preliminary-round comeback victory at the Combined Counties League Premier Division outfit on Saturday. Bedfont,
W OXON: A man in his 70s was taken to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital after an accident at the Burford roundabout on Saturday. The ambulance service and air ambulance were called to the A40, Burford, after 9am. A spokeswoman for the ambulance
An estimated 1 million people in the UK attend A&E each year following a head injury. Of these, around 135,000 people are admitted to hospital with a brain injury. Fortunately, there is help available for those who have suffered a brain
There are estimated to be over 10,000 sight-impaired people in Oxfordshire. Oxfordshire Association for the Blind (OAB) offers advice, information, emotional support, counselling and specialist equipment demonstration to anyone in the county with
BANBURY: A church minister has been fined £200 for dumping 18 sacks of rubbish. Manoj Abraham, 35, left the waste on a road between the A4260 Stratford Road and Shenington village in May. He pleaded guilty at Banbury Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS POLLY Swann and Helen Glover secured the only women’s gold of the regatta for Great Britain & Northern Ireland. Swann, of Henley’s Leander Club, and Glover won the women’s pairs title by eight seconds. “I really
GREAT & Little Tew pipped Falkland by four wickets off the penultimate ball to guarantee their Division 2 West status for next season. Tew have played solidly on their Home Counties debut, but still needed one more win to be absolutely sure
W OXON: The annual Wychwood Forest Fair was held yesterday. It took place at Foxburrow Wood near Witney to raise money for tree-planting at the site and conservation projects in West Oxfordshire.
W OXON: A driver who caused the death of a part-time firefighter is due to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court tomorrow. Paul Brown, 30, of Oxford Road, Eynsham, was found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving last month. He admitted
A HOUSE blaze in Didcot tackled by 15 firefighters is not being treated as suspicious. The residents managed to escape Saturday’s fire at their semi-detached house in Freeman Road, pictured, at around 10.45am. Fire crews from Abingdon and Didcot
DOROTHY Pearce proved that you’re never too old to enjoy yourself as she joined the crowds at the ninth annual Barton Bash. The 99-year-old, who is the oldest member of the Barton Community Association, helped cut the ribbon to open the festival
JAMES Constable admitted Oxford United’s slow starts to the second half were becoming a concern which needs to be addressed after Rochdale hit back to earn a point at the Kassam Stadium. The striker opened the scoring with his second goal of the
RYAN Clarke was bitterly disappointed Oxford United were unable to take maximum points from their home clash with Rochdale. The goalkeeper was relatively untroubled in a first half where James Constable put the hosts in front. But Clarke was
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OXFORD’S Andy Triggs Hodge said it was “phenomenal” to win gold with the Great Britain & Northern Ireland men’s eight. Triggs Hodge was part of an Oxfordshire-dominated crew who bagged their country’s first world gold
ASTON Rowant spoiled Oxford’s title party as skipper Wesley Morrick inspired his side to a pulsating three-wicket victory in Division 2 West. With a win securing top spot and promotion back to Division 1, Oxford looked well-placed after Jamie Perkin
CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn a Bicester house into a children’s home should be approved, a council planning officer said. Cherwell District Council’s Rebecca Horley has urged its planning committee to pass the G4S plan for six-bedroom Magnolia House
CAB drivers face having to spend thousands of pounds replacing their cars under new rules to limit the age of licensed vehicles. Oxford City Council is set to approve recommendations on Thursday to limit the age of Hackney carriages currently licensed
A TEENAGER has been locked up for assaulting a mental health nurse at Littlemore Hospital. Lewis Moiloa, 19, punched nurse Lena Gode who was trying to restrain him after he became “frustrated” at not being allowed to go outside to have a cigarette
YOUNG cyclists descended on Bicester’s Pringle Field at the weekend. This year’s Bike and Family Fun Day took place on Saturday for riders as young as eight years old. Professional riders guided groups around a circuit and showed people of
MOST of us jump into a taxi without a second thought about how old the vehicle is. Obviously if it’s a clapped-out banger you may think twice but the majority of the time as long as it gets you from a to b you’re normally not too fussed. But
KEITH Hill was delighted with the response from his players after falling behind to Oxford United. Rochdale had not picked up an away point before the weekend and looked to be on their way to another defeat when James Constable put the U’s in front
CHRIS Wilder rued a missed opportunity as Oxford United were unable to make the most of a lead in a 1-1 draw at home to Rochdale. James Constable had given the hosts a half-time lead, boosting hopes of a fourth win in five games. But the U’
ISLIP: A road in the village will be closed for three days from tomorrow while street lights are being replaced and drainage work finished. One-way street Kings Head Lane will be closed to through traffic at the junction with Middle Street and
OXFORD: Three vehicles were involved in a collision on the southbound western bypass yesterday. The driver of the first car had stopped at around midday after seeing smoke coming from their vehicle. The fire service, police and ambulance service
OXON: Two new free schools will open in Oxfordshire today to staff. Tyndale Community School in Cowley and Heyford Park Free School at Upper Heyford, near Bicester, will both open to students for the first time on Wednesday. They will become
THE self-styled Cotswolds Supergroup helped to round off Oxfordshire’s festival season in Samba-style at Alex James and Jamie Oliver’s Big Feastival. The Blur bassist and the celebrity chef – and part-time drummer – joined the eccentric Latin group
THERE were laughs all round as comedian David Walliams returned to Oxfordshire for his latest swimming challenge. The actor dived in to Blenheim Palace’s Great Lake alongside Olympic and Paralympic swimmers including Keri-anne Payne, Duncan Goodhew
DAYS lost to stress, depression and anxiety have more than trebled at county hospitals in three years. Last year staff at hospitals like Oxford’s John Radcliffe had a total 22,547 days off – the equivalent of 61.7 years – compared to 7,149 in 2009
TRAFFIC is backed up for 15 miles on the M40 southbound this morning following a collision between two cars. Police were called at 6.55am to accident near junction 6 at Watlington between an Audi and a Ford Fiesta. Thames Valley Police spokesman
THE decision taken by those at the White Horse pub in Headington to charge for parking has left customers reeling. But having been plagued by students using their car park to leave their vehicles while they head off to lectures, it’s hard to see
A statue has been unveiled of the founder of the Paralympic Games, who fled to Oxford to escape the Nazi holocaust. A life-sized bronze statue of Sir Ludwig ‘Poppa’ Guttmann was unveiled outside the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville
The city council has updated the settings on its Twitter feed following a problem with its website. The council recently improved its website to ensure that all its tweets and Facebook posts were uploaded to the site. But negative comments
RUNNERS pounded the roads of Marston yesterday to raise money for disabled sports facilities. The Headington RoadRunners race saw more than 200 people put their best foot forward for the club’s 25th anniversary. But the planned five-mile race
TRAINS going through Oxford on the new £130m rail link to Marylebone will be travelling at a minimum of 60mph – despite a lengthy campaign for lower speeds. Residents – particularly in Wolvercote – claim their lives would be disrupted by noise
