PERVERT David Floyd was today starting a ten-year jail sentence after being convicted of raping a teenage girl and a woman. Jobless Floyd, 52, of The Glebe, Culham, near Abingdon, denied two charges of rape and two of unlawful sexual intercourse, but
RA"AIDERS escaped with hundreds of items of jewellery. Thieves used a wooden battering ram to break into the MGJ jewellery shop in St Martin's Street, Wallingford. Staff are still counting the cost of the raid, which took place early on Saturday morning
POLICE chiefs and other organisations were today pledging themselves against racism at a conference held one year after the Stephen Lawrence inquiry. Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Charles Pollard was attending the conference, which is being staged
OXFORDSHIRE'S British figure-skating champion Tammy Sear came home from the European Championships in Venice this week and admitted her first taste of international skating was 'a real eye-opener', writes Niall Jeger. She finished a disappointing 23rd
THE BBC must embrace the sweeping changes of the media world if it is to survive. That was the message of Alan Yentob, the BBC's Director of Television, to an audience in Oxford. Mr Yentob, responsible specifically for BBC1, BBC2 and the BBC's new digital
THIS week is International Eating Disorder Week and the Eating Disorder Association is focusing on raising awareness about male sufferers of conditions such as anorexia and bulimia. WINSTON Hurt used to weigh himself 12 times a day, writes Zahra Borno
ACUTE care in Oxfordshire's health service is heading towards the worst cash crisis in a decade. John MacDonald, chief executive of the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust, believes a build-up of possible £6m debts, Government-set standards and new costs
A NEW matchmaking scheme for companies to use student placements to improve their competitiveness was launched in Oxford. Spectrum, run by the Oxford Trust, will match companies to students of different ages, from sixth formers to postgraduate researchers
GIANT striker Kevin Francis was due to be back in training today with Oxford United after being given the all-clear by a specialist on his troublesome hamstring injury. United manager Denis Smith also reported that goalkeeper Paul Lundin's foot injury
OXFORD United chairman Firoz Kassam is set to battle on in his bid to complete the club's half-built new stadium at Minchery Farm despite a setback, writes Russell Smith. United claim that brewers Morrells of Oxford Limited have threatened the cash-strapped
KEBAB king Mahmood Akhtar can keep his pitch in an Oxford street - after 300 punters backed his plea to the council. Mahmood's van is a regular sight outside the Zodiac nightclub in Cowley Road. But his livelihood was threatened when Oxford City Council
TORY defector Shaun Woodward is to lead the Government's war on drugs in schools. The Witney MP, who caused uproar when he defected to Labour last year, will be responsible for getting youngsters to talk about drugs. He is a former director of the charity
TRADESMEN and football players keep getting a town's two football clubs mixed up. A 30-tonne pile of road chippings has been left at the Abingdon Town ground, in Culham Road, Abingdon, even though they were ordered by Abingdon United who wanted to resurface
THEY currently live in a sleepy village surrounded by picturesque fields. It has little more than a pub for entertainment - and that is the way the residents of Chesterton like it. But their peace could soon be ruined if planners have their way. Chesterton
A 15-YEAR-OLD from Abingdon has become only the second junior from Oxfordshire to win a Brown Belt in judo. Lee Colchester-Hall is coached by Jim Lambert at Appleton Village Hall, and now so proficient he can beat ex-European champion Gareth Turner, who
OXFORD United chairman Firoz Kassam is set to battle on in his bid to complete the club's half-built new stadium at Minchery Farm despite a setback, writes Russell Smith. United claim that brewers Morrells of Oxford Limited have threatened the cash-strapped
black and white cat! OXFORD postman Navnit Vyas has a new role - as the city's very own Postman Pat. Navnit, 41, is helping to test-drive the latest technology, an electric Carryall van, which is just the job for weaving in and out of busy city centre
