Internet meetings that lead to marriage are posing a new problem for the courts when they go wrong, a senior judge said. Lord Justice Thorpe made his comments as he dealt with the case of a 35-year-old mother who wanted to take her two young daughters
Notorious dance-rock band The Happy Mondays have been booked to celebrate the opening of Oxford's biggest live music venue. The Manchester act, known for their outrageous antics - both on and off stage - and hedonistic lifestyles, are the first big-name
An Oxford hospital has been named as joint worst for waiting times in the country. Government figures published this week reveal the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, in Headington, treated just five per cent of its patients within 18 weeks of GP referral
Deputy Labour leadership challenger Harriet Harman visited the Cowley Mini plant todayfor talks with management and unions over equal pay for women. Justice minister Ms Harman, who has made women and the family a central focus of her campaign, called
Celebrations may be a little premature, but we hope residents in Headington, Oxford, will soon be breathing a sigh of relief after living near a 'landfill site' for the past six months. The amount of rubbish dumped in the garden of a house in Benson
A retired professor dragged to the ground and robbed is hoping a Good Samaritan who came to his aid can help catch his attacker. The 87-year-old, who has asked not to be named, was robbed when he stepped off a bus in Banbury Road, Oxford, in the early
Neighbours whose life was blighted by maggots, rats and mountains of rubbish, are celebrating after the "dump" next door was cleared up. Six truckloads of festering rubbish and building waste were removed from an empty house in Headington, Oxford, after
POLICE are investigating the rape of a teenage girl in an alleyway early today. The 18-year-old girl was walking along an alleyway between Mill Street and Belmont in Wantage at about 2.30am. A man described as white, in his early 40s, clean shaven
FARMERS fear animal rights extremists may be stepping up action against them after the Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility for a petrol bomb attack. The ALF claimed on a website that it was behind two petrol bombs which caused £500,000 damage
Tributes were paid last night to a popular rugby club stalwart and former pub landlord killed in an accident involving a JCB digger at a farm owned by JCB boss Sir Anthony Bamford. Tony Cripps, 57, was riding in the bucket of the digger at New Farm,
PROPOSALS to introduce residents' only parking at the same time as Bicester's town centre redevelopment will cause "utter chaos", a councillor has warned. Cherwell District Council has completed consultation on plans to introduce a residents' parking
THE new Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev John Pritchard, took part in an ancient ceremony today to introduce himself to his new congregation. The former Bishop of Jarrow was enthroned as 42nd Bishop of Oxford at Christ Church. Before the ceremony, Bishop
A LORRY driver who denies causing death by dangerous driving appeared at Oxford Crown Court. Malcolm and Janice Dowling and their children Richard, 16, and George, 11, from Staffordshire - died when their car collided with a lorry on the A34 near Oxford
It was, possibly, a little 'Gilbert and Sullivan', but Oxford's new Bishop, the Rt Rev John Pritchard, took part in an ancient ceremony today to introduce himself to his new congregation. The former Bishop of Jarrow was inaugurated as 42nd Bishop of
A Kenyan asylum seeker who fraudulently claimed more than £21,000 in benefits has walked free from court. Oxford Crown Court heard that former nurse Grace Muhoro, 39, of Bassett Road, Headington, Oxford, had claimed the benefits, which included income
A lorry driver who denies causing death by dangerous driving appeared at Oxford Crown Court. Malcolm and Janice Dowling and their children Richard, 16, and George, 11, from Staffordshire - died when their car collided with a lorry on the A34 near Oxford
Former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell has appealed for more to be done to raise the issue of mental health in Oxfordshire. Tony Blair's former director of communications made the comments in a talk organised by the mental health charity Mind to
A couple are giving up their wedding presents to raise money for an Oxford-based cancer charity. Gabrielle Naffah, 39, and Darren Batty, 37, from Lyneham Road, Bicester, have signed up to complete a 50-mile challenge along the Ridgeway, from Wallingford
Proposals to introduce residents' only parking at the same time as Bicester's town centre redevelopment will cause "utter chaos", a councillor has warned. Cherwell District Council has completed consultation on plans to introduce a residents' parking
There has been a massive increase in the number of people using the Internet to submit planning applications in Oxfordshire. From April 2006 to March 2007, the number of homeowners, architects and builders putting in online planning applications was
The theatre trust behind plans to build eight flats and two shops in Gloucester Place car park, behind the Oxford Playhouse, will be submitting revised plans later this summer. The original scheme from the Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust had been
Children from schools across Bicester got their hands dirty planting flowers in the town's park. The youngsters from Brookside, Bardwell, Longfields and St Edburg's schools - including Jessica Beesley and Harriet Alexander, pictured, both 11 - learned
New orders to lock out hooligans and criminals from some of the city's most notorious alleyways have been delayed for at least another month. County council transport bosses hoped to sanction the first 'gating order' this week - allowing them to close
AN OXFORD man was on a mission to make music with his mouth in a bid to wow 800 people in London. Simon Olivier, of Abingdon Road, who goes by the name Pieman, made a bid to become UK beatboxing champion. He made his way through to the finals of
Hundreds of Oxford University students are letting loose to celebrate the end of their exams. Pictured are St Anne's College students Priyah Shah and Adam Regan, covered in flour and celebrating after finishing their finals. This year, the university
Farmers fear animal rights extremists may be stepping up action against them after the Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility for a petrol bomb attack. The ALF claimed on a website that it was behind two petrol bombs which caused half a million
A man has appeared in court accused of causing the death of a motorist who stopped to help at an accident. Simon Clark, 37, from Hemel Hempstead, is charged with causing death by dangerous driving. Clark was given unconditional bail at Oxford Crown
A MAN killed in a freak accident involving a JCB was a well-known former pub landlord and chairman of Chipping Norton Rugby Club. Tony Cripps, 57, died on Tuesday after he was run over by a JCB digger at New Farm owned by JCB chairman Sir Anthony Bamford
A teenager has told police she was raped in an alleyway in the early hours his morning. The 18-year-old girl was walking along an alleyway between Mill Street and Belmont in Wantage at about 2.30am. A man described as white, in his early 40s, clean
A man killed in a freak accident involving a JCB was a well-known former pub landlord and chairman of Chipping Norton rugby club. Tony Cripps, 57, died on Tuesday after he was run over by a JCB digger at New Farm owned by JCB boss Sir Anthony Bamford
Chartered surveyor Tim Nicholson is doing his bit to save the planet - by riding a folding bike to work. So he was astonished when an Oxford Bus Company driver told him he couldn't take his grey Brompton bike on the X13 bus from Abingdon to Oxford -
Funding for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty around Oxford has been slashed by a Government agency. The North Wessex Downs, Chilterns and Cotswolds AONBs say cuts to their budgets from Natural England will hamper projects by local conservationists
Sports lovers are demanding action to remove graffiti from their 'eyesore' pavilion. Although Oxford City Council pledged to remove all graffiti from the building in Quarry Park, Margaret Road, Headington, two months ago, most of it is still there.
Children should have no excuse for being bored this summer with more than 100 events and festivals being staged across Oxfordshire. The child-friendly cultural, artistic events and festivals are being run to mark Oxfordshire's 1,000th birthday. Young
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I am writing to compliment the Oxford Tenant Participation Team members on their hard work and dedication in recent months, in particular, Andy, Allison and Val. Their hard work, in conjunction with council officers, has made a working partnership between
David Cameron should have thought twice before allowing Tia MacGregor to join the Conservatives ranks. Anyone who thinks that a nightclub owner should receive an Asbo for daring to advertise a club night near a roundabout needs to get out more or get
I would like to say a big thank-you to city councillor Bob Timbs for all his hard work and time spent with me on Bullingdon play area in Oxford, on the Saturday of the Cup Final, when local youths trashed the children's playground, stopping parents with
Forget the Boat Race, Oxford and Cambridge will go head to head in a varsity match of a different kind at the Blenheim Triathlon. The Dark Blues will do battle with the Light Blues in the lake, on the bikes and on the run, with the champions being
KEEN to get involved in a triathlon but not sure about taking part? Then why not volunteer to help out at the triathlon? The event could not exist without the support of volunteers - and organisers say it is not too late to sign up. Andy Taylor
Crossing the finish line at the Blenheim Triathlon will undoubtedly provide a huge sense of achievement to scores of competitors. But for a team of 20 people from a sales company near Thame, the achievement will be two-fold. Not only will it see many
So you know it involves swim-bike-run but that s about it? The multi-discipline sport of triathlon can often seem complex to the untrained eye. But fear not, with our guide b Emma-Kate Lidbury, you'll soon have a better understanding of the sport that
SPECTATORS areencouraged t attend and ong>ont color="blue">cheeront>ong>on triathlon competitors astheycompletethe gruelling multidiscipline course. Therearetwodfferentdistance the sprintand the supersprint.The sprintconsists of a750mswim, a 20km bike
Elite triathletes Olly Freeman and Rosie Clarke will have something in common at this year s Blenheim Triathlon - they both have titles to defend. Last year, Freeman - who has scores of junior international titles to his name - proved he has what it
Competitors at this year s race obviously haven t reached the start line yet, but already records have been broken. About 4,500 entries have been received for the event, smashing last year s total of 2,900, ensuring Blenheim is again the second largest
Singer George Michael - who has a house in south Oxfordshire - has been given a suspended sentence and banned from driving for two years after admitting driving while unfit. He was sentenced this morning at Brent Magistrates Court and at an earlier
FOLLOWING the outstanding success of The Blenheim Triathlon in 2006, it was evident to us that there was a huge demand for such an event to be held this year. The event is held over two days, incorporating the demands of the competitors who wish to
We are delighted and honoured to be coming back to Blenheim Palace again for the 2007 Mazda Blenheim Triathlon. The setting of the event is stunning and it has fast become an established event in the triathlon calendar, and popular with both experienced
PARAMEDICS treated a 42-year-old male pedestrian after he was hit by a lorry at the junction of New Inn Hall Street and St Michael Street at 9.40am today. The man was conscious following the accident, according to a spokesman for South Central Ambulance
Paramedics treated a 42-year-old male pedestrian after he was hit by a lorry at the junction of New Inn Hall Street and St Michael Street at 9.40am today. The man was conscious following the accident, according to a spokesman for South Central Ambulance
Businesses in Oxfordshire feel they could be dealt a devastating blow by the effects of a postal strike. The fears were aired after workers delivered a resounding 'yes' vote for industrial action across the country in a protest over pay and continuing
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The going was good at Cheltenham Racecourse last weekend - in fact, very good. Best known among race goers for hosting the Cheltenham Festival, this beautiful sporting venue is becoming equally well known for holding one of the country's best new festivals
SHOPPERS in Oxford will be able to chat to their beat bobbies while picking up a pint of milk when a police base opens in Sainsbury's. The supermarket has agreed to house Thames Valley Police's Rose Hill, Littlemore and Iffley beat team at its Heyford
Antonio Navajas has become something of a cult winemaker in Rioja. Based in the town of Navarette, he specialises in making wine that is a cross between the traditional and the modern. His whites and rosés are fresh, clean and unoaked while careful use
My general knowledge is truly terrible. I never, ever win at Trivial Pursuits and I would struggle to get beyond £1,000 on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? I just don't retain information that I don't find interesting. Still, if I were 15 wine questions
HONDA'S failure to put any points on the board is still a cause for concern for Jenson Button. Button and team-mate Rubens Barrichello have failed to score any points for the Brackley-based team in 2007 and though the Briton saw improvements in qualifying
Former Banbury United player Tim Fowler said getting the chance to manage his old side would be a "dream job" following Kevin Brock's departure as boss. Brock resigned from the British Gas Business Southern League side on Tuesday night in a row over
STORYTELLING from Ethiopia, a free drop-in workshop for families, takes place in Barracks Lane Community Garden, Oxford, tomorrow. The event, featuring storyteller Eden Solomon, runs at 11am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm and 3pm.
Sommers Home Counties Premier League LEADING batsman Craig Haupt has been ruled out of Banbury's home game with Reading in Division 1 tomorrow due to a knee injury. Haupt, who scored 125 in Sunday's Cockspur Cup victory over Moseley, has been told
TRAVELLERS on Oxfordshire's Cotswold Line have joined in the damning criticism of train operators First Great Western. One man said he could not trust the reliability of the service because of the number of cancellations. For the 12 months up to
THE name of car manufacturer William Morris is set to be immortalised in Cowley after councillors decided to name a road after him. Names for two new roads being built in a new development off Barracks Lane and Crescent Road were chosen by Oxford
OXFORD City took a big step towards winning Ladies' Division 1 in the 3-Pair League with a 5-4 victory at last year's champions, Oxford Sports, writes JON MURRAY. oTop pair Esther Simmonds and Barbara Gibbins laid the platform for City's triumph by
OXFORD United skipper Phil Gilchrist is recovering well from his summer knee operation and is confident of being fit for when the players return to pre-season training in the first week of July. o The centre back was troubled by the knee problem at the
South African all-rounder Francois Klopper makes his debut in Oxfordshire's Western Division clash with Herefordshire at Challow & Childrey starting on Sunday. Klopper, 34, who plays with batsman Rob Williams at Leamington Spa, is now England qualified
TRAFFIC congestion along one of Oxford's major routes is be tackled with a £3m package of road improvements. A new bus lane could be built along London Road in Headington as part of a scheme to improve traffic flow. Oxfordshire County Council, the
BRITISH Waterways has taken steps to evict a long-standing member of Oxford's boating community for unpaid mooring fee debts. Pierre Davis, 37, was yesterday targeted as part of a crackdown on canal licence evaders, but he was given a stay of execution
AN 87-year-old man was robbed yesterday as he got off a bus in Banbury Road, Oxford. The incident happened just after midnight the elderly man was robbed as he got off a 2A Oxford City bus near the Uplands Road bus stop on the Banbury Road. The
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a man was attacked with a piece of wood and mugged in Sandy Lane West, Oxford. The man, who has not been named, suffered two black eyes and a swollen nose after the attack at 2am on Saturday. His wallet and
JUGGLERS, singers and dancers are needed to provide entertainment for a pensioners' summer garden party. The Brookfield Care Home in Little Bury, Greater Leys, is hosting its Annual Garden Party on Sunday. Anyone wishing to donate their skills and
A SUMMER picnic will be held in the Botanic Garden, in Rose Lane, Oxford, tomorrow as part of Oxfordshire's 1,000th anniversary celebrations. There will be music and other performances and family friendly activities, including a trail around the garden
THE Lord Mayor of Oxford will officially open the Marston British Legion Club this week. Lord Mayor John Tanner will unveil the new building on Hadow Road, off Crotch Crescent, Marston, today at 7pm. It will only be open to members on this occasion
THE Blue Cross animal adoption centre at Shilton Road, Burford, is raising money through an auction of promises at the Carpenter's Arms in Fulbrook today. Among the items to bid for are a trip with RAF Brize Norton's refuelling team.
AN INDOOR camp proved ideal for youngsters during the wet weather in the half-term school holidays. The annual Camp Windrush at Witney's Windrush Leisure Centre was fully booked up as parents sought fun and activity for their children. Five- to
MORE than 40 people from an African township settlement will be receiving a warm welcome when they are hosted by families in Woodstock. The South Africans are members of the Sivuselele Nkosi Choir and are coming to the west Oxfordshire town to sing
A SUMMER street fair is being held in Gloucester Green, Oxford, this weekend to raise awareness of the catastrophe in Darfur. The fair, which will be held all day on Saturday, will feature charity stalls providing information on Darfur, including
Sir - In light of last week's front page item about a message from Allah appearing in a tomato, you may like to know that I am currently growing my own range of Faith-based vegetables on my allotment. Only last week some carefully propagated secular
Sir - I'm not sure whether it is part of the tide of secularisation of the church but I was unimpressed to see (Report, June 1) that the 42nd Bishop of Oxford is to be inaugurated this Friday. He is not. He will be enthroned. A Bishop is placed
Sir - First, the facts: no decision has been made to close any play areas in Oxford. And I, for one, will be working to make sure all well-used play areas survive and thrive. There's no doubt there's been chronic under-funding of play areas in the
Sir - You describe a meeting held in the Church Hall of Summertown, on May 23, considering a proposal for housing on land between Summerfield School and the River Cherwell, a part of a new demand for a core strategy to 2026 by the Government. Quite
Sir - Congratulations on your leader of June 1, highlighting the threat to Oxford's green spaces.You illustrate clearly the dangers we face if in considering a core strategy for the city's future we move prematurely to designate for housing-development
Sir - A fortnight ago, Sunnymead residents called on Oxford City Council to arrange a Referendum so that they might test the strength of feeling in this area against the imposition of a North Summertown Controlled Parking Zone. We were told then that
Sir - I was sad to read that your correspondent Isabel Pack had not room in her blue bin for two weeks' worth of material. I understand that blue wheelie bins are available for those for whom a box is too small. The council leaflet states: 'You may
Sir - Kate Lack and A Williams wrote criticizing pedestrians for using the streets in Oxford city centre. As a cyclist these comments seem unhelpful; isn't the solution to have 'naked streets' where pedestrians, cyclists and motorists share the road
Sir - In reply to John McGhee 's letter (June 1), at the bottom of the A34 is the docks on the south coast, mainly Southampton. At the top of the A34 is the industrial Midlands and north and in between many other trading places such as trading estates
Sir - In the last fortnight there has been a significant tariff change at Oxford station car park. Bona fide rail passengers need only pay £4.50 for a day's parking via a mobile phone-based service, which they should only use once they get into the
THE skills of quilters will go on show in a special exhibition in Wallingford on Sunday in aid of Cancer Research UK. Pupils, teachers and customers will all have their quilts on show between 10am and 3pm in Village Fabrics in St Leonard's Square.
THOUSANDS of residents across Oxford look like escaping having to pay to park in their own street for a year. Oxfordshire County Council's decision to start charging residents £40 a year for parking permits sparked protests. And it threatened a
HUNDREDS of people from various faiths joined together in Oxford for a walk promoting peace. It was the fourth friendship walk held in the city and started at the Oxford Jewish Centre, in Richmond Road. The group walked on to the University Church
A THEATRE trust behind plans to build flats and retail units behind Oxford Playhouse will be submitting revised plans later this summer. The original scheme from the Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust had been strongly opposed by the Playhouse.
A "CRACK house" in Bicester has become the first property in north Oxfordshire to be shut down by police, following months of complaints by neighbours. Police said that for months the one-bedroomed home in Langford Village had been a magnet for drug
Authors Giles Chapman and Richard Porter have put together the perfect present for Father's Day on June 17 - a book of pictures and pithy comment of mass-market classics, titled My Dad Had One Of Those (£9.99, BBC Books). From diminutive Datsun Sunnys
THINK of an iconic British car or vehicle and what springs to mind? The Black Cab, Double Decker Bus, Jaguar perhaps. Our motor industry has a unique reputation for producing some of the world's best loved vehicles. As it prepares to celebrate 55
PLANS for a centre for military studies in Oxfordshire have moved a step closer, thanks to an agreement between county regiments and council leaders. A meeting between county council leaders and the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust approved a memorandum
VAUXHALL'S new Agila city car will be launched in spring 2008 with diesel and automatic versions offered for the first time. The car will come with the flexibility of five doors and five seats as standard and enough luggage space to embarrass cars
SAAB is launching a new-look 9-3 range in the autumn, using a grille inspired by the Aero X concept car. Most noticeable is the sharper frontal styling, which adopts grille and bonnet themes first seen on the Aero X concept, together with a return
THE 1.6-litre THP (Turbo High Pressure) turbocharged petrol engine which powers Peugeot's 207 CC, GT and soon-to-be-released GTi models won the 2007 International Engine of the Year Award in the 1.4-litre to 1.8-litre category. Judged by a panel of
OWNERS of a "green" car have kept not only environmentalists happy but themselves as well, vehicle satisfaction figures showed. Hybrid car the Toyota Prius, which runs on petrol and electricity, came joint top in a 2007 car customer satisfaction study
Mini at 50 Mini biographer Rob Golding who has written three books on the iconic little car has brought the story up to date with Mini 50 Years, (Motorbooks, £16.99) charting the car's story from its launch in 1959 to the present day. The latest volume
ANYTHING but cute. That's how Dodge like to sell its competitively priced Caliber to us Brits. So it seemed the perfect vehicle for a drive across Lancashire to see that anything but cute Premiership team Bolton Wanderers perform against those Ferraris
Sir - Anyone who values free speech and democracy will welcome last week's court ruling against Thames Valley police for attempting to stifle the legitimate protest against Oxford University by opponents of its new animal lab. As a University-based
Sir - Isabel Pack (Letters, May 25) is right to say that making extra recycling bins and boxes available does help improve recycling rates. It is a vital part of any successful scheme. But it is not enough, on its own, to encourage everyone to do
Sir - When we had weekly rubbish collections a lorry came and took everything. This week a lorry came and took the glass and paper, then some hours later another lorry came and took the plastic. Then the following morning a third lorry came and took
Sir - Am I the only person who finds it difficult to remember which type of waste disposal is due to be collected on which day? I doubt it. Is this the day to put out the green box, or the ordinary dustbin, or the brown wheelie bin, or is that next
Sir - Nuclear power cannot help us to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions. To do so, a new reactor would have to be built approximately once a week from now until 2050. This is clearly impossible. Even if it were possible to build at such a rate,
Sir - Despite recent reports in the local press the introduction of the controlled parking zone in North Summertown is not yet a closed chapter. The county council has overruled the majority of residents who had voted against the scheme in two public
IT'S a tale to gladden the heart of any child. Well, let's make that any precocious youngster with a taste for Edwardian eccentrics, prima donna artists and a finely tuned sense of irony. Down the years many unforgettable children's stories have been
IT is early to start judging Oxfordshire County Council's £3m plan to improve conditions at Headington shops and on the main road into and out of the city through this area. There are, however, a number of issues that jump instantly to mind. There is
FIREFIGHTERS will hand out road safety information at a community day at Jewsons tomorrow in Station Road, Chipping Norton, between 12.30 and 4pm. The event forms part of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service's ongoing 365 Alive campaign. The initiative
AN OTTER is to be guest of honour at a fete at Broughton Castle, near Banbury, tomorrow. It is being organised jointly by St Mary's Church, Broughton with North Newington, and the 7th Banbury Scout Group. Organiser Clive Hopkins said: "This year we
THE medieval Abbey at Sutton Courtenay could be given a £3m restoration - but organisers have first been told to raise nearly half the money themselves. The Heritage Lottery Fund has offered the charity The Abbey, Sutton Courtenay, £1.8m but director
