FOR most people Christmas Day is spent with family, unwrapping presents in sparkly jumpers and eating too much food. However, December 25 will be very different for those who work over the holiday and are not at home with their loved ones.
THE body found in a disturbed Didcot grave has this afternoon been formally identified as 17-year-old Jayden Parkinson. The teenager had been missing since Tuesday, December 3, until murder detectives unearthed her body in Great Western Cemetery
VOLUNTEERS have been wrapping presents to ensure needy children get a visit from Santa. Staff from Bicester Village worked alongside Bicester Foodbank volunteers to wrap up gifts ready for Christmas. Presents were donated by parishioners at
AN Abingdon pub is on the verge of being sold, another has gone into receivership and Greene King has refused to deny rumours that a third will become a Tesco. The pub giant says it is in a discussion with a potential buyer for the Grapes on High
IT COULD take police six weeks to find out how teenager Jayden Parkinson is believed to have died. Police investigating the 17-year-old’s murder have said toxicology tests could take up to six weeks to provide any answers. It comes as a post-mortem
Oxford entrepreneur and man about town Max Mason, 37, shares his views on love and life... I’ve spent a good few months trying to work out the best way to get us single folk into relationships, and rarely managed to find an easy way through the
I’m not gonna mention cocaine. I won’t talk about a little light throttling over lunch, puns involving the words High and Bonjella (probably) nor ask whether the latest Domestic Goddess cake was baked using flour from the top shelf. But I imagine
This is the last year you can bag a Cliff Richard calendar (sob), but, mocking aside, what’ll Rebecca Moore get her mum now? Hold tight, ladies, I’ve got some sad news. Cliff Richard has annouced that this year he will release his beloved calendar
ONE lane is closed on the A34 Western Bypass near Oxford this afternoon following an accident involving two lorries. The collision happened on the southbound carriageway between the Peartree Interchange and the Botley Interchange. Drivers are
A MAJOR road which closed for a year for a £1m rebuilding project after water damage caused a landslip has reopened. The A4183, which links Oxford and Abingdon, was closed on December 20 last year after subsidence between Hinksey Hill and Bagley
In true festive style, this year’s senior citizen’s film festival ended in Hollywood style with a spectacular screening of Les Miserables. And as has been the case every day this week of the Oxford Mail-sponsored festival, Oxford’s film-loving
WHEN she was six years old, Nina Shead was a motorbike stunt rider. In 1977 her whole family was touring the country as the Mohicaneers, wowing audiences with death-defying leaps and loops. Nina, her two brothers and their three cousins were
MOURNERS have been signing a book of condolences this morning for those wishing to remember Didcot teenager Jayden Parkinson. All Saints’ Church vicar Rev Karen Beck said the book would later be given to Jayden’s family. She said: “We all thought
With Bafta wins and a raft of goodwill, Olivia Colman has had quite a year. She bows out of 2013 with an Oxford author’s eerie yarn that’s perfect for Christmas. Jaine Blackman reports Olivia Colman would like to think she’s good at keeping secrets
If you’re looking to impress, the best things come in small packages. Travel editor Jeremy Smith rounds up the top 10 quick festive getaways Ifyou’ve left your Christmas shopping a bit late, don’t panic! Step away from the socks and give loved
You’ve bought your sprouts from Oxford’s Covered Market, now what are you going to do with them? Jaine Blackman has some advice Christmas dinner is no time for experimenting. The pressure to deliver a tasty meal for all the family can be a bit
Don’t let high heels spoil your night on the town. A department store’s customers have some top tips for saving your soles, as Jaine Blackman discovers Women’s feet start to hurt two hours and 47 minutes into a night out according to research by
If you still think that science is something limited to a lab, I am here to show you the awesomeness of science gifts. This Christmas, “thinking” is the new black! There are so many gifts and toys around for young and old, boys and girls (should
Telly fans have been spoilt for choice this past year, but what will 2014 bring? Jeremy Smith takes a sneak peek at some of the new programmes that we’re all sure to be tuning into The name’s Fleming Before James Bond’s thrilling adventures hit
This is going to be the best Christmas ever!” We’ve all probably said or thought that at one time or another. Sadly, the real thing doesn’t always live up to expectations. For me, the disillusionment has often begun as early as a couple of weeks before
Annette Cunningham looks at the promotion side of Christmas I have always adored Christmas adverts. They just make you feel so utterly, well Christmassy, I guess. They give me that same feeling of complete and utter wellbeing and warmth that
Once branded a marriage wrecker Amanda Holden, who will be signing her autobiography at Burford garden centre tomorrow, tells how she’s finally managed to put years of heartache behind her Amanda Holden breezes into the room in beige sweater and
A Christmas full of kindness and good health is on GP Joe McManners’ wishlist Dear Father Christmas, This week I thought I’d write you my Christmas list letter. Hopefully you’ll get it before Christmas. I’m not sure if the elves will be able to
Continuing on from last week’s article on limiting the damage you can do to your body over the Christmas period, I want to help you get through the days between Christmas and New Year – and stay healthy. Christmas Day is a special day, a day to
Liz Nicholls lets you know what to look out for on the box this Christmas Often the telly schedules over Christmas are a mixed bag of repeats, golden oldies and random rehashes with a handful of sparkly jewels thrown in. Sometimes, the offering
A few sneaky hints may have been revealed about the Downton Abbey Christmas special, but how things turn out for unlucky-in-love Lady Edith is anyone's guess. There is, however, only one person Laura Carmichael would like to kiss under the mistletoe
RE: Botley and ‘competitive’ redevelopment. In your excellent article on the proposed over-development of Botley, Matthew Barber of Vale of White Horse District Council suggests that the city council objects “because of its own retail developments”
A car crash closed a road in Abingdon this morning. Two cars collided on Hamble Drive, on the Peachcroft estate, shortly before 9am, and one woman has been taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The road is now closed while the two
Firefighters were called to an oven fire at Hacketts Bar and Bistro in Witney this morning. An Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service crew was called at 6.12am and put out the fire at the bistro in Witan Way. They left at 6.45am. A fire service
SOME days it can seem like it is the Government versus the rest of us. The man on the street – and the woman, too – often grumbles about what they are up to... even if the people in the corridors of power are trying their very best. But here
IT wouldn’t be stretching a point to say the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come had so far failed to book an appointment with me. This was something uncomfortably new. Try as I might, the Unsworth enthusiasm was flat. Christmas cards remained
FURTHER to your report of the meeting of the county’s Performance Scrutiny Committee (December 17), I must point out that the views I expressed are my own, not those of Oxfordshire Pensioners’ Action Group. After the discussion in Adult Social
THE Oxford Literary Festival, to be held from March 22 to 30, will see major changes in its 18th year. The festival will again feature some of the nation’s favourite authors, leading politicians, historians and journalists speaking in historic
WHEN Joan Waller died in March her family did not want flowers at her funeral. Instead they asked people to make a donation to her local GP practice in Witney to say thank you for caring for her. With the £389 they raised, the Deer Park Medical
CHRISTMAS has come early to those of us Botley residents who do not want to see Doric’s grandiose creation destroy our local shopping area, with the article in Wednesday’s Oxford Mail, ‘City Brands West Way Plan too large and unjustified’. This
I'VE BEEN in the wars and have scars to show from head to toe. After falling in Mayfair and smashing my forehead on house steps that intruded on a footpath and then dropping an RSJ on my foot in Headington, I was recently admitted to Accident and
EVERYONE loves Christmas dinner. Turkey, stuffing, gravy – even the veg. But what about sprouts? They are the ugly duckling of the vegetable world – aren’t they? Well, maybe not, as we reveal today – because farmers are working overtime to get
JOHN Terry, Premier League football millionaire, was recently seen doing some Christmas shopping in Poundland. Perhaps in these times of austerity, we should take a leaf out of his book! JANE REEVE Cowley Road Oxford
PLEASE stop trying to tell your readers that the improvement in reading over the last two years is due to the Reading Campaign supported by this newspaper (Oxford Mail, December 12). There are only a small proportion of students at Key stage one
YOU report that Oxford City Council may install a wood-powered boiler for the Town Hall. Burning wood is now rebranded as ‘biomass’ and is becoming increasingly popular. A cautionary note needs to be sounded. The idea that it is greener
A road near Witney had to be closed for a time this morning after a vehicle left the carriageway. Downs Road in Curbridge was closed after a car left the road between Witney Golf Centre and the A40. Thames Valley Police were called at 6.46am and
OXFORD United are building a reputation for late goals which can have an impact on the opposition, according to Johnny Mullins. The Sky Bet League Two leaders head north today ahead of their clash with York City tomorrow. They do so full of
“IT’S a great opportunity. I think I can be good for Oxford United, and Oxford United can be good for me.” This was the message from Chris Wilder when he was unveiled as the U’s boss on a grey Sunday morning in December 2008. And as he celebrates
CHRIS Wilder’s spell in charge puts him into the top four on the club’s all-time manager’s list and he has no intention of stopping there. The U’s boss is out of contract in the summer, but only this week chairman Ian Lenagan said talks over an
A COMMUNITY was in mourning yesterday after the discovery of a body that police believe is Jayden Parkinson. Friends and strangers laid flowers and left cards outside All Saints’ Church in Didcot where the body was found buried in a grave with
Tributes have been paid by Didcot Girls’ School, where Jayden studied between 2010 and June this year, and the TRAIN youth organisation in Didcot, which she was also involved in. Didcot Girls’ headteacher Rachael Warwick said: “We are deeply sad
SEAN Rigg is out to make up for lost time after recovering from his second hamstring injury of the season. The 25-year-old played the final 25 minutes in Oxford United’s 2-1 win over Dagenham & Redbridge last weekend after three weeks on the
A 24-year-old man charged with aggravated vehicle taking, burglary and theft has appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court. Declan Williamson, of Kingfisher Green, Oxford, appeared on Monday, but the case was adjourned until Monday, December 30.
ANOTHER public consultation meeting over NHS services is due to take place in the new year. A consultation in Wallingford yesterday was planned to be the last but the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group has added an extra date after residents
People have been warned not to tackle chip pan fires after a resident had a lucky escape when he tried to put out a blaze in Watlington. Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service said the fire occurred at an apartment on Tuesday in Old
A 37-year-old man accused of rape is due to appear at Oxford Crown Court on Monday. Zilvinas Ruzgas, of Odessa Road, London, appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 16, after being charged with one count of rape. The charge
More than 500 people attended the funeral of well-known cricketer and footballer Les Hole who died at a quarry last month. Mourners packed the church and churchyard at St Mary’s in Freeland yesterday for the service. Father-of-three Mr Hole
Three men have been bailed after being arrested on suspicion of hare coursing offences. Two men aged 63 and 20 from Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire, and a 40-year-old man from Bellewstown, Country Meath, Ireland, were arrested on suspicion of
WHILE some parts of the country are seeing their Brussels sprout harvest decimated by a feathered foe, Oxfordshire has a bumper crop of brassicas in time for Christmas. Last year, sprout lovers found their favourite festive vegetable in short supply
A TEENAGER has been sentenced to four years in prison over an alley sex attack which a judge said “makes women feel unsafe on the streets of their own city”. Lee Ward was 16 when he dragged the drunk woman into an alley behind the Baby Simple nightclub
CHRIS Allen is hoping Oxford United’s FA Youth Cup tie with Cardiff City next month can be played at the Kassam Stadium. The under 18s claimed one of their best results in years by coming from behind to win 3-1 at Swansea City on Tuesday night.
Didcot Town joint boss Ian Concannon feels the signing of Tom Franklin could help propel them up the table. The former North Leigh and Abingdon United centre back, who has signed from AFC Hinksey, goes straight into the squad for tomorrow’s Calor
A MAN who admitted smacking a 20-month-old boy has been sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work. The 22-year-old – who cannot be named for legal reasons – admitted a charge of cruelty to a boy on January 30. But he denied causing bruising to
MORE two-year-olds will be entitled to free childcare as the Government dishes out more than £5.5m to Oxfordshire parents. It will mean just under 2,000 two-year-olds in the county – 40 per cent – will be entitled to 15 hours of free childcare
CHINNOR have signed Northampton Saints Academy scrum half Lewis Hall on loan ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Dings Crusaders in National 2 South. Head coach Matt Goode used his contacts at Northampton, where he works, to bring Hall down to Kingsey
Oxford City boss Mike Ford has received an early Christmas present after Swindon Town agreed to extend striker Kayden Jackson’s loan spell at Marsh Lane. Jackson, 19, has been in hot form since linking up with City, scoring four goals in just six
The Oxfordshire student who has been missing in Canada for nearly a month searched the internet for hiking trails before he disappeared, it has emerged. Tom Billings, 22, from Boars Hill, was reported missing after he failed to return to his Vancouver
Police are not linking two sex attacks that happened in the space of a week. A woman in her 30s was attacked in an alleyway between Station Road and Cronshaw Close on Monday at about 3.30pm. And a 20-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in
CHRISTIANS from across Oxford are being invited to break bread with the city’s Muslim community today. Dr Taj Hargey, an Imam and the director of the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford, has invited Christians to celebrate the festive period by
Ardley United assistant manager Brian Robinson has been recognised for devoting 60 years to the game by the FA. Robinson, 81, who lives in Chesterton near Bicester, was presented with a long service award. “Robbie” as he is known, came to the
OXFORDSHIRE’S Alex Cook has been selected for England’s team for the Under 15 European Championships in Basel, Switzerland, next year. The 14-year-old, from Chinnor, flies out on February 13 for the tournament in which he will play in the singles
Wantage Town could give a debut to Ben McCready when they host Highmoor Ibis in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division tomorrow. The former Abingdon United midfielder is drafted into a squad missing Jimmy Deabill (ankle injury) and Andy
Older men are most likely to believe video games leads to aggression, a study found. Research by the Oxford Internet Institute at Oxford University found men who did not or almost never, played games were three and a half times more likely to believe
A grandfather died after falling down the stairs holding a glass of wine, an inquest heard yesterday. Retired consultant haematologist Christopher Raper was found lying at the bottom of the stairs at his home in Sunningwell, Abingdon, by his daughter
CHRISTMAS trees are on display again at a 900-year-old church. St Olave’s in Fritwell has been filled with more than 20 trees festooned in decorations to raise money for church repairs. Organiser Pamela Hands said it was the second time the
SIX primary schools in the county, including four rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, could be forced to become sponsored academies after the Government said they were not good enough. The Department for Education (DfE) said the Oxfordshire schools were not
HEADINGTON residents are celebrating after being allowed to keep their traditional red phone box. BT had announced it would be removing the phone box in Old High Street, but by the time residents realised it was too late to appeal. The company
A SCIENTIST who has helped develop a cheaper form of solar power has been named one of the top 10 scientists of the year. Dr Henry Snaith, of the University of Oxford, is the only UK-based scientist to make the list, put together by the international
SAM Heath won the Grade 4 14 & under boys’ singles event at Abingdon’s White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre. Heath, from Botley, came out on top in a tournament which saw four Oxfordshire players reach the semi-finals. Sam Christie (Goring
A 93-YEAR-OLD woman died just days after a fall in a street, an inquest has heard. Joan Gibbs, of Radley Road, Abingdon, was walking past Lloyds Chemist in Bury Street, Abingdon when she fell on the pavement on June 24. The inquest at Oxfordshire
CAUTIONS must not be given to people for serious offences, Banbury MP Sir Tony Baldry told a minister in the Commons. The Conservative told police and criminal justice minister Damian Green on Tuesday: “There are some offences for which the use
OXFORD Sports went top of the Thames Valley Winter League Men’s Premier Division following an 8-0 victory at David Lloyd. They leapfrogged Woodstock, who stuttered to a 5-3 defeat at Portcullis. Oxford Sports moved top of Ladies’ Division 1
A GOVERMENT inspector’s ruling on whether a railway footbridge in Oxford can be demolished is imminent. Peter Rickett, a spokesman for the Planning Inspectorate, said a decision on an appeal regarding Hinksey Bridge, which links South Oxford and
More than 80 people have been hurt, several seriously, after part of the ceiling at London's Apollo Theatre collapsed during a show tonight. The Shaftsbury Avenue theatre was showing a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
