Archive

  • Four are left dead in tragic 24 hours on the county’s roads

    FOUR people were killed in traffic accidents in 24 hours on Oxfordshire’s roads. Police were last night still trying to identify the driver and passenger of a black Vauxhall Astra who died when it crashed on the M40 between junction 10 and 9 on

  • Hazel’s half a century of caring is honoured

    A VOLUNTEER who has been tending to strains, sprains and pains in Oxfordshire for more than 50 years has said she will continue for as long as she can. Hazel Punter, who lives in Banbury, has volunteered for St John Ambulance Service for 52 years

  • 500 sign up to save threatened bus route

    A PETITION to save a threatened Witney bus route described as a “lifeline” to residents has drummed up more than 500 signatures. West Oxfordshire District councillor Andrew Coles launched a campaign to try to save the Stagecoach 213, 214 and 215

  • ‘Flat dwellers could peer into bedrooms’

    TREES will be planted to help shield Cowley residents from a new community centre that will tower over their homes. Work is under way to transform the former Cowley Community Centre site in Barns Road into 40 flats and community rooms. Residents

  • Teenagers prove their mettle in county citizenships scheme

    THOUSANDS of teenagers in Oxfordshire are set to benefit from a scheme helping young people make a difference in their community. Oxfordshire County Council hopes to deliver the National Citizen Service (NCS) in the county all the way until the

  • ‘Leukaemia’ plant is blooming

    A PLANT which has the power to treat cancer is blooming at Oxford Botanic Garden. The Madagascan periwinkle plant, which is considered to be an invasive weed in some areas of the world, is regularly used to treat childhood leukaemia. Trainee

  • Abingdon woman, 43, killed in Sutton Courtenay crash

    A WOMAN was killed in a car accident in Sutton Courtenay yesterday, police have said. The woman was a passenger in a car which hit a tree on the B4016 Drayton Road at about 3.10pm. The driver, a 27-year-old man, is still in hospital with serious

  • Top Scouts in Japan for world jamboree

    SOME of the county’s finest Scouts have flown to Japan for the World Scout Jamboree. The group of 36 – selected on merit – have joined with other intrepid youngsters from across the globe this weekend for the 23rd annual meeting of Scouts.

  • Swallows and Amazons in seven days

    YOUNGSTERS hit their target to create a play in one week at a workshop run by Oxford’s Creation Theatre. Gracie Webb and Francesca Hotson, both 12, were among those who rehearsed for a production of Swallows and Amazons. The course ran all

  • Boarders to reveal their vision of new skatepark

    A VISION for a new town skatepark has been drawn up after months of lobbying a group of boarders and riders in Bicester. The skatepark – built in Garth Park in 1999 and said to be “showing major signs of wear and tear” – and its potential revamp

  • Why is no-one checking up on these builders?

    THE Redrow development has been built to the rear of our garden. It is an intensive development, designed to squeeze in as many houses as possible and was passed by the Vale of the White Horse despite their admitting that it was “not particularly

  • Oxford SOS: We need men on the ground to speed things up

    ON SUNDAY, we bravely drove through the city of excellence that is Oxford, from Marston to Botley. We could have used the A34 via A40 but could not face the possible even longer delays on that road. The traffic towards and through Frideswide

  • A34 proposals show quality of our leaders

    THE proposal to both open additional access to the A34 and build a park and ride at Lodge Hill indicates complete ignorance of the reality of the A34. The current gridlock during morning and evening rush hours, alongside the extensive evidence

  • What a shame to lose another city treasure

    IT WILL be a very sad day for this city when WG Powell ceases trading in Cowley. Being in the construction industry all my working life as a carpenter and joiner, I, as an individual and as an employee many years ago, have had the pleasure of frequenting

  • Superior bus service on a tough day on the road

    AS reported in the Oxford Mail, bus services faced severe delays last Friday, caused by roadworks on the Cutteslowe and Wolvercote Roundabouts, weather conditions and Friday traffic. Stagecoach coped well with the delays. First of all they split

  • Sometimes we’re faster but often we’re slower

    IT IS said that we now live in a much faster world. In some respects this is questionable. The current road works in north Oxford are schedule to be completed by November 2016. The four-and-a-half-mile railway line from Henley to Twyford

  • A question the Labour Party has to ask itself

    IT IS becoming increasingly rare to find a politician who has sincere convictions. Most politicians appear desperate to curry favour with the electorate and change their fickle opinions according to which way the wind blows. Therefore, when

  • Action group’s site a first to finding funds

    A COMMUNITY group is hoping a new website will make it easier for charities and organisations to get more funding. Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action has come up with the idea of collecting the details of thousands of groups, advertising

  • Car crash shuts Drayton Road

    A car crashed into a tree on the B4016 Drayton Road yesterday. The route was shut in both directions after the crash, which happened near Sutton Courtenay at about 2.45pm. Thames Valley Police said one person was hurt and paramedics were called

  • Last chance to voice views on Cowley Marsh Park plan

    Residents have until tomorrow to comment on plans to expand a city council depot into Cowley Marsh Park. The city council’s Direct Services wants to temporarily expand into the park to create 2400 sq m of extra storage space for its Marsh Road

  • Barclays bank vows to safeguard jobs of workers

    BARCLAYS bank has promised no staff will lose their jobs when it closes two South Oxfordshire branches in the next five months. Barclays bank in Wheatley will close on November 20 and Barclays Watlington will close on October 23. The firm said

  • Oxford United Women waste chance to tame Lionesses

    LES Taylor was disappointed Oxford United Women were unable to finish Millwall Lionesses off in a 2-2 draw in FA Women’s Super League 2. Leading 2-0 at half-time in the clash at Abingdon United, Oxford had the chance to kill off their opponents

  • Now Botley Road has joined the city traffic jams

    DRIVERS faced severe delays in and out of the city centre last night as temporary traffic lights were installed on Botley Road. The lights have been put in place at the junction of Lamarsh Road and Bullstakes Close as part of drainage work for

  • Tuesday, July 28

    1:41pm A 43-year-old woman from Abingdon died in after a acar crashed into a tree in Sutton Courtenay yesterday

  • ICE HOCKEY: Oxford City Stars sign up Oliver brothers

    THE Oliver brothers join Joe Edwards and Dax Hedges as the last batch of existing Oxford City Stars players to be confirmed on their roster for next season. Between them, Nick, Joe and Josh Oliver, have accumulated a grand total of 27 seasons for

  • CRICKET: Oxon record-breaker Ward meets predecessor Thompson

    Harrison Ward, who has just become the youngest Oxfordshire batsman to score a Unicorns Counties Championship century, met up with Ben Thompson, the player whose 17-year record he beat. The duo got together on Saturday at Horspath, for whom Ward

  • RUGBY LEAGUE: Oxford's rally comes too late in 'home' clash

    A STRONG finish was in vain for Oxford RL as Barrow Raiders ran out 34-22 winners in their Kingstone Press League 1 clash. Tim Rumford’s side ran in four tries, but paid for a spell either side of half-time when the Cumbrians took a firm grip on

  • History of estate documented in pioneering project on Leys

    THE memories of long-time Leys residents will be documented in a pioneering project on the history of the estate. From the start of this week, Time to Talk: Digital Storytelling in the Leys will see youngsters from the Leys Community Development

  • Man had hidden cocaine wraps in his underwear

    A MAN who escaped a jail term after hiding cocaine in his underwear was told to flush the rest of his drugs down the toilet. Adam Evans, of St John’s Road, Wallingford, appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after admitting possession of cannabis

  • Major grant to fund diabetes research

    A grant of more than £6 million from the European Union will help Oxford University research a new treatment for diabetes. The programme will develop ways to transplant pancreatic cells, known as islet cells, which can sense blood sugar levels

  • Youngsters enjoy street activities outside the box

    CHILDREN tried their hand at a variety of street-based activities at a youth art festival at the weekend. The Outside The Box festival at Pegasus Theatre in East Oxford gave children the chance to try graffiti, street dancing, beatboxing, cartoon

  • MOTORSPORT: Walkinshaw's Spa day halted by downpour

    SEAN Walkinshaw crashed in a sudden downpour in Belgium which forced his team’s retirement early in the Total 24 Hours of Spa. MRS GT-Racing teammate Craig Dolby made a strong start, but Walkinshaw was caught out by a pool of standing water three

  • GOLF: Super Watkins claims 11th straight club championship

    LAURA Watkins’s incredible run as Bicester club champion continued as she lifted the ladies crown for the 11th time in a row. Lorna Godwin won the ladies’ nett competition, while Tim Horn (gross) and Ellis Reid (nett) won the men’s titles.

  • Campaign launched to save the buffet car

    A commuter who launched a campaign to save the future of the buffet car on a county train route has gained hundreds more supporters. Steve Blair, 58, from Grove, set up Facebook group #savethebuffet after learning First Great Western’s plans to

  • Ammonites give a glimpse into the past

    SOME of them are a staggering 100 million years old and now they’re part of a new exhibition. Oxford University Museum of Natural History has launched the exhibition Gault Clay Fossils to show rare finds dug up from a type of sediment found at

  • Crash survivor wants to hand big chance to new apprentice

    SEVEN years ago Ben Thompson’s dream of becoming a professional rugby player was left in ruins when he broke his neck in the road accident that killed his best friend. However, after fighting back from his injuries Mr Thompson has started his own

  • Blenheim Palace’s staff invite artist Ai Weiwei to visit

    STAFF at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock have invited China’s best-known contemporary artist to visit the stately home after hosting one of his exhibitions. The most extensive UK exhibition to date by Ai Weiwei was hosted at the palace by the Blenheim

  • David Cameron unveils Churchill stamp plaque in Woodstock

    DAVID Cameron unveiled a plaque based on a 1965 stamp of former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill in Woodstock. The Prime Minister showed off the plaque, at a postbox on the corner of Upper Brook Hill and Oxford Street on Friday, to mark the

  • District council's draft local plan set for scrutiny

    A PLAN which could shape the future of West Oxfordshire for the next 20 years has been formally submitted to the government. West Oxfordshire District Council has put forward its draft Local Plan for independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate

  • Bus firm brightens up its fleet with a multi-coloured revamp

    A RIOT of colour will brighten the streets as Oxford Bus Company rebrands 11 services in all colours of the rainbow. Since Wednesday, a new fleet of pink-liveried City5 buses, running from Oxford Railway Station to Cowley and Blackbird Leys, has

  • Epic trek in Skye Hall’s memory under way

    THE father of Skye Hall set off on a mammoth journey to raise money for the charity set up in memory of his son. Andrew Hall, from Abingdon, left Blenheim Palace on Saturday with 16 other cyclists as part of a journey called 2Skye4Skye. The