Archive

Landlords have been warned that If they do not have a valid licence for their property, they could be prosecuted and fined thousands of pounds. Houses in Multiple Occupation – if more than three separate tenants are living there – require a licence

OXFORD Castle captured the imaginations of these youngsters at half term. On Tuesday, Hope Holloway and brother Connor were among the youngsters who learned about old style crime and punishment and slipped on handcuffs at a special half-term activity

THE curtain went up last night on a racy little number which brought to life Paris in the 1920s. Performed by Oxford University students, it the first time Noel Coward’s Semi-Monde has been staged at the Oxford Playhouse. Audiences can catch

PEOPLE can learn more about dementia and how to live with the condition at a special free event tomorrow. The awareness day is aimed at raising the profile of Oxfordshire’s growing number of dementia sufferers. It has been organised by the 

A DAD whose three-week-old baby was rushed into Oxford Children’s Hospital with breathing difficulties is one of 700 people who have now signed up to run next month’s OX5 Run. Stephen Pilton took Lena, now a happy and healthy 18 months, to the

Researchers at the University of Oxford are investigating a scheme aimed at empowering women. American retail giant Walmart has hired them to examine its Empowering Women Together scheme, which it launched internationally in 2011 to boost female-ran

AN ARTIST who visited Oxford for an exhibition accidentally drove over a rising traffic bollard and was left with a £5,000 car repair bill and bruising on her ribs. Susan Harrison was trying to find the International Art Show at Oxford Town Hall

HELICOPTER crews from RAF Benson have joined in helping flood relief efforts in Oxfordshire. And personnel from RAF Brize Norton have been packing sandbags to keep the flood waters at bay. Puma and Merlin forces supported aid commanders on

THE family of a motorcyclist who crashed into a roundabout following an evening out have paid tribute to “a delightful young man.” An inquest at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court heard that Andres Naveda was travelling in excess of 100mph — double the

SIX-TIME Grammy award-winner Burt Bacharach will be leading the line-up at this year’s Wilderness Festival. The 85-year-old singer and songwriter will perform at the four-day festival along with Jessie Ware, Sam Smith, Metronomy, and London Grammar

DISTRICT councillor Steve Hayward – who now serves his constituents from his new home in Thailand – has been nominated by the satirical magazine Private Eye for its Brass-Necked Councillor of the Year award. The West Oxfordshire District Council

FOUR vehicles are thought to have been involved in a collision on the A34. The incident occurred this evening near Kidlington between Bicester Road and the Kidlington Road and has resulted in one lane being closed and a build-up of traffic in the

A SACKED Blockbuster employee stole a games console on his last day at work. Adam Carter, 22, of Wolage Drive, Wantage, admitted one count of theft by an employee on March 22 last year from the store in Market Place. Naomi Perry, prosecuting

I’VE got news for Russell Brand, pictured, voting does matter and the next elections we have a chance to vote in are a perfect example of this. The British voters have a simple choice on May 22 in a European parliament election that is fast becoming

A GROUP has been set up in Charlbury to promote children’s interest in nature. Little Wild Things will hold woodland sessions for pre-school children to inspire youngsters to enjoy the outdoors. The not-for-profit business is the brainchild

Yesterday, the Oxford Mail reported on the “tough” inspection expected by hospital boss Sir Jonathan Michael of county hospitals next week. Health reporter Oliver Evans spoke to him about the challenges facing Oxfordshire’s hospitals authority, Oxford

TWO people have been taken to hospital after a Land Rover went into a hedge on the A415. The accident, which also involved a grey Citroen C5, happened shortly before 1.50pm near Cokethorpe Wood, south of Ducklington. Police, fire and ambulance

ONE of Oxford’s most famous literary giants hated fame so much, he sometimes wished he hadn’t written any books at all. The revelation by Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, came in a letter written in 1891 and is set

TEN years ago a dream of a hospice that supported young adults was realised. A decade on, Douglas House has helped hundreds of people aged 16 to 35 who live with life-shortening conditions. Today guests, families, staff and volunteers will mark

A FORMER headmistress of Oxford independent girls’ school Wychwood School has died aged 98. Johanne Schuller held the position from 1973 to 1981 and oversaw a prosperous period for the school. She also worked for the Oxford and Cambridge Examination

A MAN claims he saw a fireball falling from the sky in Oxfordshire. Alexandre Legris, 41, was driving from Banbury to Woodstock with his 16-year-old son Isaac when he saw the object descending over Deddington Hill last Friday at about 6.30pm.

AN earthquake in the South West this afternoon was likely to have been felt in Oxfordshire, an expert has said. The 4.1 magnitude tremor occurred at 1.21pm for several seconds at a depth of 5km in the Bristol channel; about 10 miles north of Ilfracombe

Take a look at the top 5 stories from this week's Guide section   Meet 73 year old actor Christopher Timothy ahead of his performance in Dial M For Murder at the Oxford Playhouse Tim Hughes talks to Steve Mac, frontman of the

SHEEP and chilli sauce may seem a strange mixture, but farmer Ian Paxton believes he has found the perfect combination. His flock of 200 breeding ewes at Church Hanborough is currently sheltering under polytunnels. But when the sheep go outside

THE Cowley Mini plant is looking to fill eight new positions on a new graduate recruitment programme. Applicants from a variety of backgrounds from engineering and finance to business and IT are being urged to apply for the two-year programme which

TOM Hanney has been appointed as the new manager of the Bicester Innovation Centre. A former student at Oxford Brookes University, Mr Hanney was formerly a general manager at the health club chain LA Fitness. He said: “I’m looking forward to

Bosses at hi-tech manufacturer Oxford Instruments have revealed sales had fallen in the last quarter of 2013. But in a trading update, they remained bullish about the future, predicting a strong performance in February and March despite “underperformance

Richard Wilson learns about the unique vision of the company behind a stage revival coming to Wantage and Didcot The tale of a small-town girl who comes to the Big Apple in search of her fortune is coming to stages in Wantage and Didcot. Fresh

I write this, dear reader, having just come back from a trip down to Devon for a few days’ holiday. Following a hectic couple of months, it’s safe to say that both I and Mrs Luxford were a bit burned out. Thus, we decided to head to a friend’s

Well, as we approach the last leg of the first quarter of the year 2014 I can safely say that I have stuck to my new year’s resolution of giving up quitting. The obligatory ‘must lose weight’ resolution isn’t worth the paper its written on, especially

Katherine MacAlister talks to the cast of Ghost the Musical which ends its tour in Oxford When Ghost finally hits Oxford, it will be the end of the road for the touring musical. So the cast, who have been singing and dancing their socks off around

Angus Henderson discusses his visit to the new restaurant opposite Jamie's Italian in Oxford Q: Where did you go? A: Cleaver in Oxford, the new restaurant opposite Jamie’s where Fire & Stone used to be. Q: What did you think? A: Very

* The Milkshed in Weston-On-The Green has just announced it’s next pop-up supper night. The date is Saturday, March 22, and the evening is priced at £38 including corkage because it’s also BYO. Expect crispy stuffed olives, slow cooked pork and

AS a student in Poland, Yolanta Gill took part in demonstrations supporting the freedom of her country from Communism. Living in Warsaw in the 1980s, her parents belonged to the Solidarity union which would eventually forge the democratisation

THREE people have now been arrested after drugs police raided a west Oxford home and newsagents this morning. The Henry Road house and Supa Sava shop in Botley Road were searched by officers with a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act shortly

Katherine MacAlister discovers dosas, vadas and idlies are on the menu at an eaterie that’s had a total makeover The packed interior said it all. On a wet, windy Thursday, when even the ducks were struggling, and everyone was scurrying indoors

The Unicorn Inn's manager Chris Brewster talks about a long road from fantasy to reality Johnny and I shared the same dream – as many in Oxfordshire – we aspired to take over a pub and transform it into a bustling, successful inn at the heart of

EDWARD SNOWDEN, the American now living in Russia after releasing thousands of secret National Security Agency documents, sent a four-minute video message to the Oxford Union last night as part of the Sam Adams Award ceremony hailing Chelsea Manning

THREE AND A HALF STARS Semi-Monde is a dark horse in the stable of Noël Coward plays. Written in 1926, the play wasn’t performed at all until 1977, and didn’t reach the West End until 2001. One reason for this neglect isn’t hard to find – many

Q I have a contact order in my favour but the mother of my children is not abiding by it. Is there anything I can do? A In children matters, when an enforceable order is in place and that order is broken, you can apply to the court to enforce it

The Mystery Chef reveals the recipe for his Atomic Firehouse Chilli Con Carne My name can never be revealed. I was trained as a chef in a top secret government facility and sent out to the corporate high street restaurants. I promptly escaped from

Marc West finds out what it is like to be a model contender for Oxford Fashion Week Beauty, it is said, is in the eye of the beholder. Well, on this occasion, mine was under the close scrutiny of four pairs. Lining up in skimpy clothing alongside

From first hearing his one-day heroes in the bath to leading one of the best Pink Floyd tributes, Steve Mac is still just a fan at heart. Tim Hughes reports The sound is unmistakable, the lyrics familiar and the lights, effects and lasers dazzling

It’s a busy time for Eliza And The Bear as they hit the road with other acts but ensure there is no headlining hierachy, reports Tim Hughes Okay, so none of them are called Eliza – and there’s certainly no bear. But don’t let that bother you

At 73, actor Christopher Timothy could be forgiven for taking it easy. Nothing could be further from the truth as Katherine MacAlister finds out Christopher Timothy is still hard at it. About to open in Hitchcock classic Dial M For Murder, he’s

Nick Hilton on why he will soon be dead to this wonderful city Coventry is an interesting city. According to a set of facts that we looked up on the 45-minute train journey, it can pride itself on being the first city in England to twin with a

Robert Lind on why you might have something worth patenting National newspapers have this week been commenting on figures published by the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO), which shows the number of UK-originating patent applications for

Former Cherwell School pupil Tom Bateman is set to play William Shakespeare, writes Christopher Gray Tom Bateman was giving fine accounts of himself in a number of Shakespearian roles while he was still a pupil at Oxford’s Cherwell School. Now

Christopher Gray talks about the Cotswold Brewing Company Throughout my adult life I have been disposed to admire those inclined to organise what the common man is pleased to call — invariably where a lack of organisation is concerned — “a p***

Reg Little talks to John Lloyd, the creator of Blackadder, QI and Spitting Image So here is a question for John Lloyd, the creator of such television classics as Spitting Image, Blackadder and the hugely successful panel game quiz show QI.

Grant Nightingale on a tale of a woman's life near the First World War battlefields A few weeks before the Great War started in August 1914, Mildred Aldrich, a US-born journalist, and resident of Paris since 1898, retired to a house in a village

INSPIRED by the city of dreaming spires, an Oxford University author has been shortlisted for one of the most prestigious children’s book awards. Katherine Rundell is in the running to win the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2014 for her novel

OXFORD Adam Wilson, 30, of no fixed address, admitted possession of Class B drug cannabis in Bicester on September 24. Fined £100, a £20 victims’ surcharge, and £85 costs. Lauren Hughes, 21, of Hazeldene Close, Eynsham admitted possession of

IT CAME from the loo and built a nest in the sofa after gnawing through the kitchen door. Dr Anne Kiltie, 49, was shocked to discover that a rat had climbed round the u-bend of her toilet and out into her downstairs bathroom. The clinical oncologist

Christopher Gray enjoys an excursion to a revitalised Cotswold pub via a local brewery... Ever one for killing two birds with one stone — sorry dickies! — I was eagerly compliant when Cotswold Brewing Company boss Rick Keene followed up his invitation

Helen Peacocke talks to the brains behind Samuelsons of Witney When Jonathan Luker lost his job in the IT security industry a couple of years ago, he decided he wasn’t going to work for another company again. Instead he would go it alone. He

Val Bourne reckons her garden simply wouldn't be complete without the charming sweet pea If there’s one plant I can’t possibly do without it’s the sweet pea. I always have a row or two close to the vegetables and, although I rarely pick flowers

Marley Taylor Ward – who performs as Young Spide – made this video tribute to his friend Connor Tremble outside the Oxford flat where he was stabbed last week. The 17-year-old from Kidlington said Connor, also 17, was a fan of the grime and hip

While floods bring misery Liam Creedon says wet weather is wonderful for ducks The prolonged spell of wild weather, battering Britain with storm after storm, means the winter of 2013/14 will live long in the memory. Parts of the coastline have

Damon Smith slams Akiva Goldman's movie as a mess Love never dies. Nor do stories of good versus evil, screenwriters with a burning desire to sit in the director’s chair or high-profile actors with a dubious ear for Oirish accents. We are treated

Giles Woodforde previews the stage version of a hit movie using the latest in digital technology Seeing the hi-tech musical Ghost, I was reminded of a scene outside Oxford’s New Theatre many years ago. A mother and her daughter were looking at

Friends Jane Comyn and Ruthie Watson teamed up more than a decade ago to source antique French furniture and sell it. But during a trip to a flea market in Provence, they came across some beautiful, hand-crafted Marseilles soap and added a few

David Bellan talks to Claire Thompson, organiser of Dancin’ Oxford, which is promising dance activity all around the city For the first years of its existence, Dancin’ Oxford’s events were spread out over a month. Last year they short-ened it down

David Bellan watches a show that is ablaze with glamour This is a brash, in-yer-face show that stars Brendan Cole and Aliona Vilani, well-known for their many appearances on Strictly Come Dancing. Brendan took the delightful Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Such fun we forget the plot's so flimsy - Christopher Gray is transported back to the halcyon days of church youth clubs Sexy Sue announces to a prospective date that she is free on Saturday night, which prompts some waggish (and ungentlemanly)

MAY I reply to the letter about Bomber Command in your issue of January 2? I am sorry to be so tardy but as I do not live in Oxford, I do not always see your paper. I appreciate what Laurie Woods, DFC and Jim Wright, DFC say but I am not alone

THE pothole problem in Oxford is so simple to sort out but while we have Rodney Rose and Ian Hudspeth in charge making feeble excuses, the situation will remain. They are costing the taxpaying public hundreds of thousands of pounds. Scrimping on

I am writing concerning the story (Cyclist jumping red light hits brain surgery student, February 11). It is astonishing that the chairwoman of Oxford Pedestrians’ Association, of all people, should attempt to justify a cyclist injuring a pedestrian

I read the article about the West Way development and was once again dismayed by a term Mr Hilcox repeats like a mantra: ‘We have had talks with....... They have been positive about our plans.’ The community in Botley is learning fast that this

COUNTY council leader and Conservative councillor Ian Hudspeth is clearly taking a leaf out of the book of his party’s national leadership. He and sidekick Arash Fatemian, the cabinet member for finance, put the finishing touches to the county council

Brian Taylor from Woodstock took this photograph of the cascades at Blenheim in full flow after weeks of record rainfall

I was wondering if any readers could help trace an elderly couple from Banbury? On Wednesday last week my daughter was travelling back from Durham, when she found herself stuck in Leamington Spa due to trains being stopped because of the weather

SO our vacillating Prime Minister has said that “money is no object” while the indomitable Mr Eric Pickles confirms that the UK is the fourth or fifth richest country in the world. Why then are the poor, disadvantaged, physically and mentally disabled

AS a resident of Priory Road I write of the failings of litter picking in the general area of Minchery Farm over the recent Christmas period. From the first week of December to the second week of January we had no service at all. A neighbour counted

THE giant hedgehog used to highlight the launch of David Attenborough’s new show, Natural Curiosities, is just amazing (February 17). There was also a report produced for the launch which revealed that a quarter of Brits have never seen a hedgehog.

Looking at the broad range of elegantly carved bowls, dishes and pieces of art that Richard Shock produces gives no clue as to the background of their creator. In fact Richard Shock has only been a full-time wood-turner for the last nine years

Giles Woodforde attends a production starring Robert Lindsay and Rufus Hound ‘Everything is ripe for the picking,” exclaims Lawrence Jameson gleefully. He has taken up residence at Beaumont-sur-Mer, a classy French Riviera resort, and is keen to

Nicola Lisle talks to Merton College Choir conductor Benjamin Nicholas about an ‘extra special’ gala concert When Merton College wanted to put on a special concert to mark its 750th anniversary, it didn’t take long to choose The Dream of Gerontius

Christopher Gray witnesses a collaboration between stage and screen In an important first for English National Opera, the company has teamed up with Altive Media for a live relay on Sunday of its hugely acclaimed production of Benjamin Britten’

Folk singer Sam Lee tells Tim Hughes of his research into long-lost songs and tales There can’t be much left to say about the Great War, can there? We know about the mud and carnage suffered by those in the trenches; about the grand folly of their

Anne James views some interesting pieces displayed at Churchill Hospital Painters Jonathan Moss and Claudia Figueiredo are showing 41 pieces of their work at the Churchill Hospital. They describe their work as ‘primarily landscape’ and their approach

Theresa Thompson on one of history’s most inventive artists Vibrant colour and instinctive line mark out the work of Paul Klee (1879-1940). The Swiss-born artist who famously liked to ‘take a line on a walk…’, a radical figure in European modernism

Polly Cole, Interim Director of Oxford Playhouse, explains the efforts made to deliver arts education to young people A cross the city many of your favourite cultural venues are in the process of applying to the Arts Council England for the next

FEATHERED friends flocked to the Sutton Courtenay Environmental Educational Centre yesterday. Visitors were greeted by the team from the Wheatley Birds of Prey centre who brought along a kestrel and barn owl. Callum Tredgett, six,  from Sutton

Katherine MacAlister talks to Big Issue founder and regular Oxford Union speaker John Bird John Bird is a complex character by his own admission, with a life story to make your hair curl. But instead of allowing a childhood blighted by abuse to

ALMOST 40 jobs are to be axed at the Oxford offices of British Gas. Bosses at the energy giant, which employs more than 600 workers at its business division on Oxford Business Park, said 39 roles were being made redundant as a result of new back

Independent shops are declining, particularly in Oxford with the rise of the Internet and the dominance of big names on the high street. But reputation still counts for a lot and can mean the difference when it comes to surviving in retail these

Angela Cousins, 76, author of Telling Tales, a compilation of interviews with fellow residents of East and West Hanney, has written a new book about her aunt's Edwardian childhood. Kids From Over the Water (£12.99) is based on the memoirs of her aunt

No one said being a bio-entrepreneur would be easy. Raising sufficient finance to get started may be the first major hurdle, but finding suitable, affordable and fully-fitted premises is much harder than many realise. This is underlined by the

The phrase ‘one of the boys’ has particular meaning for Phyllis Barron. The mother of two is one of just two female engineers out of the 40-strong team employed at Begbroke-based music technology firm Solid State Logic. She said: “I have always

Buckets of blood and a severed head. These are just two of the tools of the trade that actor Alexander Rain keeps in his Witney flat, although he does not consider their presence unusual. As everyone knows, actors, even those who are clearly going

A SPECIALIST plastics firm has unveiled a new £7m manufacturing and distribution centre. Essentra has constructed a new facility covering more than 37,000 sq ft as part of a major development of its European headquarters in Langford Locks, Kidlington

In Spain recently, photographs from Racing Santander’s cup match against Real Sociedad, which showed the home team’s players linking arms on the half way line, suggested the game had gone to a penalty shoot-out. In fact Santander’s footballers,

A CHEF who shattered his ankle jumping from his burning home has called for the arsonist to be caught and jailed. James Maguire spent two weeks in hospital after escaping the blaze in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, last month. He was one of five people

AS FAR as omens go, a scruffy 1-0 win in the East End did little to suggest it would set Oxford United on the way to a record. But Alfie Potter’s winner in the drizzle at Dagenham last April kicked off an unbeaten run which stretched for 16 games

Forget about e-commerce. The latest battleground is m-commerce, with software giants, telecoms groups and banks all competing to make it easy and safe for us to pay for goods using a mobile phone. Oxford professor Bill Roscoe has spent more than

Foot-tapping music from the early 20th century is proving a hit for Past Perfect, an Oxfordshire company specialising in restoring records from the 1920s to the 1950s. Past Perfect was founded more 20 years ago in Launton by local musician Michael

If you want to know what the word 'lexicography' means, what would you do? If you have a smartphone or computer, these days you ‘Google it’, rather than reaching for the dictionary. So what does that mean for the dictionaries business of Oxford University

Sarah Willingham, of Lets Save Some Money, answers our questions What was your first job and what did your responsibilities include? Apart from the £1.81 I earned delivering 101 newspapers, after university I went to work for Planet Hollywood

A device that started out as the legs of a nano-robot could soon be used by millions of patients around the world to calculate the correct dose for their Warfarin medication if the ambitious plans of chief operating officer, Jim Thurlow, and his team

Sheep and chilli sauce may seem a strange mixture, but farmer Ian Paxton (pictured) believes he has found the perfect combination. His flock of 200 breeding ewes at Church Hanborough is currently sheltering under three polytunnels. But when the

It was a dream come true when Hazel and Damian Brant signed the lease to set up a tile showroom at Grove Technology Park. But soon after, she discovered she was pregnant with her fourth child — and medical problems meant she spent the next three

The irony of having failed a French O-Level at school is not lost on Jane Cranston. As financial director of Botley-based wine company Stevens Garnier, she now speaks the language fluently and visits the Loire frequently. The transformation came

A few weeks before the Great War started in August 1914, Mildred Aldrich, a US-born journalist, and resident of Paris since 1898, retired to a house in a village on the River Marne, directly in the path taken a few months later by the invading German

SERIAL sex offender Clinton Townsend was told he had stuck “two fingers up to the law” by a judge who jailed him for five years yesterday. The former boxer, 20, of Field Assarts, near Witney, was convicted of twice having sex with a 15-year-old

MORE than 100 people across the county have tried to make a killing by selling phones and other devices to cash in on a new craze. The iPhone app Flappy Bird was pulled from the App Store this month by its Vietnamese creator Dong Nguyen, who said

OXFORD: A 46-year-old man suffered a broken arm after he was beaten with a spirit level in a supermarket car park. The man was involved in an argument with another man in the Lidl car park in Watlington Road on February 7 between 6.15pm and 6.30pm

Harry Potter star Emma Watson, pictured, was taken ill while filming for the film Noah after drinking stagnant water. The actor, who went to the Dragon School in Oxford, is reported to have said she was left “tired and delirious” from dehydration

WHO had even heard of Flappy Birds a few weeks ago? Its rise to prominence has been as dramatic as, no doubt, will be its eventual slide into obscurity. The game, which can be played on devices such as iPhones, has been withdrawn from the market

The inquest into the death of a six-year-old boy who was injured in a road collision has been opened and adjourned. Jayden Nash, of Marlborough Close, Faringdon, was injured in a collision with a white Audi Q5 at about 8.20am on February 5 in Faringdon

UNIVERSITY boat crews have now been unable to train on the River Thames between Osney and Iffley Locks for more than 60 days. Oxford University Rowing Club uses a flag system to warn boating crews of the river flow speeds. Red flag status means

FOUR prison officers from Bullingdon Prison, near Bicester, yesterday went on trial accused of falsifying records to cover up the alleged assault of a prisoner. They are all charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice over the incident

THE experiences of people struggling to find work are revealed in Dario Sanz Padilla’s new photography exhibition at the Jam Factory in Oxford. The Spanish photographer’s exhibition Relocation is inspired by the people he meets on the streets and

Oxford Ladies won back the Inter-Area 5-a-side Pro Plumb Shield at Didcot Conservative Club, writes PETE EWINS. They captured the crown by topping the group with 12 points after beating Reading (8), Witney (7) and Wycombe (3). Wallingford A

Bicester B were crowned the Banbury Indoor League triples champions with victory over Deddington A. Kevin Powney, Karl Budd and Billy Atwell won two legs to defeat Darren Cave, Steve Walton, Steve Arthurs in the final. The Worzel won the George

Winger Josh Deegan scored two tries as Banbury Bulls charged out of the blocks to beat visitors Grove 27-11 in their delayed Oxfordshire Cup quarter-final. The hosts never looked back after going 15-0 up in as many minutes of Tuesday’s clash and

OXFORD: A 21-year-old man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a shooting in Blackbird Leys has been bailed again by detectives. The Oxford man has been on police bail since a woman suffered a gunshot wound in Crowberry Road on July

OXFORDSHIRE County Council is refusing to say if it is concerned about its services after the death of a second vulnerable teenager living in its supported housing. Connor Tremble, 17, who had been under the authority’s care since December 2012

Katherine Hawes skipped two Oxford & District sides through to the English Indoor Bowling Association’s national finals, but missed out in the singles in agonising fashion. She teamed up with Carole Galletly to brush aside skip Shirley Page

Bicester's David Kuester claimed two gold medals at the VAC Indoor Championships at Lee Valley. He won the shot put (8.91m) and long jump (3.21m) in the 65-70 age group on Sunday. A day earlier, he won the 70+ age group title at the WTC Heavyweight

James Bolton won the Vet 40 title at the Bramley 20-mile. The Woodstock Harrier crossed the line in 1hr 56mins 7secs for an overall ninth-place finish. Bolton was more than five minutes ahead of his nearest rival in his category. OTHER

The Four Nations Chess League rules stipulate that where there are 80 points or more between players in the same team, the higher rated player must play above his team mate. Because of this rule and his high rating (2407) relative to his team mates

Last year 784 young people in Oxfordshire aged six to 18 wanted to join Scouting — but unfortunately they had to be turned away. Girls and boys from around the county couldn’t access the vast range of activities, including camping, rock climbing

8:32am There are still flood warnings in place in the county and wet weather is expected today. But the situation continues to ease off. 8:16am Commuters heading

Always a source of good ideas, Italian Cinema London has launched the ItalianDocsOnline Festival #IDO14 to provide a free, interactive showcase for the pick of the recent documentaries produced across Italy. Touching upon a range of social, political

The National Film Theatre is currently hosting a season devoted to the unsung French director Claude Sautet and his 1960 gangster saga, Classe Tous Risques, has been given a general release to help promote a programme that reveals the fabled script

GRAFFITI usually involves the scrawling of crude messages or ‘tags’ on to walls and motorway bridges. But a Summertown spray-painter is taking a different approach by using lines from literature on hoardings surrounding a housing development.

DARRAN Brown and his wife Julie needed somewhere to store family heirlooms and other treasures when their home got a bit cluttered. They rented a garage from Sanctuary Housing and, really, that should have been that. But something went wrong and

A COUPLE claim their rented garage was given away to new tenants by a housing association and prized family possessions then dumped. Darran Brown, who lives with his wife Julie and daughters Ellie and Laura in Windrush Valley Road, Witney, fears

Oxford City Stars threw away a 3-0 lead as they crashed to a 5-3 defeat at home to Bristol Pitbulls in the English National League South Division 2 Cup. It leaves Stars needing to beat Slough Jets this weekend to maintain their hopes of clinching

Police want to speak to these men and women in connection with purse thefts in Kidlington. The CCTV images of the two men and two women were released yesterday, following thefts in High Street shops Martins Newsagents on November 9 and Sobell House

The prosecution’s case in the trial of a clubber accused of raping a 24-year-old man with learning difficulties at Oxford railway station is due to conclude today. Daniel Allen, of Fleetham Gardens, Reading, is on trial at Oxford Crown Court charged

THE PROSECUTION of scrap metal workers by police has been a waste of taxpayers’ money, the firm’s solicitor has said. Two workers from Nuneham Courtenay firm TR Rogers and Sons have had their names cleared on appeal after they were convicted in

Didcot's Ben Watson, who has strong hopes of challenging for a medal at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, says that he owes his success in weightlifting to the school which first introduced him to the sport. Watson first took up weightlifting

Ben Watson is hoping to fulfil a lifelong ambition in Glasgow this summer after rising to become one of the leading young weightlifters in the country. The 23-year-old, from Didcot, is among the hopefuls looking to represent England at the Commonwealth

OXFORD City Council approved its budget for 2014-15 at a special meeting held at the Town Hall last night. The budget was passed after more than three hours of debate and three alternative financial plans were defeated when put to the vote.

OXFORD’S political leaders say they have held “very constructive” talks with Downing Street officials about a proposed £123m flood relief channel for the city. Rodney Rose, deputy leader of Oxfordshire County Council, Bob Price, leader of Oxford

FLOOD response equipment has been removed from Abingdon Road and Botley Road in Oxford. The fire and rescue service yesterday withdrew the high-volume pumps stationed on the two routes. They have now been moved to a holding area at Rewley Road

TWO second-half goals condemned Banbury United to a 3-1 defeat away to high-riding Cambridge City in last night’s Calor League Premier Division fixture. The home side went ahead on 20 minutes via Tom Ryan own goal, but Anderson Pinto squared it

OXFORD City Council has been given £17,000 by the Government to explore the idea of a city-wide heat network. The study would look at the possibility of creating a network that could supply heat to a number of buildings or homes from a central

A CONCERT to mark this year’s centenary of the First World War will use folk songs and stories from wartime Witney. English folk singer Sam Lee will perform on Sunday night at Cogges Manor Farm Museum in Church Lane, using material put forward

Ardley United reached the quarter-finals of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup and a trip to North Leigh after a 2-1 win over Oxford City Nomads at Marsh Lane last night as the third-round tie was completed at the eighth attempt. Ardley went ahead through

A COUPLE who found a medal belonging to a First World War veteran are now trying to return it to its rightful owner. William Gale and Kayleigh Gollop, who used to live in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, hope to track down the owner of an Allied Victory