Our deputy picture editor Richard Cave takes his pick of the week’s best photographs and tells us why he reckons they make the grade Sometimes the photographer is in the right place at the right time, with a camera around his neck. True, everyone
WHEN you think of solar panels, a few pieces of glass on a neighbour’s roof usually springs to mind. But acres of land are being covered by panels. Now the Oxfordshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England wants councils to draw up a policy
MORE free identity tags have been issued to dog owners in the Cherwell District Council area this year. During 2013/2014, Cherwell District Council issued 865 identity tags for dogs, up from 562 the previous year. In November last year the
A MEMBER of the team working on plans to set a new World Land Speed Record will visit Sibford School next week. Tony Parraman, of the Bloodhound SCC Engineering Team, will be speaking about the project and the challenges of creating a car capable
A MULTI-MILLION pound grant will allow a school to operate from two sites instead of three. The £3.5m government grant will pay for a new 13-classroom block so King Alfred’s Academy can move from three sites to two. The Educational Funding
A WOMAN who was taken to hospital after a collision with a fire engine has died. The 79-year-old woman was fatally injured in the crash, which happened on Cowley Road yesterday. Emergency services were called to the incident, which involved
TENNIS courts in Witney are finally being resurfaced after a six-year wait. Witney Lawn Tennis Club has complained to its landlord Witney Town Council over the state of its courts at West Witney Sports Ground since 2007. Club chairman Chris
Club captain Matt Corker is desperate for more play-off glory as London Welsh prepare to face Leeds Carnegie tomorrow (12.45). The 31-year-old lock was part of the Welsh team that beat Cornish Pirates in the 2012 final at Oxford’s Kassam Stadium
NATHAN Trevett says it is time for London Welsh’s front row to impose themselves on Leeds Carnegie after too often playing second fiddle. The loose-head prop has been a mainstay of Welsh’s scrum, which has generally been on top this season.
LONDON Welsh must show why they had the league’s best defence when they host Leeds Carnegie at Oxford’s Kassam Stadium tomorrow. That is the message from captain Tom May as they seek to overturn a 38-31 first leg deficit. Welsh conceded 348
IT can’t have been much fun being a friar back in the 1530s when Henry VIII insisted on the Dissolution of the Monasteries. But the Greyfriars are a hardy bunch and now, five centuries after being forced to flee, they are coming back to Cowley.
JUSTIN Burnell has made six changes for the crunch play-off semi-final, second leg against Leeds Carnegie. The Exiles need to overturn a seven-point gap following last Sunday’s 38-31 defeat in Yorkshire. Burnell, Welsh’s head coach, brings
THE investment of £8m by Oxfordshire County Council to tackle the issue of child sexual exploitation is a firm indication that the local authority is determined to stamp out such appalling crimes. Recently the council has had to make millions of
Police have now appealed for information after a burglar climbed over a fence and broke a back door lock to steal jewellery from a Cowley home. The break-in happened in Hollow Way on Friday last week between 2pm and 4.15pm. Call police on 101
A woman seen riding a white horse close to the scene of an alleged rape is being sought by police. Thames Valley Police want to speak to her following a report of a rape of a woman, 19, in Stoney Lane between Clare and Little Haseley at about 11.30am
A judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of a man who failed to turn up to court for his sentencing. Judge Patrick Eccles ordered the bench warrant for James Staley, 35, who was due to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court yesterday. Staley, of
A 28-year-old man has been released without charge after he was held on suspicion of stealing a Rolex watch. The watch was taken in a tea shop in High Street during a private sale in March. The suspect from Witney answered bail on May 2 and
A retired architect died from side-effects of his chemotherapy, an inquest heard. Retired architect Frank Holgate, 67, of Chipping Norton, died at Oxford’s Churchill Hospital on November 25. His doctor, David Church, told the inquest at Oxfordshire
POLICE have appealed for information after a 28 year-old woman went missing on Sunday. Manjit Kaur was last seen at around 6pm in Augustine Way, Oxford, wearing a gold coloured suit. She is 5ft 7in, slim, has long, straight black hair and is
THE company behind a controversial £100m development in Botley has signed an agreement with a construction company. Doric has signed an agreement with Mace to redevelop the West Way shopping centre. A planning application has been submitted to
Eynsham’s Dave Messenger boosted his title hopes by finishing third in his class in the Alfa Romeo Championship fourth round at Donington Park, Leicestershire. Having finished fifth in the Class E third round earlier on, Messenger stepped up on
MIKE Stevens is promising fans a new experience when they watch London Welsh tomorrow. Stevens, who joined Welsh as chief executive on Monday, has been spearheading their off-field push for the play-off clash with Leeds Carnegie. The club launched
A WOMAN was fighting for her life last night after a collision with a fire engine as she crossed Cowley Road in Oxford. The area, between Shelley Road and Howard Street, was closed in both directions following the collision. An eye-witness,
MORE than £8m from Oxfordshire County Council has been spent so far in tackling child sexual exploitation, it emerged yesterday. Council leader Ian Hudspeth, said his authority had increased the amount of money it has been spending to tackle child
OXFORD MAIL reporter Ben Wilkinson has won a national award for his work on Operation Bullfinch. Ben was named Daily Reporter of the year at the 2014 Regional Press Awards yesterday. Our crime reporter covered the whole of Operation Bullfinch
A COLLISION between two lorries and a van caused long delays on the A34 northbound yesterday morning. The northbound carriageway at Weston-on-the-Green was closed from 10.30am until about 1pm, with tailbacks stretching south back to Botley.
THEY fled the city almost 500 years ago during the English Reformation. But this summer, after centuries away, the Greyfriars will finally return to Oxford. The Conventual Catholic friars are to settle in All Saints Convent, Cowley, in the
WINDRUSH Valley’s Nathan Hall was crowned Home Counties junior champion for the second successive year. Hall, 14, who moved up to the 54-57kg weight category, saw off Reading’s Callum Duckett at Aylesbury with a display of disciplined boxing and
BICESTER light welterweight Daza Usher says he can’t wait for tonight, when he takes on Mitch Buckland in Cardiff. But he admits he faces a difficult fight against southpaw Buckland. “He is a very tough opponent,” said Usher. “Buckland
Oxford women made a flying start to life in the restructed ECB Midlands League with a four-wicket win over Astwood Bank (Redditch) at Roman Way. Charley (4-7) and Ellie Noble (3-4) sent the visitors crashing to 65 all out in the Division 2 clash
IT is normally pints of semi-skimmed that milkman dole out. But for John Millington, it’s blood that really is his speciality. For almost 40 years he has been popping down to sessions to donate his blood. Now, the Dairy Crest milkman is celebrating
KARL Bushell lifted the Oxford Mail Cup after being crowned men’s singles champion in the Oxford & District Association’s Invitation Tournament at Kidlington Forum. Bushell, who last captured the trophy five years ago, beat Pawel Jaskolski
WALLINGFORD’S Tony Wheeler helped England win a veterans’ tournament after achieving a dream by playing for his country. Wheeler, who has represented Oxfordshire for almost 40 years, got the call-up to play for England in the Masters Home International
KNOWN for his bright purple hair and fetching checked trousers, Humpty was once one of the stars of children’s telly. And now the iconic doll from Playschool is expected to fetch four figures at an auction in Oxford. The 53cm-high egg-shaped
CYCLISTS will soon be able to whizz along the Winnaway after a new scheme was approved. The scheme aims to encourage people to use two wheels to get between Harwell village and the Harwell campus. Oxfordshire County Council’s transport cabinet
Two homes in the same Barton street were raided by a burglar within two hours. Cash and jewellery were stolen in the Cranley Road break-ins on Tuesday between 10.30am and midday. Our top stories:
A MAN has been given a community sentence after he admitted possessing cocaine. Benjamin Oates was yesterday sentenced for possessing the drug on July 21, last year, to which he pleaded guilty, at Oxford Crown Court. The 21-year-old of Pooles
THEY’RE two-and-a-half metres long now but they’re only 20 years old and they still have a lot of growing to do. Three Saltwater crocodiles, the largest living reptiles on earth, are the newest arrivals at Witney’s Crocodiles of the World. Males
A KARATE instructor has taken the stand and vehemently denied sexual assault and sexual abuse charges against two teenage girls. Darren Lymer, of Anson Close, Marcham, near Abingdon, denies two counts of having sexual activity with a child and
PUPILS from the Manor School, Abingdon, became National Schools’ Under 10 biathlon champions at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, while their under 11 team finished runners-up. Fourteen girls, aged from under ten to 11, joined 1,600 school
BEEHIVE AC’s SP Courier Cup match at an out-of-sorts Frobury Farm produced more than its fair share of incidents. The fish were getting ready to spawn, so bites were hard to come by, while strong gusts of wind played havoc with presentation.
TWO former members of the Pathfinders Youth Canoe Club in Abingdon will be taking part in one of the sport’s toughest races next Sunday. Chyavan Rees, from East Hendred, near Wantage, will be heading to the Scottish Highlands alongside Thomas Leonard
Eddie Pepperell is hoping his resurgence in form will continue this weekend to stay in contention for the Spanish Open title tomorrow. The Frilford Heath golfer held the lead after a four-under-par 68 in the first round in Girona, and took advantage
Hedges in Minster Lovell were set on fire by picknickers enjoying a disposable barbecue. Fire officers were called out to the ruins at Minster Lovell after 3pm yesterday. Our top stories:
Kingham Hill were bang on target to triumph at the National Schools’ Championship Clay Shooting Competition. The team of Charlie Bryant, Benjamin Taylor, Neil Taylor, Samuel Osborne, Archie Fox and Joshua Goddard triumphed at the EJ Churchill Shooting
Oxfordshire Under 13s’ Sophie Mitchelmore (4-2) and Georgia Haworth (4-8) shot out Northants for 14 to secure a 72-run victory in their ECB Under 13 League Group 2 match at Old Grammarians, Wellingborough. Earlier, Oxon reached 86-8 in their 35
Abingdon Vale’s Ruth Delany won a hat-trick of golds at the Wycombe Level 3 Sprint Meet. The 14-year-old triumphed in the 100m breaststroke, 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly. She spearheaded Abingdon’s charge to 13 gold medals. ABINGDON
STUDENTS have called for Benjamin Sullivan to be replaced as he returned to his duties as president of the Oxford Union after being arrested on suspicion of rape and attempted rape. He has not been charged with any offence. Since Mr Sullivan
THERE was standing room only at a Bicester church as friends, family and schoolchildren gathered to say goodbye to Victoria Dyer. Hundreds of people gathered at St Edburg’s Church wearing a splash of pink in honour of the 13-year-old. Victoria
A nine-year-old boy with cerebral palsy got a surprise treat when Downtown Abbey star Joanne Froggatt visited him yesterday. Thomaz Lusby-Roberts was ‘beaming’ when the actress stopped at the John Radcliffe Hospital to join the children’s musical
TELEPHONE scammers are targeting small and vulnerable businesses by pretending to be Thames Valley Police, it has been warned. Crooks are posing as people selling editorial space in a magazine for former emergency services staff. They lure
Oxfordshire's Bradley Smith says he is determined to put on a show in tomorrow’s French Grand Prix after finishing fourth in yesterday’s practice sessions. The Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider completed a fantastic first day at Le Mans to become the
THE Earth Trust charity is marking the completion of the first phase of its River of Life project. The charity is creating a new wetland nature reserve along a 2.5km stretch of the River Thames at Shillingford, near Wallingford. Following the
PLANS to replace a former pub in Bicester with a care home have been turned down on appeal by a planning inspector. London-based Liborate Limited wanted to demolish the now-closed Centurion pub for a new 53-bed care home for dementia patients.
A CHARITY football match in Barton that attracted hundreds of people and raised £1,900 is to become an annual event. Organised by Louise Gomersaul, Sandra Lygo, Natasha Partlett and Mandy Ayres, the game pitted two teams of mums in fancy-dress
Ben Ling hammered an unbeaten 64 to set Abingdon on the way to a 113-run victory over Cherwell (Oxford) in the ECB Under 14 Trophy. RESULTS OXON UNDER 17 CUP Cheney 49 (S Hazelgrove 3-7, L Dick 3-15), Wood Green 50-3. ESCA UNDER 15
Chipping Norton opener Jamie King hit his maiden half century to set up a 64-run victory over Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts in League A of the ECB Under 15 National Club Championship. King’s unbeatem 51, with good support from Danny Molyneux
Jade Saunders led the way with five golds as City of Oxford continued their excellent form in the Wycombe Level 3 Sprint Meet. She touched home first in the 16 years’ 50m and 100m backstroke, 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle.
RISINGHURST businesses are campaigning for speed bumps to be installed after a car collided with a child. Tattoo parlour Oxford Ink is calling for Oxfordshire County Council to put in the speed calming measures on The Roundway after a boy was hurt
A 20-YEAR-OLD Bicester man and cannabis user hanged himself after arguing with his girlfriend, who was in his home at the time, a court heard. The couple exchanged angry text messages in the two-storey home just before Aaron Edwards killed himself
URBAN dancers are going from hip hop to hop scotch by hosting a performance to raise money for playground equipment for disabled children. The Raw Diva dance company are putting on a charity show on Saturday, May 24 to collect funds for Mabel Prichard
