The family of hit-and-run victim Ross Doyle are waiting to find out if three new arrests are the "final piece of the jigsaw" needed to catch his killer. Ross, nine, was killed by a joyrider in Pegasus Road, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, on December 13, 2000
Oxford United club chairman Firoz Kassam has promised to try to reach an "amicable settlement" with the city council over the non-payment of £494,000. The amount was due in January from Mr Kassam's company Firoka, as part of a deal over the Kassam Stadium
Two boys tried in vain to save the life of a 10-year-old girl who accidentally hanged herself with a dressing gown cord. Natasha Holmes-Smith Tyrone Holmes-Smith, 15, and Craig White, 17, were praised at an inquest on Tyrone's sister, Natasha who died
Briony Blackwell a member of the Oxford publishing family, killed herself because she could not cope with an incurable illness, an inquest heard. She was discovered by her father, David Petchey, face down on her bathroom floor dressed in a ballgown and
Domestic violence is to be tackled by a new co-ordinator who aims to get police, councils and other agencies working together. Nancy Hunt, based at Abingdon police station, wants to raise the profile of the issue. She said: "There are so many people out
A pub will get an official seal of approval when it re-opens. Wallingford mayor Nigel Moor wants fellow town councillors to support it by going there for a drink. The council objected when Greene King, the owners of the Royal Standard, in St Mary's Street
Former England star Sue Wright, from Thame, is starting a new coaching institute in Bicester, designed to provide support for up-and-coming players. The Sue Wright Squash Academy will be launched next month, and will provide a specialised squash environment
Two boys tried in vain to save the life of a 10-year-old girl who accidentally hanged herself with a dressing gown cord. Natasha Holmes-Smith Tyrone Holmes-Smith, 15, and Craig White, 17, were praised at an inquest on Tyrone's sister, Natasha who died
Banbury West End are odds-on to book their place in the next stage of the National Club League after a 4-2 victory over Derby's David Lloyd Club in the West Midlands Division. The result maintained West End's unbeaten record, and with just three matches
Villagers fear they will be unable to sell their homes if plans for an asylum centre near Bicester go ahead. Homeowners in Arncott say the housing market is already being affected. Banbury MP Tony Baldry has asked Lord Rooker, the Home Office minister
Former England paceman Paul Taylor takes over as Banbury skipper for tomorrow's Division 1 home game against newly-promoted Henley. Left-arm seamer Taylor, who took 6-21 off 16 overs against local rivals Bicester & North Oxford in last Saturday's
Musicians, dancers and street artists will bring a carnival atmosphere to Summertown, Oxford, launching its third annual Artweeks festival on May 25, from 10am to noon. The event in the shopping area in Banbury Road heralds the start of the Summertown
Shepherdess Bridget Griffiths, who was voted off the Survivor TV show last week, got over her disappointment by attending the Old Berks Hunt Terrier and Dog Show at the hunt kennels, near Faringdon Ms Griffiths presented a cheque for £600 to district
Parents saw double at the launch of a club for twins. Ten mothers with twins aged from six months to three years attended the first meeting of the Kidlington Twinning Club, which offers parents with twins or triplets a chance to swap parenting tips. Sue
A pub will get an official seal of approval when it re-opens. Wallingford mayor Nigel Moor wants fellow town councillors to support it by going there for a drink. The council objected when Greene King, the owners of the Royal Standard, in St Mary's Street
A busy road was closed for about nine hours after a truck overturned and spilled its load. The A420 between Faringdon and Shrivenham was closed for most of yesterday after the lorry hit a tree, spilling metal pallets. The lorry overturned on a right-hand
A bright pink spiral sculpture is on display at Oxford University's Said Business School for Artweeks. Alison Berman The 12ft-tall wooden geometric sculpture was created by mature art student Alison Berman and will greet visitors in the foyer until the
A decision on a plan to expand a Wallingford nursery school will be delayed for a month. South Oxfordshire District Council's western area planning committee could not reach an agreement on the scheme and will now visit the site before taking a decision
Members of Witney's High Street Methodist Church have launched their own Internet site. They handed out leaflets and stickers about the site which can be found at www.witneymeth.org.uk. There was also live music, face-painting, badge-making and free refreshments
Burglary victims have been asked to come forward by Oxford police to identify a large haul of stolen jewellery. Some of the jewellery that will be put on display The jewellery was recovered by officers when they searched a house in the city on Friday,
An Oxfordshire teacher will use her experience of school management to improve the leadership of the country's schools. Susan Tranter, deputy headteacher at Matthew Arnold School in Cumnor, is one of a select number of people to have been picked by the
The security firm which delayed the appeal of Banbury mother Patricia Amos by more than three hours escaped with a warning. Judge Peter Crawford said he was astonished by the casual way in which Securicor Custodial Services brought prisoners to court.
An Oxford college holds the key to the future of Banbury Rugby Club's ground. New College holds covenants on the Bodicote Park site, put up for sale earlier this week, which state it must be maintained for recreational use relating to rugby and associated
Talented singer Ciara Cronin hopes to be on her way to fame and fortune next week. Ciara Cronin Ciara, 12, of Blenheim Drive, Bicester, has been busy rehearsing for a London talent show after beating hundreds of rivals at auditions. She will be the only
Football fans watching England's early morning World Cup games in Wallingford pubs are being asked not to ruin the town's Jubilee celebrations. Three pubs want special licences so fans can see matches, starting with England's first game, at 10.30am on
A woman was blindfolded, bundled into a car and driven around for nearly 12 hours before she was finally released in Banbury. The 41-year-old was abducted in Warwick when an occupant of a car she drew up alongside threw a carrier bag over her head and
Domestic violence is to be tackled by a new co-ordinator who aims to get police, councils and other agencies working together. Nancy Hunt, based at Abingdon police station, wants to raise the profile of the issue. She said: "There are so many people out
A bank manager who stole £156,000 by approving dozens of loans for himself has been jailed for two years. Timothy Smith, 30, of Windrush Way, Witney, sobbed as a court was told he set up 42 bogus accounts at the Barclays Bank he ran. The court heard he
PUPILS at a north Oxfordshire village school tasted the glory of the FA Cup when they were photographed with the historic football trophy. Imogen McPhillips Imogen McPhillips, 10, a pupil at Middle Barton Primary School, won an Up for the Cup contest
Villagers fear they will be unable to sell their homes if plans for an asylum centre near Bicester go ahead. Homeowners in Arncott say the housing market is already being affected. Banbury MP Tony Baldry has asked Lord Rooker, the Home Office minister
Musicians, dancers and street artists will bring a carnival atmosphere to Summertown, Oxford, launching its third annual Artweeks festival on May 25, from 10am to noon. The event in the shopping area in Banbury Road heralds the start of the Summertown
A charity which helps homeless people in Oxford back to work has been given a £1,000 boost. The Oxford branch of Aspire is using a Co-op community award to pay for the conversion of a garage and workshop at Lucy Faithfull House in Speedwell Street, Oxford
The corner of Oxford Prison where executed prisoners were laid to rest was being blessed on Friday, May 24, by the Bishop of Oxford. The Rt Rev Richard Harries was leading a service in the small cemetery where condemned murderers were taken from the gallows
Burglary victims have been asked to come forward by Oxford police to identify a large haul of stolen jewellery. Some of the jewellery that will be put on display The jewellery was recovered by officers when they searched a house in the city on Friday,
Oxfordshire skipper Keith Arnold believes that all-rounder Adam Cook has the ability to make it into the professional game. Speaking ahead of Sunday's friendly with Gloucestershire 2nd at The County Ground, Bristol, Arnold said that the Oxford & Horspath
Pupils at an Oxfordshire school are displaying their art work in a marquee as part of the county's Artweeks event. Bethia Quartermain, seven, with flowers made by her classmates. Almost 500 children, aged five to 11, at Rush Common School, in Hendred
Students at Oxford Brookes University have passed a motion of no confidence in their vice chancellor, in protest at the cancellation of four courses. A meeting of the university's student union passed a motion of no confidence in Prof Graham Upton. The
A decision on a plan to expand a Wallingford nursery school will be delayed for a month. South Oxfordshire District Council's western area planning committee could not reach an agreement on the scheme and will now visit the site before taking a decision
Football fans watching England's early morning World Cup games in Wallingford pubs are being asked not to ruin the town's Jubilee celebrations. Three pubs want special licences so fans can see matches, starting with England's first game, at 10.30am on
A former Witney police officer now working as a crime prevention expert has received a Chief Constable's commendation. Roger Hampshire is one of three police staff in Thames Valley rewarded for the excellence of their work in ensuring homes and business
Members of Witney's High Street Methodist Church have launched their own Internet site. They handed out leaflets and stickers about the site which can be found at www.witneymeth.org.uk. There was also live music, face-painting, badge-making and free refreshments
Shepherdess Bridget Griffiths, who was voted off the Survivor TV show last week, got over her disappointment by attending the Old Berks Hunt Terrier and Dog Show at the hunt kennels, near Faringdon Ms Griffiths presented a cheque for £600 to district
A busy road was closed for about nine hours after a truck overturned and spilled its load. The A420 between Faringdon and Shrivenham was closed for most of yesterday after the lorry hit a tree, spilling metal pallets. The lorry overturned on a right-hand
New clue to hit and run crash Police investigating a hit-and-run incident which left a woman badly injured have renewed their appeal for information. The 54-year-old woman was hit by a vehicle that failed to stop on the A417 Reading Road in West Hendred
Touring Dutch hockey side Leiderdorp thought they were seeing double when they took on a City of Oxford girls team at the weekend - because City's side amazingly included three sets of twins. It was the first time City of Oxford had fielded a junior girls
Woodstock came from behind to snatch a draw in their Mixed Division 1 match with Oxford City B in the Wilson Inter-Club 3-Pair League. Trailing three and a half to two and a half going into the final round of matches, Woodstock won two of the three rubbers
Batsmen Stewart Gillett and Phil Garner miss Shipton-under-Wych- wood's home game against Rover Cowley in Division 1 tomorrow, writes Peter Fenn. However, Shipton are boosted by the return of all-rounders Shaun Miller and Chris Panter, while Shane Duff
Talented singer Ciara Cronin hopes to be on her way to fame and fortune next week. Ciara Cronin Ciara, 12, of Blenheim Drive, Bicester, has been busy rehearsing for a London talent show after beating hundreds of rivals at auditions. She will be the only
Advice about energy saving grants, switching fuel supplier and reducing gas and electricity bills will be available free of charge in Oxford on Saturday, May 25. The Energy-saving Day event is at the Northway Community Centre, Maltfield Road, Northway
Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police Peter Neyroud tested Oxford police's new fingerprinting machine on a visit to the city. He later went on patrol with the city centre beat. He described Livescan, which digitally photographs a suspect's fingers,
Three people were arrested on suspicion of burglary when police from Witney searched a house in Oxford. Witney CID officers uncovered information which led them to the house in Sandfield Road, Headington, while investigating a crime in west Oxfordshire
PUPILS at a north Oxfordshire village school tasted the glory of the FA Cup when they were photographed with the historic football trophy. Imogen McPhillips Imogen McPhillips, 10, a pupil at Middle Barton Primary School, won an Up for the Cup contest
A former Witney police officer now working as a crime prevention expert has received a Chief Constable's commendation. Roger Hampshire is one of three police staff in Thames Valley rewarded for the excellence of their work in ensuring homes and business
A charity which helps homeless people in Oxford back to work has been given a £1,000 boost. The Oxford branch of Aspire is using a Co-op community award to pay for the conversion of a garage and workshop at Lucy Faithfull House in Speedwell Street, Oxford
A support organisation for sufferers of phobias is appealing for volunteers to run self-help groups in Oxfordshire. Triumph Over Phobia (Top UK) estimates that 10 per cent of the population suffers from a phobia, anxiety or obsessive compulsive dis- order
Advice was on hand for dog owners whose barking pets annoy their neighbours. West Highland terrier Sam waits his turn West Oxfordshire District Council environmental health officers and animal behaviour experts spent a day on Church Green, Witney, to
Pupils at an Oxfordshire school are displaying their art work in a marquee as part of the county's Artweeks event. Bethia Quartermain, seven, with flowers made by her classmates. Almost 500 children, aged five to 11, at Rush Common School, in Hendred
New clue to hit and run crash Police investigating a hit-and-run incident which left a woman badly injured have renewed their appeal for information. The 54-year-old woman was hit by a vehicle that failed to stop on the A417 Reading Road in West Hendred
Anglers who fish without a rod licence are facing a crackdown by the Environment Agency's Thames region. The blitz will involve more than 20 enforcement officers making spot checks at lakes, rivers and canals to inspect anglers' rod licences this weekend
The security firm which delayed the appeal of Banbury mother Patricia Amos by more than three hours escaped with a warning. Judge Peter Crawford said he was astonished by the casual way in which Securicor Custodial Services brought prisoners to court.
A woman was blindfolded, bundled into a car and driven around for nearly 12 hours before she was finally released in Banbury. The 41-year-old was abducted in Warwick when an occupant of a car she drew up alongside threw a carrier bag over her head and
The future of Banbury's Horton Hospital could be threatened by changes to health area boundaries, the town's MP has warned. Tony Baldry claims the hospital could lose up to 30 per cent of its patients if a proposal from David Sissling, chief executive
A couple have put retirement plans in Spain on hold in favour of running a business together. Tim and Fiona Martin, of Standlake, were set to head for sunnier climes until they spotted an advertisement for the Food Express franchise and decided to give
A new business coaching firm has set up in Oxfordshire and is looking for franchisees to roll out its services. Action International targets the growing number of small to medium businesses needing advice on a one-to-one basis. Started in Australia by
Biotech company Oxford GlycoSciences has appointed Dr David Ebsworth as chief executive to replace Michael Kranda, who has decided to return to the US. Mr Kranda has been commuting from Seattle to the firm's base in Milton Park, near Abingdon, for four
A garden centre will receive a major cash injection after its owners struck a £1.5m venture capital deal. Close Brothers VCTs ploughed the investment into the Q Garden Company which owns four garden centres, including one in Chinnor. The investment is
Parents are being warned to make sure their children have not bought or been given fruit jelly sweets which may pose a serious choking risk. Oxfordshire County Council's trading standards service has issued the warning after emergency regulations were
The future of Banbury's Horton Hospital could be threatened by changes to health area boundaries, the town's MP has warned. Tony Baldry claims the hospital could lose up to 30 per cent of its patients if a proposal from David Sissling, chief executive
Three people were arrested on suspicion of burglary when police from Witney searched a house in Oxford. Witney CID officers uncovered information which led them to the house in Sandfield Road, Headington, while investigating a crime in west Oxfordshire
A persistent burglar who preyed on elderly people living alone in Oxford faced 11 years in jail today. William Clare, 56, got in through a window at the home of 89-year-old Elsie Honour last May and stole her purse and jewellery. He asked a judge at Oxford
Students at Oxford Brookes University have passed a motion of no confidence in their vice chancellor, in protest at the cancellation of four courses. A meeting of the university's student union passed a motion of no confidence in Prof Graham Upton. The
Oxford United club chairman Firoz Kassam has promised to try to reach an "amicable settlement" with the city council over the non-payment of £494,000. The amount was due in January from Mr Kassam's company Firoka, as part of a deal over the Kassam Stadium
Oxford United are believed to be in the race for James Hunt's signature - but boss Ian Atkins may need to move at motor racing speed to get the midfield dynamo. The Northampton Town player, who has the same name as the former Formula 1 world champion,
Norman Matthews, the man who founded the Hellenic Football League in 1953, has died, aged 78. One of Oxfordshire's most respected and long-serving officials, he had been ill for some time. In April, he received a long-service award from the Football Association
