A Police Community Support Officer has been fined £265 after admitting shoplifting from a Sainsbury’s store. Full story: Shame of PCSO over theft fine Kidlington Pcso Andrew Clark, 25, today pleaded guilty at Coventry Magistrates’ Court
RISING numbers of female officers and an increase in the number of women holding top posts has shown they are now vital to the success of Thames Valley Police. Women have told the Oxford Mail the police is now an attractive career prospect and
THE Oxford Islamic Information Centre (OIIC) is aiming to raise £10,000 for the victims of the Philippines typhoon through collections at mosques, schools and shops. On Saturday, members held a street collection in Oxford’s city centre and raised
SHE has been making hats for 22 years and has won awards for her creative skills. And now, Lizzie Hurst’s collection of hats and textiles is being exhibited at Woodstock’s Oxfordshire Museum. The 49-year-old professional artist, from North
AWARENESS of food waste will be raised when “disco soup” is created in the centre of Oxford. The Disco Soup movement will be in the city on Thursday cooking up a giant feast from leftovers in Bonn Square. The organisation is asking people to
RESIDENTS are hoping to nurture a “haven of peace and wildlife” in Headington by creating a group to help run and maintain one of its parks. The Friends of Headington Hill Park could run events, fundraise to improve the area and comment on planning
PATROLS are being stepped up after reports of people vandalising historic Port Meadow. Oxford City Council has received reports of “bottle diggers” looking for valuable glassware buried underneath the land. But the area is a site of special
FIVE harvest hampers have been donated by a food store for nursery youngsters to send to their chosen charities. The Midcounties Co-operative Food store in Rose Hill teamed up with children from Co-operative Childcare Rose Hill and invited them
AN ESTATE park is set to turn over a new leaf with the planting of more than 100 trees in a bid to brighten up the area. The saplings will be planted in a corner of the Bonny Banks park in Barton as community leaders move to transform unused green
AN Oxford choir director whose singers starred in the Vicar of Dibley is passing on the torch after 36 years. Michael Smedley, 66, founded Oxford Pro Musica Singers in November 1977. Under his leadership they reached the final of the BBC’s
BUS services in the west of the county are the “absolute minimum” for passengers, according to West Oxfordshire District Council’s leader. His words came after Oxfordshire County Council decided to review services it subsidises around Witney, Woodstock
AS the leader of their scout group, Rachel Burnley means the world to the youngsters of the 2nd Wallingford Scouts. So when she tied the knot at the weekend there was a surprise from her beloved scouts. Twelve of the 10 to 14-year-olds formed
BEER lovers were treated to 28 real ales at the Wantage Beer Festival. The festival, which was in its sixth year, took place at The Civic Hall in Wantage on Friday and Saturday. It was organised by CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) White Horse
POTTERY maker Sean Keefe displayed his “cheerful pottery pieces” at the Blenheim Palace Christmas shopping extravaganza over the weekend. The 55-year-old has been making the pottery for 40 years along with his colleague Dan Moor. Together,
A PROLIFIC thief has found himself back behind bars after being sentenced for his 161st offence. Craig Ralphs, 37, has been sentenced for the 58th time but says he is now beating his battle with drug addiction. He was last week given 24 weeks
POLICE officers from West Oxfordshire's neighbourhood teams are holding a series of have your say meetings over the next few days for residents to raise concerns about crime and antisocial behaviour: Wednesday, November 20: Chipping Norton Leisure
PAST winners of the Oxfordshire Youth Awards opened the nominations for the 2014 awards. Nominations for the awards, now in their fifth year, opened on Friday and close on February 17. Last year’s awards saw more than 250 young people nominated
CHEF Sophie Grigson popped in to teach a fitness class how to eat healthily this Christmas. The Oxford cook hosted the class for the Prime Energy Personal Training club at Kirtlington Village Hall last week. Susie Godfrey, of London, said the
MOVIE lovers are being asked to help out with the final phase of the redevelopment of Oxford’s only independent cinema. The Ultimate Picture Palace in Jeune Street has been undergoing a major £100,000 revamp over the past three years. Owner
SELFIE has been chosen as the word of the year by Oxford University Press’s editors. The term – meaning to take a picture of yourself has increased in usage by 17,000 per cent since this time last year, the Jericho-based firm found. Judy Pearsall
The meeting to determine the future of the People’s Supermarket will take place at 8pm tonight. It is open to members only and will take place in the Old Music Hall, Cowley Road. The Oxford Mail had initially been told by members that the meeting
Thieves have taken an exhaust part from a car parked in Bicester. The catalytic converter was stolen from Tweed Crescent between 2.15pm last Wednesday and 8.10pm on Thursday. Police have urged anyone who saw anything suspicious to call 101.
A man had to be cut free after a three-way crash on the A40 yesterday at Burford. Emergency services were called just before 7.30am to the eastbound carriageway, near the Burford roundabout. The crash involved a transit van, a Vauxhall Astra
Preben Krabben captured his fourth singles title when he saw off Joe Palmer (Kidlington Green SC) in the Greene King ODDA Summer League finals night at Roman Way. In front of a good crowd, the Goodlake Arms player won the opening leg but was then
OXFORD racer Georgina Polden is already planning for next year after a successful first season. Racing an Aprillia RS125 in the Thundersport Superteen Challenge, the 17-year-old finished seventh in the newcomers’ championship. She was also 15th
Oxford Hawks’ junior teams enjoyed a clean sweep in their league and cup games. The under 18 girls beat Bedford Town 1-0 to earn a place in the EH Cup quarter-finals, Laura Scragg converting the crucial penalty flick. The under 18 boys reached
Oxford dished out a lesson in finishing to Wycombe as they ran out 7-1 winners in Division 3A of the South Clubs League at Oxford Brookes. Caro Harris, Sally Whyte and Jill Gordon gave the home side a comfortable cushion at half-time. Kim Haynes
OXFORD Hawks made unbeaten South League Premier 1 leaders Spencer battle hard before going down 2-1 in London. Hawks had a disastrous start when a home forward hit an unstoppable backhand shot to put Spencer ahead after two minutes. For the rest
OXFORDSHIRE SHIELD TWO tries from Jacob Rawlinson helped Wheatley reach the semi-finals with a 45-0 home demolition of Faringdon. Wheatley took control in the opening quarter, especially up front, and led 24-0 by half-time. Jake Durbin,
A MAN who broke into the Mini plant twice and wrote off a brand new vehicle by smashing it into a tree has breached his suspended sentence. Wesley Gilbert, of Owens Road, Cowley, was sentenced in January this year after he admitted aggravated vehicle
A STUDENT is hoping to collect a right royal flush of toilets as she prepares to visit all of the city’s public conveniences in one day. North Oxford gap year student Isobel Sutherland – who denies she is going around the U-bend – is planning to
A deadline for submissions to an independent review of the planning process for the controversial Castle Mill buildings has been extended until Thursday. The student flats were completed and opened without meeting some planning conditions. Anyone
A home in East Oxford was burgled when its front door was left open to dry after being painted. The burglary happened in Alma Place on Friday between 1.30pm and 4pm. A rucksack containing a wallet, bank cards, cash and ID was stolen. Anyone
THE death of a teacher in a crash may have been partly caused by the condition of a recently resurfaced road, an inquest heard. An inquest heard that Kingham Hill School teacher Julie Stodart-Cook crashed into a garage on a country road in Gloucestershire
NATIONAL 2 SOUTH CHINNOR were felled by a late Jake Murphy penalty in a 22-20 defeat at Launceston. The visitors battled back from 11-0 down to lead 20-16 on the hour mark, but could not hold on. Full back Kieron Lewitt kicked Launceston
There is no prospect of release for the Chipping Norton man being held by Russian authorities, despite one of the 30 detained people being bailed yesterday. Russian medic Yekaterina Zaspa was freed on $61,300 bail following a court ruling and is
BARTON residents are being urged to put forward ideas for how Oxford City Council can improve the estate. The council is looking for tenants and residents to contribute to a Local Offer group to look at ways to improve the services the authority
DAVID Cameron has pledged to tackle the “unacceptable level” of noise from RAF Brize Norton. The Prime Minister and Witney MP spoke over concerns about an increase in aircraft noise from the base. It is now a main RAF destination after the
Burglars broke into a house via its roof. The incident happened overnight on Wednesday, November 13, when a tool was used to get through the roof of the home in Woodstock Road, Oxford. Nothing was stolen after a search and the offender left
A WOMAN in her 40s whose car was hit on the Sandy Lane level crossing at Yarnton last week is now being held at the Warneford Hospital in Oxford. The woman from Banbury, whose name is not known, was held under the Mental Health Act following the
BBC Arts Editor Will Gompertz quite literally thought outside the box as he spoke to a sell-out crowd at the Ashmolean Museum about his new book. The lecture was organised as part of the director’s lecture series, which takes place during the third
Oxford University’s Varsity Match preparations step up a notch with their traditional clash against Major Stanley’s XV at Iffley Road tomorrow (3.30). The Dark Blues have just three games remaining before they take on Cambridge University at Twickenham
Pastor Maldonado has admitted to overstepping the mark after exploding and delivering a heat-of-the moment damning indictment on his time with the Grove-based Williams outfit. With his days at the team drawing to a close after informing them he
Amateur jockey Max Kendrick notched his first winner under National Hunt Rules when Wither Yenot scored for Banbury trainer Ben Case at Plumpton yesterday. And the teenager, who hails from Essex, did it by holding off 18-time champion jockey Tony
PARENTS who claim their son was brain-damaged by an infection caught at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital in the 1980s have launched a legal bid for compensation. Paul Kirtland, now 30, was diagnosed with brain damage at five-months-old. His parents
THESE days life is difficult enough and then many of us are diagnosed as having an allergy. After misdiagnosis for nearly 40 years, last year I was accurately diagnosed as having a gluten intolerance. Being a frequent customer of my local Sainsbury
MAY I suggest a slight change in John Power’s use of English (November 13). It is not “despite” but “because” of the Government’s best efforts that the economy is now improving. He also repeatedly suggests that the Government is reducing taxes
JUST a follow-up to David Reed’s comments (November 15). Yes, as a lifelong ‘yellow’, I too am concerned about our home form, but you must realise we’re playing fourth division football, and each side we play is similar – just have a look at the league
I WRITE in response to comments made by Sue Moon (November 14) about our home-to-school transport proposals and to urge people to contribute to the online consultation at: www.oxfordshire.gov. uk/htspconsultation, or attend one of our remaining
Reigning Premiership champions, the Plough (Wolvercote), will be hard pushed to defend their title following events last Thursday night. Matched up against their stablemate and deadliest foe, the Ploughman’s Bunch!, and after having led at the
CHRIS Kamara was among almost 200 golfers who attended the official opening of Oxfordshire’s newest range. The Sky Sports presenteris a friend of PGA professional Geoff Robbins, who owns Heathfield Park Driving Range and Teaching Academy at Bletchingdon
Back in the Middle Ages – or so the story goes – the simmering tension between the townspeople of Oxford and the scholars of the university boiled over into outright violence. The resulting fight ended only when some of the scholars fled almost
WELL done Witney Town Council. May I/we congratulate you all on your ultimate snub to the disabled/elderly over access to Tower Hill cemetery, above. On Monday, November 4, my disabled husband and I visited the cemetery and parked in the one disabled
ALL the powers negotiating with Iran in Geneva are themselves nuclear powers of long standing. The great square in Beijing, China, is named the Square of Heavenly Peace. Perhaps the Chinese are referring to a time in the future when human beings
NATIONAL 1 HENLEY Hawks suffered a third successive defeat in going down 39-24 at Wharfe-dale. Hawks never recovered from trailing 15-0 as the hosts made the most of the wind in the first half. Left wing Josh Prell went over for Wharfedale
Banbury United manager Edwin Stein admitted he expects his players to be a little rusty when they entertain lowly Bedford Town in the Calor League Premier Division tonight, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. It’s been ten days since the Puritans’ last match
AN Oxford independent school has been named as the best co-educational establishment in the country. But state secondary and primary schools in Oxfordshire have failed to make it into league tables showing the top 100 in Britain. Magdalen College
A LORRY driver was killed by a chain which cut through his vehicle “like a cheesewire” because it was not properly secured, a jury has heard. Christopher Watson went on trial yesterday at Oxford Crown Court accused of causing the death of Michael
SOME great news for the city came yesterday with the launch of the third generation of the Mini at the Cowley plant. This new model secures thousands of jobs and the proud tradition of the city as a car manufacturer. The Mini is an icon the
The hire bike scheme in Headington, Oxonbike has come to a halt. It is such a shame as what was essentially a pilot scheme was initially well received and becoming an essential part of some people’s commute. Oxford has waited a long time for a public
SO Bob Price, pictured, does not think that the East-West rail link will benefit Oxford (November 15). Why then has he supported it as a member of the East-West Consortium over many, many years as a project which would do precisely that? Establishing
A 35-YEAR-old man appeared at Oxford Magistates' Court this morning after being charged by detectives from the Operation Bullfinch team. Tilal Ahmed Mahdi, of Friars Street, Hereford, is charged with four offences dated between July 7, 2005 and
There are long tailbacks on the approach to junction 10 of the M40 after three lorries crashed. The vehicles collided at about 8.40am and work is still ongoing to clear the scene, on the A43 at Baynards Green. There were no injuries.
Oxford United are facing an injury crisis ahead of their FA Cup first-round replay at Gateshead tomorrow. The U’s have just nine fully-fit first-team profesionals available, and coach Andy Melville admitted they may be left with a “bench of under
A man has denied causing violent disorder and having an offensive weapon in the Taste of Jamaica takeaway in Cowley. Andre Hurst, 25, of Broad Street, Banbury, denies both offences on July 29, when he is accused of brandishing a chair leg in the
A 35-year-old man was yesterday being questioned by detectives from the Operation Bullfinch team. Police said Tilal Ahmed Mahdi was arrested on suspicion of arranging or facilitating the prostitution or involvement in pornography of a child aged
TOP Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson chose his local bookshop for the only UK signing for the latest in his bestselling series. Mr Clarkson, who lives just outside Chipping Norton, spent an evening signing copies of Is it Really Too Much To Ask at
THE new version of the Mini has already been dubbed a “world beater” by a cabinet minister following its global launch in Oxford. Bosses at parent company BMW were on hand at the Cowley plant as the third generation of the car made its debut in
COUNCIL Tax payers have not lost any money in the collapse of Oxford’s “Boris Bike” scheme, the county council said yesterday. Over the weekend the council said the operator of the OxonBikes programme, Grand Scheme Bike Share, had gone into liquidation
RESIDENTS and campaigners met last night to discuss the controversial redevelopment of the West Way shopping centre. A number of speakers attended the meeting at St Peter and St Paul Church in Botley. They included Jane Baldwin of the Oxford
EMMA Reynolds, the shadow housing minister, breezed into the city and made a bold claim about how Labour would make it easier to address Oxford’s chronic housing shortage. Under a Labour government, she pledged, Oxford City Council would be able
EXTRA powers to help Oxford build homes outside its city boundaries could be on the cards if Labour win in 2015, shadow housing minister Emma Reynolds has claimed. But she refused to be drawn on whether or not her party would force other councils
Oxford Ladies Golf Club are celebrating after clinching a double with victories in the county’s silver and bronze leagues. The feat has not been achieved by any club in Oxfordshire since 1998 and represents a significant strength in depth at all
STEVE Helliwell came out on top in an exclusive field to claim the Pro’s Cup at Frilford Heath. It consisted of the only seven players who had beaten head professional Derek Craik during the year. Helliwell’s nett 70 took the title, three shots
FRILFORD HEATH Men’s Stableford (Blue Course): 1 D Blomley (20) 36pts, 2 D Roberts (17) 30 (cb), 3 J Bickerton (14) 30. Poppy Appeal Stableford (Red Course): 1 J Makepeace (12) 35 (cb), 2 S Mather (8) 35, 3 L White (0) 34. Pro’s Cup final
INSPECTOR Helen Roberts, of Banbury police station, attributed the rising numbers to gradual changes in human resources policies allowing women to work flexibly if they have children. The mum-of-one, who is performance inspector for Cherwell
HANDMADE and recycled crafts were sold to raise money for Oxfam’s Syria Crisis Appeal as part of the One World Fair on Saturday. Among groups taking part in the Town Hall event was BK Luwo, which translates as “living together in harmony, brings
RISING numbers of female officers and an increase in the number of women holding top posts has shown they are now vital to the success of Thames Valley Police. Women have told the Oxford Mail the police is now an attractive career prospect and
PLANS to turn buildings once used by pioneer photographer Henry Taunt into flats have been rejected. Berkeley Homes has been refused permission to convert the empty buildings on the corner of Cowley Road and Reliance Way into 16 homes. A long-standing
Sir – I read the good news that some £70m has been set aside for a new railway station, but could not find any reference to the associated transport hub that the city needs if the station is to satisfy the Government’s “door-to-door” transport policy
Sir – I am not surprised to see your front page article in which Oxford City Council states that it has “limited knowledge about the risk of flooding” (November 7). From my experience of flooding in West Oxford since 2002, during which time we
Sir – In last Thursday’s issue, the lead story was ‘Flood risk unknown’ which reports that Oxford City Council does not know how the Oxpens project will impact on flooding and that a flood-risk assessment should be done. I am surprised that Oxford
Sir – Mark Barrington-Ward has provided a definitive summary of the history of the Christ Church Meadow road and the later proposal for an urban motorway down the railway line linked to car parks at St Ebbes and Gloucester Green (First Person, November
Sir – In recounting my background for November’s Castaway (Oxfordshire Limited Edition), I refrained from naming the person who denied me a Rhodes Scholarship. However, Jesmond Blumenfeld has divulged his identity (Letters, November 7) and has impugned
Sir – I write to reassure residents in the area covered by the proposed CPZ in North Oxford, that the proposals described are draft proposals, subject to amendment. The meeting held on Wednesday, October 30, raised several important issues that
Sir – Every year when the wind blows, we in the shires get power cuts, again and again. (The last one was Saturday, November 2, evening for an hour-and-a-half.) Given that our electricity is conveyed via cables strung atop poles, as in the ‘undeveloped
Sir – People digging for Victorian bottles on the southern end of Port Meadow are once again creating potentially dangerous holes that can break the legs of animals grazing on the meadow and creating ugly piles of broken bottles and pots. The meadow
Sir – At the beginning of this year, the city council commissioned an independent survey from the Retail Group to undertake a detailed assessment of the current state of the Covered Market and to identify a future role and vision for it. They have
Sir – Although it goes against the grain to agree with Christopher Gray, I do agree with him about the future of the former movies (terrible word) rental shop in Walton Street — it should revert to being a house (which would be worth £1.25m). The
Sir – I am writing to let people in the area know about our plans for World Diabetes Day today. The day is held every year to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting, the scientist who jointly first successfully used insulin to treat people with
Sir – Your one-page spread (Mind the Kidlington Gap, November 7) clearly illustrated one aspect of the problems which beset the city and, indeed, the whole central Oxfordshire region as the pressures to accommodate the scale of future population and
Sir – Striking lecturers at Oxford University just don’t appreciate the generosity of their employer — to the highest paid, that is. No fewer than 280 Oxford University staff get £100,000 or more — and so far from being held back by the recession
Sir – We have heard a great deal recently about some of the NHS’s failures. I want to record and express for one of its many small successes. I recently attended the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, for a consultation. I was seen within minutes
Sir – I was fascinated by the Quidditch games in the University Park on Sunday. It would be great if this sport caught on — and managed to remain amateur! David Bradnack, Oxford
Sir – The traders of the Covered Market appear to welcome improvements to the market, with further cafes and shops along Market Street. The Covered Market is a valuable asset to Oxford residents and tourists alike, but in the past I am aware that
Sir – Mr Hadler can rest easy (Letters, October 17). After expressing his fears a few weeks back that he will kill a cyclist, he will now be able to relax. The police have carried out their annual cull of cyclists with no lights. After handing
