Archive

  • It’s all so cool, dude

    CHILDREN in Kidlington dressed up as hippies to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their primary school. Pupils at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School took part in themed events based on the 60s throughout the day and cut a cake before enjoying

  • Art works at paintings auction

    ARTWORK of the city’s dreaming spires was auctioned off by school pupils. Year 6 children at Windmill Primary School created the canvas which was shown to parents on Friday. The school raised £73 for the Year 6 end-of-year project from the

  • Samba sessions get children on the beat

    WOOD Farm Primary schoolchildren got their chance to dance to the beat by performing with a samba band. The band, Bloco Olofi, arrived from Brighton to run sessions in teaching the children how to play the traditional Brazilian music. Alex

  • School pupils encounter creator of a genius hamster

    CHILDREN at two Abingdon primary schools got a treat when one of their favourite authors paid them a visit. Australian writer Dave Lowe, creator of My Hamster is a Genius, dropped in on Carswell and Thomas Reade Primary School pupils on Thursday

  • From Downing Street to trenches of Flanders

    AS THIS year’s centenary of the First World War loomed, staff at the Bodleian Library realised they had a duty to mark the anniversary. With so many archive resources at their disposal, they were in a great position to examine how people in the

  • Paving reprieve for Woodstock community garden

    PLANS to bulldoze a communal garden and pave over it have been shelved after residents claimed they were only told about it days before work was due to start. Cottsway Housing Association made the U-turn after the Oxford Mail highlighted opposition

  • Passengers give their verdict on Oxfordshire's rail services

    PASSENGERS on the county's three rail operators have given their verdict on each service. The annual National Rail Passenger Survey was released today from the independent consumer organisation Passenger Focus. A total of 1,146 Chiltern Railways

  • Keeping the streets safe for summer's foreign visitors

    OXFORD’S annual crackdown on muggings to protect foreign students is now under way. Thames Valley Police launched Operation Buzzard for the fifth year running on Monday to make sure that the high numbers of tourists and language students visiting

  • Two vehicle crash closes A4260 Banbury Road

    THE A4260 is currently blocked in both directions because of a crash. Two vehicles were involved in the incident between Canal Road and Upper Campsfield Road. It is believed the collision was between a car and a motocycle and took place near

  • It must be advertised that events are cash only

    THE Blenheim Flower Show (June 20-June 22) was ok as shows go. Unfortunately, there were a minimum number of exhibitors who accepted credit cards. This also included the restaurant, where you could get a three-course meal, but only if you had advance

  • I hope that closing lane makes a real difference

    RADCLIFFE Square is the hub of tourist Oxford as it is the hub of the University. Tourists are often attracted out of it along a pleasant traffic-free path, Brasenose Lane, which leads them imperceptibly to the Covered Market and thence into other

  • Developing site better than some other options

    IT seems incredible that the planning policies which have guided the development of Oxford since the 1970s should be cast aside on the questionable housing projections of the SHMA, supported by the non-elected, business-dominated, Local Enterprise

  • Roundabout ‘castle’ feature not a hazard

    I AM writing concerning the article (June 18) about safety fears voiced over the ‘castle’ roundabout. What a lot of negative input, to begin with. Thank goodness for Ros Lester’s much more positive thoughts and comments. The parks staff obviously

  • Try to be considerate to others at the Phoenix

    WOULD those who attend the live theatre transmissions at the Phoenix please be in their places before the beginning of the whole programme, not just before the play itself? Would they please keep quiet during the introductory talks and interviews

  • OxVox 'cautious' over Oxford United takeover rumours

    OXFORD United’s supporters’ trust have expressed ‘caution’ over the news that a consortium involving Mark Ashton is understood to be interested in taking over the football club. The former West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper has previously been chief

  • Parish counts cost of park graffiti

    VANDALS have daubed metre-high graffiti on children’s play equipment at an Oxford park. The letters ZUZ were sprayed in grey paint on the climbing frame, basketball frame and building at Mortimer Hall Recreation Ground, in Oxford Road, Marston.

  • A holiday that was not what I had in mind...

    DESPITE the warm days and nights we have experienced recently, many of us just can’t resist the urge for guaranteed sunshine and a bit of yummy foreign food. Finding holiday places to stay is a constant headache for us wheelchair users. It really

  • Five men arrested after vehicle stolen in South Hinksey

    FIVE men have been arrested on suspicion of stealing a vehicle from South Hinksey. Three men, aged 70, 31 and 54 were arrested on June 17 and have been bailed until August 13. Another two men, aged 29 and 30, were arrested on June 20 and have

  • ATHLETICS: I almost quit, admits Lawrence Clarke

    LAWRENCE Clarke has revealed he considered quitting athletics as injuries took their toll. The 24-year-old sprint hurdler, from Christmas Common, near Watlington, experienced the highs of the sport when finishing fourth at the London 2012 Olympics

  • Police fear 10 girls were victims of a child sex ring

    MORE than 10 girls may have been victims of an organised child sex ring disrupted by police in Banbury. Six men were last night in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of serious sex crimes against vulnerable girls. Thames Valley

  • Jayden’s killer is accused of highly controlling behaviour

    THE man who killed Jayden Parkinson after she told him she was pregnant has a history of abusive and violent relationships, a jury has heard. Ben Blakeley – who denies murdering the 17-year-old – was accused of punching, kicking and trying to strangle

  • Getting into gear for Blenheim cycle challenge

    THESE riders will join an expected 1,000 participants for a cycle day event at Blenheim Palace in support of Oxfam. The Woodstock estate will throw open its gates on Sunday, August 17, to host the 2014 Blenheim Palace Sportive, organised by promotional

  • COMMENT: New owners must respect old convent

    FOR most of us, hearing that our property is worth £16m would have us jumping for joy. But the news will be no consolation for the sisters at St Mary’s Convent in Wantage. Once built for 150 nuns, there are now only 20 women living there –

  • Crash court charges

    A 53-year-old appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with five offences following a collision on the A40 at Headington on Sunday. Thomas Scanlon, of Stafford Road in Ruislip, Hillingdon, has been charged with offences including

  • By-election candidates for Cowley ward

    Six candidates will fight for a seat on the city council at a Cowley ward by-election next month. The poll has been triggered by the resignation of Labour city councillor Helen O’Hara for personal reasons. Those contesting the seat are David

  • Elderly man is found dead at riverside hotel

    A man in his 70s was found dead in a Botley Road hotel in Oxford. Police were called to the River Hotel alongside the Thames at 12.30pm yesterday. Thames Valley Police said the death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious.

  • Nuns to move out of convent

    THE declining number of nuns entering one of the Church of England’s oldest communities has prompted a decision to sell up and move out. Only about 20 sisters now live at the 166-year-old St Mary’s Convent in Wantage, which was built to house 150

  • The usual sus-specs in museum theft?

    WHEN museum staff stuck pairs of glasses on Oxford University’s famous stone emperor heads they could see what was going to happen. They knew it was only a question of time before students played a prank and pinched the wooden glasses from the

  • Delays after three cars crash on A34

    A CRASH invovling three cars has blocked a lane on the A34. The collision happened on the A34 northbound, at the the A4130 Milton interchange. Lane two is said to be blocked around 2000 yards after the junction.  There are traffic delays

  • New Sports outlet opens

    A new Sports Direct shop is due to open at Seacourt retail park today. It is the third store by the retailer in the city and will be housed in the former Habitat/Allied Carpets unit in Botley. Our top stories:

  • Parish council votes

    Elections will take place tomorrow for Old Marston Parish Council. Polls will be open from 7am to 10pm at Mortimer Hall, in Oxford Road. There are 13 candidates. For more information visit oldmarston-pc.gov.uk Our top stories:

  • Superfast net boon

    Superfast broadband access across 95 per cent of Cherwell has had a monetary boost after district councillors awarded £500,000 to the cause. On Monday at an executive committee, councillors backed a recommendation to invest money from the district

  • Flowers so rare they cost council £6,000

    These are the protected orchids that have caused Oxfordshire County Council to spend an extra £6,000 on improvements to Kennington roundabout. Oxford Mail reader John Pusey has sent the images in of the Pyramidal orchids near the Hinksey Hill roundabout

  • Grandmother, 57, jailed for smuggling cannabis

    A HEADINGTON grandmother caught smuggling £51,000 worth of cannabis through Gatwick has been jailed for two years. Margaret Simms, 57, of Peat Moors, denied bringing 17 kilos of the drug into the UK from Jamaica in November last year, but was convicted

  • Eggs discovery may be a pheasant surprise for family

    A FAMILY got a surprise when they found a cluster of 16 eggs in their garden. Erika Spencer and daughter Daisy, from Middle Aston, near Banbury, found the eggs underneath a shrub earlier this month. Unsure of the eggs’ origin, they contacted Cotswold

  • CRICKET: Dunn outstanding for title-chasing Minster Lovell

    MINSTER Lovell maintained the pressure on OCA League Division 1 pacesetters, Cowley Internationals, with a 105-run win over Oxenford, writes DAVID QUINN. Minster amassed 236-5, Eddie Dunn top-scoring with 53. Dunn then capped a fine afternoon

  • CRICKET: Tiddington struggle after early collapse

    Tiddington’s travails at the foot of Division 1 continued on Saturday when they were on the wrong end of a draw at home to fellow strugglers Oxford Downs, writes GRAHAM SCOTT. The newcomers to the top flight had picked up their first win seven

  • Bright futures for city arts students

    WORK by graduating creative arts and furniture design students at City of Oxford College has gone on show in two end-of-year exhibitions. Megan Newton, 19, exhibited a paper craft installation inspired by the work of Colorado-based artists Hair

  • St Clement’s parking charge rise is branded ‘horrendous’

    AN East Oxford restaurateur has criticised a ‘horrendous’ move to increase charges at a car park that has been closed for over a year so that new flats can be built. Oxford City Council is planning to put up the charges in the St Clement’s street

  • College’s plan to fell trees is uprooted

    AN OXFORD college’s attempts to cut down two lime trees as part of a major development have been rejected by a Government planning inspector. Lady Margaret Hall was given permission by Oxford City Council in 2007 to build 105 new study rooms at

  • West Way deadline ends

    The extended period of consultation on the £100m West Way redevelopment proposals ended yesterday. Developer Doric Properies wants to flatten the West Way Shopping Centre and replace it with a new shopping complex which would include a supermarket

  • Biker seriously hurt in accident on A40

    A motorcyclist was taken to hospital in a serious condition after a crash involving two cars on the A40 by Eynsham yesterday morning. The black Suzuki bike was involved in the collision with a black Renault Modus and grey Toyota at about 8am.

  • Plans for boatyard prompt row over affordable homes

    THE firm behind plans for the £20m Jericho Boatyard redevelopment scheme has defended its proposals to make just 32 per cent of the site’s housing affordable. Oxford City Council’s planning policy says that 50 per cent of homes in new developments

  • RAF Freedom parade today

    More than 100 servicemen and women from RAF Benson will parade through the town today to celebrate the base’s 75th anniversary. Starting east of the Thames Bridge at 4pm, troops will march into the town with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets

  • Community group considers ‘quit’ order

    EAST Oxford Community Association met last night to decide what it will do after being told to leave the Cowley Road centre it manages. As reported in the Oxford Mail, Oxford City Council told the charity on Monday it had four weeks to vacate the

  • ‘People living longer brings in its wake some challenges’

    COUNTY residents enjoy healthy lifestyles but longer life spans continue to put pressure on services, the county’s director of public health has said. Dr Jonathan McWilliam spoke yesterday as he gave his first annual report since the NHS handed

  • Olympic hopeful’s own regime inspires schoolchildren

    LONGWORTH Primary School pupils were inspired to go for gold by triple jumper Michael Puplampu yesterday. Mr Puplampu, currently ranked third under-23 in the UK at his sport, dropped by to judge a sports morning. Children ran a course inspired

  • Wednesday, June 25

    6:33pm This CCTV image of Jayden Parkinson leaving her hostel to meet Ben Blakeley before she was killed has been shown to the jury today 1:58pm Mixed

  • Universities are among the most crime-free in UK

    UNIVERSITY communities in Oxford are among the most crime-free in the country, according to the latest police figures. The statistics, collected by TheCompleteUniversityGuide.co.uk to raise awareness about crimes against students, show that the

  • Famous brooch replica to tour county schools

    A REPLICA of a 1,500-year-old treasure will be toured around county schools and elderly groups. The seventh century gold and garden “Hanney brooch” was discovered in West Hanney, near Wantage, in 2009. It was found with the skeleton of a women

  • Public’s views set to shape final designs for Westgate

    FINAL plans for the £400m redevelopment of the Westgate Centre will be submitted in August, according to developers. It comes after a public consultation was held earlier this year into the first designs for how the finished shopping centre and

  • Villagers have art on call

    MOSAIC artist Becky Paton unveiled her latest work this week, a joint project with pupils at Beckley C of E Primary School. The former red telephone box has been converted into a miniature art gallery and decorated with its first exhibition – marine

  • Toilets revamp ‘is just flushing money away’

    MONEY being spent on refurbishing toilets in the Town Hall during the peak tourist season should have gone to the Covered Market, it has been claimed. Oxford City Council has said that more people visiting the St Aldate’s building has put pressure

  • Education charity trustee honoured by Queen

    A TRUSTEE of a county-based education charity has spoken of her delight after being named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Liz Allen, a trustee of Abingdon’s National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE), received a CBE for services