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It's been a strange week for sport on tv. The big news is that the Oxford Mail sportsdesk are now equipped with their very own didgie box. Now I'm not saying that the former sports editor is stuck in the 80s (or even 70s (or even 60s)) but moving with

It's been a strange week for sport on tv. The big news is that the Oxford Mail sportsdesk are now equipped with their very own didgie box. Now I'm not saying that the former sports editor is stuck in the 80s (or even 70s (or even 60s)) but moving with

It's been a strange week for sport on tv. The big news is that the Oxford Mail sportsdesk are now equipped with their very own didgie box. Now I'm not saying that the former sports editor is stuck in the 80s (or even 70s (or even 60s)) but moving with

Great to see that Tri Chicken is going to be ruffling a few feathers in the tri world. Fear not, my little chicken, Tri Chick will have you in beak condition in no time.... Enough of my crap jokes. It's ace to see the tri bug spreading. And there's still

I've never been known as a great drinker. Indeed my stock answer to those suggesting I go on the lash is: "I don't need a drink to enjoy myself." But there are obviously those who do "need a drink to enjoy themselves" – mostly members of the England cricket

I've never been known as a great drinker. Indeed my stock answer to those suggesting I go on the lash is: "I don't need a drink to enjoy myself." But there are obviously those who do "need a drink to enjoy themselves" – mostly members of the England cricket

I've never been known as a great drinker. Indeed my stock answer to those suggesting I go on the lash is: "I don't need a drink to enjoy myself." But there are obviously those who do "need a drink to enjoy themselves" – mostly members of the England cricket

FIXTURES. SATURDAY. FOOTBALL. BRITISH GAS BUSINESS SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Banbury Utd v Tiverton Tn. Div 1 South & West: Didcot Tn v Paulton Rov, Oxford City v Brook House, Winchester City v Abingdon Utd. SPORT ITALIA HELLENIC LEAGUE Direct

RESULTS. FOOTBALL. NATIONWIDE CONFERENCE Altrincham 0, Oxford Utd 3; Halifax Tn 1, Oxford Utd 1. VARSITY MATCH Oxford Univ 1, Cambridge Univ 1 (Cambridge won 4-3 on pens). BRITISH GAS BUSINESS SOUTHERN LEAGUE Saturday Premier Div: Hitchin 1,

Oxfordshire 3rd missed out on promotion in Division 5D of the Inter-County Championships by the narrowest possible margin, despite beating the Isle of Wight 9-6 at Ventor. Needing a 10-5 win to go up, Oxon lost three matches by agonising 21-19 scorelines

Crews from Radley and Abingdon gave outstanding displays to come second and third respectively in the Schools Head on the Tideway. The only one of the 252 competing crews to beat them were defending champions Shrewsbury. For Radley, who moved up

Gold Cup hero Kauto Star may have grabbed the big headlines at the Cheltenham Festival, but it was also a meeting to remember for jockey Tom Doyle. The rider, who lives at Stanford-in-the-Vale, notched his first Festival success when powering Oscar

Police have linked two attacks in Oxford by men wearing horror masks. The first victim was chased by two males, one wearing a skeleton mask, possibly like the one worn in the movie Scream. He was in Parks Road on Monday, March 12, between 12am and

OXFORD Harlequins will be strong favourites to defeat Witney and retain the Oxfordshire Cup at Iffley Road tomorrow (3.30pm). Quins beat the same opponents 19-12 last year after riding their luck in an entertaining clash. But the South West 1 side

POLICE are continuing to study CCTV footage following the rape of a teenager in Oxford city centre. A 19-year-old woman was raped in an alleyway between the Market Tavern and Boots, Market Street, at about 2am on Tuesday. The attacker was described

AEA Technology 101 BMW 2938 Electrocomponents 277.75 Isoft Group 32.5 Oxford Biomedica 51.5 Oxford Instruments 245 Oxonica 134 Reed Elsevier 599.75 RM 212.75 RPS Group 318.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

OXFORD City Council will find out next week if its bid to become a unitary council has been successful. The Government is due to reveal a shortlist of eight prospective unitary councils ahead of a three-month consultation period. The decision had initially

Three caravans, a boat, a car and a car trailer were involved in a fire at Oakfields Caravan Park in Murcott Road yesterday. One of the caravans was destroyed in the blaze, which firefighters from The Slade in Oxford, Bicester and Kidlington attended

Well I've done it. I've gone and entered a triathlon. My teachers always told me that my mouth would get me into trouble one day and they were right. I uttered the words "I would love to do a triathlon" and now I only have myself to blame. I also blame

A MASKED raider is being hunted after attacks on two men in the University Parks area of Oxford. The first, an assault, took place in Parks Road on Monday, March 12, between midnight and 1am when a man was chased by two men, one of whom was wearing

THREE caravans, a boat, a car and a car trailer were involved in a fire at Oakfields Caravan Park in Murcott Road, Arncott, today. One of the caravans was destroyed in the blaze, which firefighters from The Slade in Oxford, Bicester and Kidlington attended

Thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused when eight vehicles were broken into. The break-ins happened in Gaisford Road, Barns Road, Boswell Road, Beauchamp Lane, The Grates, Cardinal Close, Eastern Avenue and Herschel Crescent late on Tuesday

Welcome to The Page Turner. Oxford is arguably the country's books capital, and once you are in the city centre there is a bookseller on almost every corner. After living in Oxfordshire for the past 10 years, I have become well and truly addicted to books

The Sauvignon Blanc Case cost £86 and includes four bottles of each of the following three wines: Southbank Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Marlborough, New Zealand: The Southbank Estate was established in 2000 and owns 340 acres of vines in Marlborough, the

If you had to name the world's most famous Sauvignon Blanc, which would you choose? The chances are that it would be Cloudy Bay, New Zealand's one and only cult wine with its stunning flavours and famous silhouette label showing off the distant Richmond

POLICE are hunting a man who assaulted two schoolgirls and exposed himself to a woman. n the first incident, a 14-year-old girl and her 13-year-old friend were walking along Wootton Road, Henley, at about 8.40am on Monday, March 12. A man approached

POLICE today warned car owners in Oxford after a thief broke into eight vehicles causing a large amount of damage. The incidents happened in Gaisford Road, Barns Road, Boswell Road, Beauchamp Lane, The Grates, Cardinal Close, Eastern Avenue and Herschel

A flasher exposed himself to a 14-year-old girl as she waited at a bus stop. The victim was waiting at the bus stop on Acre End Street, near Merton Close, Eynsham, at 8.30pm on Tuesday when the man approached her and exposed himself, police said today

An impressive debut from new striker Chris Zebroski at Halifax last night had Oxford United thinking about what might have been. The 20-year-old was on fire in the first half before tiring later in a match which the U's should have won. But the

FAMILY members have paid tribute to Frank Wharton a former Headington United footballer and serviceman with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Born in 1920 to Frederick and Gertrude Wharton, of New Cross Road, Headington Quarry, Mr

POLICE are appealing for information after a man exposed himself to a 14-year-old girl in Eynsham. The victim was waiting at a bus stop in Acre End Street near to the junction of Merton Close, when a man approached her and exposed himself. He ran off

AEA Technology 103 BMW 2953 Electrocomponents 277.75 Isoft Group 31 Oxford Biomedica 52 Oxford Instruments 244.25 Reed Elsevier 598.5 RM 213.5 RPS Group 322.25 Oxonica 134 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

NICOLA LISLE talks to the celebrated cellist Natalie Clein as she prepares for a concert at the Sheldonian Theatre By chance rather than design, Natalie Clein's appearance at the Sheldonian Theatre next week comes just four days after her birthday.

CHRIS KOENIG says the important role of Wallingford Castle in changing English history is not to be forgotten Was the Constable of Wallingford Castle, Henry Norreys, really in love with Queen Anne Boleyn, and did she really countenance his love enough

Marcus Pfister's best-selling children's book will be brought to life by Blunderbus Theatre Company next month. It's the story of The Rainbow Fish with her beautiful coloured scales who lives in the deep blue sea. One day a little blue fish follows

VAL BOURNE has an uneasy relationship with the X-factor plant I have been blessed with the three most important essentials for a gardener. Firstly, a spirit of adventure, secondly, stamina and last, a ruthless streak that allows me to banish plants

The endangered Barberry Carpet Moth was recently discovered in Oxfordshire and help is needed in locating its vital source of food, writes ELIZABETH EDWARDS When a moth so rare that there are only 15 known colonies in the British Isles was discovered

Small businesses left reeling by tax hikes in the Budget are being urged to save cash by going green. More than 250 Oxfordshire firms have received a waste audit that shows how to manage their business in a way that means more waste is recycled rather

PETER CANN talks to Toby Shippey of the fusion band Salsa Celtica, who are headlining at the fourth Oxford Folk Festival The event is already dubbed the launch pad of the festival season and the Oxford Folk Festival kicks off next Friday with the

GILES WOODFORDE talks to Maureen Lipman and Paul Courtenay Hyu about their roles in Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis at the Oxford Playhouse

TIM ROSS reveals a clash over exam difficulty GCSEs and A-levels in English, psychology and music have been "dumbed down" in recent years, the Government's exams watchdog has found. The decision by one exam board to move to a modular GCSE in English

A BLANKET ban on mobile phones at Oxford's major hospitals is being reviewed following Government intervention. Managers at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, which oversees the city's John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals, and The Horton, Banbury

Two brothers have told of their escape from a fire which tore through a house and killed three pet dogs, two snakes and a parrot. Rickie Higgs, of Evenlode Close, Bicester, woke up to find flames roaring through his house at around 2am yesterday.

Sharing borders with Saudi Arabia, Israel, Syria and Iraq, means that for most tourists Jordan isn't even thrown into the hat as a possible holiday destination. The country may be in a rather scary part of the world, but it is the most stable, civilised

Family members have paid tribute to Frank Wharton, a former footballer and soldier with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Born in 1920 to Frederick and Gertrude Wharton, of New Cross Road, Headington Quarry, Mr Wharton was one of five

FRILFORD HEATH March Stableford: 1 R Bugden 39pts (cb), 2 J Rigby 39, 3 B Sutton 38 (cb). Hillman Trophy: Frilford Heath 4, Harewood Downs 2. Ladies' Bogey Competition - Silver Div: 1 S Alden -1, 2 I Smith -2, 3 J Simpson -4 (cb). Bronze Div: 1 V Stevenson

If you wanted to be famous in Prohibition-era Chicago, killing someone was the only way to do it. True, shooting your cheating husband may not have made you a prime candidate for canonisation, but as a means of boosting your showbiz career, it was unbeatable

Gemma Clements won the Oxfordshire Junior Girls Spring Open at Burford after carding 36 stableford points in windy conditions. The 13-year-old Studley Wood member, who plays off 18, finished two points ahead of Chipping Norton's 11- handicapper Claire

This has been a memorable week for admirers of the work of Harold Pinter. First, on Sunday night, came a revival of his 1965 success The Homecoming in a production directed for Radio 3 by Thea Sharrock, with the great man himself in the role of the odious

What hinders the credibility of television dramas? We all know about the "willing suspension of disbelief" which Coleridge described. I usually start watching every drama with my natural scepticism switched off but, quite often, something in the programme

I ate out twice last Friday, in two of Oxford's handsomest buildings adapted for the enjoyment of food. Before turning to the main topic for today's article, a delicious dinner at a long-time favourite haunt of mine, Gee's in Banbury Road, let me first

We all know about fairy cakes - but witches cakes? What do we know about those? I wouldn't have been addressing this problem if I hadn't volunteered to make a 20th birthday cake for Winnie the Witch. On offering, I had in mind a small, circular chocolate

Oxford Cheetahs promoter Aaron Lanney admitted it felt more like red face day than Red Nose Day after the defeat against Belle Vue. After all, the Manchester side were reckoned to be one of the weakest teams in the Elite League, and Friday's Challenge

Aussie Steve Johnston is more than glad to be back at what he calls his real 'home'. The 36 year-old spent five years at Oxford, before a change in promotion saw him move on. "This is my 16th year in British speedway, so to end up back here is great

Play video TWO brothers have told of their escape from a fire which tore through a house and killed three pet dogs, two snakes and a parrot. Rickie Higgs, of Evenlode Close, Bicester, woke up to find flames roaring through his house at about 2am yesterday

Oxfordshire Senior Cup Tom Foley scored his first goals for Banbury as they eased their way into the final with a comfortable semi-final victory against a battling Hellenic League outfit at Court Place Farm, last night. Holders Banbury now meet the

Campaigners are gearing up to protest about the sudden closure of Wallingford Community Hospital's minor injuries unit. The town council is calling on MP Ed Vaizey to protest to Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt about the lack of consultation. Town

While Daniel Craig and Eva Green took most of the plaudits for Casino Royale, the latest 007 adventure owed much to the hissability of its villain. Mads Mikkelsen has been a key player in the recent success of Danish cinema. Equally credible conveying

AN impressive debut from new striker Chris Zebroski at Halifax last night had Oxford United thinking about what might have been. oThe 20-year-old was on fire in the first half before tiring later in a match which the U's should have won. But the televised

Freedom isn't free at all. It comes at the highest of costs - the cost of blood." Based on Frank Miller's celebrated graphic novel, 300 recounts the epic Battle of Thermopylae, at which the 300-strong Spartan army fought to the bloody death against the

Marvin Robinson netted for the second game running as Oxford United took another step closer to the Conference play-offs with a useful point at The Shay last night. But the main highlight for the U's was a lively debut from striker Chris Zebroski, who

Could Gail Bones regret staying in Oxford? Rumours abound that the Liberal Democrat county councillor for Headington and Marston has put her Iffley Village house on the market for £1.5m. Apparently not. A cursory call revealed she was staying put

PEERS School, Oxford, has been given the thumbs-up by the Government to become the city's first flagship academy. The Sandy Lane school could close and reopen as an independent academy in a £30m project, backed by the Diocese of Oxford. It has also

Banbury Utd 5, Chinnor 0 TOM Foley scored his first goals for Banbury as they eased their way into the final with a comfortable semi-final victory against a battling Hellenic League outfit at Court Place Farm, last night. Holders Banbury now meet the

TWO Oxford city councillors are being investigated by a national watchdog over an alleged breach of conduct. The Standards Board for England is probing a claim the councillors broke the members' code of conduct, but has refused to tell The Oxford Times

Morrells of Oxford Sunday League Barton United surprised leaders Nelson as they inflicted a rare defeat on their hosts in the Premier Division, running out 1-0 victors. With the strong wind, Barton struggled to get out of their half in the first period

'Janácek bombarded Kamilla Stosslova with letters, three or four times a week," Heath Quartet leader Oliver Heath told us, "Even though the relationship was going nowhere. She only replied two or three times a year." Thus Heath introduced Janácek's Quartet

Jack Sadler Cup Oxford Supporters booked their place in the final after a 4-1 victory over Division 1 rivals Oxford Yellows - the second semi that Yellows have lost in recent weeks. Craig Dean grabbed a brace for Supporters, with Luke Cuff and Sean

A Swan Lake without the essential prop of the crossbow is happily extremely rare. You wait for years, and then two come along together. Last week it was the Siberians on Monday and then the Moscow company on Friday. To be blunt, going all PC about swan-hunting

Oxford United were held to a draw at Halifax in last night's Nationwide Conference encounter at The Shay. Striker Marvin Robinson fired United ahead on 48 minutes, with his second league goal, following a goalmouth scramble. However, a defensive

Autotype UTV League A brace from Dean Forbes helped AFC Oxford to a shock 3-2 victory against Division 1 leaders Abingdon Casuals. Kevin Secker scrambled home from a corner to give Casuals the lead, only for Paul Robinson to equalise for Oxford.

With trouble flaring at Campsfield detention centre in Kidlington this month, there could hardly have been a better time for Big Brother Behind Bars, one of three short dramas at the Pegasus on Tuesday. The concept was ambitious - fusing a critique

Marston Saints, who include a number of former Oxford United players, face London side Newham United in the quarter-finals of the Umbro Veterans Competition at Trinity College, Marston, on Sunday (2). The Oxford-based side won the title as Kidlington

Peers School at Littlemore, Oxford, has come a long way in a short time. In October 2005, it was put on special measures after failing an Ofsted inspection on the grounds of bad behaviour, poor attendance, inadequate teaching and low standards. But

The evening opened with an enjoyable abstract piece by a group of five 14- and 15-year-olds of the theatre's youth residency company. Zena Winterbottom, Misha Clarke, Rachel Ward, Hannah Boone and Erin Foley have clearly worked very hard, and showed what

Your editorial (Oxford Mail, March 15) asks whether Campsfield House detention centre at Kidlington is fit for purpose? Most of the buildings at the centre are of nine-inch brickwork, which does not catch fire during an arson attack as the 'new', fit-for-purpose

You would expect the Sheldonian to be filled to capacity for a world-famous orchestra, but there were, surprisingly, several empty seats at last Friday's concert by the BSO. Perhaps audiences were tempted to stay away by Luminox (see below), and certainly

I have just bought my Lottery ticket in the hope of winning a couple of million quid so I can go and live on a desert island, far away from the Big Brother nanny state and Oxford councillors. The vast majority of people who play the Lottery do so in

Writers Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse pull no punches when they promise at the start of Chicago that the show offers "murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery and treachery . . . all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts". They might have

Landowners are being urged to allow the public better access to woodlands and other green spaces. The Forestry Commission and Government agency Natural England made the call after a study showed many people in Oxfordshire have poor access to natural

How can words ever describe the indescribable? I had no idea what to expect as I turned into Broad Street to witness the large-scale fire installation Luminox, which marked the beginning of the Oxfordshire 2007. Whatever my expectations, I had not allowed

Pop and rock acts from the past three decades will be entertaining music lovers at the biggest-ever Cornbury Festival. Bands as diverse as Blondie, Suzanne Vega and Echo and the Bunnymen feature in the line-up for this year's event, which will take

A MAN is in hospital with a serious head injury after a suspected assault in Didcot. The incident happened outside Broadways pub on Broadway in the early hours of Sunday. The man was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Witnesses should

Every time I hear Commotio, I am impressed with the virtuosity and immense musicality of this exceptionally well-drilled choir, and last Saturday's concert seemed to me to be their finest yet. As always, this was an adventurous programme of little-known

I was intrigued to hear that an audience of 50 would sit on the stage to watch a dance-event billed as "a farcical black comedy inspired by migration and cultural identity", which concerned itself with the emotions of people confronted by 'the system'

First things first. This is not a review, still less a critique. It aims essentially to draw attention to the series of four Lenten concerts organised by the enterprising Jan Spurlock, which began on March 13 and continue on Tuesday and on April 3. They

Old Times indeed. In 1971, Peter Hall directed the world premiere of this play in London and later on Broadway and in Vienna. The published text is dedicated to him. Now, after 35 years, the knighted Sir Peter returns to the work of the award-laden Nobel-prizewinning

A VICAR accused of sexually abusing an 11-year-old church assistant left his cassock on to rape the boy after a service, a court heard. Father Michael Wright, 69, repeatedly abused the schoolboy more than 30 years ago, jurors have heard. Wright, the

A MURDER suspect 'confessed' his role in killing a man with severe learning difficulties, but no one believed him, Oxford Crown Court was told yesterday. Sean Miles, 37, was found bruised, naked and drowned in the River Thames at Sandford Lock on May

The next phase of work on Abingdon's traffic system will not clear the town's clogged streets of traffic, the mayor has said. Oxfordshire County Council plans to narrow Stert Street and High Street, as well as widen the pavements. But fears are growing

Weeks after a burst water main flooded homes, residents have been struck by another disaster. A sewer servicing many of the homes in Normandy Crescent, Cowley, Oxford, - including those which were unaffected by the flood in January - collapsed. Simon

Homeowners are calling on Oxford City Council to protect them from stray footballs raining down on their houses from a play area. The council closed a kick-about area in Crescent Road, Temple Cowley, following complaints that balls had broken windows

New equipment at an electricity sub-station was blamed for causing a power cut which hit 38,000 homes in Oxfordshire yesterday. Residents in Abingdon, Drayton, Steventon, Didcot, Wantage, Grove, Chilton and Harwell woke up to find there was no heating

A investigation has been launched after a woman was raped in Oxford city centre at about 2am yesterday. Detectives said the 19-year-old was attacked in an alleyway between the Market Tavern and Boots, off Market Street. The area was still cordoned off

Oxford's Peers School has been given the thumbs-up by the Government to become the city's first flagship academy. The Sandy Lane school could close and reopen as an independent academy in a £30m project, backed by the Diocese of Oxford. It has also

A murder suspect 'confessed' his role in killing a man with severe learning difficulties, but no-one believed him, Oxford Crown Court was told yesterday. Sean Miles, 37, was found bruised, naked and drowned in the River Thames at Sandford Lock on May

OXFORD City Stars promotion hopes ended with back-to-back defeats to Streatham (3-0) and Haringey (6-2). Stars were confident after beating league champions Invicta Dynamos, but these two losses mean they cannot finish top of their division. Oxford

Forum's Andrew Flint won the Oxford & District Association's Division 1 Knock Out competition with a 3-2 win over clubmate Karl Bushell. Flint picked up the first two games only for Bushell to level by taking the next two. However, Flint really went

Banbury's Carol Galletly was crowned Oxfordshire women's indoor singles champion at Oxford City and County. She took the title with a 21-18 win over Oxford City & County's Eileen O'Shea. Galletly completed a title double when teaming up with Ann

A vicar accused of sexually abusing an 11-year-old church assistant left his cassock on to rape the boy after a service, a court heard. Father Edward Michael Wright, 69, repeatedly abused the schoolboy more than 30 years ago, jurors have heard. Wright

Business experts have told the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, in Oxford, that its future is secure as long as the Government changes the way hospitals are paid for treating patients. Accountancy firm KPMG has concluded that the Headington-based unit would

Nelson A stayed on course to land the Premier Section title in the Oxford & District League with a 5-0 home win over Section 1 leaders Democrats A. Keith Sheard (15,610), Pauline Withey (10,740), Steven Sheard (5,690), Ray Sturgess (7,580) and Kevin

Rutherford eased their relegation worries with a 10-0 victory over Division 1 basement boys Morris Motors B in the Oxford & District League. Kevin Giles clocked up another maximum to inspire Gladiators to an 8-2 win over Haddenham A in Division 2.

VANDALS suspected of using a car to pull down allotment fencing caused £1,600 of damage. The fence around Leach Road allotments was replaced with concrete rather than metal posts after the damage last month. Town councillors expressed their concern

AMERICAN fans of folk band Fairport Convention have created box office problems at Banbury's Mill Arts Centre, by buying almost half the available tickets for two pre-Cropredy concerts. The surge of interest means local fans could miss out - and so

A CYCLIST has been told he is lucky to be alive after colliding with a car in North Oxford. The cyclist and the neurologist, whose car he hit, are both warning other cyclists in Oxford their lives could depend on wearing a helmet. Oliver Adams was

A MAN who inspired 40 amateur singers to perform at the Royal Albert Hall will host the third and final music debate in Oxford today. Conductor Ivor Setterfield, above, will be joined by members of the Blackbird Leys Choir, County Music Service head

REPAIRS to worn out roads in Sibford Ferris will last for two weeks, starting on Monday, April 2. Main Street, from Hook Norton Road to Small House, will be closed and Burdrop Hill will also be closed, from its junction with Main Street and the northern

A PUBLIC discussion on truth in art and fiction will be held at the Museum of the History of Science, in Broad, Street, Oxford, tomorrow. It will start at 7.30pm, and those involved will include novelist Richard Doyle, Linda Fitzsimmons, of Oxford Brookes

HOMELESSNESS in Oxford is to be tackled this year with a £600,000 grant. The Government grant to Oxford City Council will be used to continue funding specialist workers. It will continue paying for 12 jobs, including specially-trained drugs and alcohol

CCTV cameras are cutting crime in Wallingford and Didcot, says the latest report on their use. Ann Ducker, leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, which footed the bill for the system, said: "Our investment is helping us achieve our objective

A FINAL design has been chosen for the new play area in Banbury's Spiceball Park. The decision comes after a month of consultation. Play specialist Wicksteed Leisure has been awarded the £90,000 project. The refurbishment became necessary after

A COUPLE, who realised their personal dreams by opening a restaurant in Banbury, are leaving their premises for up to 12 weeks - to help two would-be chefs achieve their own cookery ambitions. Dorothee and Pete Cape, who run Veritas in North Bar, are

A MAJOR clean-up campaign in Banbury has been welcomed by the town's business community. Banbury and District Chamber of Commerce chairman Tony Ilott said the week-long, spring clean was a welcome initiative that would make a big difference. Banbury's

THE talented Steve Gibbons and his band return to The Mill Theatre, Banbury on Saturday, March 24 to thrill fans with another evening of their own brand of music. The line-up features the high energy drumming and showmanship of Brendan Day and funky

DRUGS are easier to get in Banbury than pizzas, according to town MP Tony Baldry. Speaking in Parliament last week, Mr Baldry said Banbury had become a hot-spot for drug dealing. He raised concerns that towns alongside the M40, such as Banbury, were

PUBS and clubs in Banbury are throwing their weight behind a scheme to make the town a safer place at night. They are supporting Nightsafe - an initiative launched in February to promote responsible drinking and cut crime. The scheme links the Government's

A MAN who sleeps in a tent in Banbury was fined £50, ordered to do unpaid work, and disqualified from driving by the town's magistrates on Monday after pleading guilty to three offences. Graham Anderson, 19, admitted driving not in accordance with his

A TEDDY bear, given to a nurse by a wounded soldier in 1915, has been sold at auction for £13,000. The Steiff bear went under the hammer last week at Holloways in Banbury and fetched more than four times its estimated value. The bear was a token of

ART lovers from across the world were bidding for four Russian pictures at Holloways auctioneers. The watercolours by Adolf Iosifovich Charlemagne were all signed and dated 1863 and show different types of horse-drawn transport. Holloways received

A MEMBER of the Lurcher Search Organisation, which rescues lost dogs, pleaded guilty at Banbury Magistrates Court on Monday to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Richard Penrice, 52, of Deacon Way, Banbury, admitted the charge at an earlier

A BLIND couple who featured in a controversial television documentary believe they are victims of a hate campaign after more attacks on their home. Three more incidents prompted father-of-six Paul Craig, of Leach Road, Bicester, to plead for help in

THE new office of West Oxfordshire Citizens' Advice Bureau will be officially opened today by Witney MP David Cameron. The office, at The Old Print House, in Marlborough Lane, Witney, replaces the cramped former offices in the town's High Street.