A HOTELIER has revealed the £1m makeover of the Old Bank Hotel in Oxford is the “last piece of the jigsaw” in an overhaul of his city properties. City entrepreneur Jeremy Mogford has in the past two years also spent about £2m improving The Old
DRIVERS are facing congestion after a two-vehicle crash closed one lane of the A34 northbound. Motorists are experiencing delays of about 20 minutes as a result of the accident between the B430 for Weston-on-the-Green and Junction 9 for the M40
RYAN Taylor has become Oxford United's third signing of the summer after agreeing a two-year deal with the club. The 27-year-old striker has been linked with a move for several weeks and joins as a free agent after Portsmouth decided against offering
SOLICITORS put their best foot forward to raise hundreds of pounds for cancer sufferers across the county. The team from Blake Morgan, based at Seacourt Tower, donned their running shoes and took part in a 160-mile relay race from London to Cardiff
WITH less than a week to go until Oxford Pride returns for another year, preparations for the event are in full swing. Oxford Castle Quarter will welcome the city’s biggest LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) festival for the first time
AN ANONYMOUS donor has offered to pay a young dancer’s school fees after her family feared a lack of funding could end her dreams of becoming a ballerina. Jessica Willis, 12, was offered a place at Hertfordshire’s Tring Park School for the Performing
TENANTS of a property in Banbury could be barred from entering their home by police. Thames Valley Police has been granted powers by the courts to evict tenants of a property in Gillet Place for three months. The eviction is down to anti-social
A GARDEN designer from North Hinksey has won her third Five Star Award at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show. Sarah Naybour won the award – highest possible for show stands – on Wednesday for the third year in the row. Working
THREE football fans travelled through Oxford using unconventional transport, including a punt, to raise money for Helen and Douglas House hospice. Cris Bowden, 34, his father-in-law Steve Hall, 57, and friend Richard Eldred, all from the Newbury
HUNDREDS of mourners lined Blackbird Leys Road to pay their respects to former councillor Val Smith this morning. Mrs Smith died on May 15 after a long battle with cancer. At her funeral this morning, there were more mourners than the Church
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A CRASH is currently blocking a lane on the A34 near the Botley Interchange. The three-vehicle collision happened at about 11.15am on the Western By-Pass Road southbound at the Botley Interchange. It involved a car, a lorry and a van and Thames
A CROCODILE which was once lost in a polluted river in Lebanon is now among friends at a crocodile farm. Lebby, a 1.5-metre Nile crocodile, was introduced to 34 fellow Nile crocs at Crocodiles of the World in Brize Norton after being captured by
A LANE on the A40 near Witney has been closed this morning for essential pot hole repairs. The second lane on the A40 Westbound between the A415 Ducklington Lane and the B4477 will remain closed until 2pm, according to Oxfordshire County Council
A ROAD in Blackbird Leys is closed this morning for the funeral of a much-loved councillor. Cuddesdon Way has been closed for the funeral of former county councillor Val Smith. The former Lord Mayor and wife to Oxford East MP Andrew Smith,
RESULTS of post mortem examinations on the three people killed in Didcot are not expected until tomorrow, police said. It is understood the examinations on the bodies of Jan Jordon, Philip Howard and six-year-old Derin Jordon would also be continuing
WHAT an absolutely magnificent ode to all things politically- minded from David Tinson (May 18). I reckon we may well have a future poet laureate, even Nobel Prize winner, there. DAVID DIMENT Riverside Court Oxford
AFTER reading Brian Duffy’s letter re landlords getting rich at the expense of taxpayers (May 21), it makes one wonder in this age of cutbacks in welfare how much of the budget is spent on paying rents to private landlords who house people on benefits
I HAVE just returned from a cycle ride along the A40 cycle path from north Oxford to Eynsham and back in the middle of the afternoon. I saw six other cyclists on that excellent flat cycle path. As usual for 70 per cent of that ride, I was riding
I WAS appalled to read the article about getting medical staff from New Zealand and Australia, with the “financial carrots” costing mega bucks. Why can’t we grow our own? I did my general nurse training here at the old Radcliffe in the 1950s
I HAVE been busking in Oxford for the past 30 years and I have never seen any of those demonstrators against Oxford City Council’s public spaces protection orders before, apart from Jonny Walker who has just appeared recently. I think they should
COUNCILLOR David Henwood (May 22) supports the developers wanting to open a Hungry Horse pub in Cowley whilst freely admitting that many residents are opposed to this development. The question arises: who does he think he was elected to represent
I get an all-over warm, fuzzy feeling when I see people doing stuff for cycling all for the love of it. This spring, the fuzzy-feeling flavour of the month award goes to CTC with its “Spread the Love” campaign. “Spread the Love” is all about
THE owner of a futuristic-looking house near Oxford has been accused of breaking a planning condition by cutting down a hedge. Former Oxford Covered Market trader Richard Alden is building the four-bedroom property in Boars Hill, which will have
Prof Linda King Interim ProVice-Chancellor, Research and Knowledge Exchange, Oxford Brookes As the Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange at Oxford Brookes, it is my job to champion our thriving research community and
FOLLOWING the previous week’s ‘Crime’ themed Tabletop, performing as the curtain-raiser to the 2015 Oxfordshire Summer Quiz season, it was back to the nitty gritty business of head-to-head league encounters last Thursday evening. As was forecast
ONE lane on the A34 is blocked due to a broken down vehicle near Abingdon. The blockage is on the southbound carriageway between the A4183 Oxford Road and A415 March Road turn-offs. A recovery vehicle is expected to arrive shortly. Get
Botley Road is at a standstill again as the latest phase of roadworks at Frideswide Square causes traffic chaos. The morning rush hour saw motorists face journeys of up to an hour along the route into Oxford as congestion built from the city centre
THE local community was yesterday still struggling to comprehend the horror of what had unfolded in their peaceful town. Chloe Warner, 22, came with her son Morgan, six, to leave a tribute at Vicarage Road, pictured. She said: “It is a scary
Oxford City general manager Justin Merritt feels that his side’s change of divisions next season is a mixed blessing, but is relishing the new challenge. After winning promotion from the Southern League Premier Division in 2012, City were surprisingly
Oxford United have been named as one of the favourites for the Sky Bet League Two title next season. Michael Appleton’s men spent the whole of the last campaign in the bottom half, finishing 13th, but bookmakers are confident they will fare better
UNTIL two months ago Jan Jordon and her daughter Derin had lived in Wensom Drive in Didcot. Their bodies were discovered with that of Derin’s 44-year-old father, Philip Howard, at their new home in Vicarage Road, Didcot, by police on Saturday.
AN injury-time penalty from Everton’s Paige Williams inflicted an agonising 3-2 defeat on Oxford United in the FA Women’s Super League 2, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. Hosts Oxford led 2-0 thanks to early goals from Lauren Allison and Katie Stanley, but
BRIGHTLY coloured ribbons tied carefully around posts on the streets of Didcot have become a symbol of solidarity in the town. In tribute to murdered Philip Howard, 44, Jan Jordon, 48, daughter Derin, six, neighbours and friends are coiling ribbon
7:53pm Traffic on A34 after accident closes one lane 7:52pm UPDATE: Severe delays on Botley Road this evening as latest phase of Frideswide Square
THE hunt for the killer of a family in Didcot ended last night when a body, believed to be the main suspect’s, was found in a wooded area in Oxford. Police had been searching for 21-year-old Jed Allen for almost two days following the discovery
DELAYS are expected for drivers on the M40 due to heavy traffic. According to traffic sensors the southbound stretch between junction 11, the exit for Banbury, and Bicester’s junction 10. There are currently no reports of broken down vehicles
A VICTIM of child abuse said justice had been achieved after a pensioner was sentenced to ten years in prison for historic sex offences. Joseph Armotrading, 78, was found guilty by a jury of four counts of indecent assault on a child under 13 years
MUSIC lovers gathered under the spring sunshine to enjoy an afternoon of sweet melodies at a Witney farm. Families visited Cogges Manor Farm in Church Lane for the fourth day of the Witney Music Festival. Revellers gathered at the farm’s Wheat
There were delays of up to 30 minutes on a park-and-ride service yesterday. Oxford Bus Company’s 300 service, which serves Redbridge and Pear Tree park-and-rides as well as the city centre, was delayed in the early afternoon. A company spokesman
Vans have been targeted by tool thieves in a spate of thefts, police said. Chipping Norton Police said that there were two offences in Charlbury on Thursday and Friday but did not provide any further details. According to police, Citroen Berlingo
Exciting sprinter Limato is set to put his unbeaten record on the line in the 888Sport Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock on Saturday. Wantage trainer Henry Candy had said the gelding would head straight to Royal Ascot for the Commonwealth Cup on June
Hugo Darby smashed a brilliant century as Banbury beat High Wycombe by six runs in the ECB Twenty20 Home Counties quarter-finals yesterday. Darby hit 104 off 72 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes, to take the hosts to 183-6 after they had been
Foodies descended on the stately home of Blenheim Palace over the bank holiday weekend. The Blenheim Palace Food Festival saw the Woodstock estate host a three-day celebration of the best regional food and drink. It also featured cookery demonstrations
GARY King was the class act as he smashed the Frilford Heath course record en route to winning the Buildbase Open by two shots. A ten-under par 62 in the first round was four shots better than the previous best mark on the Red Course. The golfer
OXFORDSHIRE visit Dorset this weekend in their final match of the British Inter Counties Championship knowing they need a big victory to stand any chance of winning the Division 1 title. They go into the match fourth in the table, trailing leaders
FORMER Tadmarton Heath member Gavin Caldwell will take over as captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club later this year. He will begin his year in office with the traditional driving-in ceremony on the first tee of St Andrews’ Old Course in September
LES Taylor was left feeling hard done by after seeing his Oxford United Women’s side sickeningly beaten 3-2 at home to Everton thanks to a 92nd-minute penalty, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. The U’s appeared to be cruising to a third straight victory after
A CHARITY that has served Blackbird Leys residents for 40 years received more than £4,000 in a single night thanks to a crowdfunding scheme. The Blackbird Leys Neighbourhood Support Scheme was one of four Oxford charities to receive pledges at
Fire crews were called to a shed fire in Wantage yesterday. Crews from Faringdon and Oxford attended the blaze just after 3.30pm. The fire was quickly put out using hose reel jets and is thought to have been started accidentally.
FIRE-RAVAGED remains of the Crowmarsh Gifford council headquarters could be renovated rather than demolished, a civic leader has said. The South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district council offices were virtually destroyed in the blaze
CHRIS Thompson hit the highest finish of the Greene King ODDA Summer League’s opening week, but still finished on the losing side. Thompson’s 160 helped Ladies Premier side Blackbird Bar into a 2-0 lead at Vikings Social Club, from Section 1.
ROBBIE Nicholson and Michael Tippett combined to claim a rare albatross at North Oxford. The pair were competing in a four-man team in the club’s Joint Captains’ Charity Day, played as a Florida Scramble. Reaching the 507-yard, par five 15th
A DECISION on whether a derelict pub in Cowley could be turned into a mini supermarket is expected to be made later today. The Nuffield Arms, in Littlemore Road, has been empty since last September, but The Co-operative Food wants to revamp the
MOVES to overturn crippling tax changes will take too long to save many Oxfordshire traders from going out of business. That is the stark warning from an MEP who has written to officials in Brussels calling for more urgency. Anneliese Dodds
YET another £60 million of cuts over the next five years could be needed at Oxfordshire County Council, raising fears about the loss of valued services and jobs. This would be on top of the £284m already outlined to be slashed by 2018, of which
THE MAN who planned a new 30,000-home “garden city” south of Abingdon has revealed plans for a 200-home estate in Faringdon. Planning expert Ken Dijksman, of Newbury, wants to build on 8.5ha of farmers’ fields south of Highworth Road on the south
AN OXFORD-BASED learning disabilities charity will take over the operation of a Witney cafe. The Yellow Submarine, which already runs a cafe in Park End Street, will take over the Windrush Leisure Centre cafe, West Oxfordshire District Council
HUNDREDS of villagers paraded through Harwell for an annual bank holiday feast. Festive floats made their way up the High Street in the village and back down to the recreation ground before being judged by a secret panel hiding in the crowds.
A 79-YEAR-OLD woman in Iffley was the victim of a distraction burglary, police said. Officers said a man knocked on the door of her house in Meadow Lane at about 5pm on Monday, May 18. He asked the victim if he could check the top of the garden
A PRE-SCHOOL near Bicester has again been ranked ‘good’ by Ofsted inspectors. Steeple Aston Pre-School was given the rating following an inspection on April 29. Inspectors ranked the school, which has 55 pupils, as ‘good’ in all categories, meaning
CONCERNED parents at a pre-school in Headington Quarry are campaigning for the county council to improve “dangerous road conditions”. More than 500 residents, teachers, parents and councillors have signed a petition to ask Oxfordshire County Council
A THOUSAND students, artists and art enthusiasts visited Oxford Brookes University to see the work of fine art students. Some 33 final-year students exhibited projects which have taken years to produce at the university’s Headington campus.
AN AWARD-WINNING independent bookseller is looking to sell his business after his “most successful year”. Co-owner of Abingdon’s Mostly Books Mark Thornton said he wanted to “hand over the reigns” to a new and enthusiastic owner, who would be willing
