Archive

  • Mourners pack church for Ricky

    HUNDREDS of mourners crammed into a village church today for the funeral of Ricky Serjent - a young man "who lived life to the full". They included a group of friends in football shirts of his favourite team Aston Villa, specially made with "Ricky"

  • Tributes paid to racing champ

    Motorbike enthusiasts have paid tribute to a Grove man and "passionate" speedway fan who was killed while racing at an event on Sunday. David Durham was fatally injured at the Midlands Centre Championships at Offerton, in Hindlip, near Worcester.

  • Mourners pack church for Ricky

    Hundreds of mourners crammed into a village church today for the funeral of Ricky Serjent - a young man "who lived life to the full". They included a group of friends in football shirts of his favourite team Aston Villa, specially made with "Ricky"

  • Web therapy helps disabled

    About 40 children with cerebral palsy have received specialised physiotherapy thanks to an Oxfordshire mother who brought the treatment over from Poland. Pippa Hoyer Millar discovered Rondo therapy after travelling the world to find care for her daughter

  • Restaurant's recipe for success

    An Oxford restaurateur enjoyed the taste of success when he won a top prize at the British Curry Awards for the second time. The Aziz restaurant, in Cowley Road, owned by Aziz-Ur Rahman, was named the best curry restaurant in the South-East at a ceremony

  • Death-crash jail term 'not long enough'

    THE family of a teacher killed by a speeding BMW driver has condemned the "lenient" sentence handed out to her killer. Bill Parish said the 15-month prison term sentence given to driver Jamie White was a "joke", and that he had completely lost faith

  • Jail term 'not long enough'

    The family of a teacher killed by a speeding BMW driver has condemned the "lenient" sentence handed out to her killer. Bill Parish said the 15-month prison term sentence given to driver Jamie White was a "joke", and that he had completely lost faith

  • Just the beer essentials (plus whisky)

    Drinkers raised a glass to Matthew Marren - landlord of Oxford's Old Bookbinders - as the pub hosted its third beer and whisky festival, 'Octobeer'. More than 15 beers and 12 whiskies were on offer during the four-day extravaganza, which ended on Sunday

  • College sets facelift schedule

    The full transformation of Witney's college campus in a £28m redevelopment is likely to be at least three-and-a-half years away. The timetable for the scheme was revealed as Abingdon and Witney College released public consultation details, with the

  • Posters blight is 'out of hand'

    Flyposting in Oxford's Cowley Road is getting out of hand, claim residents and traders. They say layers of posters up to an inch thick cover unused shop windows advertising club nights, gigs and concerts across the city. Tom Corcoran, of ice cream

  • Fish killed in second pollution outbreak

    A SECOND suspected pollution outbreak has killed about 100 fish in an Oxfordshire brook. The Environment Agency is investigating the deaths of trout and sticklebacks discovered at Ginge Brook in Drayton, near Abingdon, yesterday. Last Thursday,

  • Second brook suffers pollution outbreak

    A second suspected pollution outbreak has killed around 100 fish in an Oxfordshire brook. The Environment Agency is investigating the deaths of stickleback and trout discovered at Ginge Brook in Drayton, near Abingdon, on Sunday. Last Thursday another

  • Any takers?

    With the recent completion of the roadworks at the Plain roundabout in Oxford, I am considering running a book and taking bets as to how soon the council will dig it up again. Any takers? JAMES HAYES Gordon Woodward Way Oxford

  • Why no apology?

    I was interested to read the correspondence about the multi-storey Charter car park at Abingdon. My husband and I took our four-year-old grandson to the Abbey swimming pool during the summer and decided to park at the multi-storey car park. We were

  • Flood measures are not enough

    While we are all grateful, I am sure, to the Oxford Mail for continuing to keep our plight in the public eye with high-profile reports, it is important that our efforts are coordinated to ensure that one affected area is not defended from flooding at

  • Disabled girl’s bus injury investigated

    An investigation has begun into how a disabled girl suffered a broken thigh on a bus taking her to a special needs school. Rebekh Smith, who has cerebral palsy and is unable to talk, was travelling to the Kingfisher School, in Radley Road, Abingdon,

  • Vandals put pitch out of action

    Young footballers have been left with nowhere to train after vandals destroyed part of an all-weather pitch in Oxford. Vandals hacked out a 15in circle of pitch at the all-weather area behind Bullingdon Community Centre, in Peat Moors, Cowley, forcing

  • Biotech firm has growth formula

    A biotech firm has expanded its offices after enjoying major growth. Genzyme first opened on the Oxford Business Park in 2001 with 15 staff to support the supply of its products for chronic diseases. Now it has 80 workers - with that figure expected

  • Shoppers put the Boots in

    The Boots store in Oxford city centre has been given a £2m revamp - and 10 new jobs have been created. Bosses set up a customer panel to find out how the Cornmarket Street branch could be improved and have made a range of changes and improvements.

  • Author to host diversity talk

    PEOPLE in Oxford are being encouraged to celebrate diversity in the city by a businessman and author on the subject. Dr Atul Shah, author of Celebrating Diversity: How to enjoy, respect and benefit from Great Coloured Britain, is speaking at Mansfield

  • Spooky thrills will boost charity

    Fundraisers at the Jennifer Trust for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) have organised a sponsored Fright Night to seek spooks in the depths of Oxford Castle. Paranomal investigators and mediums will lead a tour of the historic site in New Road, accompanied

  • Jack FM goes live

    THEY may not be the oldest swingers in town, but the 30-plus age group of music lovers in Oxfordshire has been overlooked, according to managers at the county's newest radio station. Jack FM launched with the track Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who

  • Today's local share prices (PM)

    AEA Technology 118 BMW 3169 Electrocomponents 242.25 Isoft Group 69.75 Nationwide Accident Repair 152.5 Oxford Biomedica 29.5 Oxford Instruments 220.5 Reed Elsevier 600 RM 200.5 RPS Group 352 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Search for champion sausage eater

    A heavyweight clash to find the biggest and best pound-for-pound sausage muncher went with a bang at the weekend. Big appetites and even bigger bellies clashed for a sausage-eating contest at Foxbury Farm Shop, Burford Road, in Brize Norton. More

  • Caterpillars give pupils taste of Africa

    Year Seven students at a school in Bicester took part in an African Arts day, tasting food, making masks and listening to music. More than 200 pupils at Bicester Community College took part in the event, which was organised by head of performing arts

  • Stadium hosts fireworks display

    THE Curbridge Social Club's annual fireworks display is being held this Saturday at the Witney United FC stadium in Downs Road, Witney. Gates open at 5.30pm with fireworks at 7.30pm. Donations to the club on entry.

  • On Yer Bike

    I can get so wound up about the rights and wrongs of cycling in the city that it's easy to forget that bikes are fun as well. So head for the hills! My favourite city escape is mountain-biking in the Chilterns. I used to catch trains out to the Cotswolds

  • Women have the spark to succeed

    An Oxford car business is spearheading the Government's Women in Work programme with a drive to attract more women into the motor trade. Hartwell Ford has teamed up with the Institute of the Motor Industry in a bid to break down the macho image of a

  • Family project gets £30k boost

    A centre which helps hundreds of children and their parents is celebrating after receiving a £30,000 cash boost. But Donnington Doorstep, in Townsend Square, East Oxford, still needs to raise a further £30,000 to build a youth space which would be used

  • Download site has star appeal

    Music lovers can download their favourite tracks from the Internet for free, thanks to a pioneering Oxford firm. We7, based at the Oxford Business Park, allows people to download as many songs as they want from its website, meaning they can avoid the

  • Books chain loses its patients

    A hospital bookshop is to close after 26 years - after owner Blackwell said it had been unable to agree the terms of a new lease. The news comes after the Oxford-based chain won the top prize at the 2007 Bookseller Retail Awards, where it was praised

  • Pupils go to india for TV challenge

    For most children, school uniform is just a necessary evil. But for three pupils from Oxford's Cheney School, it has taken them on a trip to India as part of a Channel 4 TV documentary. Diko Blackings, Robin Benn and Martha Schofield - Year 10 pupils

  • Hospital bookshop loses patients

    A hospital bookshop is to close after 26 years after owner Blackwell said it had been unable to agree the terms of a new lease. The news comes after the Oxford-based chain won the top prize at the 2007 Bookseller Retail Awards, where it was praised

  • Merry quashes Quinn story

    Chairman Nick Merry has rubbished a story in one of the Non-League newspapers that Oxford United were lining up a move for Cambridge United boss Jimmy Quinn. The Non-League Today claimed on Sunday that Cambridge were opening contract talks with Quinn

  • Spiceball is fully reopened

    Banbury's Spiceball Sports Centre is now fully open after the completion of work to repair damage caused by July's floods. The main sports hall was the last area of the centre to get the all-clear. On July 21, the lower levels of Spiceball - swimming

  • Spitting teenager attacked woman

    A WOMAN was shoved and spat at in the face during an attack in the street. Police are now appealing for witnesses to the assault outside the Oxford House newsagent's, in Oxford Road, Kidlington. A teenage girl spat in the face of a 47-year-old woman

  • Girl spat at women in street

    A woman was shoved and spat at in the face during an attack in the street. Police are now appealing for witnesses to the assault outside the Oxford House newsagent's, in Oxford Road, Kidlington. A teenage girl spat in the face of a 47-year-old woman

  • Radio station Jack goes live

    They may not be the oldest swingers in town, but the 30-plus age group of music lovers in Oxfordshire has been overlooked, according to bosses at the county's newest radio station. Jack FM launched with the track Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who, setting

  • Fennymore rewrites record books

    GRAHAM Fennymore rewrote the Caterham Motorsport history book by becoming the first driver successfully to defend the Avon Tyres Caterham Superlight Challenge title. Weston-on-the-Green-based Fennymore, the 2006 champion, added the 2007 crown to his

  • Gang breaks man's leg

    A gang of vandals left a man with a broken leg and cuts to his face after he spotted them damaging cars. The 44-year-old man was in Margaret Road, Headington, in Oxford, at about 12.20am on Saturday when he saw a gang of youths damaging four cars

  • Man beaten in gang attack

    A GANG of thugs left a man with a broken leg and cuts to his face after he spotted them vandalising cars. The 44-year-old man was in Margaret Road, Headington, Oxford, at about 12.20am on Saturday when he saw a gang of youths damaging four cars Some

  • Jordan writes off Hamilton's hopes

    LEWIS Hamilton has no chance of being handed the Formula One world title unless McLaren can categorically prove their rivals cheated, according to Eddie Jordan. Hamilton failed to become the sport's first rookie champion following a disastrous Brazilian

  • Motorcyclist dies at race

    A motorcycle racer from Wantage has died after he came off his bike at a grass track event near Worcester. David Durham was taking part in the Midland Centre Championships at Offerton, Hindlip, yesterday when the incident happened. Five hundred on-lookers

  • Grasstrack rider killed

    A GRASSTRACK motorcycle racer from Wantage has died after he crashed into a fence at an event near Worcester. David Durham, 28, was taking part in the Midland Centre Championships at Offerton, Hindlip, yesterday when the incident happened. Five hundred

  • Question Time comes to city

    QUESTION Time, the BBC's weekly current affairs debate hosted by David Dimbleby, is being broadcast from the Oxford Union, Frewin Court, on Thursday. Audience members are being sought for the filming, which runs from 6pm until 9.30pm. Those interested

  • Question Time heads to city

    Question Time, the BBC's weekly current affairs debate hosted by David Dimbleby, is being broadcast from the Oxford Union, Frewin Court, on Thursday. Audience members are being sought for the filming, which runs from 6pm until 9.30pm. Those interested

  • An 'early' centenary

    There were lots of happy memories when this class from Milham Ford School, Oxford, held a reunion. Eighteen of the pupils who started at the school off Marston Road as 11-year-olds in September, 1947, chewed over old times at a 60th anniversary celebration

  • Sex offenders report published

    Figures released by Thames Valley Police this morning show 323 sex offenders are living in the community. This time last year the number of registered sex offenders was 306. All violent and sex offenders are monitored by Multi-Agency Public Protection

  • Update: Concern over dead fish in brook

    ENVIRONMENT Agency officials said today they were confident last week's pollution of an Oxfordshire brook had not contaminated any other waterways. About 100 fish - including bullhead and brown trout - were spotted floating on the water of Shill Brook

  • School made a splash in pool

    These water babies may have created a national record. More than 100 children under 11 at St Nicolas Primary School, in Abingdon, had swum at least a quarter of a mile without stopping. And headmaster Peter Marsh believed that no other school in the

  • Rugby star consoled by prince

    RUGBY star Andy Gomarsall consoled himself after England lost to South Africa in the World Cup final by drinking until the early hours with Prince William. And as thousands of fans headed back across the Channel after England's rollercoaster tournament

  • Times change on the buses

    Today we wouldn't blink an eye at a woman driving a bus, but in 1966, all the drivers in Oxford were men. So much so that the Oxford Mail devoted a half-page to the memories of Rosalind Williams, who drove buses in the city for four years during the

  • Investors back 'next generation' biofuel

    Waste paper or food could be turned into green fuel for transport using a new process being developed by an Oxfordshire biotechnology company. Green Biologics, of Milton Park, near Abingdon, has raised £1.58m to develop a low-cost 'next generation'

  • Sex offender list published

    FIGURES released today show that the Thames Valley has the fifth lowest number of registered sex offenders per 100,000 people in England and Wales. Publication of the sixth Thames Valley MAPPA report - Multi-Agency Public Protection Agreements - show

  • Devotion to sport lasted a lifetime

    Percy James gave a lifetime of service to sport in Oxfordshire, writes Henrietta Richards. The quietly-spoken Welshman was best known as a player and coach for Oxford City Football Club, but he excelled in other sports too. He represented the county

  • Jobs boost in Boots revamp

    The Boots store in Oxford city centre has been given a £2m revamp and created ten new jobs. Bosses set up a customer panel to find out how the operation in Cornmarket Street could be improved and have carried out a range of alterations and improvements

  • Today's local share prices (AM)

    AEA Technology 114.75 BMW 3163.5 Electrocomponents 243.5 Isoft Group 69 Nationwide Accident Repair 152.5 Oxford Biomedica 32.25 Oxford Instruments 219.5 Reed Elsevier 596.5 RM 202.5 RPS Group 348.75 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Brook pollution 'has not spread'

    Environment Agency officials are confident last week's pollution scare in an Oxfordshire brook has not contaminated any other waterways. Around 100 fish - including protected bullhead and brown trout - were spotted floating on the water of Shill Brook

  • Depleted Banbury dumped out again

    Leamington, 2 Banbury United 0 BANBURY, missing the unwell Andy Baird and the suspended Wayne Blossom, completed a hat-trick of exits from FA competitions (after losing in the Trophy and Youth Cup) when going down to their in-form Southern League Division

  • Homes plan for barns

    PLANS have been submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council to convert two stone barns at Hensington Farm, Banbury Road, Woodstock, into residential use along with 14 new homes.

  • City pole stars

    A GROUP of pole-dancers donned their hotpants to carry out a 12-hour charity Pole-athon at the weekend. The event, hosted by Dance Inspires, was held at Baby Love in Oxford from 10am until 10pm on Saturday. Vicky Ford, manager of Dance Inspires,

  • Housing blocks face bulldozer

    THREE sheltered housing blocks in Oxford face demolition - affecting dozens of elderly residents - under plans drawn up by Oxford City Council. Housing chiefs want to sell Alice Smith House in Littlemore, Grantham House in Jericho and Cumberlege House

  • ‘Transform our derelict estate’

    A COMMUNITY has urged councillors today to recommend plans to transform their run-down estate. People in Rose Hill are fed up with the sight of derelict houses and boarded up windows, and want Oxford City Council's south east area committee to back

  • Top village

    STEEPLE Aston has been named the 11th Calor Oxfordshire Village of the Year. Steeple Aston, Islip and Wendlebury, were among 18 villages in line for prizes in the annual competition, organised by Oxfordshire Rural Community Council. Steeple Aston

  • Hundreds to mourn Ricky

    HUNDREDS of people are today expected to attend the funeral of Ricky Serjent who died last week. The 23-year-old, a former pupil of Wood Green School, Witney, died after leaving a kickabout with friends at the town's artificial turf pitch in Gordon

  • Flood cash unclaimed

    LESS than half of the city households flooded in July have applied for the council cash they are eligible for. About 200 properties were identified as eligible for the £250 grant offered by Oxford City Council, but so far only 67 flood-hit residents

  • City restaurant wins award

    AZIZ restaurant, in Cowley Road, Oxford, has been named the best curry restaurant in the South-East of England. The restaurant, owned by Aziz Ur-Rahman, won a top prize at the 2007 British Curry Awards, the biggest event in the curry calendar, at

  • Plot holder's vegetables ruined

    COUNCIL contractors drove a digger over an allotment, ruining a plot holder's crop of prized vegetables. Workers were ordered to install a new fence on an allotment off John Garne Way in Marston, but wreaked havoc instead when they crushed Peter Boreham's

  • Bailey's regret at slow start

    ON-LOAN QPR midfielder Stefan Bailey's performance was one of the few positives to come out of Oxford United's disappointing 0-0 draw with Woking at the weekend. He gave an authoritative display in his full home debut before getting a yellow card which

  • Clanfield let it slip

    Malmesbury Victoria 2 (Webb 75, Fisher 90) Clanfield 2 (McKeon 33, Barker 39) CLANFIELD had to settle for a point after letting a 2-0 lead slip in the Division 1 West. They took the lead on 33 minutes whenDean Barker and Tim Jenkins set up Sean

  • Pendell gives Letcombe shock win

    Witney Utd 0 Letcombe 1 (Pendell) A HEADER 13 minutes from time from Adam Pendell gave Letcombe a shock win over Premier Division high-flyers Witney in the preliminary round of the SBJ Sports Insurance Challenge Cup on Saturday. The Division 1 West

  • Depleted Banbury dumped out again

    Leamington 2 (Mackey 38, 50) Banbury Utd 0 BANBURY, missing the unwell Andy Baird and the suspended Wayne Blossom, completed a hat-trick of exits form FA competitions (after losing in the Trophy and Touth Cup)when going down to their in-form Southern

  • Spirited Didcot left cursing their luck

    Yate Town 2 (Vahid 50, Williams 72) Didcot Town 1 (King 58) DIDCOT were rueing their luck after bowing out with a spirited display at Southern League FA Trophy Premier Divsion outfit Yate on Saturday. After two abject defeats in the previous week

  • Comeback king Ben scores to sink old mates

    Wantage Town 1 (Bourne 30) Hook Norton 2 (Spiero 63, Northover 70) FORMER Wantage player Ben Spiero rolled back the years to inspire Hook Norton's comeback victory in Saturday's Hellenic Premier Division clash. Spiero, Hook Norton's joint-manager

  • City pay the penalty for first-half misses

    Oxford City 0 Windsor & Eton 1 (Chennels 27) OXFORD City made a disappointing exit, despite having much the better of the early exchanges during their FA Trophy clash to Windsor and Eton. Jermaine McSporran went close after a touch-on from James

  • SUPER TRICKER TO THE RESCUE

    Staines Town 0 Abingdon Utd 0 AN excellent display by goalkeeper Simon Tricker helped Abingdon United frustate their Ryman League Premier Division opponents on Saturday in the FA Trophy . Tricker's saves plus a bit of luck and some poor finishing from

  • RESULTS: October 20/21

    FOOTBALL BLUE SQUARE PREMIER Oxford Utd 0, Woking 0. FA Trophy 1st qual round: Leamington 2, Banbury Utd 0; Oxford City 0, Windsor & Eton 1; Staines Tn 0, Abingdon Utd 0; Yate Tn 2, Didcot Tn 1. FOOTBALL LEAGUE YOUTH ALLIANCE CUP Oxford Utd Under

  • Medals plea

    A WOMAN is trying to trace the owner of three military medals. The medals, which are mounted on a plaque, were found in a hire car in Didcot two years ago. One of the medals is dated 2002. If you think they might be yours, call Gillian Gee on 01865

  • Library to close until December

    WITNEY Library will close later this week to undergo major refurbishment. The Oxfordshire County Council library will close from 4.30pm on Saturday until 9am on Monday, December 10, while the work is carried out. When the library reopens with a

  • ‘Transform our derelict estate’

    A community has urged councillors today to recommend plans to transform their run-down estate. People in Rose Hill are fed up with the sight of derelict houses and boarded up windows, and want Oxford City Council's south east area committee to back

  • Concern over dead fish in brook

    The discovery of more than 100 dead fish has sparked an investigation into the source of pollution in a brook. The Environment Agency is running tests on the dead fish - including protected brown trout and bullhead - after the find in Shill Brook at

  • Digger comes a crop-per

    Council contractors drove a digger over an allotment, ruining a plot holder's crop of prized vegetables. Workers were ordered to install a new fence on an allotment off John Garne Way in Marston, but wreaked havoc instead when they crushed Peter Boreham's