Archive

  • Where to see spectacular Bonfire Night fireworks

    FIREWORKS will light up the night sky at more than 15 events across Oxfordshire over the next week and a half. Bonfire nights and fireworks displays are planned at rugby clubs, cricket grounds, playing fields and pubs, and the annual Oxford spectacular

  • Tots create animal masks in museum fun

    THREE-year-old Emma Lee proudly showed off her paper mouse mask made at an animal-themed arts and crafts session recently. The free event, for children under five, was held at the Pitt Rivers Museum. Stories about animals were told and visitors

  • FOOTBALL: Abingdon pair targeting end to tough times

    TIMES are hard for football in Abingdon, but the town’s two senior clubs are trying to keep positive, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. Sat at the foot of the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division, Abingdon Town and Abingdon United have both so far endured

  • FOOTBALL: Merger not an option for town rivals

    ABINGDON’S two leading football clubs have ruled out merging to boost their ailing fortunes, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. With Town and United propping up the UHLSport Hellenic League Premier Division having accumulated just seven points between them

  • Scales of Justice

    OXFORD MAGISTRATES John Charlesworth, 35, of Speedwell Street, Oxford, admitted possessing an article connected with theft, namely bolt croppers, outside of his home in Museum Road, Oxford on October 16. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge

  • ‘I think of the boys who didn’t come back’

    FORMER Royal Marine commander Clive Dytor has joined other military men and women as part of a Remembrance Day art project. Members of Didcot’s Health and Wellbeing Centre have helped shaped the project along with pupils from Didcot Girls’ School

  • FOOTBALL: Eagles swoop to the summit

    Division 3 Abba Athletic heaped  further misery on Division 1 basement side Rutherford, beating their higher-league visitors 4-2 in the Critchleys UTV League's Devenney Cup. Shane Proberts struck twice for the hosts and Robert Atherton also netted

  • 'They have ignored my advice but must instal sprinklers'

    FIRE safety at an immigration detention centre is to be finally reviewed by the Home Office after another demand by the county’s fire chief. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s chief fire officer Dave Etheridge has again urged that a sprinkler

  • Views wanted on NHS

    VIEWS are being sought on how the NHS makes decisions about services for older people in the county. Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group is seeking views by Sunday, November 10. It is part of plans to make decisions based more on patients

  • Lifesavers' TV debut

    MEMBERS of group Bicester U3A made their television debut last week in BBC2 series Trust Me, I’m a Doctor. Volunteers from the University of the Third Age took part in a show about the basics of lifesaving, including throwing a rope to a drowning

  • Film students are given red carpet treatment

    THEY have been working hard putting together four films over the school holidays. And on Monday, the budding actors were treated like movie stars for the day at the Hollywood-style premiere to show off their creativity. The 39 youngsters, aged seven

  • Steel horse finds new paddock on hospital site

    VISITORS to the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre are now greeted by the impressive sight of a life-sized horse forged from galvanised steel. Standing at 18-hands (nearly two metres) tall the as-yet unnamed creature has been created to show off tendons

  • 200 vie for extras' roles

    ABOUT 200 hopefuls will take the first step to appearing in a movie version of Thomas Hardy’s classic Far from the Madding Crowd this week. An appeal for extras – featured in the Oxford Mail – drew a response of about 200 people for the Fox Searchlight

  • Can you help the spirit of Christmas concert?

    THE Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is appealing for volunteers to help with one of Oxford’s best-loved Christmas concerts. The charity’s candle-lit Spirit of Christmas concert will take place at Christ Church Cathedral on Tuesday, December 3, an evening

  • CRICKET: Chaos as Herts clubs vote to quit

    THE Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League (HCPL) has been plunged into chaos after Saracens Hertfordshire League clubs carried out their threat to stage a breakaway. A meeting of the leading 25 Herts League clubs voted 19-5 on Monday in

  • Oxford United youngsters up for the cup

    OXFORD United begin their FA Youth Cup campaign with a local derby away to Didcot Town tonight (7.45). Chris Allen’s side will start as favourites to progress into the second round after making a good start to the season. Like the first team

  • FOOTBALL: Ace McCallum fires Charlbury to the top

    Charlbury Town moved top of the Witney & District FA Premier Division with a 5-1 home win against Hailey. Craig McCallum picked up a four-goal haul in the win with Shaun Gilbert getting the other. Joey King replied for Hailey. Carterton

  • Grotty underpass becomes sight for sore eyes

    STUDENTS from Wheatley Park School helped brighten the morning walk of Sandhills Community Primary School children by decorating a subway on the A40 in Oxford. The once-grotty underpass – labelled “miserable” by teachers – has, with a lick of paint

  • Prosecution scorns scrap trial ‘police conspiracy’

    A “CONSPIRACY theory” that police repeatedly lied during a scrap yard trial has been branded an “outrageous distraction” by a barrister. John Law, prosecuting, told a jury yesterday at Oxford Crown Court that they should not be “misled” by accusations

  • Working group idea

    Councillors are considering if a working group of residents and councillors should be formed to devise a neighbourhood plan for Wallingford. Under the 2011 Localism Act powers were given to local communities to shape new developments by preparing

  • Freud’s owner loses last bid to halt £75m Blavatnik plan

    A BUSINESSMAN who took Oxford City Council to court over a controversial £75m building has seen his bid to stop the plan thrown out. A High Court judge rejected David Freud’s bid to launch a judicial review of the decision to approve the Blavatnik

  • Rape charge remand

    A man who denies raping a girl appeared for a pre-trial hearing yesterday at Oxford Crown Court. Owen Froude, 22, of Gainsborough Green, Abingdon, is charged with rape and causing or inciting a child to be involved in pornography or prostitution

  • Death crash motorcyclist on wrong side of road

    A 25-YEAR-OLD motorcyclist was on the wrong side of the road when he collided head-on with a car, an inquest heard. Luke Taylor, of Rowlands Close, Wallingford, died after the crash on the A4074 between the A4130 Mongewell roundabout at Crowmarsh

  • Ambulance at crash

    Police attended the scene of a two-vehicle crash on the A417. The emergency services were called to the incident at 4.20pm near Ardington. It is not known if there are any injuries. An ambulance was called at 5pm.

  • Man exposed himself to children in park

    A man wearing a dark-coloured thigh-length anorak and no trousers exposed himself to three children in Kidlington. At about 4.15pm on Sunday, a man was seen walking through the park, which is also known as Garden City Football Club, off Maple Avenue

  • Friends mark tragic teen’s 16th birthday

    Around 300 friends and family will commemorate what would have been Martha Fernback’s 16th birthday today. The teenager, right, collapsed in Hinksey Park, South Oxford, on July 20 and died at the John Radcliffe Hospital. The Cherwell School

  • Man hurt in collision

    A 30-year-old man suffered serious leg injuries after his car collided with two trees in Thame. At about 11pm on Sunday the man was driving a blue Skoda Fabia on the A329, Rycote Lane, near Oxfordshire Golf Club. The car left the road, went through

  • FOOTBALL: Smart Alex is Didcot's hero

    NORTH BERKS LEAGUE Division 5 new boys Didcot Eagles pulled off a stunning North Berks Cup second round upset, dumping Wallingford 4-2 at home, writes PHIL ANNETS. Alex Rodman with two, Dan Tucker and Daryl Harper were their goalscoring heroes

  • FOOTBALL: McMahon ends Garsington's wait for a win

    A FINE individual goal from Jamie McMahon earned Garsington their first Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division victory of the season. But they had to do it the hard way, with visitors Chalgrove taking the lead late in the first half with a

  • DISABLED SPACE:

    Are you a confident person? If not I wonder why because we are not born with a lack of confidence. Is it possible to regain that lost confidence or must we go on enduring these doubts that float about in our heads? Disabled people now have

  • Good to cut the green taxes for consumers

    WE are facing a very serious blackout crisis in 2015 when our remaining coal power stations are closed thanks to the green EU directive. This will force us to rely on imported gas for 70 per cent of our energy needs. We will be at the mercy of

  • A danger to invest in costy nuclear power

    THE planned nuclear power station at Hinkley Point, Somerset has let the cat out of the bag. We now know the Government expects energy prices to at least double over the next ten years. What’s more, the power station will be hugely subsidised

  • Barton will have the ample parking needed

    I SEEM to have been misinterpreted by Jane Cox (Letters, October 28). I'm opposed to the Green Party proposal to leave part of the new Barton development with no parking spaces, because that would inevitably lead to some residents parking in the

  • Ludicrous to suggest visibility the priority

    I READ the article regarding Andrew Wotherspoon and his unfortunate accident on his bike. He claims that the cycle helmet that he got from the Oxford Mail probably saved his life after a crash with a car on the A40 at the Cassington junction on

  • Post office move 'would be disaster'

    WITNEY residents say the plans to move the town’s post office to the WH Smith shop in the Woolgate Centre would be a “disaster”. They made their views plain at a public consultation held by Post Office managers in the town on Saturday. The

  • Thief steals passport

    A phone and passport were stolen when a car was broken into in a pub car park in Kidlington. The black BMW 320D was targeted between 10pm on Saturday and 2am on Sunday when it was parked at the Red Lion pub in Oxford Road. The front offside

  • Halloween patrols increased by police

    Police patrols will be stepped up as trick or treaters hit the streets of Oxford this Halloween, Area Commander Supt Christian Bunt, his deputy and managers will be taking part in patrols tomorrow night to ensure all activities happen safely. Supt

  • Make a Syrian child’s day with donations of unwanted toys

    EIGHT-year-old Noah Cooley’s imagination soared during a craft workshop at Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum. The youngster created a plane from recycled materials at the session on Monday as part of the museum’s programme of half-term activities.

  • GIRLS' FOOTBALL: Harrison turns on the style

    OXFORD MAIL GIRLS LEAGUE Under 16/17 league leaders Chinnor held off a late challenge from local rivals Thame to claim a narrow 3-2 away victory. Sarah Dougall gave the visitors an early lead after finishing Sarah Harrison’s cross, before switching

  • Lecturers walk out rejecting a one per cent pay offer

    THOUSANDS of students across both city universities are set to be affected by strike action tomorrow. Lecturers and staff are expected to walk out at the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University in a dispute over a pay offer of one per

  • WOMEN'S FOOTBALL: Sixteen is not so sweet for sad Tower Hill

    Tower Hill Ladies crashed out of the Southern Counties League Cup at the first-round stage following a 16-0 hammering by a very strong Woodley side at West Witney Sports Club. Woodley, who sit proudly at the top of the Premier League, put on a

  • Surprised over bus company response

    I WAS surprised to read the Phil Southall reply (Letters, October 21) regarding Oxford Bus Company not hiding behind the get-out clauses in their general terms and conditions. A few weeks ago I had the same experience as David Fogden; a scheduled

  • I seem to have missed the lights switch-on

    PLEASE excuse me if this letter sounds confused. I am. Perhaps, if anyone living in the area of Bicester or even someone in authority reads it in the Oxford Mail they might respond with an answer. I am not sure if I should bemoan that I appear

  • Hep me to find out about my ancestors

    I RECENTLY put a request out for any possible relatives of mine to get in touch and I received a few responses. My grandmother, Mabel Cooper’s maiden name was Thornett and she was born in Charlbury in 1904. Her mother was Minnie Thornett (née Pratley

  • Accused warned over disgusting comments

    A WOMAN has claimed she told former Abingdon Chamber of Commerce boss Paul Townsend to stop making “disgusting” comments to teenage girls. The 28-year-old, of Hadland Road, Abingdon, allegedly made sexual remarks describing “what he would like

  • X-Factor Jahmene’s spooky pumpkin is a shocker

    X-Factor finalist Jahmene Douglas was a major draw for crowds of children to a Faringdon shop yesterday. The runner-up of X-Factor 2012 took time out from writing his new album to hand-carve a Halloween pumpkin to raise money for charity. The

  • Future of Blockbuster stores in doubt again

    THE future of Oxfordshire’s Blockbuster stores is uncertain again after an announcement yesterday the company is to go into administration for a second time. The remaining stores will continue to trade for now while another buyer is sought.

  • Hanged student had history of self-harm, inquest told

    A TROUBLED teenager who hanged himself did not intend to take his own life, an inquest heard yesterday. Shaun West, of Leach Road, Bicester, was discovered in the hallway by his carer Chipo Taruvinga, who called the emergency services on November 6

  • Teenager is assaulted

    Four men assaulted a man of 19 in the alley behind the George Street sports centre in Bicester at 4am on Saturday. Four males in their late teens wearing black hooded tops stole his wallet. The first offender was black, 5ft 9ins tall, of medium

  • Green taxes ‘innocent’

    Jesus College, Oxford, principal Lord Krebs said carbon charges were not the cause of high energy bills. He took part in a debate in the House of Lords ahead of an attempt to force the Government to set a target to substantially decarbonise electricity

  • Woman, 47, accused of running a brothel

    A woman has appeared in Oxford Magistrates’ Court accused of running of a brothel. Lisa York, of Lakefield Road, Littlemore, Oxford, has been charged – together with Amy Gabriel and Edwina Kalay – with keeping or managing a brothel in Cranham Street

  • It’s false widow madness

    SPIDER exterminators in Oxford say they are getting between five and 10 calls every day from people terrified of false widow spiders. The number of false widows in the county is set to rise. But wildlife experts say the national media has been

  • 300 jobs at risk at IT firm

    THREE hundred jobs are being axed at schools technology firm RM Education. The firm, which has its headquarters at Milton Park, near Didcot, is currently in talks with staff in what is the second major round of redundancies in two years. But

  • COMMENT: Don't let untruths wipe out spiders

    IS THE false widow craze a web of lies?Have we been spun a heap of untruths?Perhaps so, it now seems. Experts and people working in the pest industry are today saying that the fever drummed up by certain sections of the national press is little

  • ATHLETICS: England maps out big year ahead

    HANNAH England is confident she can challenge for European and Commonwealth medals next year after a strong 2013 season. The 26-year-old, from Oxford, finished fourth in the 1,500m at this summer’s World Championships in Moscow and believes she

  • COMMENT: One of the forgotten victims of the cutbacks

    THE sight of a large and successful company hitting the rocks is not one that brings anyone pleasure. RM Education’s latest planned jobs cull is part of a pattern since 2011 that has seen hundreds of jobs go. And there is no clear sense of

  • FOOTBALL: Bone breaks Hanborough with five-star performance

    DANNY Bone smashed five goals as Bletchingdon blew visitors Hanborough away 10-3 to reach the quarter-finals. The hosts had one foot in the next round as they went into half-time with a 5-1 lead. Hanborough briefly threatened a comeback as

  • Cow blocking road causes traffic delays

    A COW is reportedly blocking a road in Wheatley this morning. This animal has been slowing down traffic in Sworford Lane. Police are at the scene but they say they do not know if the cow is still there.

  • Lorry breakdown causes traffic problems

    A BROKEN down lorry is causing traffic delays on the A415 Marcham Road in Abingdon. The problems are currently at the westbound stretch of the road between the A34 Marcham Interchange and the A338.

  • YOUTH FOOTBALL: Massingham gives Blackbirds a lift

    UNDER 14 OXFORD Blackbirds moved to the top of their league after defeating previous leaders Ardington & Lockinge 2-1. Both teams dealt well with the tricky conditions and produced some excellent football. It was always going to be

  • Aldi discount store is planned for town

    BUDGET superstore Aldi is planning to build a new shop in Didcot. The German discount store is due to submit plans for a 1,600sq m shop next month to South Oxfordshire District Council. The building would sit next to Jubilee roundabout between

  • Boatyard plans will set sail at last, says trust

    A COMMUNITY group said plans to redevelop Jericho boatyard could be put forward early next year. Jericho Wharf Trust (JWT) has met developers over plans for the Castle Mill Boatyard in St Barnabas Street. It says a series of workshops and public

  • Children meet castle's ghouls

    CHILDREN came face-to-face with ghostly prisoners at Oxford Castle Unlocked’s Trick or Treating at the weekend. ‘Prisoners of the past’ were locked in cells to frighten children as they were taken on a tour of the former prison. Eight-year-old

  • Troubled nursery rated ‘satisfactory’ by Ofsted

    A NURSERY closed by inspectors earlier this year is making “satisfactory” improvement after a second monitoring visit. But Ofsted staff have said more work needs to be done at the Co-Operative Childcare Blackbird Leys Nursery to make sure concerns