Oxford United's FA Cup replay at Gateshead has been called off. Heavy rain waterlogged areas of the playing surface and ground staff were working to try and clear these areas, with rain still falling. However, officials decided there was no
AROUND 400 homes are without power this evening as engineers work to repair a fault in Abingdon. A spokesman for Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution said workers are in Turner Road, Abingdon, replacing fuses in a transformer to try
Trophies, medals and international honours are some of the things every professional would like to achieve during his football career. There is also a part in every pro that would love to secure club legend, terrace favourite or cult hero status
OXFORDSHIRE’S growing elderly population is set to soar in the next 20 years with the number of over-85s rising by 168 per cent between 2011 and 2035, from 14,683 to 39,400. But with our health service and welfare system already stretched, the
Police officers have been called to Beaumont Street following an assault outside the Randolph Hotel. Thames Valley Police officers were called to the scene along with South Central Ambulance Service staff at around 4.50pm. Paramedics are currently
A BICESTER estate will get extra attention from council cleaning teams next week. Cherwell District Council will carry out extra duties in King’s End from Monday to Friday. The work will include removing fly-tipping, graffiti and dog mess.
Win one of 5 £100 All4One Gift Cards! Get friends and family a gift they’ll love this Christmas with the One4all multi-store gift card. It can be spent at 17,000 retailers throughout the UK, meaning your loved ones will be spoilt for choice this
Looking to discover the true magic of Christmas this year? Well look no further, as the Oxford Mail has teamed up with Notcutts Garden Centre to offer you the chance to win an incredible in-store Christmas shopping experience. We are giving away
Win Co-op Vouchers! The Christmas countdown has begun, and with it the usual stresses of organising the shopping, decorating, cooking and gift wrapping to name just a few. But don’t fret, The Midcounties Co-operative is here to help with a £500
I am writing to support the firefighters’ plea for a pension at the age of 55. It is common sense that they need to be fit for their job and this cannot extend to the age of 60. They saved my life in 1997 and I doubt if a 60-year-old could have
SO Nissan, the car maker, has hinted that if the UK leaves the EU, Nissan will reconsider its position in the UK. Japan has a similar history with China as we have with Europe, so would Nissan consider it a good idea for Japan to give China the
RECENTLY, I was watching the programme Watchdog. One item was complaints regarding postal and parcel deliveries. Several companies were mentioned, including Yodel. I have nothing but praise for my recent delivery from Yodel. The driver went into my
WHAT an ‘inverted pyramid of piffle’ Doric are speaking. They say they ‘want to give Botley the High Street it never had’ and then propose a large supermarket, cinema, underground car park and 600 student flats. Doesn’t look like any high street I
THIS is the time of the year with all the leaves on the ground when a welcome sight would be to see a road sweeper with his barrow, broom and shovel, picking up the leaves as they used to in the good old days and the job was done properly. Sadly not
WHAT an excellent, probing interview by your journalist, Freddie Whittaker, of the Local Government Minister, Eric Pickles (pictured). From the answers the minister gave in the recorded interview, it seems that he simply doesn’t have any idea of
ON November 1 you published a news feature about the Covered Market by Cllr Colin Cook. The intention was to publicise a report into the market’s future and invite people’s views, although no information was given about how to do this. An attempt
THESE giants are hoping this year’s panto in Chipping Norton will be an enormous success. Jack and the Giant, by Ben Crocker, opened at The Theatre yesterday and runs until Sunday, January 12. The panto tells the classic story of a boy and
A TRADER has criticised the relocation by clothes store New Look from one side of Abingdon’s precinct to the other as a “publicity stunt”. It comes after the retailer switched from its previous unit to new, larger premises on the opposite side
GENERAL entry to next year’s Blenheim Palace Triathlon has sold out in just nine weeks, more than three times faster than in previous years. But the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research event on June 7 and 8 still has charity places available.
Two expensive rings were stolen from a city centre jewellers. The thief snatched the rings from Ernest Jones Jewellers in Clarendon Centre while posing as a customer at about 10.20am last Wednesday. Police described the thief as black, more than
WORKMEN at Osney Weir in West Oxford were bridging the gap yesterday. As part of the renovations at the lock and weir, the Environment Agency has installed a temporary bridge. This will allow walkers to stroll down the Thames Path while work
A SKILLS course is helping people’s wellbeing, thanks to mental health charity Mind. The Abingdon branch is running a four-week course to make Christmas decorations as part of its Mend At Mind programme. Among those taking part was Diana Matthews
THE majority of residents living near a controversial A40 junction have called for a pedestrian crossing to improve safety. The gap in the London Road from the Risinghurst estate has been blocked off since May last year for an 18-month trial following
PUB regulars will be testing their grey matter to raise enough money for a life-saving heart defibrillator. Lona Fedorowicz, 48, landlady of the Prince of Wales in Church Way, Iffley, wants to install it on the front of the pub after her 92-year-old
Watlington Town have undergone a remarkable transformation in little over a year – from perennial Oxfordshire Senior League strugglers to one of the most vibrant local football clubs in the county, writes MATT BRUCE. Originally founded in 1887,
COUNCILLORS are calling for a better relationship between Oxford City Council and Covered Market traders. In a motion backed by Lib Dem, Green and Labour councillors, Lib Dem councillor Jim Campbell will call for the council to address a ‘lack
Ducklington stay top of the Witbney & District FA Premier Division after a 5-2 home thrashing of Witney Royals. Jack Morton scored twice with Ryan Colleton, Joe Crocker and ex-Royal, Jamie Kennedy also scoring. Alex Coleman and Steve Green
A 28-year-old man was headbutted by a motorist in a driving dispute. The assault happened at about 9am on Friday in Park End Street. Police are seeking information on the attacker, who they say is a white man in his 40s with short, grey hair
Three Oxfordshire players have made the south west squad – the next stage to England Under 18 selection. Banbury Under 18 pair Alex Caviezel Cox and Doug Backhouse are in the 22-man party, along with Abingdon School’s Mike Dewar. Meanwhile,
DOMINIC Lawless scored his seventh goal in as many games as Banbury United made it three successive wins in the Calor League Premier Divison with a 3-0 victory over Bedford Town at Spencer Stadium. All the goals came in the first half. Albi
Dorchester took advantage of Ardington’s cup exploits to leapfrog them at the top of North Berks League Division 1. They thumped Crowmarsh Gifford 7-2, with Ben Curtis, Bradley Cox and Josh Nicholls each bagging a brace alongside a Charlie Jamieson
OXFORD CITY FA ELLIS Horwood hit a hat-trick as Masons Arms won 6-3 at struggling Fairview. Jordan Veal, Sean Adepeeba and Ryan Drackett also netted, with Sid Mobbs and Jack Merrill replying for the hosts. Goals from Mark Boaler, Ricky
A NEW centre to help protect vulnerable children is set to be opened next year in the wake of the Bullfinch inquiry. Social workers, police officers and health workers could sit side-by-side in the new centre, which is expected to be based in Oxford
PLANS to redevelop the West Way shopping centre in Botley have been described as “nuclear” by an agent working for the Co-op. Steven Sensecall was addressing a meeting of action group West Way Community Concern at St Peter and St Paul Church on
BERKS&BUCKS JUNIOR TROPHY WALLINGFORD Cross Keys suffered penalty shoot-out agony at the hands of Thatcham Athletico after holding the hosts to a 2-2 draw in regular time. However, it was the Newbury Sunday League side who eventually went
A GRANDMOTHER who collapsed while she was on the toilet died of natural causes, an inquest heard yesterday. Louise Pratt, 54, was found on her bathroom floor by her son David Pratt at her home in Somerville, Didcot, on June 13. The inquest
Two men have been charged after a brawl in Cowley Road in September. Shohab Doger, 19, of Tawney Street, Oxford, was charged with using threatening, abusive, insulting words, or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke unlawful violence
A Second World War tank has been loaned to the makers of the latest Brad Pitt, pictured, movie, which is being filmed in the village of Shirburn. The Tiger 131, from the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, is the only one of its kind in the world
MORE than £7,500 has been donated by residents and shoppers in Didcot and Chipping Norton for the emergency boxes for victims of the Philippines typhoon. The collection in Didcot’s Orchard Centre and Didcot’s Tesco on Saturday and Sunday raised
A PENSIONER left homeless by her swindling son has donated £50 she won on premium bonds to victims of the typhoon disaster in the Philippines. Bicester’s Margaret Butler, 96, said: “There is always someone worse off than you.” She lost everything
OXFORDSHIRE SENIOR CUP MARK Gaul fired a second-half winner as Bletchingdon saw off visitors Stonesfield 3-2 to reach the third round. Gaul completed his brace to seal a tie, which was poised 2-2 at half-time. Bletchingdon led 2-0 thanks
Eleven jobs are set to go with the closure of two Blockbuster stores in the county. The Didcot store in Broadway and the Abingdon store in Peachcroft Shopping Centre are among 72 Blockbuster outlets to be closed in the country, with 452 job losses
The prosecution is due to open its case today in the trial of two men arrested when police raided an Oxfordshire scrap metal yard. Both men deny charges of attempting to acquire and convert criminal property after police raided Smiths of Bloxham
WHEN Margaret Butler was swindled by her son, she was left homeless and, in the final years of her life, in a desperate situation. As a result, she would have been well within her rights to have formed a very low opinion of humanity. But, in
ST EDMUNDS staged an impressive comeback to earn their first Under 12 A League win of the season, beating Horspath 3-2. The visitors led 2-0 at the break through Adam Darch and Saltan Dousa. But a second-half brace from Ruben Boodell and another
A CYCLIST told a judge he committed a public order offence because he was angry at being knocked off his bike by a bus. Robert Lee, of Champion Way, Littlemore, Oxford, admitted using threatening abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly
JUST a handful of residents took up the opportunity to see for the first time what their tower blocks could look like when they are transformed. Oxford City Council revealed four designs for Plowman Tower in Northway as part of the consultation
OXFORD University will use two matches in six days to zero in on their Varsity Match squad. The Dark Blues host the Major Stanley’s XV today, followed by Sydney University on Monday. After that, they have only one more match – at Ealing on
Gary Brown has moved his training operation to Henrietta Knight’s West Lockinge yard, near Wantage, while building work takes place at Tony McCoy’s Upper Lambourn stables. The 47-year-old has been based at the 18-time champion jockey’s Lodge Down
Mid Oxon bowed out of the ESFA Under 15 PlayStation Inter Association Trophy with a 3-1 defeat by Southampton in the third round at Marlborough School, Woodstock. Southampton took the lead after 22 minutes when Sam Woodward fired home a shot from
GILES SPORTS WITNEY YOUTH LEAGUE Dan Baldwin smashed a six-timer in Banbury Irish’s 7-0 home win over Stonesfield Strikers in the Under 10 White League. Dan Nutt completed their tally. Luke Kelly bagged a brace as Charlbury Town Youth beat
OXFORD MAIL GIRLS LEAGUE Megan Jonston scored twice as Stonesfield Strikers inflicted a first defeat of the season on under 13 leaders Tower Hill Vixens with a 4-2 home win. Jonston opened the scoring, only for Tower to equalise against the
WHENEVER I meet people concerned about our campaign to ban smoking in cars carrying children, it is usually for four main reasons, writes Dr Penny Woods, chief executive of the British Lung Association. Firstly, is passive smoke really that harmful
DEVENNEY CUP&CRITCHLEYS UTV LEAGUE ROUND-UP JOE Murphy struck four times as Long Wittenham reached the third round of the Devenney Cup. The away side saw off Checkendon Exiles 8-4 in a thrilling encounter. Ashley Wilcox scored twice
OXFORDSHIRE SENIOR LEAGUE GARY Wiggins and Danny Burrows both scored hat-tricks as Kidlington Old Boys hammered Division 1 basement side Enstone 10-0. Hosts Kidlington led 4-0 at half-time, thanks to Wiggins (2) and Burrows (2). The pair
COUNTY health officials have accused the Government of getting its numbers wrong after it said Oxfordshire had cancelled more operations than anywhere else in England. NHS England has published statistics in a bid to show how well hospitals are
Brittany Egden (Marlborough School, Woodstock) came through the latest selection stage for the England Schools’ Under 15 girls squad. The 14-year-old, from Yarnton, has been selected to play for an England Schools’ FA XI against an FA Elite Performance
Wallingford triumphed 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out at home to Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Academy (Lewisham) in the ESFA Under 14 PlayStation Open Schools’ Cup third round. The tie finished 2-2 at the end of normal time, with Tom Morris and an own
Tower Hill Ladies progressed through to the second round of the Oxfordshire Women’s Cup with an unconvincing 2-1 victory at Benson Lionesses. Tower Hill struggled to get their passing game going and squandered numerous chances in front of goal.
A CRANE operator has given evidence about the moment he found the body of a lorry driver killed when a chain sliced through his cabin. Christopher Watson is on trial at Oxford Crown Court accused of causing the death of Michael Stringer by dangerous
A man who admitted four firearms offences following a 12-hour stand-off with police in Kidlington has had his sentencing date changed. Daniel Rodriguez, 38, has admitted possession of a firearm at the time of committing an offence on July 9, possession
FORMER tennis star “Tiger” Tim Henman zipped in to open a £64,000 playground in Combe yesterday. Mr Henman officially opened the new-look Combe Play Park in Park Road, which now offers a zip-wire, four-metre rope climbing frame, sandpit, wooden
IT MIGHT look like visitors to Magdalen Road Studios would need an umbrella but there is nothing in this show to dampen the spirits. The East Oxford art studio is hosting work by artist Jeannie Driver, who created these strips from leaflets which
STAFF at Oxford, Witney and Banbury’s main post offices are due to strike from 2.30pm today. The post offices at St Aldate’s, Witney’s Market Square and Banbury’s High Street will be affected by the Communication Workers Union strikes. The
INCREASED charges for filming, advertising on council property and websites are part of a bid to net up to £2.8m for County Hall. The county council’s income generation cabinet advisory group has announced it expects to find ways of making a minimum
A SECONDARY school rated outstanding by Ofsted just three years ago has been put into special measures after GCSE results slipped for three years in a row. Wood Green School in Witney was inspected last month and judged to be inadequate in three
OXFORDSHIRE’S health bosses have called on the county’s residents to suggest innovative ways of tackling the demographic and financial problems they are facing. It came at the first public meeting held by the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning
SCOTT Davies is fired up to get Oxford United through in the FA Cup replay at Gateshead tonight and make up for an error which almost set up a shock in the first game. The midfielder gave the ball away cheaply, leading to Jamie Chandler putting
ANDREW Clark will be feeling very embarrassed today. As a PCSO, he was a pillar of the community. His job was, it goes without saying, to uphold the law. In that sense, by stealing from a supermarket, he has obviously failed. And, as his lawyer
A POLICE community support officer must pay almost £400 after he stole a chicken curry from a supermarket near the police station where he worked. Andrew Clark, 25, was wearing his PCSO uniform when he swiped a chicken Madras curry, two bottles
SPECIALIST nurses are hoping to raise awareness about pressure ulcers, also known as bed sores or pressure sores. Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust’s community tissue viability team provides specialist advice and support to Oxfordshire healthcare
OXFORD-based Member of the European Parliament Catherine Bearder has welcomed the launch of the new Mini. The city-built third generation version of the iconic car, a more fuel efficient, model, was launched on Monday. Liberal Democrat Mrs Bearder
WITH the colder evenings drawing in residents might want to know how energy efficient their homes are. And Rose Hill residents will soon be able to find out by signing up to a new campaign from the Rose Hill and Iffley Low Carbon Group. Members
CONTROVERSIAL plans for 200 homes south west of Faringdon should be approved next week, a council planning officer has said. Vale of White Horse District Council’s Peter Brampton has urged councillors to approve the scheme on Wednesday. The
ASA Hall is frustrated he will be unable to ease Oxford United’s selection problems for the visit to GatesheadCHARD. The U’s will struggle to fill the bench for the first round replay tonight night due to an injury pile-up. Hall is fully fit
JIM Leivers, the head of children's services at Oxfordshire County Council, speaks to Freddie Whittaker about a proposed new centre to help protect vulnerable children. It follows the Bullfinch scandal in which six young girls were abused by a
