IN a more uncomplicated age Henry Ford famously told customers for his Model T, that they could have any colour they wanted – as long as it was black. More than a century on, Citroën has turned that simple idea on its head. With its distinctively-styled
STUDENTS attempted to match a record set more than 80 years ago by rowing from Oxford to London in just one day. The St Edmund Hall rowers set off before sunrise on Wednesday on the gruelling 120km challenge to raise money for Oxford charity Restore
THERE are reports of rogue sheep on Banbury Road in Oxford, near Cutteslowe. Several people spotted a flock of about 15 to 20 sheep just before 6pm. Josh Stone, from Kidlington, said: “I was just coming home up the Banbury Road on the bus and
Presented by the German Ambassador to St Petersburg The Imperial German Government have used every effort since the beginning of the crisis to bring about a peaceful settlement. In compliance with a wish expressed to him by His Majesty the Emperor
Great bands and theatre, amazing food, random activities and glorious scenery, Wilderness may be the world's loveliest festival. And here's your chance to go... for free! WITH a line up featuring cult breakthrough act London Grammar, electro-pop
A veteran of the war in Afghanistan will lead a ceremony to honour the First World War dead before a candle-lit service marks 100 years since Britain entered the conflict. Corporal David Phillips will recite the names of 20 men from Oxfordshire
TRAFFIC is starting to build throughout Oxford thanks to road works and rush-hour traffic. Cars are queuing along Botley Road, St Giles and Weirs Lane, as well as along the A34. Traffic approaching the Hinksey Interchange and Heyford Hill also
TRAINS to London Paddington have been delayed and cancelled because of a person being hit by a train at Ealing. Lines in and out of London Paddington station were closed, meaning the 17.37 and 18.37 trains to London from Oxford were both cancelled
FROM the days of a brewery on every corner during the 16th century to the growth of big breweries of Victorian times, Oxford has long been a city built on beer. The past decade has seen the city’s passion for local brews rekindled after a period
There will be a retrial in the case of Jake Blakeley, who was accused of preventing a lawful burial in the case of murdered teen Jayden Parkinson. Blakeley, 18, denied the charge but admitted perverting the course of justice. Last week, a jury
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A CAR towing a trailer has crashed on the A34 near East Illsey. No one was hurt in the incident, police spokeswoman Rhianne Pope said, but recovery vehicles are on the way. The Ford Cortina is reported to have crashed into the central reservation
A MARATHON music session will raise funds to highlight road safety in memory of a 10-year-old boy who died after a collision. Fred Fest will be held on Saturday, September 20 at the Christian Life Centre, formerly the Regal, in Cowley Road, Oxford
A DISAGREEMENT over the running costs of the Blackbird Leys Parish Council website led a councillor to “storm out” of a meeting. Councillor Brian Lester – who runs the website leysonline.net – left the meeting, telling chairman Gordon Roper to
Sir – Current plans to reduce traffic congestion in preparation for Northern Gateway seem focused on installing traffic lights on the Cutteslowe and Wolvercote roundabouts. These “improvements” are based on the county council’s premise that this
Sir – On behalf of the South Oxford Flood Action Group (SOFAG) I enjoyed your lead letter from Prof Edmund Penning-Rowsell on the proposed Oxford and Abingdon flood relief scheme (July 17). Edmund and I had met outside Wickes’ Oxford store just
Sir – I understand the concerns of Anne and Peter Furtado (Letters, July 24), but those who live in areas where there is risk of flooding — whether by choice or otherwise — are unfortunately liable to get flooded (the Environment Agency’s maps, whilst
Sir – Should we thank those who caused the recent ‘fatberg’ beneath Frideswide Square, and Thames Water for their recent excavations that closed George Street? They have provided valuable, real-time evidence of what we can expect if George Street
Sir – While we are immensely grateful to the teams that look after us during flood events, claims that the damage can be reduced by relying on local defences, such as those here in streets off the Botley Road, rather than investing in the Western Conveyance
Sir – The latest consultation on the Northern Gateway Area Action Plan (AAP) in North Oxford has started badly, with local politicians making statements which show they are unaware that the size for the proposed development is now significantly larger
Sir – It is refreshing to see some fresh thinking on strategic planning issues for the county reported on your pages (“Green Belt dismissed as a distraction”). The “Green Belt” designation is not, as I understand it, one of landscape value designation
Sir – Following Graham Smith’s letter (July 17) about the Plain scheme being a waste of money, I can think of a number of improvements for cyclists which wouldn’t cost that much. For example — resurfacing some of the roads in Oxford city. Also
Sir – Today, while waiting for my bus, I was passed by five separate parties of visitors, each neatly labelled and with the necessary supervisors. The quantities of people varied from 20 to more than 80. Their behaviour was in no way offensive,
Sir – Now that the council has successfully established Oxford as a car-hostile zone and the parking spaces in St Giles are mostly empty, might it be possible for them to consider reallocation of more space for motorcycle parking. Motorcycles appear
Sir – The correspondence questioning the reality of Christopher Gray reminded me of the craze for kidnapping someone’s teddy bear and sending its owners photos of the bear at well-known worldwide locations. I wonder if all those pictures of Christopher
Sir – I am writing to you to express my extreme disappointment and disgust in your council. I came here as a visitor and this is how you treat me. When, after our first-time visit, we tried to leave Oxford (around 6.30pm on a scorchingly hot Saturday
Sir – On July 16, West Oxfordshire District Council’s (WODC) cabinet resolved to progress yet another public consultation on the long-delayed Local Plan. On the face of it, a consultation period spanning three different months — July, August and September
Sir – In the last year, both the Shadow and Government Defence Ministers have assured us that they will continue with the New Trident nuclear weapons programme, now expected to cost approximately £100bn. About 30 miles south of Oxford are two key
Sir – I found it extraordinary and saddening that you gave so little space (Report, July 24) to the wounding of the Oxford Brookes Gaza scholar Hassan al-Hallaq and the wholesale killing of his family in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. It would be
IN THE past year both the Shadow and Government Defence ministers have assured us that they will continue with the New Trident nuclear weapons programme, now expected to cost approximately £100bn. About 30 miles south of Oxford are two key sites
Costume designer Izzy Pellow who has created designs for plays for Oxford Theatre Guild, ElevenOne Theatre, and Tomahawk, takes a look at women’s fashions in 1914 In May 1914, a correspondent for fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar wrote: “Fashions
Everyone was using Lsd in 1914. Seriously, the signs were everywhere. Alright, keep calm, I’m not suggesting our grannies and great grannies were into casual drugs. I’m just pointing out that in the run-up to the First World War, Britain ran on
Death lies at the end of every life – but how young must it take us? I recently attended a funeral of a fellow godparent. He was half my age, and a keen rugby player and winter sportsman. He was late for our god daughter’s christening. He sidled
OK, so if I’d been a girl in my late teens in 1914, what might my life choices have been? Better than if I’d been born a man – at least in the short term. I wouldn’t have been required to be an active combatant in a war which cost 16 million lives,
Returning after a holiday break is always difficult, especially when it’s been such a brilliant time. After a week away on our annual UK-cation to Devon, we are all smug smiles and suntans after somehow managing to choose the hottest week in 2014
A father suffering with terminal cancer needs to raise £10,000 to take his two young sons on an unforgettable family trip to Disney World. Paddy Juste, from Witney, was diagnosed with a brain tumour at 24. The 28-year-old is hoping to take
At the age of 14 I had an oversized mouth filled with teeth, metal and – on one sorry occasion – an ill-advised boiled sweet which had melted and fused to my brace. Additionally, I also wear contact lenses. Without them, I would find it difficult to
Rebecca fears she would have been useless and doomed to be an old maid in wartime Had I been alive in 1914 and called upon – as the womenfolk were – to ‘keep the home fires burning’, you can be sure that the home fires would’ve gone out, pretty
In 1914 the best most families could hope for by way of a holiday was a seaside day trip. Erin Murton of Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust tells of the joys of exploring rock pools This time of year always makes me long for the sea; for the
Jaine Blackman looks at how WWI changed women’s lives in Britain As Britain joined in the first global conflict of its kind, it was not just those who went to fight whose lives would be changed forever. The war altered women’s lives beyond
There were many women scientists still living at the outbreak of war who changed the world forever. There was our own incredible Elizabeth Garratt Anderson; a physician and feminist, she was the first Englishwoman to qualify as a physician and surgeon
You can rely on the BBC to explore the human drama in its Great War centenary. Sacrifices on the front line and the hardships and heartaches of those on the Home Front are the focus of the Beeb’s programming. And you can bet there is more emotion
It’s not just the soldiers we should be remembering for their bravery in WWI. Nurses at home in Oxfordshire and overseas at the battlefields worked tireless under horrific conditions. Jaine Blackman reports Young soldiers being killed or horrifically
Sheena Patterson of Oxford Garden Design takes a look at how food crisis was averted An army marches on its stomach” is one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s more famous quotations and throughout history shortage of food, has been used as an effective weapon
Simply put, if I had been a single mum with two teenage daughters in Britain back in 1914, life would probably have been pretty bleak with nothing much to look forward to. Of course, everything is relative and what you can’t possibly know or forecast
Jaine Blackman discovers what Oxford women were reading about 100 years ago Comment on skinny models, the latest fashions, household tips and recipes... the format could be from any modern magazine. But For Those at Home are pages which featured
HEADLINE news recently told us that the John Radcliffe Hospital had made mega-bucks through its car parking in the last financial year. I am not at all surprised judging by the amount of time people are kept waiting for their appointments in the
I am writing concerning your article ‘Two charged as protests end in Gloucester Green stand-off’ (Monday's Oxford Mail). I’d been wondering why the east and centre of the city had been crawling with police on Saturday morning when I turned into
AS YET, it is not clear whether the additional traffic that would be generated by the Northern Gateway development can be satisfactorily handled by the measures so far proposed. What isn’t in doubt is that people living close to the Northern Gateway
All of our neighbours also whiffed the horrible smell around Oxford. We all thought it was the farmers spreading horse or cow manure on their land for the crops as they do, but it was a particularly strong smell in Greater Leys. Jayne Tyrrell
TOWERSEY is known throughout the country as “the little village with the big festival”. For the past 50 years about 450 villagers would welcome over 10,000 people on the August Bank Holiday for a celebration of song and dance. This will be the
A DEVELOPER who has made numerous attempts to build houses on a former sports field in Cowley has been told to call it a day. Cantay Estates is currently making its fourth attempt to develop the sports pitch in William Morris Close after three
"WHY are some blackberries green and others are ripe when they’re next to each other on the same bush.” This horticultural question was asked of the wrong person – me. But as it had been put by a bright six-year-old chap called Ben, after grandma
Michael Appleton was thrilled Oxford United’s pat-ience paid off after they finally clinched the signing of Junior Brown last night. The 25-year-old winger, who can play on either flank, provides a much-needed extra option to the squad’s attacking
FIVE police officers have been served misconduct notices and are being interviewed over the handling of the search for murdered teenager Jayden Parkinson. Independent police investigators are also now looking into complaints from the 17-year-old
IT HAS been all change at Oxford United recently, with a change of chief executive and coach. The club has now emerged from the takeover talk and speculation and begun work on the pitch. So it is great news it is working just as hard off the
OXFORD United will today announce hundreds of new signings as it kicks off a scheme to help the city’s unemployed young people. The new regime at the club is unveiling ambitious plans to help more than 600 youngsters from across Oxford. Not
IT has set chins wagging and led to noses being held. The pong afflicting areas across Oxfordshire has been the talk of the city and beyond. But after all the theories and jokes, the number of possible sources is being narrowed down. And now
3:11pm BREAKING NEWS Retrial in case of Jake Blakeley set for January next year 10:30am BREAKING NEWS Five police officers are being interviewed over
A 14-bed block of flats has been approved by Vale of White Horse District Council. The planning committee gave the go-ahead on Wednesday evening. Almost 100 people objected to the plans for the Cumnor Hill site. Do you want alerts delivered
POLICE have renewed an order which gave them power to curb antisocial behaviour near city centre homeless shelters. The six-month dispersal order in the Speedwell Street area was introduced in January and gave officers the power to order troublemakers
RESIDENTS across the city have welcomed the new designs for Oxford’s five tower blocks. Oxford City Council has revealed the final designs for Plowman Tower, Foresters Tower and Hockmore Tower. Blackbird Leys residents still need to choose
ACTOR Simon Spencer-Hyde yesterday flew the flag for a timely retelling of Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth. Mr Spencer-Hyde plays Banquo and Macduff in Creation Theatre’s outdoor production at Oxford’s Lady Margaret Hall from today until September
Members of the county’s Military Wives Choir will perform in a national event commemorating 100 years since the start of the First World War this weekend. Nine women from the choir will appear at London’s Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC’s
A public consultation on plans for a major overhaul of the Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabouts has ended. Oxfordshire County Council has proposed to widen the approaches to the Wolvercote junction and install traffic lights. The authority
PRO-PALESTINE campaigners marched through Oxford last night calling for an end to Israeli violence in Gaza. About 150 people marched from Manzil Way Gardens to Cornmarket Streeet, where they held a vigil. Marchers carried placards reading Freedom
COUNCIL officials have been unable to put together a database of the number of Oxfordshire pupils on the autism spectrum who have been excluded from school. They have been unable to get figures from Oxfordshire’s academies, which are independent
A full field of 80 riders turned out as the Oxfordshire Road Race League’s first season concluded on the Stadhampton circuit. After a neutralised start through Little Milton riders completed three laps of the circuit for a distance of 42 miles
Concerns have been raised about HM Bullingdon Prison in an official Government rating. The National Offender Management Service said the prison’s “overall performance is of concern” in its annual ratings for 2013/14. It rated the prison on
Oxford make their third trip to the South Leeds Stadium on Sunday when they tackle the Hunslet Hawks, looking to record their first win in four matches against their second-placed opponents in Kingstone Press Championship 1. A 68-6 hammering for
Oxfordshire's Alexis Canter has been representing Great Britain in a competition at Wimbledon. The IC U16 Worldwide Challenge finishes today and features teams from Italy, USA, Japan, Argentina and South Africa. Britain were ranked second at
Tyre firm Black ‘n’ Rounds have agreed to become Oxford United’s home shirt sponsor next season. Darryl Eales is involved with the Silverstone-based company, which is due to launch next month. But United’s joint owner, who has been in charge
Burglars forced their way into the Bloxham Coop store and stole cigarettes in a 2am raid. Thames Valley Police said a crowbar may have been used to force open the back door to the High Street store in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Anyone
A 10-day international drama festival involving some 150 young people from the city ends today. Mesh Festival, which was held in partnership with Pegasus Theatre and North Wall Arts Centre, saw dancers, singers and actors from Holland, Germany,
HEALTH officers from two councils are now investigating the cause of the smell reported across the county. More than 150 people have contacted the Oxford Mail since Tuesday complaining about the pong in Oxford and areas stretching from Wallingford
EXPERIMENTAL rock group Klaxons have been revealed as the surprise headliners for a new festival to take place in Oxford’s South Park. The band, who won a Mercury Prize for their debut album in 2007, will top a bill at the OxfordOxford festival
Oxfordshire will be trying to move off the bottom of the Western Division table when they take on Berkshire in a three-day contest at Great & Little Tew on Sunday (11am), writes MICHAEL KNOX. Both counties have struggled with availability for
TRAFFIC on the A34 remains fast-moving this morning in the approach to Hinksey Hill interchange, according to reports. While this week has seen queues stack up back to Bayworth, near North Abingdon, today saw a welcome change for drivers on the
Great & Little Tew will try to banish all thoughts of playing at Lord’s when they visit Dinton on Sunday in the semi-finals of the Davidstow Village Cup. The winners of this last-four clash between two teams in Division 2 of the Home Counties
Wallingford's women won a gold medal when representing England in the Home International Regatta at Cork. Lizzie Polgreen, Louise Hart, Minna Jones-Walters, Amy Grieve came up trumps in the women’s quad event final. There was more medal joy
Oxfordshire men’s captain Jon Maskens praised the efforts of his side after they clinched promotion to Group 4 following a highly successful week in West Worthing. A 4-2 victory in their final game against Bucks saw them finish second to group
Former Oxford University student Dan Fox could barely conceal his delight after he helped England men’s hockey team set up a last-four clash with Australia tomorrow following yesterday’s 3-1 win against Canada, writes Stuart Weir. Ashley Jackson
Saturday FOOTBALL FRIENDLIES Oxford Utd v Bournemouth (3), Ardley Utd v North Leigh, Didcot Tn v Hungerford (3). CRICKET SERIOUS CRICKET HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE Div 1: Aston Rowant v Burnham, Harefield v Henley, High Wycombe
Firefighters tackled a field fire in West Witney on Tuesday night. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue service said an area of barley crops off Deer Park Road had gone on fire at about 6.30pm. Crews used fire beaters to put out the flames, a spokesman
The nomination deadline for the NatWest Venus Awards’ Business Mother of the Year Award, which is being supported by the Oxford Mail, has been extended until Sunday. You can put forward your top business mum for the award, which has come to Oxfordshire
REAL ale enthusiasts can enjoy a tipple when they visit Cogges Manor Farm in Witney tonight. The visitor attraction is staging its third annual Cogges Beer and Cider Festival, starting at 6.30pm in the wheat barn and running until 11pm. There
Oxford are still shell-shocked after their astonishing collapse at home to Serious Cricket Home Counties Division 1 leaders High Wycombe on Saturday. Ian Crosby's side lost their first seven wickets for just one run, going from 14-0 to 15-7 on
Oxford City wrapped up their pre-season coming from behind to draw 1-1 at Kettering Town last night. Andy Hall put the Southern League side ahead on 78 minutes. But Conference North visitors City levelled two minutes later when Tom Winters’
Oxfordshire's Academy side were taught a tough lesson as they lost to the Club Cricket Conference by seven wickets in a one-day friendly match at Bicester & North Oxford yesterday. Choosing to bat first on a slow pitch, carefree Oxon went for
Two cars were yesterday involved in a collision with each other at a petrol station, leaving one person injured and closing one lane of the A4130. The westbound carriageway outside the BP garage at the Milton Interchange was the road affected,
RISING A&E visits are seeing hospital staff struggle to meet waiting times, despite the summer being a traditionally quieter period, health officials have warned. A key waiting time target was not met by the county’s hospital authority from
Horspath skipper Will Eason praised the consistency of leading batsman Jimmy Phillips and strike bowler Pat Foster ahead of their all-Oxfordshire Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League Division 2 clash at home to Great & Little Tew tomorrow
Plans for the redevelopment of Oxford Station will go on show to the public today and tomorrow. The £75m masterplan, which will involve demolishing every building currently on the site, was unveiled last week. To see the plans, visit the Westgate
OXFORDSHIRE’S first specialist college for scientific research, computing and engineering was approved on Wednesday night. The University Technical College at Didcot’s Great Western Park estate will be the first of its kind in the county. Teenagers
FEARS have been raised over the future of a community boatyard after it was claimed essential mooring sites may not be available. Members of the Jericho Wharf Trust (JWT) want two permanent bankside sites for narrowboats to be created on the Oxford
The number of dead fish in a stream has risen to 4,400. The gudgeon, chub, dace, roach and other species have been found by the Environment Agency (EA) in Moor Ditch north of the Ladygrove estate since Saturday. The EA said water samples indicate
The Vice Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University is to step down in January. Prof Janet Beer is to take up the role of Vice Chancellor at the University of Liverpool. She has been in post in Oxford for seven years. Prof Beer said: “The university
A BID to build up to 700 homes to the east of Carterton has been called-in to a joint committee by senior planning officers. Bloor Homes and Oxford college Christ Church are seeking outline planning permission to build on the site bordered by Carterton
A man arrested in connection with the attempted theft of a wallet and phone in Botley has been bailed again by police. The 47-year-old was arrested on suspicion of theft on July 7 after an attempt was made to steal a wallet and phone from outside
TEN years on from her son’s disappearance in the Himalayas, Gill Koch is still struggling to accept that he is dead. Gareth Koch, of Wantage, was 24 when he went missing without trace in Nepal. A decade after her son’s disappearance, Mrs Koch
YOUNG musicians across Oxfordshire could benefit from a free summer music programme to develop their creative talents. East Oxford-based charity Fusion Arts is offering their BEAT THIS! project to 12 young people. The charity is encouraging
