HIGH-SPEED broadband will finally reach all residents living on Bicester’s new Kingsmere estate after a developer agreed to stump up the cash. Kingsmere Residents’ Association has been lobbying for faster broadband for more than two years.
A MARSTON charity will be singing, dancing and acting to help remove the stigma of mental health problems. The Archway Foundation, in Jack Straw’s Lane, has spent 18 months speaking to more than 600 people across the county, providing opportunities
Councillor Jon O’Neill has resigned from Cherwell District Council. The council announced his resignation, which is with immediate effect, today. Caversfield ward could now see a by-election, providing two electors request it. If the election
INDIE-rockers The Charlatans have been named as the mystery headliners for this year's Truck music festival. The Cheshire band, fronted by Tim Burgess, have tonight been revealed as top act for the festival, which takes place in Steventon, near
THREE properties in Chinnor were broken into where shotguns, wedding rings and high value items were stolen last Friday, police said today. Officers said it happened between 7.45am and 3.45pm last Friday after a glass panel was smashed on the
A MAN has been cut out of a car and the air ambulance called after a serious crash in west Oxfordshire. The B4437 was blocked for about three hours following the collision between a silver Ford Mondeo and a Mercedes Sprinter van at about 4pm on
POLICE have charged an 18-year-old man with drugs and firearm offences following an incident in Faringdon last Friday. The man has been charged with one count of possessing a weapon for the discharge of a noxious gas, identified as a canister
A 20-year-old man from Abingdon has been arrested in connection with a number of indecent exposures in the area. The man was arrested on Monday on suspicion of four counts of indecent exposure and one count of sexual assault. Our top stories
THESE were the fancy dress contestants in the village festival at Alvescot, near Witney, in 1983. Sitting among them is a familiar face – that of poet Pam Ayres, who was there to perform the opening ceremony.
CHURCHGOERS in Risinghurst, Oxford, adopted a novel idea to raise money. They invited shoppers to buy a brick and help them build a new congregational church in Collinwood Road. The Rev Tom Stiff is seen in 1959 trying to persuade 16-year-old
THE visit of two Russian leaders to Oxford brought boos, whistles and cheers – and more than a little humour. Hundreds of people turned out on April 21, 1956, when the Soviet Union’s president, Nikita Khrushchev, and Marshal Nikolai Bulganin arrived
ROBERT Laughton, left, paid five guineas (£5.25) for the privilege of getting the first slice from a roasted ox at the village gala in 1961. Serving him was actor Bernard Fox, a guest at the event, and looking on was Eddie Barran, who was in charge
THESE youngsters had an early taste of appearing on stage in public. The 30-strong cast, aged from 11 to 14, gave three performances of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl in 1982. The shows were received with great acclaim by
FITZHARRY’S School, in Abingdon formed an orchestra, but had to hire instruments for the performers. So the school launched an appeal in 1971 for £1,000 to buy its own instruments, organising a series of fundraising activities, including a draw
ONE of the most significant members in the first 100 years of the Women’s Institute was Oxfordshire businesswoman Sylvia Gray. She devoted much of her life to the WI, both nationally and locally, while running two hotels and serving as a councillor
THIS was a scene repeated all over the country. It was VE (Victory in Europe) Day and families who had suffered six years of war were determined to celebrate. The Second World War had finally ended after Germany surrendered to Britain and her Allies
A RAINBOW of colours will brighten an East Oxford community centre as Hindus across the county celebrate the festival Holi. Members of the Oxford Hindu Temple and Community Centre Project will decorate the Asian Cultural Centre next Saturday for
MINISTER for Business, Enterprise and Energy Matthew Hancock revealed the government may raise the minimum wage for apprenticeships during a visit to Kidlington today. Mr Hancock, who was visiting to mark National Apprenticeship Week, said: “We
THE fourth phase of roadworks on The Plain roundabout in St Clement's started this morning. There was heavy traffic in the area but no major disruption. The closure of a section of Cowley Road leading to The Plain finished at the weekend and
A BLOCK of flats in Littlemore has been hit by a sewage leak twice in the past week. Residents at the flats in College Lane said raw sewage had started leaking on Wednesday and was stopped by Thames Water before a second leak on Sunday. The
THE MP for Banbury has asked the Lord Chancellor whether it was acceptable for barristers in last week’s Banbury grooming gang trial to describe victims of child abuse of as “slags”. In an open letter to the Rt Hon Chris Grayling, Sir Tony Baldry
A MOMENT of quality from Callum O’Dowda gave Oxford United a memorable highlight which broke even head coach Michael Appleton’s calm demeanour. The substitute raced clear to round Bury goalkeeper Nick Pope and slot home on 85 minutes to claim a
1:03pm Many thanks for all your input over the last hour. Here's hoping we're in such good spirits this time next week. Have a good one. — @OxfordMailOUFC 09 March 2015
Yours Faithfully, Rev Dr Elizabeth Macfarlane Chaplain at St John’s College Lent can be a time when Christians become pretty unbearable. We get caught up in our own efforts to be ‘better’, as if Lent was about self-improvement. It isn
Yours Faithfully, Rev Dr Tess Kuin Lawton Chaplain at Magdalen College School I had dinner with the religious affairs correspondent of The Telegraph last week. Well, truth be told, he is the social and religious affairs correspondent, because
2005 * A third set of damning pollution figures about the quality of air in Oxford is nothing to worry about, according to county council leader Keith Mitchell. * Hundreds of people have signed a petition asking the Vale of White Horse District
My mother Ruth Helm was in the picture of the students at Donnington Primary School in 1952 (Memory Lane, January 19). She is the girl in the middle row, second from the right. She is now 72 and lives in Massachusetts. JOHN MAGRATH Londonderry
After reading your article about Stanley Matthews-type boots from the Co-op in 1954 (Memory Lane, February 16), I found an old box of memorabilia and the label on it was for a pair of boots I had during my last year at technical school, which was also
I enclose a copy of an old photograph that belonged to my late father, Norman James, of Holwell, near Burford. My dad was a war reserve police constable during the Second World War and served at Burford. A note from him indicates that the photograph
Fitzharry's School, in Abingdon formed an orchestra, but had to hire instruments for the performers. So the school launched an appeal in 1971 for £1,000 to buy its own instruments, organising a series of fundraising activities, including a draw
These were the fancy dress contestants in the village festival at Alvescot, near Witney, in 1983. Sitting among them is a familiar face – that of poet Pam Ayres, who was there to perform the opening ceremony.
Churchgoers in Risinghurst, Oxford, adopted a novel idea to raise money. They invited shoppers to buy a brick and help them build a new congregational church in Collinwood Road. The Rev Tom Stiff is seen in 1959 trying to persuade 16-year-old
The visit of two Russian leaders to Oxford brought boos, whistles and cheers – and more than a little humour. Hundreds of people turned out on April 21, 1956, when the Soviet Union’s president, Nikita Khrushchev, and Marshal Nikolai Bulganin arrived
BANBURY MAGISTRATES. SCOTT ALEXANDER, 30, c/o Jubilee Court, Banbury, admitted stealing meat worth £25.95 from Farmfoods in Calthorpe Street, Banbury, on February 10. Fined £80 and ordered to pay a £20 victims’ surcharge and £20 costs. STEVEN
A MAN who allowed his home to be used for a drugs operation involving his two brothers has been jailed for more than three years. Mixing bowls, scales and other drug dealing paraphernalia were found by police in the Oxford home of Reece Preston
These youngsters had an early taste of appearing on stage in public. The 30-strong cast, aged from 11 to 14, gave three performances of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl in 1982. The shows were received with great acclaim by
Robert Laughton, left, paid five guineas (£5.25) for the privilege of getting the first slice from a roasted ox at the village gala in 1961. Serving him was actor Bernard Fox, a guest at the event, and looking on was Eddie Barran, who was in charge
One of the most significant members in the first 100 years of the Women’s Institute was Oxfordshire businesswoman Sylvia Gray. She devoted much of her life to the WI, both nationally and locally, while running two hotels and serving as a councillor
This was a scene repeated all over the country. It was VE (Victory in Europe) Day and families who had suffered six years of war were determined to celebrate. The Second World War had finally ended after Germany surrendered to Britain and her Allies
THERE is a lot of coverage in the media about Jihadi John, an ISIS terrorist and calls for him to be executed. I agree with the sentiment. Sadly, this will never happen as EU rules ban capital punishment. The death penalty is the ultimate sentence.
A CORRESPONDENT wrote in recently saying vote Green and you may get blue. Well I can think of a lot worse scenarios than a green/blue coalition. The massive support for the Scottish Nationalist Party means it is likely that Westminster will have
WHILE I fully support the wearing of school uniforms, what I am totally disgusted with is the exceptionally high cost of it. Not for the trousers and skirts, but for the jumpers and PE kit. Trousers and skirts can be purchased at a reasonable cost
WITH regard to the story of the flooded garden in Blackbird Leys at the home of David Pritchard (March 4) I had a similar problem at my ground-floor flat in Greater Leys. A neighbour in the same block had been flushing hundreds of wet wipes down
IN HIS interview in Wednesday’s Oxford Mail about the Bullfunch Serious Case Review, Oxfordshire County Council’s head of children’s services Jim Leivers suggests that senior “commanders” could not possibly have known what was going on at a lower level
I AM writing to you to clarify my points made in your paper on Thursday in the article Support groups ‘can help tackle abuse problem’. I am particularly referring to the quote:“I think personally the police response has been a lot more humble and
I HAVE been following the Bullfinch sexual abuse case from the start and was prompted to write when the name of the whistleblower who tried to raise his concerns with Oxfordshire County Council was published. I was not surprised. Until four years
Ryan Clarke was thrilled to help continue Oxford United’s strong recent defensive record, which included one of his favourite saves. The U’s have conceded just once in four games and claimed another clean sheet in Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Bury
CYCLISTS can possess that rare knack of driving sane people berserk. Just this month I’ve survived three near crashes. But before I blow my horn let me admit something. I’m all in favour of cycling. My only issue is with those select few who seem to
I NOTICE with some amusement your description of strict and ambitious parents as ‘tigers’ (March 6). It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that this mindset, which could only originate in the US of A is often passed on to the poor suffering
PATRICK Hoban praised Oxford United’s discipline as they kept cool to come out on top and win a fractious clash 1-0 at Bury. Tensions ran high in a game which saw eight yellow cards, two of which went to Shakers defender Adam El-Abd. United
LUNCH, it appears, has been a straightforward decision for Mark Bradstock, trainer of big Cheltenham Festival hope Coneygree. “I’m just making an omelette,” he announces enthusiastically as I arrive at the Old Manor Stables at Letcombe Bassett,
A MILITARY veteran who spent 42 years in the Army has urged the people of Oxfordshire to use their vote in May’s General Election. Terry Roper, 66, who left the armed forces in 2012 with the rank of Major, served in many countries where democracy has
A NEW way of registering to vote which was introduced last year has been blamed for leading to a decline in the numbers signed up. But Oxford City Council leader Bob Price has said the council is working to get more people on the electoral roll
PEOPLE filled the banks of the Thames in Oxford to take advantage of the hottest day of the year so far. The mercury peaked at just over 15C in Oxfordshire on Saturday, with bright sunshine for the whole afternoon. As well as strolling along
VETERAN Sam Langford choked back tears as he read out the name of a fallen comrade to a small audience. Had Corporal John Tapping not swapped seats with him in a glider over Germany, he wouldn’t be here today. At 92, Mr Langford is now a husband
PLANS for a business park in North Oxford could be defeated by opponents who say hundreds of homes should go there instead. A two-week inquiry into Oxford City Council’s blueprint for the Northern Gateway scheme will begin on Tuesday. The council
A FAMILY of auctioneers who stole customers’ money to pay for luxury lifestyles have been sentenced for fraud and money laundering. Johnathan and Beverly King, of Mattock Way, Abingdon, syphoned off up to a quarter of a million pounds from people
After their 74-19 battering by Exeter, London Welsh assistant coach Ollie Smith admitted that the side was nowhere near good enough. He said: “We’d be foolish as a group to think that we have always had a chance, given how the season has gone.
David Flitcroft bemoaned a series of refereeing decisions as Oxford United beat his in-form Bury at Gigg Lane. The home side played the final 25 minutes with ten men after centre back Adam El-Abd picked up his second booking. Flitcroft felt
A PEACEFUL afternoon in Iffley Village was rocked by thunderous drumming. The Tree Hotel’s Hindu owners turned the place into a riot of colour to celebrate Holi, the festival of colour, on Saturday. Young and old pelted each other with brightly
BUSINESS owners in Risinghurst have complained that their parking spaces are being taken up by commuters. Store owners at shops in The Roundway say something needs to be done to reduce the number of drivers parking in the road for long periods
A Vanarama Conference North play-off place is within sight for Oxford City as they approach their final eight matches of the season, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. City’s victory over Colwyn Bay took them to within two points of fifth place and general
ALEX Hales described it as “the best ten minutes of the season” after Ultimatum Du Roy and Take Two gave him a 40-1 across-the-card double at Market Rasen and Warwick respectively yesterday. Hales, who trains at Edgcote, near Banbury, watched on
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO Bury 0, Oxford Utd 1. VANARAMA CONFERENCE NORTH Oxford City 3, Colwyn Bay 1. EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Banbury Utd 2, Chippenham Tn 4. Div 1 South & West: North Leigh 2, Taunton Tn 0;
London Welsh’s Aviva Premiership survival hangs by a thread after their 74-19 thrashing by Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park on Saturday. Indeed, the Exiles’ inevitable relegation would have already taken place had not Leicester Tigers scored a late
John Mills struck his sixth hat-trick of the season as Didcot Town came from behind to win 3-1 against Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West strugglers Wantage Town at Alfredian Park on Saturday. Mills fired home two penalties in
Two first-half goals spurred North Leigh to a notable 2-0 victory at home to second-placed Taunton in Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West on Saturday. The Millers looked in for a tough afternoon when Taunton’s rangy striker Aaron
Danny Bone helped himself to a hat-trick as Old Woodstock Town crushed Headington Amateurs 4-0 away from home in Uhlsport Hellenic League Division 1 East on Saturday. Jack Dunmall was their other scorer as they climbed a place to third. Didcot
Jon Gardner scored a double as Ardley United made it seven wins in a row in all competitions with a 4-0 triumph at Milton United in Saturday’s Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division derby. Kevin Brock’s side started strongly and went close to
Oxford City moved to within two points of the Vanarama Conference North play-off places with a comfortable 3-1 win at home to Colwyn Bay on Saturday, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. But they had to fight back after Obi Anoruo put the visitors in front early
ABOUT 250 homes were left without water for nearly 24 hours after a water main burst in Chilton near Didcot. A 10-inch pipe burst in Townsend at 6.45pm on Friday, flooding three roads and leaving hundreds without water. Fire crews were called
A GRANDFATHER was reduced to tears when his family corner shop was forced to close after 40 years. The Singh family, who ran the Your Local Top Up store in Abingdon Road, Oxford, formerly JK’s Newsagent, claim they were put out of business by the
A WIDOWER has donated more than £1,300 to a dementia club that provided support to his wife. During Ron Norman’s year as senior officer of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes [RAOB] he raised funds for the Rosewood Dementia Club in Blackbird
MORE than 190,000 animals were used in experiments by Oxford University in one year, new figures show. The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) said the figure, for 2013, was the second highest for any university in the UK that
