So Susanna Pressel wishes to stop more pubs and bars opening in Jericho, Oxford (Oxford Mail, August 24). How typical of the Labour Party, with its strong urge to monitor and control, and of Oxford Labour councillors in particular, with their strong puritanical
In your article, Traffic light bid to run city (Oxford Mail, August 17), you quote city council leader John Goddard as saying: "If Labour and Lib Dems want to support more houses in Oxford, the Greens would do their best to stop it" as his reason for
I feel sorry for the Environment Agency. It wants to help us avoid flooding, but its budget has been cut and it has suffered. At the flood clinic in Abingdon, I asked how it modelled the flow in the River Thames. It had said that computer models helped
We have had good reason to criticise Judge Julian Hall in the past. He became the target of widespread criticism when he gave window cleaner Keith Fenn a two-year jail sentence for raping a 10-year-old girl. Concern over the lenient way in which he
There was traffic chaos on the River Thames when two boats ended up wedged in Abingdon Lock. It was closed for three hours, leading to queues of narrowboats and cruisers on either side of the lock. The problem began when a narrowboat and a cruiser tried
CCTV footage from buses parked at Oxford Bus Company's depot in Cowley is to be analysed by police trying to catch a would-be robber and his accomplice. A female cashier at the site in Watlington Road managed to break free after a man dressed in black
A sex offender who abused a 12-year-old girl he was babysitting has been jailed for four years. Peter Cox, of Brambling Way, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, admitted sexually assaulting the child at her home on two occasions between June 2005 and April 2006.
A motorcyclist and a car collided just 300 yards from the spot where two men were killed in a smash two weeks earlier. A silver Peugeot 206 and a white Suzuki motorcycle collided at the junction of Shakespeare Drive and Middleton Stoney Road, near Bicester
One of Oxford's top pupils took on exam critics to sit an O-Level paper from 1987. When the Oxford Mail threw down the gauntlet, Magdalen College School student Philip Davies agreed to defend the honour of his generation and sit the 1987 maths paper.
Police have renewed appeals for help in tracing a partially paralysed woman who has been missing for a week. Claire Simms, 31, was staying at the George Hotel, Wallingford, and has not been seen there since Monday, August 20. She was reported missing
A courageous "have a go" hero who wrestled a handbag back from a mugger was praised by a crown court judge. Judge Julian Hall recommended that Benjamin Tucker was awarded a High Sheriff's Award of £250 after he chased and tackled 44-year-old Elvis Springer
Two celebrities have pledged their support to a festival to celebrate Oxford streets. Alex James, the bass player with Blur, and one of the BBCs Castaways, Francie Smee, have agreed to back Oxford City Council's 'Streets For People Day' on Saturday,
OXFORDSHIRE County Council must do more for ethnic minority communities, according to a new performance review. The report, by the Improvement and Development Agency for local government, highlighted a need to drive forward the prioritisation of the
Police were called to Marsh Park, Cowley, early today after residents reported hearing what they thought were gunshots. Six separate calls were made to police, the first at 3.20am with more coming in until about 4.15am, reporting loud bangs coming from
A COURAGEOUS passer-by who wrestled a handbag back from a mugger was praised by a crown court judge. Judge Julian Hall recommended that Benjamin Tucker was awarded a High Sheriff's Award of £250 after he chased and tackled 44-year-old Elvis Springer
Flyposters and businesses are heading for £75 on-the-spot fines if they clutter up Abingdon, Wantage and villages in the Vale of White Horse District Council area. The council has promised tough and swift action to clean up the streets to make sure
Opponents of the controversial Jericho Boatyard redevelopment will tomorrow hand planners a new vision for the site. Residents want a proposed canal bridge to be scrapped - and replaced with a specially commissioned structure to create a focal point
The Cogges Link Road must receive Environment Agency approval before construction can get under way. Consultants from the agency could scupper the project if they decide it would have a negative impact. County councillor David Robertson, of Witney
Witney's mayor and another town councillor have been cleared of accusations of bullying, misuse of public money and bringing the council into disrepute. The Standards Board investigated the claims made by former town clerk Pat Nevins against mayor Chrissie
Adam Mills felt it was his patriotic duty to grow the biggest and best beard he could when he heard the international beard festival was coming to England for the first time. Two years on he's looking forward to marching in costume through the streets
Oxfordshire County Council must do more for ethnic minority communities, according to a new performance review. The report, by the Improvement and Development Agency for local government, highlighted a need to drive forward the prioritisation of the
Mark Garratt and his partner Debbie Kuca were ecstatic following the birth of their son Riley in August 2003. The couple lived in Blewbury with Debbie's son and daughter from a previous marriage. Mark was a training and development manager and Debbie
A comedian impersonating one of the characters from the TV show Little Britain had a campaigning message when he opened a town fete. Impressionist Stuart Morrison, performing under the name of Littler Britain, launched the annual Poppy Appeal in Carterton
An Oxford bowls club grounds and pavilion may soon be bulldozed. The building that was the home to the East Oxford Bowls Club was reduced to a burned-out wreck in a fire in May. The club itself, founded in 1919, folded in January 2001. Now owner
Diabetics are being invited to High Street opticians for vital eye tests to prevent them from going blind. Instead of trekking to the Oxford Eye Hospital for annual check-ups for retinopathy, patients will now be able to have their appointment at one
A courageous "have a go" hero who wrestled a handbag back from a mugger was praised by a crown court judge. Judge Julian Hall recommended that Benjamin Tucker was awarded a High Sheriff's Award of £250 after he chased and tackled 44-year-old Elvis Springer
There were blue skies and bright sunshine for Blenheim Palace's country craft show over the Bank Holiday weekend. Thousands of people flocked to the annual three day event, which saw hundreds of traditional crafts brought to life at the Oxfordshire
AEA Technology 120.5 BMW 2941 Electrocomponents 247 Isoft Group 72.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 151.5 Oxford Biomedica 44.25 Oxford Instruments 232.25 Reed Elsevier 588.5 RM 196.5 RPS Group 361 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
A motorcyclist and a car collided just 300 yards from the spot where two men were killed in a smash two weeks ago. A silver Peugeot 206 and a white Suzuki motorbike collided at the junction of Shakespeare Drive and Middleton Stoney Road, near Bicester
There was traffic chaos on the River Thames when two boats ended up wedged in Abingdon Lock. It was closed for three hours and there was a build up of narrow boats and cruisers on either side of the lock. The problem began when a narrow boat and a
CCTV footage from buses parked at Oxford Bus Company's depot in Cowley is to be analysed by police trying to catch two would-be robbers. A female cashier at the site in Watlington Road managed to break free after a man dressed in black motorcycle leathers
No car that rolled off the production line at Cowley looked quite like this one. But then, workers at Morris Motors dealt only with properly-made car parts, not a pile of old junk. Pupils at Peers School at Littlemore, Oxford, had spent weeks scouring
Four people were led to safety after a suspicious car fire in Cromwell Road, Banbury, in the early hours of today. The blaze had spread to a nearby fence, shed and house by the time firefighters arrived at 4.10am. Four occupants of the house were
THE OXFORD TIMES CHERWELL LEAGUE Division 1 Banbury Twenty 224-6 (S Joyner 50, R Hawkins 45, J Wright 31, C Board 3-47), Banbury 2nd 225-9 (J White 42, A Pearson 39, O Murrey 36no, S Launder 30no, K Arnold 5-77, S Hart 3-61). Oxford Downs 183-9 (G
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THOUSANDS of people turned out in the sunshine to Woodstock Live, making this year's event the biggest so far. The music festival, which began on Friday and ended yesterday, is in its fourth year, and drew crowds four times as large as last year, said
Business leaders in Oxfordshire have called for a radical overhaul of the education system, despite record levels of exam success. The Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce wants the shake-up to ensure businesses and students alike are given the best possible
EAST Oxford's new police inspector has issued a stark warning to people dealing drugs in the area. Insp Brian Cooper, who has taken over from Insp Jim O'Ryan, has set drugs as one of his key priorities, along with antisocial behaviour and litter/fly-tipping
An Oxfordshire retailer has signed a groundbreaking agreement with shopworkers' union Usdaw. Usdaw general secretary John Hannett and Ben Reid, chief executive of The Midcounties Co-operative, signed a six-page document setting out their aim to work
Luke Foster and Marvin Robinson are likely to be fined after being sent home for arriving 45 minutes late at the team's pre-match meal. And manager Jim Smith hopes it's a lesson all the United players can learn from. "It's not the first time with
MORE than a year of GP time is lost across Oxfordshire due to patients missing their appointments. Although the problem, known as Do Not Attends or DNAs, costs the county's NHS at least £217,000 a year, doctors are against fining or striking off patients
EDUCATION chiefs will today decide when to reopen a school which was badly damaged by floods. Carterton Community College headteacher Julie Tridgell is to meet Oxfordshire County Council education chiefs and maintenance officers at the school to decide
A house in Jericho - 31 Nelson Street - was rocked by three explosions in the early hours of this morning. But there was no need for alarm, as it was all part of filming for the new ITV series of Lewis, the follow-up to Inspector Morse. Film crews
COWLEY Road is becoming an unauthorised garage forecourt with up to 14 cars for sale parked along the road at a time. Residents said the number of cars with notices in their windows saying they were for sale parked at the Cowley end of the road, near
POLICE have renewed appeals for help in tracing a Wallingford woman who is partially paralysed and has been missing for a week. Claire Simms, 31, had been staying at The George Hotel in the town and had not been seen there since August 20. She was reported
COMMUNITY groups across Oxford are to be told to seek lottery funding and charity money to bring run-down play areas in the city up to standard. Oxford City Council is turning to them for help because it does not have enough cash to pay for the refurbishment
THE family of a man who was stabbed when he intervened in a fight have criticised the police handling of the incident. Relatives of builder Roy Sinclair say police officers have left them in the dark over his stabbing in Blackbird Leys on Thursday evening
Oxford United boss Jim Smith gave his backing to striker Rob Duffy despite the Welshman fluffing an injury-time chance at Stevenage last night. Had he put it away, it would have taken the U's to the top of the Blue Square Premier. But Oxford had to
7.40: SEE YOU LATER, Koko Loco Phil, Primo Max 3, Young Hanna 2, Blackthorn Dumbo, Berkshire Royal. 7.56: Vancouver Sol 3, Lefanta Slippy 2, Friar Tuck, Allen Mile, RIGHT SO SIRE, Ballymac Field. 8.12: OBRIENANDSONG, As Time Goes By 3, Finchogue Sadie
Rampant Oxford Cheetahs have one wheel in the semi-finals of the Knockout Cup after another superb performance at a sunny Oxford Stadium yesterday. They put Plymouth Devils to the sword in this replay with an awesome display that saw Cheetahs win every
An heroic captain's innings of 118 by Didcot's Matt Jones was eclipsed by an outstanding all-round performance from Oxford Downs 2nd's Steve Roberts. Roberts took 5-55 and hit an unbeaten 87 as Downs cruised to a ten-wicket win. Didcot had been bowled
Horspath beat Morris Motors Exiles by six wickets, capitalising on Abingdon Vale's shock defeat to go top for the first time this season. Dean Creed (3-65) bowled tidily at the start before Ben Cook (4-53) ran through the middle order as Exiles were
Great & Little Tew 2nd's success has been built around the club's promising youngsters, but it was the old hands that saw them to victory over Kidlington 2nd. Chasing the visitors' 187 all out, Tew were in trouble on 71-5 before Dave Freeman (34), Andy
Banbury 2nd completed the double over rivals Banbury Twenty in a thrilling finish and so took a step closer to securing runners-up spot. A tenth-wicket stand between Ollie Murrey (36no) and Simon Launder (30no) took Banbury to a one-wicket win as they
Hyron Shallow smashed 196 not out to help Tetsworth to a five-run victory over Oxford Caribbean in a controversial OCA Airey Cup final at East & West Hendred yesterday. Shallow hit several balls out of the ground as Tetsworth rattled up 278-7 from their
Shipton-under-Wychwood 2nd brushed aside nine-man Stanton St John Willows to go back to the top of the table. Jason Constable (3-24) and Craig Lambert (3-44) helped bowl out the home side for 125, then Tim Willford (54) and Brin Walker (43no) saw the
Mark Stanway took 7-45 as Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts beat second-placed Long Marston to guarantee promotion and all but sew up the title. After electing to bat Nondies managed 222-8 thanks to Mark Strong (62) and Michael Baggs (51). Lee Beesley
The hunt is on for Oxfordshire's bonniest babies for the Oxford Mail Baby of the Year 2007 competition. Last year more than 500 beautiful babies and toddlers entered the competition - and readers will be able to decide for themselves who they think
The family of an Oxford man who was stabbed when he intervened in a fight have criticised the police's handling of the incident. Relatives of builder Roy Sinclair said police officers had left them in the dark over his stabbing in Blackbird Leys on
Community groups across Oxford are to be told to seek Lottery funding and charity money to bring scores of rundown play areas in the city up to standard. Hard-up Oxford City Council is turning to them for help because it does not have enough cash to
