Preview of the weekend's major non-league action. Joint manager Andy Sinnott believes Thame United have reached the do-or-die stage in their bid for promotion from Ryman League Division 1. As they prepare to visit Bromley tomorrow, Sinnott said: "Nothing
Banbury West End have secured the services of top Oxfordshire player Tom Greenland for this year's National Club League, which gets under way tomorrow (April 15). And team captain John Spratt says that, on paper at least, the side have an excellent chance
With Distant Music and a few other big guns missing the Lane's End Greenham Stakes (3.30) at Newbury tomorrow because of the soft ground, the Group 3 event is best left to Summoner. The Roger Charlton-trained colt looked one to follow with an impressive
Families living in fear of sex offenders housed in a south Oxford hostel have appealed to MP Andrew Smith for help. They say their warnings about the Probation Hostel in Abingdon Road have been justified after a catalogue of appalling offences involving
Ambitious plans to cut burglaries and car crime have been unveiled by Thames Valley Police. Over the next five years, police will aim to reduce house burglaries by 40 per cent and car crime by 30 per cent, it was revealed in the force's annual policing
SPANISH car-maker SEAT is continuing its 50th birthday year celebrations by introducing a new range of special edition Ibiza and Cordoba models to be called 'dot cool', priced from 7,995, writes David Duffy. They all have standard air conditioning and
JOHN Reynolds extended his lead in the British Superbike Championships after Sunday's races at Donnington Park, writes John Gilbride. The Scotsman powered his Ducati to victory in the third round and then took second place behind Chris Walker's Suzuki
THE Competition Commission slammed the actions of the 17 leading car companies in the UK for actions that had led to higher prices, writes David Duffy. The companies had deterred dealers from obtaining cheaper new cars from dealers in other EU member
Something spooky is going on in the Oxford Mail's cuttings library. Among the hundreds of filing drawers and piles of old newspapers are tales of phantoms and ghosts that will chill even the most ardent sceptic. Supernatural experts Alan Murdie and Robert
PUPILS are celebrating victory in a tense courtroom battle. A team of 12 youngsters from Chipping Norton School won the regional final of a mock trial competition at Witney Magistrates' Court They defeated teams from Frideswide Middle School in Oxford
JOHN Cooper, the Grand Prix race-car constructor and father of the Mini Cooper, was presented with the OBE for services to the motor industry, writes David Duffy. Cooper, 76, was a leading race car constructor in the 1960s and his team produced many race-winning
Best 4x4 THE Land Rover Freelander has been awarded 'Best 4x4' by Fleet News for the second year running. Freelander, the best selling 4x4 both in the UK and Europe, is available with different body styles and a choice of engines. The competition judges
MINI has announced a new three-model line-up for the UK market, known as the Mini Classic range, writes David Duffy. Expanding on the previous two-car line-up of Mini and Mini Cooper, the Mini Classic range includes the 9,495 Mini Seven, 9,895 Mini Cooper
VAUXHALL says the all-new Corsa, which goes on sale in the autumn, will set new standards in the small car market, writes David Duffy. With the longest wheelbase in its class at 98 inches, Vauxhall says the car will offers more interior space and outstanding
MOTORISTS have been warned not to expect instant price cuts on new cars despite an official report showing we pay about 1,100 more for new models than elsewhere in Europe, writes David Duffy. The Government reacted to a Competition Commission report by
THE first time I ever rode a Harley was about ten years ago, writes John Gilbride. It was a 'knucklepanshovelheadthingymajig' and was owned by a giant of a man called Jez who wore a weird beard and was clad in tassled leathers which were littered with
THE well-worn and entirely accurate maxim: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," applies perfectly to cars, writes David Duffy. When the car in question is the exquisitely formed and universally acclaimed Mazda MX-5, it makes the decision to bring out a
Paul Greening is heading for West Timor, a militia-run zone where peace workers are at risk. Others might fear for their lives, but he worries only about helping the war-torn island. "Five Australians were recently killed. Only public pressure and publicity
Today is the day shopaholics in Oxfordshire have been waiting for. The doors of Banbury's new Castle Quay centre were being opened, marking the start of a shopping revolution in the region. High street stores Debenhams, Bhs and Woolworths are anchoring
Villagers living near a controversial children's home demanded its closure at a stormy meeting. More than 200 Kidlington residents attended the public meeting last night at the Stratfield Brake Sports Centre, to grill social services chiefs and the police
Ten pupils were found playing truant when a team of police officers and education social workers took to the streets to crack down on youngsters deliberately missing school. The joint approach to tackling truancy, run by Thames Valley Police and Oxfordshire
CARTERTON Town, who did Banbury United's Hellenic Premier Division title hopes a big favour last week, will be all out to dent them tomorrow. Fresh from their victory over Banbury's only rivals Highworth Town, Carterton are in confident mood for their
Your complete fixtures round-up for the week ahead in local football, ruby, tennis, greyhounds, cricket, speedway and point-to-point FOOTBALL NATIONWIDE LEAGUE Div 2: Oxford Utd v Burnley. RYMAN LEAGUE Div 1: Bromley v Thame Utd, Oxford C v Bognor Regis
A NEW distribution centre in Oxford is to employ 180 people organising the delivery of books, music, games and other goods ordered via the Internet, writes Maggie Hartford. WH Smith Online is leasing the warehouse and offices opposite the Rover car factory
JOEY Beauchamp took time out from Oxford United's relegation battle to open a new betting shop in the city and promptly donated his appearance fee to charity. The 29-year-old winger officially opened River Racing's smart new shop on Park End Street yesterday
By Jon Murray STRIKER Steve Anthrobus looks likely to miss Oxford United's Division 2 match at high-flying Wigan tomorrow. The ex-Crewe centre forward has been receiving treatment all week on a thigh injury he picked up in the U's 1-0 win over Bournemouth
BUOYED by their win over Bournemouth, and their performance last Saturday, Oxford United go to Wigan tomorrow without any form of inferiority complex. Although John Benson's team are fighting hard to claim one of the two automatic promotion places from
The number of drivers flouting a traffic ban has fallen by a third since a new camera system was brought in to police the restrictions. The cameras were installed in Oxford's High Street last month, and council bosses say drivers are now heeding warning
Oxfordshire's Ambulance Service could be merged into a super trust serving nine counties. Supporters of the plan to create a 999 service stretching from Dover to Banbury say the move would create big savings which could be used to recruit more paramedics
Traders outside a shopping centre claim they are being squeezed by greedy landlords keen to keep a full house inside. Shopkeepers based outside Cowley's Templars Square said their service charges had been hiked up way above the level of inflation to keep
Oxford United are determined to make maximum use of home advantage as they battle to beat the drop in Division 2. Even though their Manor form has been disappointing and they face an in-form Burnley at home tomorrow, manager Denis Smith was being positive
