Archive

  • Classrooms won’t be ready for year’s start

    CHILDREN expecting to move into new classrooms at Oxfordshire’s largest primary school will have to wait until after term starts. The completion of four new classrooms at Windmill Primary School in Headington has been delayed by more than two weeks

  • Rain fails to dampen fayre spirits

    TYPICAL English bank holiday weather failed to rain off the city’s third annual Littlemore Fayre. The bunting was up and crowds turned out yesterday for the annual fayre put on by The George pub in Sandford Road. Fairground rides, face painting

  • Runners dazzle despite the drizzle in road race

    HUNDREDS of runners enjoyed a five-mile road race through Headington, Summertown and Marston. A total of 350 seasoned runners and first-timers headed along the streets for the third annual Headington 5 Race. The race on Sunday, organised by

  • Moving on after success in stamping out gang culture

    WHEN Sergeant Colin Travi moved to Kidlington police station in 2010 the now quiet village had a gang culture spiralling “out of control”. Now after his last day on Wednesday working there, Sgt Travi has spoken about how engaging with residents

  • Escaped prisoner seen headed to Oxford arrested in Manchester

    A DANGEROUS convict who escaped from prison and was seen heading towards Oxford has been re-arrested. John Rooney, 47, was halfway through a 27-year sentence for kidnap and more than 20 robberies when he walked out of HMP Springhill in Buckinghamshire

  • Traffic lights will improve road safety

    I WELL remember Hazel Bleay’s campaigning for traffic lights to replace the Headley Way mini-roundabouts back in 2005 (Letters, August 27, 2015). Like Mrs Bleay, I am puzzled as to why Cllr Mick Haines has concerns about this plan. Traffic

  • Need to move away from fossil fuels like oil and gas

    IT HAS taken no time at all for the Conservatives to about-face from promising ‘the greenest government ever’ to deciding to ‘cut the green rubbish’. Proposing a savage cut in payments for solar panels is bad news for homes, schools and businesses

  • Appalling attitude to the election of Labour leader

    WHEN Ed Miliband was Leader of the Labour Party he changed the rules regarding the election of the Labour leader. The new rules allow members of any political party to vote for the Labour leader. Certain members of the party are now cursing

  • False economy to cut back on police patrols

    VIRTUALLY every day now the A34 is blocked as a result of accidents. It follows that this puts extra demand on all branches of the emergency services. How many people are injured? How many hours are lost by goods being stuck in these hold-ups,

  • High parking charges discouraging shoppers

    MUCH has been made about the effects to businesses of the traffic problems in Oxford. What has not been mentioned is the high parking charges at the Oxpens car park. This is made worse by the pre-payment system, which means if, say, you think

  • Square not accessible to all members of public

    IN RESPONSE to the spokeswoman from county council who stated that the shops in Frideswide Square are fully accessible, I would like to know how she defines accessible? The last time I ventured down there – just over a week ago – I had to dodge

  • Appreciation for keeping the fronts football-free

    THANK you for printing my recent request for the front page of the Oxford Mail to be for news items other than football which appears later in the paper. I appreciate that this week’s Thursday and Friday’s newspapers’ front pages were football-free

  • Motorcyclist injured in crash with van on B4425 near Upton

    A TEENAGE motorcyclist was taken to hospital after being involved in a crash with a van. The collision happened at about 3.15pm yesterday afternoon on the B4425 towards Upton, near Didcot. South Central Ambulance Service spokeswoman Catherine

  • Politics: ‘I can’t pretend it’ll be easy for drivers’

    As pupils go back to school this week, David Nimmo Smith, the county councillor in charge of Oxfordshire’s transport, explains how the road network will cope The start of September marks the beginning of the new school year and also a major increase

  • Quiz League: It’s so near yet so far for Seacourt

    In quite possibly the game of the night, those wily old foxes representing the Seacourt Bridge (Botley), pitted against Premiership outfit, the Ploughman’s Bunch! (Wolvercote), narrowly failed in their bid to open their account for the season.

  • Survivor urges others to make legacy gift

    A CANCER survivor from Oxford is encouraging others to leave a donation to charity in their will. Barbara Gardiner’s life changed after she discovered a sore on one of her feet that was diagnosed as leukaemia in August 1999. Despite going for

  • Oxford United goalkeeper receives New Zealand call-up

    MAX Crocombe will miss Oxford United's trip to Bristol Rovers on Sunday after being called up to the New Zealand squad. The goalkeeper is in the 21-man All Whites squad for a game against Myanmar in Yangon, which is also on Sunday. Crocombe

  • Charge people to use recycling centres, says Tory

    PEOPLE should pay to use Oxfordshire’s seven recycling centres to avoid some of them having to close, according to a Conservative county councillor. Kevin Bulmer has put forward a motion for debate at the council meeting next Tuesday asking leader

  • Councillor calls for hospital discussion

    A Labour councillor is calling for public consultation on the future of Oxfordshire’s community hospitals. Oxfordshire county councillor for Witney South and Central Laura Price will put forward a motion at next Tuesday’s county council meeting

  • New rail line plans to go on display

    Proposed works on the new rail line connecting Oxford to Bicester will go on display tomorrow. Plans will be on display as part of a number of drop-in sessions to explain the proposed rail works between Aristotle Lane and Oxford Junction in North

  • Donkey Derby raises money for elderly holiday

    YOUNGSTERS put donkeys through their paces at an annual derby day in West Oxfordshire. The village Donkey Derby was held in Bampton on Monday in aid of hundreds of senior citizens in the village. Fourteen donkeys were brought in from Weston-super-Mare

  • Rail service back to normal following strike

    DISRUPTION to Oxfordshire’s rail network ended yesterday evening after mechanics and train technicians returned to work following a three-day strike. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union walked out on Saturday after negotiations

  • Lorry firms heighten security as immigration offences rise

    THE number of arrests relating to immigration offences is already up on last year, prompting companies in Oxfordshire to tighten security. According to Thames Valley Police, a total of 205 arrests have been made in relation to immigration offences

  • Listen up: Community centre protesters march to be heard

    AT LEAST 40 people marched through the rain on Bank Holiday Monday to protest against Oxford City Council’s plans to take over the running of East Oxford Community Centre. Last month the Oxford Mail reported the city council’s plans to take over

  • Council to decide on zebra crossing plan

    The final decision on plans for a zebra crossing in Bridge Street will be made on Thursday. Oxfordshire county councillor David Nimmo-Smith is to make the decision following a reconsultation after objections were made. Plans were previously

  • DARTS: Trio handed call-ups as Oxon start season

    OXFORDSHIRE open their new campaign in Division 1 of the BDO Inter-Counties Championship with a match at home to Durham this weekend. The hosts have brought three newcomers – Pete Smith, Sue Burns and Angie Godfrey – into the side for the contest

  • Council may approve get fit plan

    A five-year plan to get people more involved in physical activity could be approved by council leaders. Oxford City Council’s executive board will consider a leisure strategy for 2015 to 2020 at a meeting on Thursday, September 10. The strategy

  • Rollright Stones car park plans to be considered

    Plans for a 55-space car park at the ancient site of the Rollright Stones will be considered by West Oxfordshire District Council next week. On Monday, the council will consider plans to turn part of the farmland next to the stones near Little

  • DARTS: Brothers’ maximums do the Trick

    BROTHERS Tim and Simon Tricker starred with a total of five maximums to help Democrats Club win 6-3 at Peachcroft Social Club in Premier & Section 1 of the Greene King ODDA Summer League. After Terry Wood had given Democrats an early lead,

  • Squadron to march for anniversary

    RAF squadrons will march through Witney as part of the 75th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Britain. Brize Norton personnel first gained the right to march through Witney when the RAF station was granted freedom of entry to the town

  • Jailed for two years after string of offences

    A FATHER-OF-TWO was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to a series of offences including an assault on a taxi driver. Joshua Derosa, 20, pleaded guilty on July 22 to unlawful wounding and appeared for sentencing at Oxford Crown Court Alison

  • Drones flight instructor finds his new business is taking off

    BUSINESS is on the rise for a former helicopter pilot instructor whose company teaches people how to fly drones safely. As Thames Valley Police revealed that 31 incidents involving drones had been reported to the force in the past two years, former

  • Going... going... gone... chimney blown up at quarry

    A PEACEFUL Sunday morning in rural Oxfordshire was interrupted by a loud bang when a 74-metre-high chimney came crashing to the ground. The concrete chimney at Shipton Quarry near Shipton-on-Cherwell, Kidlington, was demolished on Sunday morning

  • Firefighters rescue horse stuck in alley

    A LARGE horse had to be rescued by firefighters during the middle of the night after it became stuck on a path between two houses. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called to the “unusual” incident at 11.50pm on Saturday and were