Archive

  • Athletics: Awcock leaps to record

    Alan Awcock shattered the Abingdon Amblers under 13B long jump record by 25 cms with a leap of 4.27 metres at the Oxford City open meeting at Horspath Road. Not to be outdone, Pete Stepney broke the club record in the V40 100 metres with a time of 12.8

  • Fears as house prices rocket

    First-time buyers desperate to step on to the Oxfordshire property ladder are being urged to exercise caution as house prices continue to soar out of reach. The Land Registry revealed today that an average house in the county cost £158,865 between January

  • Village on right path

    Villagers campaigning for 35 years for a path to be built along a stretch of a 'dangerous' road have been a glimmer of hope. Oxfordshire County Council says the prospects of the path in Appleton going ahead were stronger now it has money for new highways

  • Tree cheers for bird rescuers

    Gnasher the yellow-crested cockatoo led the emergency services on a merry dance after he flew into a tree. His owners, Alex and Tamara Double, took Gnasher in his cage to the Plough pub in Clifton Hampden near Abingdon. But while they were sittingin the

  • Football: Hooky heroes are crowned champs

    Hook Norton retained the Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division title with a 2-1 win over Adderbury Park - and are now looking forward to playing in the Hellenic League next season. Needing victory to pip Long Crendon by a point for the championship

  • Mast agreed

    After a dispute lasting nearly two years, villagers in Long Crendon and phone company Orange have reached a compromise site for a mast, which will now go in Chearsley Road. Villagers raised a 1000-name petition over the previous site, in the middle of

  • Football: Hooky heroes are crowned champs

    Hook Norton retained the Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division title with a 2-1 win over Adderbury Park - and are now looking forward to playing in the Hellenic League next season. Needing victory to pip Long Crendon by a point for the championship

  • Speedway: Cheetahs set for screen test

    SKY Sports Elite League leaders JT/Fox Oxford Cheetahs come under the spotlight when they take on King's Lynn at Saddlebow Road tonight (7.30pm). Sky Sports cameras will be in action as the Dryml brothers, Lukas and Ales, bid to maintain their recent

  • Athletics: Runner-up Harris lands county title

    Birchfield Harrier Mark Flint ran away with the Witney 10K road race on Sunday, finishing in 32.19 - well in front of second-placed Gary Harris, from Headington Roadrunners, who clocked 33.38. But Harris had the consolation of winning the Oxfordshire

  • Darts: Maximum man Mark lifts Quarry

    Mark Batsford hit three 180s to help Quarry Gate A pip Cowley Community Centre C 5-4 as the Morrells Oxford and District Summer League got off to an exciting start. Batsford's hat-trick of maximums saw him overpower Jim Jukes to put Quarry 3-2 ahead in

  • Election: Candidate alert to mistake by printers

    Labour candidate Les Sibley had to look twice when he saw a copy of one of his election leaflets - because it showed Bicester and Banbury in the wrong place. The former mayor of Bicester is standing as Labour's General Election candidate in the Banbury

  • Athletics: Kelsey strikes silver for City

    Two Oxford City athletes collected medals at the South of England Championships. Ben Kelsey won the silver medal in the under 17 men's discus with a throw of 43.52 metres (as well as coming fourth in the shot with a put of 13.76 m). Tom Gore took bronze

  • Cricket: Butcher break hits the Blues

    Oxford University have suffered a serious blow before their one day match against Cambridge University at Lord's on June 28 and the four-day Varsity match at Fenners starting two days later. Opening batsman and chief run-maker Graham Butcher, who scored

  • Rugby: Cavaliers show Saints no mercy

    The ruthless Oxford Cavaliers really put the Worcestershire Saints to the sword with a buccaneering 64-8 victory in their Summer RL Conference clash at Oxford Rugby Club. Saints struggled to cope with the punishing drives of the Oxford pack, ably led

  • Darts: Maximum man Mark lifts Quarry

    Mark Batsford hit three 180s to help Quarry Gate A pip Cowley Community Centre C 5-4 as the Morrells Oxford and District Summer League got off to an exciting start. Batsford's hat-trick of maximums saw him overpower Jim Jukes to put Quarry 3-2 ahead in

  • Rugby: Henley lift Oxon final

    Henley won the Oxfordshire RFU Under 17 Cup with a 24-8 victory over Bicester in their delayed final. Bicester led 8-7 at half-time with a try by Luke Bennett and a penalty by Alistair Smith. But Henley proved stronger after the break and scored a penalty

  • Election: Parties square up

    The only occasion General Election candidates will face each other round the table at Didcot will be a public meeting organised by the town's churches on Friday. Churches Together in Didcot and District is holding a question and answer session at the

  • Lack of firefighters sparks safety fears

    More firefighters are needed in Abingdon and Didcot to meet Government safety standards. The Home Office recommends that the first appliance to arrive at an incident should have a crew of five firefighters, and has set brigades a target of 75% compliance

  • Detonator theft alert

    Railway detonators containing small explosives have been stolen from a van outside Oxford railway station. About 14 were taken from a railway worker's van parked in the station car park at about 9pm on Monday. The disc-shaped detonators are encased in

  • Summer of roadworks ahead

    Motorists in Banbury will be dogged by more roadworks this summer. The new works will be in George Street and the lower part of the inner relief road. A bus priority scheme is to be introduced into George Street and Lower Cherwell Street. It will mean

  • Meet the boys and girls in blue

    Village children turned their classrooms into a hive of police activity for a week. They turned detective to track down crimes using a special computer programme provided by the police for schools. Beat officer Pc Bob Salmon and schools liaison officer

  • Tourism plan on drawing board

    A tourism management plan for Banbury is behind schedule but could be ready in draft form by the autumn. Under the plan, tourists will be categorised according to their method of transport. It will identify car arrival routes and access to parking and

  • Games firm fires up an alternative election

    More than 10,000 online games players in the last week have voted with their game guns in a virtual battle, as an alternative to the election. Players are hunting down Hague and blowing away Blair during an online quest to reach Number10, using a new

  • Athletics: Kelsey strikes silver for City

    Two Oxford City athletes collected medals at the South of England Championships. Ben Kelsey won the silver medal in the under 17 men's discus with a throw of 43.52 metres (as well as coming fourth in the shot with a put of 13.76 m). Tom Gore took bronze

  • Speedway: Cheetahs set for screen test

    SKY Sports Elite League leaders JT/Fox Oxford Cheetahs come under the spotlight when they take on King's Lynn at Saddlebow Road tonight (7.30pm). Sky Sports cameras will be in action as the Dryml brothers, Lukas and Ales, bid to maintain their recent

  • Athletics: Runner-up Harris lands county title

    Birchfield Harrier Mark Flint ran away with the Witney 10K road race on Sunday, finishing in 32.19 - well in front of second-placed Gary Harris, from Headington Roadrunners, who clocked 33.38. But Harris had the consolation of winning the Oxfordshire

  • Election: Candidate alert to mistake by printers

    Labour candidate Les Sibley had to look twice when he saw a copy of one of his election leaflets - because it showed Bicester and Banbury in the wrong place. The former mayor of Bicester is standing as Labour's General Election candidate in the Banbury

  • Advisory service that aims

    to connect with the young A SERVICE aimed at providing advice and guidance to teenagers when and where they need it has arrived in Oxfordshire. The Connexions Service will employ personal advisers to help people between 13 and 19 to prepare for the transition

  • Asylum protesters set up camp

    Protesters who want to close a detention centre housing about 180 asylum seekers in Kidlington have set up a permanent camp outside the site. About ten people, including Oxford author Teresa Hayter and 'Emily' have remained outside Campsfield House Detention

  • Trainee pilots will fly from British weather

    Trainee pilots learning to fly at Oxford Airport will soon get most of their lessons in sunny Texas, thanks to a major commercial deal. The airport's parent company, BBA Group Plc, has bought the Tyler International School of Aviation, 80 miles east of

  • Anti-crime hotline in spotlight

    A campaign has been launched to encourage more people in Oxfordshire to phone the confidential police hotline, Crimestoppers. As part of the drive to raise awareness about the service, more than 150,000 leaflets will be sent to Neighbourhood Watch members

  • Alarm over post office closures

    Pressure is mounting on the Post Office to improve its service in Oxford.The pressure comes six months after the Post Office admitted the service it provided in Oxford city centre was inadequate. St Aldate's is now the only city centre post office following

  • Four on kidnap charges

    Four people have been charged with kidnapping an Oxford man over the Bank Holiday weekend. Three women and four men were arrested at addresses in the city after the incident at Cowley. Two men and two women, all in their early 20s, were charged with kidnapping

  • Road rage motorist in court

    A driver stopped the traffic on a busy road and smashed a car windscreen in a road rage attack after his wing mirror was struck by another car, a court heard. Roger Hurley, who was driving a Maestro, overtook Jonathan Carter in a Peugeot on the A415 into

  • Brookes tops rival in degree league table

    Oxford Brookes University has been placed above Oxford University in a league table ranking English degree courses. The University Guide published by The Guardian newspaper has placed Oxford Brookes in fourth place and Oxford University ninth. The guide

  • Alarm over post office closures

    Pressure is mounting on the Post Office to improve its service in Oxford.The pressure comes six months after the Post Office admitted the service it provided in Oxford city centre was inadequate. St Aldate's is now the only city centre post office following

  • Family prays transplant will transform girl's life

    Teenager Natasha Brown is today recovering from an eight-hour liver transplant which she hopes will change her life. The 13-year-old, who suffers from autoimmune hepatitis, was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital last night after waiting 84 days for

  • Oxon are blown away

    Four wickets down and no runs on the scoreboard was hardly the solid foundation Oxfordshire were seeking as they chased victory in their opening Minor Counties Championship game of the season at Thame yesterday. And although Rob Williams's men staged

  • Sponsors needed to fund strips

    Businesses are being asked to chip in to provide a youth football club with a football strip. Chinnor Youth Football Club provides the strips but sponsorship is always welcome, says club secretary Bernie Braun. As a reward, they get their names emblazoned

  • Anti-crime hotline in spotlight

    A campaign has been launched to encourage more people in Oxfordshire to phone the confidential police hotline, Crimestoppers. As part of the drive to raise awareness about the service, more than 150,000 leaflets will be sent to Neighbourhood Watch members

  • Athletics: Kelsey strikes silver for City

    Two Oxford City athletes collected medals at the South of England Championships. Ben Kelsey won the silver medal in the under 17 men's discus with a throw of 43.52 metres (as well as coming fourth in the shot with a put of 13.76 m). Tom Gore took bronze

  • Council foot and mouth bill stands at £140,000

    The foot and mouth crisis has cost Oxfordshire County Council £140,000 to date, it has been revealed. Earlier this year, there were two outbreaks of the disease in the county, one at Hinksey Heights, Oxford, and another at a farm in Little Chesterton,

  • Road rage motorist in court

    A driver stopped the traffic on a busy road and smashed a car windscreen in a road rage attack after his wing mirror was struck by another car, a court heard. Roger Hurley, who was driving a Maestro, overtook Jonathan Carter in a Peugeot on the A415 into

  • Man, 34, charged following clashes

    A 34-year-old Abingdon man, charged with assaulting a police officer during a brawl between white and Asian gangs, has been bailed by a court. Thomas Birch was charged with the alleged offence in Aylesbury on Sunday night after police intervened in clashes

  • Lack of firefighters sparks safety fears

    More firefighters are needed in Abingdon and Didcot to meet Government safety standards. The Home Office recommends that the first appliance to arrive at an incident should have a crew of five firefighters, and has set brigades a target of 75% compliance

  • Brookes tops rival in degree league table

    Oxford Brookes University has been placed above Oxford University in a league table ranking English degree courses. The University Guide published by The Guardian newspaper has placed Oxford Brookes in fourth place and Oxford University ninth. The guide

  • Honour for Akela

    A cub leader who has given 40 years of service to Scouting has been honoured with a special civic award. Wallingford's new mayor, Theresa Jordan, presented Brenda Calcutt - better known as 'Akela' by two generations of Cubs and Scouts - with a framed

  • Cricket: Cup rivals fume at ton-up Taylor

    There were fireworks on and off the field as Banbury beat Loughborough by 113 runs in a controversial National Club Knock-out third round clash on Sunday. The pyrotechnics on the field came from Banbury's powerful left-hander David Taylor, who hammered

  • Party hopefuls on pub crawl

    Candidates in Witney are seeking to liven up the election campaign with plenty of bar talk. Four of them met voters in pubs on Tuesday - and another of the candidates is a publican. Tory David Cameron, Labour's Mike Bartlet and Liberal Democrat Gareth

  • Road runners limber up

    More than 400 runners are expected to pound the roads around Thame during the annual 10km road race. The event, part of Thame Festival of Sport on June 24, is sponsored by marketing company CPM, in Aylesbury Road. During the race there will be two fun

  • New play area opened

    Villagers celebrated the end of a joint community effort, by opening their new recreation area. The leisure area in Kingston Lisle, near Wantage, includes a playground and garden. Although it is already well-used by youngsters, villagers gathered on Saturday

  • Museum raiders leave £300 bill

    Volunteers have condemned thieves who caused more than £300 worth of damage during a break-in at a museum. Burglars broke a fence and smashed through a double-glazed window during the raid at the Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage, at 6.15pm on Monday

  • Cricket: Butcher break hits the Blues

    Oxford University have suffered a serious blow before their one day match against Cambridge University at Lord's on June 28 and the four-day Varsity match at Fenners starting two days later. Opening batsman and chief run-maker Graham Butcher, who scored

  • Rugby: Cavaliers show Saints no mercy

    The ruthless Oxford Cavaliers really put the Worcestershire Saints to the sword with a buccaneering 64-8 victory in their Summer RL Conference clash at Oxford Rugby Club. Saints struggled to cope with the punishing drives of the Oxford pack, ably led

  • Athletics: Brilliant Byrne collects a full set of medals

    Witney Roadrunner Gemma Byrne collected a full set of medals in the Andover Young Athletes meeting on Monday. Competing in the under 15 age group, Byrne won shot put (7.75 metres), was second in the high jump (1.36m) and third in the 75mH with a club

  • Cricket: Cup rivals fume at ton-up Taylor

    There were fireworks on and off the field as Banbury beat Loughborough by 113 runs in a controversial National Club Knock-out third round clash on Sunday. The pyrotechnics on the field came from Banbury's powerful left-hander David Taylor, who hammered

  • Aunt Sally: Hot-shot Hillier puts Sun in shade

    Francis Hillier starred with 15 dolls as Highfield SC A crushed Royal Sun B 3-0 in Section 1 of the Morrells Oxford and District League. Derek Burns provided excellent support with 14 dolls, including a six. Mick Berry was in sparkling form with 15 dolls

  • Cricket: Warborough come back from the dead

    Oxfordshire favourites Kingston Bagpuize crashed in a remarkable third-round tie against Warborough & Shillingford. Kingston, who beat reigning Oxon champions and 1997 national finalists Shipton-under-Wychwood in the first round and saw off 1998 county

  • Athletics: Rivals too hot for Oxon trio

    Only three of the Oxfordshire's female athletes managed to qualify for CAU Inter-Counties Championships at Bedford. Hurdler Kay Reynolds took part in the 100m hurdles in a 30-strong field and, on this occasion, could not manage to make it to the semi-final

  • Sun claims backed

    Clothing designed to protect people from the sun is almost 100 per cent effective, according to a trading standards survey. Trading standards officers examined 32 items of sun protective clothing, from hats and trousers to scuba suits for adults and children

  • Village on right path

    Villagers campaigning for 35 years for a path to be built along a stretch of a 'dangerous' road have been a glimmer of hope. Oxfordshire County Council says the prospects of the path in Appleton going ahead were stronger now it has money for new highways

  • Meet the boys and girls in blue

    Village children turned their classrooms into a hive of police activity for a week. They turned detective to track down crimes using a special computer programme provided by the police for schools. Beat officer Pc Bob Salmon and schools liaison officer

  • Man suffers serious eye injuries in brawl

    A 48-year-old man suffered serious eye injuries after a street brawl involving about 15 men. The fight broke out in Shelley Road, Cowley, Oxford, just before 8pm on Monday, but information was only released by police today. Officers said they believed

  • Museum raiders leave £300 bill

    Volunteers have condemned thieves who caused more than £300 worth of damage during a break-in at a museum. Burglars broke a fence and smashed through a double-glazed window during the raid at the Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage, at 6.15pm on Monday

  • Road rage motorist in court

    A driver stopped the traffic on a busy road and smashed a car windscreen in a road rage attack after his wing mirror was struck by another car, a court heard. Roger Hurley, who was driving a Maestro, overtook Jonathan Carter in a Peugeot on the A415 into

  • Election: Candidate alert to mistake by printers

    Labour candidate Les Sibley had to look twice when he saw a copy of one of his election leaflets - because it showed Bicester and Banbury in the wrong place. The former mayor of Bicester is standing as Labour's General Election candidate in the Banbury

  • Athletics: Rivals too hot for Oxon trio

    Only three of the Oxfordshire's female athletes managed to qualify for CAU Inter-Counties Championships at Bedford. Hurdler Kay Reynolds took part in the 100m hurdles in a 30-strong field and, on this occasion, could not manage to make it to the semi-final

  • Election: Parties square up

    The only occasion General Election candidates will face each other round the table at Didcot will be a public meeting organised by the town's churches on Friday. Churches Together in Didcot and District is holding a question and answer session at the

  • Annual road race in Thame (June 24)

    More than 400 runners are expected to pound the roads around Thame during the annual 10km road race. The event, part of Thame Festival of Sport on June 24, is sponsored by marketing company CPM, in Aylesbury Road. During the race there will be two fun

  • Tourism plan on drawing board

    A tourism management plan for Banbury is behind schedule but could be ready in draft form by the autumn. Under the plan, tourists will be categorised according to their method of transport. It will identify car arrival routes and access to parking and

  • Man, 34, charged following clashes

    A 34-year-old Abingdon man, charged with assaulting a police officer during a brawl between white and Asian gangs, has been bailed by a court. Thomas Birch was charged with the alleged offence in Aylesbury on Sunday night after police intervened in clashes

  • Tree cheers for bird rescuers

    Gnasher the yellow-crested cockatoo led the emergency services on a merry dance after he flew into a tree. His owners, Alex and Tamara Double, took Gnasher in his cage to the Plough pub in Clifton Hampden near Abingdon. But while they were sitting in

  • Brookes tops rival in degree league table

    Oxford Brookes University has been placed above Oxford University in a league table ranking English degree courses. The University Guide published by The Guardian newspaper has placed Oxford Brookes in fourth place and Oxford University ninth. The guide

  • Stadium to receive all-clear

    A fire safety certificate for Oxford United's new 12,000-seater stadium is set to be approved by county councillors. A report to Oxfordshire County Council's public protection committee on Monday, June 4 recommends that the Kassam Stadium, which will

  • Family prays transplant will transform girl's life

    Teenager Natasha Brown is today recovering from an eight-hour liver transplant which she hopes will change her life. The 13-year-old, who suffers from autoimmune hepatitis, was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital last night after waiting 84 days for

  • Trainee pilots will fly from British weather

    Trainee pilots learning to fly at Oxford Airport will soon get most of their lessons in sunny Texas, thanks to a major commercial deal. The airport's parent company, BBA Group Plc, has bought the Tyler International School of Aviation, 80 miles east of

  • Athletics: Brilliant Byrne collects a full set of medals

    Witney Roadrunner Gemma Byrne collected a full set of medals in the Andover Young Athletes meeting on Monday. Competing in the under 15 age group, Byrne won shot put (7.75 metres), was second in the high jump (1.36m) and third in the 75mH with a club

  • Football: Haddenham runners-up

    Senior League, Broughton & North Newington were crowned Division 1 champions with Haddenham going up as runners-up. Middleton Cheney are relegated from the top flight and drop into Division 1. Long Crendon Res were crowned Division 2A champions, while

  • Potter throws workshop open to public

    Artist Lucienne de Mauny has opened her pottery workshop to the public as part of Art Weeks. Mrs de Mauny, 46, who has been producing fine ceramics at The Pottery, Blenheim Farm, near Wallingford, since 1985, is showing visitors how to throw and decorate

  • Council foot and mouth bill stands at £140,000

    The foot and mouth crisis has cost Oxfordshire County Council £140,000 to date, it has been revealed. Earlier this year, there were two outbreaks of the disease in the county, one at Hinksey Heights, Oxford, and another at a farm in Little Chesterton,