Oxford University should abandon plans for an animal research laboratory, according to the vast majority of voters in the biggest Internet poll by the Oxford Mail. An animal rights campaigner outside the laboratory site during a protest Readers were asked
A pensioner suffered a "six-week nightmare" and died from a hospital superbug, after an operation she had hoped would give her a new lease of life. Vera Masters's daughter Julie Bedford and son-in-law Paul Bedford The case of Vera Masters, 76, highlights
Sir - I was disgusted by the sweeping generalisations by Independent Working Class Association councillors, Stuart Craft and Claire Kent, at a meeting of Oxford City Council (Oxford Mail, August 2). How can they be fit to represent the citizens of Oxford
Villagers remain divided over plans to build a skate park for young people on their village green. The village of Steventon, near Abingdon, continues to be split over the proposals. The parish council is in favour but some residents do not think the green
A £22,300 grant from the Countryside Agency will help boost an education scheme at a rare set of watercress beds. The money from the Local Heritage Initiative will pay for teachers' packs explaining the beds at Ewelme watercress beds - now officially
It seems that staff at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford have made a rod for their own backs by working hard to reduce long trolley waits in casualty. Patients have realised there are rarely long delays any more, and are using accident and emergency
A record 6,000 visitors turned out in soaring temperatures to watch the 44th annual Bicester and Finmere horse and dog show near Bicester. Organisers hope to have raised more than £10,000 for disabled sportsmen and women and for research into spinal injuries
A bereavement in a family is inevitably an upsetting experience, but the death of pensioner Vera Masters has been particularly traumatic. She went into the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre at Headington, Oxford, for hip replacement surgery, a routine operation
A tradition dating back more than 200 years is to be staged in Woodstock on Saturday, August 7. The town's Mock Mayor ceremony, which was first held in 1786 and is one of only three such celebrations still held in the UK, takes place at the Black Prince
Refugees and asylum seekers learning English in Oxford have been learning to swim and use computers for the first time. Students from the Community English School, based in Union Street, east Oxford, were taking part in a project run by Oxfordshire County
Young people in west Oxford are being given the chance to create their own youth club. Dance and fashion shows, parties, sleep-overs and day trips are among ideas already suggested by a group of teenagers. Youth worker Robert Evans wants as many young
Investigations were due to continue today, Tuesday, August 3, into the cause of a fire which damaged an Oxford home. As reported in the late edition of yesterday's Oxford Mail, neighbours rushed to the aid of Rosemary Elliot after fire broke out at her
Oxford City Council staff should be given free bus passes to encourage them to leave their cars at home. That was the demand of Liberal Democrat councillor Susan Roaf, as the city council's environment scrutiny committee on Monday, August 2, drew up proposals
Former Milton United striker Graham Edney scored on his debut as Hellenic Premier Division outfit Abingdon United thrashed Ryman League Division 2 neighbours Abingdon Town 5-2 in Saturday's pre-season friendly. Mark Scanes fired Town ahead in front of
Sir - Well done to Oxford city councillor Val Smith for speaking out about the bar at the Blackbird Leys community centre (Oxford Mail, July 27). The council is in the business of providing much-needed services to the local community and, for the life
Sir - I would like to reply to Lynn Fawcett about foxhunting (Oxford Mail, July 22). It is not about "putting animals first". It is about animals having the basic right to live without the constant threat of being hunted with hounds, then die a gruesome
Sir - Criminals seem to be smarter than the police if they are solving only a quarter of the crimes committed (Oxford Mail, July 27). They say they are confident that the figures will rise next year. But didn't they say the same last year? SIMON STONE
Sir - Shoppers at Headington, Oxford, were treated to a rare but welcome sight on Wednesday -- two unformed policemen strolling along. A good deterrent. Pity they weren't there the following day when, in the same stretch of shop fronts, a small lad came
If Oxford City Council deliberately left homes empty, it would face criticism -- and rightly so. But it is not surprising that its policy of putting people with drink, drug or mental problems alongside the elderly is causing concern. Whether councillors
City of Oxford's Matthew Corbett, 13, was celebrating after swimming the race of his life to become national 400m individual medley champion at Sheffield. It was also a successful weekend for teammate Sam van de Schootbrugge who won a silver and two bronzes
Leaders Nuffield Arms A kept up their unbeaten run in Section 2 as they just squeezed past a determined Blackbird Bar 5-4. Nuffield got off to a perfect start when wins from Barry Wells and Pete Dodson established a 2-0 lead. Although the home side pulled
A pilot from Oxfordshire who was arrested for drinking before he was due to fly a plane has been sentenced to 60 days in prison. Richard Harwell, 55, of Kirtlington, near Kidlington, was arrested in December and later charged with attempting to operate
A sub-post office is to close at the end of the month - a year short of its 100th birthday. The West End sub post office in Spring Road, Abingdon, is one of nine sub-post offices in Oxfordshire that are victims of falling demand, brought about by pensions
Two museums in Oxford are to receive grants to help improve their facilities. The Ashmolean Museum has been awarded £43,300 to spend on updating its tapestry gallery and fine art gallery, and the Pitt Rivers Museum will receive £36,800 for new display
Coach David Oldfield believes Oxford United will have a good season, if they follow the team ethic - and have luck in staying clear of injuries. The countdown is in full swing with just four days to go before United's League 2 opener at Boston. And while
