HE’S a Harwell scientist and a classically-trained pianist, but Grahame O’Connor was cutting loose with Wantage Folk Dancing Club. The 70-year-old was performing a jig he wrote specially for the club to celebrate their 40th anniversary at Steventon
AN OXFORD author was left “gobsmacked” after football legend David Beckham revealed he’s reading one of her books to his daughter. Teresa Heapy’s self-penned children’s book Very Little Cinderella was published in February, the second book from
NEW looks for the summer were on display at the Covered Market as it hosted a fashion show for its independent shops. The summer fashion show was held on Saturday and featured the newest trends from shops in the market including Ansari, Fresh Clothing
BIRDS have been frightened silly in East Hagbourne as the village holds its annual scarecrow competition for the 11th year running. Residents worked tirelessly over the past four weeks to produce 27 scarecrows, which stand outside houses across
A DRIVE to recruit more foster parents in Oxfordshire is to continue with a series of information events during Foster Carer Fortnight. In April the Oxford Mail revealed that Oxfordshire County Council was to invest £180,000 to recruit more foster
FIREFIGHTERS have been called to the M40 where a van and trailer have reportedly caught fire. The two vehicles are said to be ablaze on the northbound carriageway at Junction 10. Thames Valley Police spokeswoman Charlotte Redman said police
PUPPETEER and author Emma Boor pulled all the right strings in a creative session at Oxford’s Story Museum. In her new Bookworm show, Ms Boor showed 30 adults and children how to make their very own funny-faced hand puppet. Ms Boor, 39, from
CAMPAIGNERS fighting a ‘bonkers’ plan to put houses next to a gas works believe the developer won’t give up on its scheme. West Oxfordshire District Council’s planning committee rejected a second planning application from Gladman homes for 270
Police have arrested a ninth man on suspicion of rape and sexual grooming following raids in Oxford this morning. More than 100 officers carried out the dawn raids at eight properties across the city. The force had arrested eight people as
Rabbit Foot Spasm Band frontman and devoted working class dad at odds with Oxford . . . and the world Destiny occasionally calls me to the supermarket checkout. Once I’ve selected the shortest queue I occupy my time by nosing at other people’s
VISITORS to Upton House near Banbury stepped back in time to the era of rationing, air raids and national service with a 1940s weekend. The National Trust property was changed by the outbreak of the Second World War, with owners Lord and Lady Bearsted
A BLIND man from Oxford has urged the public to help him find his missing dog, Toffee. UPDATE: Missing trainee guide dog Toffee has found his way home Ian Francis, 46, of Gibbs Crescent, said he has been unable to leave his home since Toffee
CCTV has been released of a man police want to talk to in connection with items stolen from leisure centre lockers in Oxford. Thames Valley Police said jewellery, money and clothing was stolen between 8.30am and 9.30am from four lockers by a man
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Whether you are at the heart of a loving family, or have to cope with a bereavement in isolation from your relatives and friends, you may need expert help to cope with grief. Many charities and groups in Oxfordshire are there for you if you need
THE post mortem examination of the body of triple murder suspect Jed Allen, 21, has revealed he died as a result of hanging. The body of Allen was found in woodland near Marston Ferry Lane on May 25. Thames Valley Police had been trying
Money matters If your death does not bring tears of sorrow to the eyes of those you leave behind, the eye-watering cost of your funeral might do it. The expenses incurred following a bereavement have soared by 10.6 per cent in one year, to
A WOMAN was assaulted while walking through a park in Banbury, police said. Thames Valley Police said a 19-year-old woman was attacked at about 5.30am on Saturday, May 23 when walking through People's Park with a friend. Police said the pair
IT WOULD be interesting to know how the three county councils – Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire – calculated the figure of 135,000 new jobs in the counties as you reported (Counties want a £9bn ‘new deal’ for growth). The Strategic
REGARDING Hazel Dawe’s comments on setting up a cycle route through Florence Park, I would like to point out that the park is already used as a cycle route even though it has a bylaw set when the park was built which prohibits cycling and notices at
RW Tucker (Letters, June 1) can rest assured that Labour Party funding from affiliated trades unions is the most open and fully accountable political funding in Britain today. Political levies are already subject to regular affirmation ballots
THE HEADLINE on Hugh Jaeger’s trams letter (May 27) was absolutely correct. Yes “it’s time we considered the facts about trams.” Unfortunately the real facts tell a different story. We are neither for or against the concept of trams in Oxford
I AM writing to tell you about our charity, which supports the Churchill Hospital and The John Radcliffe Hospital. The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust is a charity which funds research into cancers affecting young people in the age group 13-24,
Politicians from Oxfordshire have paid tribute to former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy who has died suddenly at home. The 55-year-old has served as an MP for 32 years, but was ousted from his Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency last
A CHARITY fundraiser hopes to have broken the world record for distance travelled on a space hopper after completing a half marathon on the rubber balloon. Witney resident Jenni Davies travelled 14 miles on the children’s toy in an impressive six
I’m such a cycle addict I can’t even go without a bike while on a week’s holiday. So what did I do after landing in the Indian Ocean last week after a ten hour flight? I went straight out and found the nearest cycle hire venue to get back in the
The Student Consultancy sees Oxford University students help local organisations with real business issues. Jonathan Black, director of Oxford University Careers Service, explains Seven years ago, two final-year undergraduates came to visit me
Eddie Pepperell described qualifying for his first Open Championship at St Andrews as the “icing on the cake”. The 24-year-old Abingdon ace narrowly missed out on a first win on the European Tour on Sunday, losing out in a three-way play-off to
Fire crews were called to blaze involving machinery at an industrial estate yesterday. Fire engines from Eynsham Fire Station were called to Oakfield Industrial Estate in Eynsham just after 9am. The small fire was successfully put out and there
Oxfordshire’s fire service was yesterday given approval to seek closer ties with Thames Valley Police that could see the bodies share offices. At a meeting in County Hall, Oxford, county council cabinet member Rodney Rose directed chief fire officers
Rail disruptions across Oxfordshire could be called off as planned rail strikes are suspended amid union negotiations. Network Rail workers could be in line for a two per cent pay rise as talks head into their fourth day of negotiations. The
A POST office owner who has served the Risinghurst community for 25 years is being recognised by the Indian and British Governments for his work. Mahesh Gandhi, 53, who has owned Risinghurst Post Office for the past quarter of a century, has been
A POSTMAN who has not shaved since November will finally ditch the facial hair for Sobell House. Dan Eisenhandler, from Bladon, decided to start growing his beard for fun before being labelled by friends as Dandalf the Grey. The member of runners
A FORMER solicitor has been handed a record £305,000 fine for taking advantage of a “vulnerable and elderly” lady by acquiring her house at a knockdown price. The actions of Nigel Harvie, who took ownership of Ilse Seldon’s Summertown house in
ALL SUBSIDISED bus routes in the county could lose the extra money they receive from Oxfordshire County Council. Last month the Oxford Mail revealed the county council planned to review more than 100 subsidies in order to save £2.3m as part of
Oxfordshire's remote promotion hope from Division 1 of the BDO Inter-County Championship were dashed when they lost 20-16 to Dorset at Poole. The visitors had to settle for sixth spot in the final table. The Oxon ladies B side saw the return
Oxford's run in the Royal London Club Championship came to a shuddering halt with a 109-run defeat in the third round at home to Sunbury. The Middlesex club recovered from 33-6 to post 180 after being put in to bat with Vishal Manro hitting 72
Former Oxfordshire all-rounder Jack Taylor hit a brilliant maiden first-class century for Gloucestershire against Derbyshire in the LV= County Championship yesterday. The 23-year-old, who played club cricket for Great & Little Tew, lit up the
A 34-year-old man charged with murder appeared before Oxford Crown Court yesterday. Rafal Stawski, of Mayfair Road, Oxford, is accused of murdering Wojciech Ryniak, who was found with a stab wound in a car in North Way on April 21. He died
Oxford United’s Callum O’Dowda played for just over 70 minutes as Republic of Ireland Under 21s were beaten 2-1 by England C in Galway yesterday. The 20-year-old winger was substituted on 71 minutes with the score at 2-0 against a team made up
Oxford United’s much-criticised Kassam Stadium pitch was laid bare yesterday as preparations began to lay a new semi-synthetic grass. Bulldozers ripped up the surface, which was well past its natural life and suffered particularly following London
THE FUNERAL of murdered Janet and Derin Jordon will take place at Oxford Crematorium, St John’s Chapel on June 11. The service for the mother and daughter is planned to start at 3pm and the family has requested bright colours to be worn rather
THIS little Angel could need her brolly for a couple more days before an expected heatwave kicks in. Five-year-old Angel Pacson was out in Wantage yesterday battling the elements with her mother. She said: “I was out with my mum and I brought
The Green Party has elected Oxford City Councillor Craig Simmons as its new leader. Mr Simmons, the outgoing deputy Lord Mayor of Oxford, was unanimously elected at the party’s meeting last week – the first since the General Election. He replaces
George Bar A, who lost to Kidlington Green Social Club the previous week, gained quick revenge with a 5-4 away victory in Men’s Section 2 of the Greene King ODDA Summer League The visitors started well as Wayne Stevens beat Rob Smith, Kidlington levelled
4:35pm Reports of van and trailer on fire on M40 near junction 10 4:19pm Update: Triple murder suspect Jed Allen died as a result of hanging, a post-mortem
A NEW event to bring fathers closer to their children is to start at the Barton Neighbourhood Centre. On Saturday the Disco Dadz scheme begins. It aims to engage with single-parent fathers who want to bond with their children. The initiative
A SERIES of short films showing the inspirational story of a group who have had life-changing brain injuries is set to premiere in Oxford tonight. The individual stories of Mary-Jane Allen, who developed cerebral palsy as a result of being starved
MP Nicola Blackwood is urging the county council to review its school places allocation system after parents missed out in the latest round. Miss Blackwood, Conservative MP for Oxford West & Abingdon, said she has met with various parents who
THIS peacock was strutting his stuff for female companions at the Harcourt Arboretum. The colourful creatures fan out their feathers in a ritual to attract a mate. Mating season is well under way. Every peacock has a distinct pattern of colours
The proposed Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) is set to be discussed by city councillors at scrutiny committee today. If adopted, the PSPO could ban a list of anti-social or nuisance behaviours from the city centre. The scrutiny committee
A pensioner was pulled from a house fire in Rose Hill on Friday. Fire crews were called at 10am after an alarm went off. When they arrived, officers went inside and could see smoke and hear the woman calling for help. Two fire-fighters helped
A chaplain of Trinity College in Broad Street, Oxford, has supported the proposal to refer to God as “she” put forward by a group of women in the Church of England. Reverend Emma Percy agrees that feminine words can be used to describe God just
THREE second half tries saw Oxford RL storm back to beat University of Gloucestershire All Golds 20-12 at Iffley Road and earn a third successive home win in Kingstone Press League 1. Josh Scott, Aaron Jones-Bishop and Andy Matthews all crossed
Oxford United Women’s boss Les Taylor praised his side’s attitude as they came from behind to draw 2-2 against Aston Villa in FA Women’s Super League 2, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. Trailing 2-0 with 20 minutes left, it looked all over for the visitors
A GREENPEACE activist who was held in a Russian jail for his part in a campaign to board an oil rig, set up his latest environmental protest in Witney yesterday. Father-of-three Phil Ball from Milton-under-Wychwood, who hit the national headlines
A BLUEPRINT for where development can take place in Cherwell over the next 15 years is in the final stages. Cherwell District Council’s Local Plan submission makes provisions for building 22,800 homes by 2031, to hit government targets. The
PROTESTERS dressed up as old people to demonstrate in Oxford yesterday over fuel poverty. Nine campaigners from the Reclaim the Power group, which claimed 6,000 died in the UK because of fuel poverty last year, stood outside the British Gas in
MORE than 125 shops, 15 farms, six pubs and two golf courses are among properties owned by Oxfordshire’s councils, new figures show. The Taxpayers’ Alliance said the assets – revealed by a Freedom of Information request – should be sold to bolster
ALLOWANCES for councillors should be overhauled to attract more people into politics, the leader of Oxford City Council has said. Bob Price said other methods for paying public servants should be reconsidered in the wake of a string of outcries
OXFORD’S famous Salter’s Steamers have returned to Abingdon and opened their first permanent base in the town since 1989. The company bought Abingdon Bridge Marine on Nag’s Head Island from Len and Brenda Baker, who have retired after running it
NORTH Oxford’s juniors are celebrating after winning the Smedley Shield inter-club tournament held on their own course. Their team of Scott Willoughby, Jude Boag-Mathews, Connor Hiles and Dean Sherlock triumphed by 11 shots. North Oxford recorded
JORDAN Albert moved into the top five of the Duo BRDC Formula 4 Championship after bagging his biggest points haul of the season – including his third podium at Silverstone. Albert, 18, from the Chipping Norton-based Sean Walkinshaw Racing team
A MAN who was addicted to prescription drugs has avoided jail after illegally importing 3,000 tablets into the UK. Daniel Ballantyne, of Andover Close, Bicester, admitted one count of fraudulently evading a prohibition by ordering the drugs from
Having taken a sabbatical from quizzing during the winter, and handed a bye in the opening round of fixtures a fortnight ago, the Bell (Lower Heyford) were, unsurprisingly, a touch ring rusty as they encountered near neighbours, the Bletchingdon Nomads
THE Dragon is a very modern traditional school - an exciting place to be as our unique name suggests. The school hums with life and laughter and boys and girls, teachers and staff apply themselves with enormous energy to creating a wonderful environment
