WITH five children to look after, Jodie Frankum needs more support than some mums. And as most of her children have health problems, she and her husband Kevin often have to travel from their home in Didcot to Oxford Children’s Hospital. Son
AIR travellers could soon be able to travel with liquids in their hand luggage, thanks to a bright idea by an Oxfordshire scientist. Prof Pavel Matousek dreamed up the technology at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory at Harwell and now it is in
OXFORD stars put their best foot forward with a sizzling dance competition to raise thousands of pounds for a nursing home. Bringing the glitz and glamour of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing to life on the New Theatre stage, 16 couples wowed judges
I was surprised to see the article in which Jean Fooks helpfully alerted residents to the possible closure of the Godstow Road entry to the Wolvercote roundabout as part of the Northern Gateway transport measures. A local resident views plans
RESIDENTS are being reminded that the deadline for consultation on the redrawing of an ancient boundary in the Wallingford area is the end of May. There are about 200 homes in Winterbrook, currently part of Cholsey, and Wallingford Town Council
More than 1,500 cyclists will hit the road on Sunday to raise money for breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel. The Classic Oxfordshire bike ride will start and finish at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus on Curie Avenue. There will
A thief smashed a car window to steal a laptop, mobile phone and handbag in Boars Hill. The break-in happened at Berkeley Road between 11.25am and 11.45am on Sunday. Anyone with information can contact police on 101.
FORMER Olympian Sir Roger Bannister has called for more competitive sport in schools. The 85-year-old, who lives in North Oxford, was speaking to an audience at Chipping Norton Methodist Church Hall on Saturday as part of the Chipping Norton Literary
A POST office has been labelled as “unfriendly” for disabled people. The former Crown branch in Market Square, Witney, closed last month with its services relocated to a counter at the WHSmith store in the Woolgate Shopping Centre. But disabled
AN OVER-50s football team have already taken on the English and Welsh national senior sides and now they’re hoping to net a hat-trick. The Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) Veterans were beaten 2-1 by England Over-50s in a friendly at Long Hanborough
TWO projects that are set to receive money from the Jubilee Legacy Fund are Cowley-based Porch Steppin’ Stone Centre and 54th Oxford Ansar Scout Group. The Porch Steppin’ Stone Centre, in Magdalen Road, provides low-cost food, showers and laundry
THERE are too many charities in Oxfordshire, according to the Oxfordshire Community Foundation’s (OCF) chief executive Jayne Woodley. The Charity Commission says there are more than 3,000 registered charities in the county, but Ms Woodley believes
At the end of a football season, teams are judged on one thing – success or failure. Success can mean a number of things, such as team improvement, player progression, achieving or beating targets. Failure can be a team declining, players failing
A 19-YEAR-OLD woman has been raped and sexually assaulted on a country track near Watlington. A 30-year-old man is in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault following the incident in Stoney Lane at about 11.30am
BEING Chancellor of Oxford University and holding other commitments is distracting BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten from his job, a group has claimed. A joint letter to Culture Minister Sajid Javid outlined the concerns of the BBC Radio Forum, a
THE winning bid to buy underground toilets in Oxford city centre will be announced in the next few months. St Giles toilets were put up for lease by the city council in February – attracting 14 bids from hopeful buyers. The loos, which opened
THE Cowley Road Carnival might still be a few months away, but the samba beat is already starting to pulse through East Oxford. The Illustrious Sambistas were one of the acts performing at a fundraiser for the carnival at the Ultimate Picture Palace
FOLK Weekend Oxford celebrated its busiest year after thousands descended on the city to revel in traditional performances. Morris men, ceilidh dancers, musicians and singers made Oxford their base for the weekend for a series of different shows
SHE may not be found chasing rabbits in the garden, but 13-year-old Alice Shuttleworth from Bampton will be chasing stardom. The teenager is the star in the Burford School production of a modern take on the Lewis Carroll classic. She is joining
IT frightens me when I read (April 28) that UKIP is gaining ground. I can’t understand how people believe that leaving the European Union will be of benefit to us. Countries like the US and China are a success because of their size when even small
YOU report that the closure of George Street “is likely to cause 10 weeks of traffic disruption” (April 28). If this is the result of closing George Street, why on earth is the county council proposing one day to close it permanently? It will mean
I am writing regarding the demand for allotments and the length of time people must wait to get an allotment. In Oxford Road, Horspath, there is an area of two acres or more of disused allotments, owned by Oxford City Council. These allotments
THE closure of part of a major route through Oxfordshire for seven weeks should be welcomed, it has been claimed. The A420 at Shrivenham has been declared as “worn-out” and “in need of repair” by Oxfordshire County Council. For resurfacing
I WOULD like to thank all those who came to Mini Plant Oxford, last Sunday, to help celebrate the Montego’s 30th birthday. It was good to see each and every one of you. More than 20 Maestros and Montegos attended – a couple were local people who
ON February 17 this year, I was travelling from Reading, via Goring, to Woodcote along the Icknield Road, when I hit a large pothole resulting in two punctured tyres. I applied to Oxfordshire County Council for compensation and received a reply to
I am writing concerning the fact that I think Witney needs a nightclub urgently. What is the sense of sending all of the younger generation to Oxford for a night out, when they could keep all the trade in the town? The taxi drivers are suffering
Two Oxford scientists have gained runners up places at the national FameLab contest. Using Barbie, Action Man and Darth Vader figures, mathematician Jonathan Brooks-Bartlett unpacked his theories in a talk at the competition, which celebrates communicating
HUNDREDS of creative county schoolchildren are to have their work displayed in the galleries at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. Pupils from 46 primary schools in the county sent more than 3,400 entries into an art competition with the theme the natural
Botox, famed for its use by celebrities to stave off wrinkles and keep the Minogues ageless, has become my new best friend. Not because I’m now in my thirties and starting to show the party years, but because its paralysing effects are oddly useful
MARILYN Barnard was proud to show off her husband’s 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air at a car rally near Abingdon. The American sedan is owned by Raymond Barnard, and the couple drove over from their home in Didcot on Sunday to Lodge Hill Garage, Abingdon
GARY Waddock says he has no regrets over becoming Oxford United head coach despite a tough start. Since his appointment last month, the U’s have lost six of their seven games. It has seen them slip from sixth place to missing out on the Sky Bet
FIREFIGHTERS have been called to the M40 after a car caught fire. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the northbound carriageway between junctions six at Watlington and seven at Thame at 8.50am. Lanes one and two are closed.
POLICE have been called to the A4074 near Wallingford this morning after a car hit a deer. Thames Valley Police was called to the scene just north of RAF Benson at 8.26am and found the animal injured and in the road. The RSPCA has been called
A MOTORCYCLIST, an 11-year-old boy and an 84-year-old man were all in hospital yesterday after collisions on the county’s roads. The male biker was airlifted to hospital with non life-threatening injuries following a collision on the A361 Banbury
PATIENTS face being refused free transport to hospital appointments and procedures as part of NHS savings. Managers want to cut pat-ient journeys by up to a third to save up to £325,000 by tightening eligibility criteria of those needing the free
WE welcome the admission from Witney Town Council mayor Peter Dorward that he will not vote to force his democratically elected colleagues to seek written permission before talking to the press. We revealed earlier this month the clause in the
OXFORDSHIRE Clinical Commissioning Group has to listen to the voices urging caution over its plans to save money by ditching thousands of the patient transfer journeys it currently funds. The CCG is under financial pressure and is going to consult
HAILEY Res closed in on the Division 1 title with a 3-2 win against Kingham All Blacks, writes Anthony Barlow. Kristian Collis, with a double, and Steve Holder were on target for the hosts, who moved to within a point of leaders Brize Norton, who
Three East Oxford homes were burgled in 24 hours and laptops were among the items stolen. The first happened in Howard Street overnight between Thursday and Friday when thieves stole keys through the letterbox on a front door. The second happened
A COUNTY councillor stabbed by a pupil when he was a teacher last night appealed for no “knee-jerk” reactions to the death of Ann Maguire in Leeds. The mother-of-two, 61, lost her life after she was stabbed in her classroom at Corpus Christi Catholic
Thirteen cars were damaged in one night in South Oxford and police suspect it was done by a vandal kicking panels on the vehicles. The crimes happened in Norreys Avenue between 9pm on Friday and 1.30am on Saturday. Call police on 101.
A driver has been released without charge by police investigating the death of two-year-old Ellie-May Doran. The youngster died after a collision with a reversing car at Oaks View Park, Upper Arncott, near Bicester, last month. The 49-year-old
ROBERT Brown fired a late winner to boost Chalgrove’s chances of staying up in the Oxfordshire Senior League's Premier Division as visitors Freeland went down 2-1. A Jack Dunmall penalty put Freeland in front, but Calum Clewer equalised with a
A 22-year-old man has appeared in court accused of attacking a police officer with a car. Tabase Ahmed, of Park Road, is charged with attempted grievous bodily harm with intent after a driver reversed their car at an officer in the town earlier
QUEEN Sofia of Spain visited Oxford yesterday to see the work of scholars studying the Spanish language in the city. She visited the Taylorian Institute in St Giles and Exeter College to see Oxford University’s sub-faculty of Spanish. It was
Oxfordshire's Brittany Egden was presented with her England Girls' Under 15 Schools’ cap after the 1-1 draw with Scotland in the TSB Challenge Cup at Pollok FC, Glasgow. The 14-year-old, from Yarnton, who goes to Marlborough School, Woodstock,
Oxfordshire Under 14s put up a terrific display to beat Hampshire 2-0 in the Reed Trophy at Hampshire FA’s headquarters in Basingstoke. Oxon’s defence of Harvey Priddey, Harry Mountford, James Barnett and Tom Carter excelled in a goalless first
Vale of White Horse Under 13s upset Bedford 4-1 in the Oxford United Cup semi-final at Milton United. The visitors, who face Sunderland in the ESFA Inter-Association Trophy final at Reading’s Madejski Stadium on May 21, were blitzed by Vale’s first-half
Oxford City lifted the Oxfordshire Under 16 Cup with a 5-0 win over Kidlington at Thame United. Bicester Town Colts captured the Oxfordshire Under 15 Youth Cup by beating Horspath Youth 2-0 at the same venue.
Abingdon Exiles won 5-4 at Standlake Garage in a thrilling Critchleys Upper Thames Valley League Division 2 clash. Graham Bettles, Alistair Wolfe, Andy Aldington, Pat Clark and Matt Cooke netted for Exiles, with Matt Watson (2), Tim Senior and
OXFORD MAIL GIRLS LEAGUE THE top two will face off in the final of the Under 11 League Cup. League leaders Tower Hill Vixens beat Rotherfield United 6-0 to set up an encounter with second-placed Oxford City, who were 2-0 winners over Carterton
A 14-year-old girl was pestered by a man with learning difficulties until she had sex with him. Owen Froude had tears in his eyes as he was led away yesterday at Oxford Crown Court to begin a three-year prison sentence. The 23-year-old admitted
PAUL Powell hit a hat-trick as Wallingford Town Res were crowned AG Kingham Cup champions with a 7-2 victory over Berinsfield Res at Wantage Town’s Alfredian Park, writes PHIL ANNETS. Martin Dawson (2), Ashley Searle and Richard Knight were also
Murray Nichols netted the winner as Highfield Social Club lifted the Banbury & District Sunday Morning League's Ian Willoughby Cup with a 3-2 victory over Ashton Villa at Bicester Town. The final saw two Bicester teams in opposition for the
2:10pm A woman has been raped on a track near Watlington 10:54am Free hospital travel at risk Work to start soon on 'grand design' project in
The public will not be affected by the forthcoming industrial action, fire officials have said. Strikes are due to take place from noon to 5pm on Friday, from 2pm to 2am on Saturday and from 10am to 3pm on Sunday. A mixture of non-striking full-time
Three of Oxfordshire’s MPs voted in favour of the HS2 plan, which will cut across the edge of north-east Oxfordshire. Nicola Blackwood, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, right, Ed Vaizey, MP for Wantage, and John Howell, MP for Henley, all voted
PLANS to revamp Wallingford’s Regal Centre could cost up to £1.5m. Mayor Bernard Stone says the centre, off St Martin’s Street – a former 1930s cinema used for community activities – is badly in need of repair. The town council is now drawing
BLETCHINGDON survived a huge scare against Riverside to become the first team to retain the Oxfordshire Charity Cup for 36 years. The 2-0 win, in a game involving two Oxfordshire Senior League sides, comes a year after they had lifted the trophy
CHRIS Balfe fired in a dramatic winner as Carterton Rangers lifted the Oxfordshire John Fathers Junior Shield for the first time with a 3-2 victory over Premier Division Charlbury Town. The Witney & District FA Division 2 side had seen their
DIDCOT’S Great Western Park needs improvements to its sewerage system as it is already becoming overloaded, councillors have claimed. Thames Water has had to install tankers at a pumping station near the estate to ensure excess water does not overflow
A couple have completed a 250-mile charity cycle ride to Notre Dame in Paris after having to buy new bikes. Daniel Smith and Carly Heywood, from East Oxford, set off from Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, April 16. Mr Smith, 27, and his partner
RESIDENTS in Marston were disgusted to find sewage seep into their gardens for a fourth time this year. It took barely an hour-and-a-half for Declan Donovan’s garden to be completely flooded with waste water after torrential rain at the weekend
REMEMBRANCE is usually associated with two minutes of silence, but this summer veterans will be recognised with the roar of motorbike engines. Thousands of motorcyclists riding through West Oxfordshire at an event to remember fallen servicemen
AN OLD dog with ruptured cancerous tumours had to be put down after being abandoned and left tied to railings. The bitch, named Lara by RSPCA staff, was tied to railings on a footpath between Cowley Road and Cricket Road last Wednesday, but the
BRAVE Chrislin Bose was first diagnosed with bone cancer in December. But the three year-old tot was all smiles yesterday when the World Cup roadshow visited Oxford’s Children’s Hospital. Former Arsenal and England defender Martin Keown brought
GILES SPORTS WITNEY YOUTH LEAGUE DUCKLINGTON completed the treble with a 2-0 win against Banbury Irish in the final of the Under 13 Knockout Cup at Carterton Town FC on Sunday. A double from Jack Bellenger proved the difference for Ducklington
COMMUTERS are reminded that Oxford’s High Street and Magdalen Bridge will be closed during rush hour tomorrow. Oxfordshire County Council will be closing the roads from 3am to allow the city’s annual May Morning celebrations to take place.
STARS of Inspector Morse spin-off Lewis were back in Oxford yesterday to film scenes for the latest cases in the ITV detective series. Kevin Whately, who plays DI Robbie Lewis and Laurence Fox, who plays his sidekick Det Sgt James Hathaway, were
A NEW developer is now planning to try to build houses on a controversial site in Drayton Road. Homebuilder Taylor Wimpey has bought the land in Drayton Road after fellow developer Hallam Land Management was thwarted last month in its plan to build
A MAN who hid from police in an airing cupboard, but denies possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, has given evidence at his trial. Devon Nelson, of Rose Hill, Oxford, faces four counts of possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent
The 2014 Greene King Oxford & District Summer League season gets under way tonight. Clubs are asked to ensure all result cards are submitted by the following Monday. The Oxford Mail’s exclusive coverage starts next Wednesday.
LONG-AWAITED work on the Rose Hill Community Centre is set to start in just a few months’ time. A £3million facility will replace the existing hub in The Oval, bringing together the social club, advice centre and youth club. The centre, which
A PUB in Wootton-by-Woodstock has been recognised in an awards ceremony. The Killingworth Castle finished runner-up in the North Oxon Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Pub of the Year awards. It is run by Claire and Jim Alexander, who took over
North Leigh took the first step towards a double after winning the Oxford Mail Youth Under 15 League Knockout Cup final. A 2-1 victory over Horspath – their A League title rivals – saw the Millers seal the first of two potential trophies. Horspath
MIKE Stevens, from Abingdon, has been appointed chief executive of London Welsh RFC. Stevens, who is the event services director of Sportsworld, part of TUI Travel PLC based in Wimbledon, takes up his position with the Exiles on May 12. In
HERE’S one music ensemble which doesn’t need much of a fanfare. Abbey Brass Band is taking part in a concert with a local choral society to raise money for charity. The band, which has around 30 players, will be taking part in the show along with
ABINGDON resident Shaun Claridge is set to raise over £4,000 after a gruelling solo-cycle in memory of a school friend. David Bull died of cancer in 2004 aged just 21. Mr Claridge, 31, decided to mark the 10th anniversary of his death by cycling
RUNNERS at next month’s Town and Gown charity run have been asked to dress to impress. Hundreds of people are set to pound the streets of Oxford on Sunday, May 11 to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. And the charity is asking
