Archive

  • Tee off for air ambulance

    Teams are being invited to take part in a charity golf day at Hinksey Heights Golf Club, near Oxford, on Friday, September 3, to raise money for Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust. The closing date for entries is Friday, August 27. For more

  • Noodle nugget

    As a restaurant reviewer, I eat a lot of pie, but recently too much of it has been humble. This week was the third time I have invited someone out for lunch/dinner to find the restaurant in question firmly closed. The first two choices -- Baba on Cowley

  • Group forced out of hall by £20k tax bill

    A community group has been forced to give up running a city council-owned sports hall after nearly three years - because the council has landed it with an unexpected £20,000 bill. From right, Robert Evans, Julien Boucher, Pat Green and Trisha Elphinstone

  • John Davidson

    A popular former headteacher has died. John Davidson, born in 1929, was head of Manor School, Long Hanborough, between 1962 and 1989. Mr Davidson trained at Borough Road College, Isleworth, and taught at Pinner School in Middlesex before moving to Long

  • Cricket: Departing Arnold asks for change

    Keith Arnold is to quit as Oxfordshire skipper after three years in charg. But the 44-year-old will continue playing for at least another season. Keith Arnold Arnold will stand down after the three-day Minor Counties Championship game with Wales at Abergavenny

  • Cricket fixtures

    Games for Saturday and Sunday, August 22-23 SATURDAY IC3 HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE Div 1: High Wycombe v Banbury, Oxford v Reading, Slough v Henley. Div 2 West: Aston Rowant v Farnham Royal, Thame Tn v Tring Park. THE OXFORD TIMES CHERWELL LEAGUE Div

  • Rugby: England stars at Henley

    England stars Lawrence Dallaglio, Matt Dawson and Josh Lewsey are expected to be in action at Henley's Dry Leas ground. They are included in the London Wasps squad taking on Henley Hawks on Saturday in a pre-season warm-up that also includes London Welsh

  • Short cuts will help research

    A Minster Lovell hairdresser is aiming for a load of close shaves in aid of a cancer charity. Robert Beckett is teaming up with other barbers to cash in on haircuts for boys before they return to school after the summer break. All the money will be going

  • Tennis fixtures

    Games for this Sunday, August 23 WILSON OLTA LEAGUE 3-PAIR LEAGUE Ladies' Div 1: Oxford Sports v Banbury West End. Div 2: North Oxford B v Kings Sutton. Men's Div 1: Oxford Sports v Thame. Div 2: Oxford City B v North Oxford C. Div 3: Bicester B v Goring

  • Village waits two months for BT repair

    Phone lines have been down for more than two months in an Oxfordshire village causing distress and disrupting businesses. People affected by the breakdown in service say promises by BT to repair the fault in Denchworth, near Wantage, have not been kept

  • Older pupils booted off bus

    Pupils in a south Oxfordshire village are to be excluded from their over-subscribed school bus service on the grounds of age. Families in Wootton, near Abingdon, who pay for their children to travel to Fitzharrys, John Mason and Lark Mead schools in Abingdon

  • Flasher 'linked to earlier sex assault'

    Police are appealing for witnesses after a man indecently exposed himself. Officers believe the incident, in Somerton, near Bicester, at about 4.30pm last Saturday, could be linked to a similar incident in Bure Park, Bicester, in May. Police were called

  • Review: The Village

    Indian-born writer-director M. Night Shyamalan forged his reputation as a film-maker of daring and audacity with his thriller The Sixth Sense. His comic book fantasy Unbreakable and alien invasion thriller Signs have similarly delighted audiences, not

  • Folk queue up for canal music festival

    Tickets for Banbury's annual canal folk festival are selling like hot cakes. The folk festival, on October 8 -10, at The Mill, Spiceball Park, will feature top folk acts, folk theatre, morris dancing, music workshops, children's activities and boat-painting

  • Agony for Nathan

    Nathan Douglas produced a superb performance in the men's triple jump heats in Athens, but agonisingly missed out on qualifying for the final by just one place. Nathan DouglasThe Oxford City athlete got off to a flier on his first appearance at the Olympics

  • Football: Score first, says West

    Thame United boss Mark West has set his side a target for their visit to Stourport Swifts - make sure we score first! West's team have won their two opening games after coming from behind to beat both Sutton Coldfield and Rothwell. "We don't seem to get

  • Football: U's legend answers call

    Hellenic news: Oxford United goalkeeping legend Alan Judge is set to make his debut for Chipping Norton Town when they travel to Shortwood United for their GLS Hellenic League Premier Division opener on Saturday. Alan JudgeJudge, 44, the U's goalkeeping

  • Football fixtures

    Games on Saturday, August 23 COCA COLA LEAGUE TWO Leyton Orient v Oxford Utd. SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Banbury Utd v Team Bath. Div 1 West: Oxford City v Paulton Rovs, Stourport Swifts v Thame Utd, Mangotsfield v Brackley Tn. RYMAN LEAGUE Div 2: Abingdon

  • Wanless fights back

    Midfield anchorman Paul Wanless is winning his race to be fit for Oxford United's League Two match at Leyton Orient this weekend. Paul WanlessThe odds looked to be against him after a doctor found his recent illness to be bronchitis-related. 'Wanny' was

  • Folk queue up for canal music festival

    Tickets for Banbury's annual canal folk festival are selling like hot cakes. The folk festival, on October 8 -10, at The Mill, Spiceball Park, will feature top folk acts, folk theatre, morris dancing, music workshops, children's activities and boat-painting

  • Golf: Sutton is club champ

    Experience triumphed over youth as 48-year-old Andy Sutton beat Darren Drew in a dramatic play-off to become Studley Wood's club champion for the first time. Both Sutton and promising youngster Drew carded a two-round total of 153. In the four hole play-off

  • Golf: Samantha sees off boys

    Samantha Round beat all the boys to win the Oxfordshire Junior League's Scratch Knock-out competition for the Gibbs Putter at Brailes. The promising youngster from Tadmarton Heath - the only girl in the 16-strong field - beat Russell Morbey (Drayton Park

  • City bucks trend in house prices

    House prices in Oxford fell by 4.9 per cent between April and June, according to the latest figures from the Land Registry. But prices in Oxfordshire as a whole increased by 1.7 per cent, from an average of £233,927 to £238,088. The average price of homes

  • Soft top stunner

    Britain's baffling soft-spot for soft-top cars endures as one of the mysteries of modern motoring. While the rain lashes down during an average summer, convertibles continue to fly off garage forecourts at a record rate. Elegant, but is it practical for

  • Two arrested after teenage boy shot

    A 13-year-old was undergoing surgery after being shot in Didcot town centre last night (August 19). Craig Claridge's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening after the shooting at the junction of Edinburgh Drive and King Alfred Drive, shortly

  • Drive out car park thieves

    Motorists have been warned not to leave valuables on view in their cars after a series of break-ins at a city centre car park. Police said that between July 17 and this week there had been 10 offences at the Westgate Centre car park in Oxford, which has

  • Family claims death inquiry at standstill

    The family of Robin Goodenough, who died in police custody almost a year ago, say they have lost confidence in the Crown Prosecution Service after the case appeared to have stalled. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) announced at the

  • Crack shot

    A schoolboy from Oxfordshire has broken a British archery record a year after he first picked up a bow, and hopes one day to compete at the Olympic games. Archery champion Yannis Drew, 14, from Hailey, near Witney With Alison Williamson becoming the first

  • Report is happy with Asian centre

    An investigation has found there were no serious problems in the running of an east Oxford community centre. Oxford City Council produced a report on the Asian Cultural Centre following complaints by two trustees at an east area parliament meeting last

  • New pictures of Octavia

    Skoda has released the first official photographs of the new Octavia Estate. Based on the same new platform as the Octavia hatch, the Estate is 4572 mm long, 1769 mm wide and 1467 mm high, 5mm higher than the hatch. Front and rear passenger space remains

  • VW come up with new Golf model

    Volkswagen has introduced a new model to the Golf range, slotting in below the GT TDI / GT FSI models. The Golf Sport complements the line-up by combining the 1.6 FSI and 1.9 TDI engines of S and SE Golfs with the more dynamic appearance of the range-topping

  • Click on ideas for saving cash

    There are increasing numbers of nearly-new cars appearing on motor dealer forecourts, largely as a consequence of demonstrator vehicles being registered to help carmakers and retailers meet their ambitious year-on-year sales targets. Knowing just what

  • 30th annual horse show to take place

    The 30th annual Abingdon Horse Show takes place at Rye Farm on August 22, and the organisers hope to raise more than £2,000 for local charities. More than 200 entries are expected for the 36 classes with competitors from all over the county, Warwickshire

  • Probe reveals council flaws

    Oxforshire County Council is wide open to fraud because of serious flaws in its financial management, independent investigators have warned. "Major financial weaknesses" have been uncovered that pose the risk of "misappropriation" of council taxpayers

  • Public should reject inquiry

    I am aghast at the ongoing saga of Cornmarket Street, but I thought that we were going to have a full and independent inquiry into this matter. Instead the inquiry is to be conducted by county and city councillors, albeit with an independent chairman.

  • Father praises move for child medicines

    The father of a nine-year-old girl who died after she was given adult medication has welcomed a Government initiative to develop drugs specifically designed for children. Art McConnell, 59, of East St Helen Street, Abingdon, has been campaigning against

  • Young musicians aim to do a Bunk

    Young people will be put in the spotlight at next month's Wallingford Bunkfest. They will be performing in concerts during the festival, between Friday, September 3, and Sunday, September 5, and there will also be special events for them to enjoy. Bunkfest

  • August 14: Needless anxiety

    The saga of the 'bombs' on board two lorries is an extraordinary affair. Two lorry drivers received an emergency message from their bosses to say their vehicles might be carrying Second World War devices. They did everything right. They pulled into a

  • Cinema football united

    Thame United Football Club and Thame Cinema4All are combining their efforts to get the football season off to a rousing start with a free family evening. There will be a showing of the film Grease complete with all the words on display for a singalong

  • Tennis: Juniors take centre stage

    All eyes are on the county's juniors at present, as they prepare for the Oxfordshire Closed Championships. Many have been in action at Abingdon's popular ratings tournament this week, with the finals taking place on the afternoon of August 21. The event

  • Tennis: Play-off test next for North

    North Oxford B will go forward to the play-off stage in September after winning the Crossflight Oxfordshire National Club League. Although Cholsey finished the season with more points than North Oxford, the latter are crowned champions after winning more

  • Law graduate who made crime pay

    Victoria Blake is no stranger to the heart of Oxford. Her father was Provost of the Queen's College during her childhood and youth. To her, Queen's means home. I asked her whether she identified with Lyra, the child who lives in an Oxford college in Philip

  • Football: Killer touch call

    Oxford City manager Andy Sinnott has called on his shot-shy side to be more clinical as they take on Southern League Division 1 West rivals Paulton Rovers at Court Place Farm on Saturday. Sinnott's side have yet to win this season, and have scored just

  • Phyl Gibbard

    Phyl Gibbard, who flew a plane for the first time at the age of 81, has died on her 90th birthday. She returned from her first overseas visit -- a day trip to France -- and told her family: "Now I've been abroad, I want to fly." As a surprise birthday

  • Praying for free parking

    A vicar has asked if his congregation can be exempt from Sunday parking charges. Cherwell District Council brought the new charges in during April as more shops in Banbury were opening for trade on Sundays. But Father Mervyn Tower, of St John the Evangelist

  • Football: Killer touch call

    Oxford City manager Andy Sinnott has called on his shot-shy side to be more clinical as they take on Southern League Division 1 West rivals Paulton Rovers at Court Place Farm on Saturday. Sinnott's side have yet to win this season, and have scored just

  • Golf: Betty wins again - after 28 years

    Golden oldie Betty Hawtin left the youngsters behind to win Chipping Norton's Hutchinson Cup for the second time - but 28 years after her maiden success! The former ladies captain and president produced an excellent nett 63 to land the crown at the weekend

  • Golf: Club results

    Recent results from around the county FRILFORD HEATH Ladies August Medal - Div 1: 1 L McPhail 83-10=73, 2 P Mathews 89-14 75 (cb), 3 P Huntley 84-9=75 (cb). Div 2: 1 A Southwell 98-26=72, 2 J Hill 99-26=73, 3 G Davies 106-30=76. OXFORD CITY Captain's

  • Oil change

    A kit converting diesel cars to run on used oil from chip-fryers has been developed by Oxfordshire electronics experts. Mike Lawton, who runs Futuretec, at Milton Park, near Abingdon, has installed one in his own car. He said: "I have an arrangement with

  • August 19: Pride of Oxford

    There will be some nervous people in the Olympic Stadium in Athens tomorrow morning -- none more so than Angela Whelan. Who can blame her? After all, it's not every day you get to watch your son competing at the world's greatest sporting event. When Oxford's

  • Boat hire firms enjoy a flood of business

    Oxford boat hire companies say business is booming, as new figures reveal 17 per cent more boaters on the River Thames this year compared to last. The Environment Agency said boat licence figures showed 1,273 motorised boats using the river in the first

  • Trio win slots on Mastermind quiz

    Three Oxford schoolchildren have taken their places in the infamous black chair to compete for the title of Junior Mastermind. Linden Goff, Miriam Goodall and Jonathan Webster, all 11, will appear in the new series of the quiz show, hosted by John Humphrys

  • Court warns abusive teenager

    Beat officers in Barton, Oxford, have continued their clampdown on youths misbehaving with a third anti- social behaviour order being issued against a youth. Steven Charlett, 16, was issued with an Asbo which means he could be locked up for shouting abuse

  • Citroen unveils C3

    Later this year Citroen will unveil the "Citron C3 Stop and Start" , a car equipped with a system that cuts the engine when the car is stopped and idling (at red lights, for deliveries, in traffic jams, etc.), then instantly restarts it at the touch of

  • Don't penalise those who can't afford a car

    The view expressed by John Power on the lack of support for rural bus services, and his own objection to subsidies (Oxford Mail, August 18), claiming that this form of transport does not "fit in with the lifestyles of the majority of people in this country

  • Credit us with some intelligence, Professor

    Prof John Stein says that if animal rights activists cared about animals, they would support the development of Oxford University's vivisection laboratory (Oxford Mail, August 11). Why would we support anything that represents the expansion and continuation

  • New era at factory site

    Some of the 450 jobs lost with the closure of the Parker Knoll furniture factory may be replaced if new employers take space in a former highways depot. Oxfordshire County Council has agreed to try and attract new employers to the depot on Banbury Road

  • MP Smith gives civil servants rough deal

    I read with interest of our wonderful MP Andrew Smith's fears about Oxford's Littlewoods store closing, and his concern for the 26 staff losing their jobs (Oxford Mail, August 11). Quite right too. Will he be as concerned about the 40,000 workers in job

  • Immigrant explosion will cost us all dear

    The recent article in the Oxford Mail (July 28) entitled 'Families could face life with little water' provides a graphic illustration of the consequences of mass immigration into this country that successive Governments have encouraged. With a predicted

  • Army beats recruiting drum

    Despite the announcement about a reduction in the size of the armed forces in the recent Defence Review, the Army still needs new recruits and is keen to maintain its ties with Oxfordshire. Although the old Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry