MUSIC lovers packed out Oxford Town Hall for two nights to welcome home one of the city's best-loved bands. Supergrass, who originally hail from Wheatley, played two sell-out concerts at the historic venue. Fans hailed the first show as an "historic
Music lovers packed out Oxford Town Hall for two nights to welcome home one of the city's best-loved bands. Supergrass, who originally hail from Wheatley, played two sell-out concerts at the historic venue tonight and yesterday. Fans hailed the first
Banbury School pupils joined forces with Age Concern for the second year running to pack Christmas hampers for the town's elderly. The students provided 30 hampers containing food and other items, including gifts such as games and toiletries. Wendy
A petition calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to halt planned cuts in spending on physics and astronomy has attracted more than 7,500 names in just three days. Among the reasons for the planned £80m cuts ordered by the Science and Technology Facilities
A father has won safety improvements for pedestrians after his daughter was nearly hit by a car at a busy junction. Lee Smyth, of Starnham Road, Ducklington, near Witney, complained to Oxfordshire County Council after his daughter narrowly escaped
A man who admitted killing an Oxford drug addict saw the murder case against him dismissed for the second time yesterday. A so-called double jeopardy case against Ricky San Juliano - formerly known as Ricky Miell- was dropped after three senior Court
Appleford Al, Angie Kibble's top-rated dog has been named Greyhound of the Year by the racing office. It's good news for both Angie and owner MIke Nixon who only last week lost their classy bitch Seskin Judy. Al ran in 30 open races as well as six
Boxing Day's big BAGS meeting is all set to go and will feature 14 races, beginning at 1.20pm. The restaurant is fully booked for the famous brunch and punters will be able to bet and watch the popular Stan James King George VI big race at Kempton among
JACK Frost is certainly causing problems for all concerned at the Stadium at the moment, and has led to the racing office altering their style of grading. o The problem is, with the track staff being unable to water the track due to the ever present
A group of about 20 solstice watchers braved the chilly weather this morning to see dawn break on the shortest day of the year. They gathered at the historic Rollright Stones - set high on a ridge near Chipping Norton. There was some singing and
Oxford United will be playing on Sunday night for the first time next month. Their Blue Square Premier game against Exeter City at St James' Park has been moved from Saturday January 19 to Sunday January 20 with a 7.15pm kick-off. The game will be
An Oxford estate is opening its doors to less fortunate people this Christmas. Volunteers from Blackbird Leys are organising the People's Christmas Day Dinner for a second year. The dinner provides a special place for people on low incomes, the socially
Conservative leader David Cameron is urging independent experts to advise the Government to reject plans to downgrade services at Banbury's Horton Hospital. Together with Tory MP for Banbury Tony Baldry, the Witney MP has written to the Independent
Pop star Jason Donovan is getting behind a fun run in aid of Oxford's Children's Hospital - challenging people to run the race as their New Year's resolution. It is the second year the former Neighbours star has backed the OX5 run, which last year raised
On the evidence before him, the editor, Angus Stevenson, removed about 16,000 hyphens from words in the dictionary. Ice-cream became ice cream, make-over became makeover, and post-modern became postmodern. Stevenson justified the change by suggesting
Preparations for Christmas used to begin before St Andrew's Day, November 30, with making the Christmas puddings. This was a family activity when everyone had a stir for good luck. The date was chosen because the Collect for the day contains the words
When I first heard from Lyndall Phelps, artist-in-residence at London's Natural History Museum, that thousands of specimens had been evacuated' to country houses in Oxfordshire - and had lived happily for the duration alongside their rather grand foster-parents
Now that Christmas is approaching it's time to consider stocking-up with some delicious beers that can be sipped and enjoyed round the festive table. With so many superb beers being brewed now, it is also worth slipping them into a few Christmas stockings
Come December I am normally in some sort of frenetic Christmas panic. This year is different. Come December 25 I will be - literally - on the other side of the world with not a turkey or a snowflake in sight. For that reason I am selfishly ignoring
Elvis impersonators Kevin Rose and Colin Brown joined a crowd of music fans in a Witney precinct for the release of a new CD single. They were at the Rapture record shop in the Woolgate Centre for a flying visit from three piece band Scouting for Girls
The White Horse in Forest Hill, Oxford, has been transformed from an abysmal pub where karaoke and lager reigned supreme into a magical place you actually want to go and eat. The menu is Thai, but not pub Thai or gastro Thai, just good, honest, fresh
An under-threat East Oxford community centre and social club has been given a further six months to get itself in shape. In February, East Oxford Social Club looked set to close after its management committee racked up £14,000 in debts. But now the
Indigestion, hangovers, weight-gain, fatigue, irritability, and guilt. Sound familiar? Well, the festive season doesn't have to be like that. Enjoy yourself by all means, but try to eat and drink in a sensible and healthy way. The following tips may
Confusing isn't it when it comes to explaining where cars fall by size and brand image into a market sector? The new Mercedes C-Class is one of those. The use of the letter C suggests it is a C-segment compact car. In fact it is a D-segment upper medium
I understand that the closure of Cogges Manor Farm Museum, Witney, is one of a number of options being considered by the county council for budget savings. Should any recommendation for closure be agreed, the council may decide to sell the site. In
Under the shadow of Wheatley's landmark windmill sits the outwardly modest yet thriving West Oxfordshire Animal Rescue. Marilyn Shepherd greeted me and led me straight to her paddock to see the horses. "I'm hooked on animal rescue," she confessed, "so
A CAMPAIGN warning about the dangers of excess alcohol is being aired across Oxfordshire. Thames Valley Police, Hampshire Constabulary and NHS South Central have joined forces to combat binge drinking across the region over the festive period. Radio
I must fully agree with Anthony Lee about Oxford's Christmas lights (Oxford Mail, December 10). Short and to the point - what an utter disgrace they are. If a celebrity had been asked to switch them on, he or she would surely have been embarrassed
With regard to the city council's proposal to increase the rents in the Covered Market, I would make the following points: 1. Apart from the Market, the city shops are dominated by the multiples which can be found in every city or town 2. Apart from
Regular readers may know that I recently moved to a row of derelict cottages. Beside one of the three porches is a rose. In summer it produces weedy, single pink flowers and I always tell myself that I must remove it. After all, it is only a self-seeded
It took just five seconds for a thief to smash his way into a car parked in the centre of Oxford, and make off with a haul of presents in broad daylight. Thames Valley crime reduction adviser Nick Gilbert staged the stunt in busy Broad Street to ram
Crap Towns author Sam Jordison visits Didcot (20th 'crappiest in the UK') (Oxford Mail, December 12) and says that the Orchard Centre is a blot on the town's landscape with its "chain stores" and "parasite shops", which offer "no benefit to the community
Christmas often feels like an ancient tradition - but is more recent than many people realise. Father Christmas may well have his origins be in a pre-Christian past - in the mists of time German children put out their boots for the mythological Norse
This one is for kids. Kids of under five, kids of over five, kids of over-55. However, you will need a bit of puff to negotiate the steps, hills and slopes of this delightful walk. C S Lewis must have enjoyed getting a bit out of breath, for the Berks
Christmas came early for two lucky Oxford Mail readers this week after they won our festive competition. The Mail teamed up with Currys, in Botley Road, to give readers the chance to win either a Samsung American Fridge Freezer or a Samsung HD ready
Two films based on Oxford author JRR Tolkien's novel The Hobbit are to go into pre-production in the new year. The films will be produced by Peter Jackson, who directed the blockbuster The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Hobbit, published in 1937,
In Grand Prix racing, few manufacturers have been able to produce effective competition for the Big Three' - Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki. In the 1960s one of the most competitive was the Spanish Bultaco company, founded in the 1950s by Francisco Bulto.
The moonlight over Radcliffe Square, Small sunset spires that browse and dream, Thin bells that ring to evening prayer, Red willow roots along the stream. These words, penned by Dorothy Leigh Sayers in her undated and unpublished memoir, My Edwardian
When it comes to talent spotting, Mike Hurst has a track record to make Simon Cowell look decidedly second rate. Mike can claim to have discovered Cat Stevens and Marc Bolan, having also in his time performed alongside Dusty Springfield and guitar greats
In a lifetime there may only be a few truly memorable moments - I would count every single sail-away' on my Crystal cruise around Italy among them. With the sun dipping on the horizon, cocktail in hand and Satchmo crooning What a Wonderful World over
A LORRY driver died today in a crash which closed the A34 for a time. The incident happened shortly after 10.30am today when a lorry, travelling north, left the carriageway, about four miles north of the Chieveley junction, near East Ilsley. A
AEA Technology 83.5 BMW 3058 Electrocomponents 206.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 110 Oxford Biomedica 20.75 Oxford Catalyst 148.5 Oxford Instruments 187.25 Reed 669.75 RM 212.5 RPS Group 334.25 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
Sandford St Martin showed they are still Oxfordshire's indoor kings with an 11-run victory over Banbury in the county final at Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre. Winners of the trophy when it was last played for in 2004, Sandford were in serious trouble
Forum A enter Christmas period with a five-point cushion at the top of Oxford & District League Division 1 after beating Lord Nuffield B 9-1. Karl Bushell and Greg Boone reeled off maximums for Forum. Forum B had mixed fortunes, losing 6-4 to Vikings
Tuesday night Kingston Bagpuize village hall. 8pm, picture the scene. A table is creaking, laden down with much of the good things in life, pork pies, sausage rolls and the like to mark the group’s Christmas bash for 2007. A few bottles of wine are in
Four Headington girls have won their way through to the British Youth Fencing Championships. Daphne Cheng led the way at the southern reg- ional qualifiers in the sabre and foil. Ruby Hutton and Maddy Van Os also enjoyed sabre success, while Ella Quinton
Headington are celebrating a brace of county netball successes. The under 14 and 15 teams were crowned Oxfordshire champions, and they almost made it a treble with the under 16 side finishing runners-up. The under 14 and under 16 teams go on to compete
Oxford City Stars will be without key defence men Nick Eden and Andy Cox when they face off at Coventry Blaze in English National League South Division A today (5.30). The duo both have work commitments, so Joe Edwards and Grant Bailey return to the
Lewis Calcutt made a magnificent century break as Witney A routed Cowley Conservative Club A in round one of the Simonds Cup, writes DAVID WHITE. Calcutt compiled his 102 in the final frame of Witney's 5-1 victory, eclipsing a 60-break made by teammate
Oracle surprised Fieldside 4-1 in the quarter-finals of the Oxford & District League's Stephen Reiss Cup. Fieldside took the first game when Paul Robinson (-50) saw off Pete Machonochie (+60) 200-154. David Noake (+70), making one of his rare appearances
If Dickens, improbably, had suffered from writer's block in old age and found himself in need of inspiration for one of his seriously larger-than-life characters, he could have done no better than hop on the GWR to Oxford and look up the young photographer
Oxford Boxing Academy heavyweight Peter Buchta was left astonished after losing his ABA novice final at London's York Hall. The 20-year-old Polish boxer lost by an 8-3 points decision to Royal Marine rival Joe Harvey. But he had dominated the encounter
THIEVES made off with a laptop after forcing their way into a house in Oddington. Between 1pm and 8.30pm on Wednesday, thieves entered the house through a small window at the back of the property. No one was in the house at the time. A system AX
RAIL commuters could face further disruption in the new year with news that staff at First Great Western are to vote on strike action. The company's new timetable, launched last week, has seen dozens of trains cancelled due to a lack of drivers or
The final round of the Oxford Division Angling Times Winter League on the Oxford Canal at Wolvercote proved a bit of a grueller for the 59 competitors, writes ANDY WEBBER. Due to the frosts, the canal partially froze earlier in the week, and it was
Two weeks ago, every river around Oxford had an Environment Agency 'Flood Watch' on it, but now the weather has changed from being mild to freezing, writes ANDY WEBBER. This cold spell could last up to Christmas and possibly beyond, which means it is
POLICE stopped 25 drivers in a crackdown on drink-driving in Abingdon today. Officers from Abingdon Roads Policing Department and road safety constable Mark Pilling were on the Oxford Road in Abingdon from 7.15am. About 25 drivers were stopped and
I recently received an email from Sean Long, who lives in Bicester and has fished this area for years, writes ANDY WEBBER. He told me that he thought one of the main reasons why our rivers are in a decline is the number of crayfish found in our waters
WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY Oakfield: Tel 01296 770492. Panshill: Tel 07740619991. TOMORROW Abingdon Town AC: Christmas Match in aid of Andy Crabb. Abingdon Town waters. Draw at Abingdon Town FC 7.30am. Dorchester: Christmas Match, rover, Thame and Thames
Rail commuters could face further disruption in the new year with news that staff at First Great Western are to vote on strike action. The company's new timetable, launched last week, has seen dozens of trains cancelled due to a lack of drivers or guards
Thieves made off with a laptop after forcing their way into a house in Oddington, near Kidlington. Between 1pm and 8.30pm on Wednesday, thieves entered the house through a small window at the back of the property. No one was in the house at the time
A 33-YEAR-OLD man was due to appear before Oxford Magistrates' Court today charged with possession of class-A drugs with intent to supply. Anthony Masih, of Oxford Road, Marston, was arrested yesterday following the execution of a warrant at the same
AN OXFORDSHIRE man has walked free for the second time today over the murder of a drug addict after the Court of Appeal threw out the case against him. Ricky San Juliano, 29, was arrested in July and charged for the second time with murdering Steven
So England are not going to the European Championship finals next summer – not much of a surprise there and it’s not that which I’m going to comment on but the effects it had and will continue to have on a lot of people. Why should a team’s performance
An Oxfordshire man has walked free for the second time today over the murder of a drug addict after the Court of Appeal threw out the case against him. Ricky San Juliano, 29, was arrested in July and charged for the second time with murdering Steven
FIREFIGHTERS were called to a camper van fire in Kiln Close, Sandford-on-Thames. The transit camper van was destroyed by fire shortly before 9pm yesterday.
A CYCLIST was taken to hospital after a collision with a van at the junction of Cumnor Hill and the B4044, Eynsham Road. A 47-year-old man was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, with minor injuries.
A cyclist was taken to hospital after a collision with a van at the junction of Cumnor Hill and the B4044, Eynsham Road. A 47-year-old man was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital with minor injuries.
Firefighters were called to a camper van fire in Kiln Close, Sandford-on-Thames, yesterday. The transit camper van was destroyed by fire shortly before 9pm.
A PILOT who crashed in Wytham Woods, near Oxford, is in a serious but stable condition, hospital staff said today. Tom Miller, 52, of Chipping Norton, was found lying near the wreckage of his plane in Great Wood, west of Wytham, on Wednesday. The
A pilot who crashed in woodland near Oxford is in a serious but stable condition, hospital staff said this morning. Tom Miller, 52, from Chipping Norton, was found lying near the wreckage of his plane in Wytham Great Woods on Wednesday. The married
Day 2 of uninterupted sleep Have we cracked it? Is worst of teething over? Doubt it.
PLANS to broadcast a call to prayer from Oxford's Central Mosque, in Manzil Way, would turn East Oxford into a 'Muslim ghetto', residents have claimed. Dozens of people packed out a meeting of Oxford City Council's east area committee on Wednesday to
BUSKING piper Heath Richardson has contacted police, claiming he is being harassed on a social networking website. Mr Richardson, 32, has been playing to shoppers in Cornmarket Street, Oxford, for 14 years. But some traders complained about the
Champagne and sparkling wine for the build up to the New Year - what could be better? After all, everyone loves Champagne! This mixed case is ideal for greeting relatives and friends after Christmas and is, of course, perfect for toasting in the New
Sir - So Commonwealth citizens are now officially rated third-class. The Government's latest proposals, reducing the duration of tourist visas from six months to three for non-EU and thus Commonwealth citizens, dismay those of us who have relatives
OXFORD'S flood defences are to be strengthened with £200,000 barriers, the Environment Agency has announced. The agency says it is advertising across Europe for suppliers to provide demountable defences for parts of Oxford hit by the flooding this
PLANS to build a £100m incinerator in Oxfordshire to burn household waste will be drawn up in the new year. County Hall has come out in favour of creating a giant plant where up to 200,000 tonnes of waste a year can be burnt, to create electricity
Sir - As regular customers of many of the traders in the Covered Market, we were shocked to read of the steep rent rises that they now face. It is hard to see the justification for such large increases, if the result is to be that Oxford residents
Sir - A full page article in Weekend (December 14) by the verbose Christopher Gray about two satellite dishes on a listed building versus an article buried on page seven of the newspaper about the scandalous proposal to hike rent for traders in the
Sir - I was intrigued to read the article Planners act over disfiguring dishes (Gray Matter, December 14) by-lined by Christopher Gray. I have three responses to make which I would urge your readers to consider. Firstly, my late partner Gordon Cullen
Sir - Not many people today appreciate that more than 55,500 aircrew members of Bomber Command were killed in action in the Second World War. The latest Roll of Honour total of 57,205 includes those men and women who also lost their lives on the ground
Sir - In seeking to airbrush the 'convenient untruths' in High Priest Gore's movie, your correspondents ignore the High Court's most telling criticism, that Gore's 'apocalyptic vision' was not 'impartial analysis' but 'politically partisan'. Reckless
Sir - 2007 is the 50th anniversary of the first scientific report that CO2 causes global warming. Before that, scientists knew human industry was increasing atmospheric CO2 but thought the oceans would absorb it. Then in 1957, oceanographer Dr Roger
Sir - Your report (December 14) of the A34 accident last year in which a family of four were killed when a HGV driver fell asleep made distressing reading. Although the police prosecution was based purely on the evidence pointing to the driver's sleeping
Sir - Can someone please explain why the utility company Scottish and Southern Electricity was allowed to lay an electrical cable, taking power (I assume) from Westmill Wind Farm, to be laid in the ditch along Majors Road (B4508), which they have now
Sir - The celebrated historian Professor John Blair of The Queen's College, unfortunately muddles history - the Victoria County History - with old ruins - the Cogges Manor Farm Museum. We should welcome the county council's proposed intervention.
Sir - Has Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) no more imaginative way of solving its annual financial conundrums than closing Cogges Farm Museum, a loved, but perhaps insufficiently, local attraction? There are three issues involved: the quality of management
Sir - I understand that the closure of Cogges Manor Farm Museum, Witney, is one of a number of options being considered for budget savings at the end of this season. Should any recommendation for closure be agreed, the council may decide to sell the
Sir - In their enthusiasm to close down the Cogges Museum (Report, December 14), enthusiasm veiled in the usual smoke-screen of 'Yes, it's wonderful, but ...', councillors Mitchell and Robertson resort to standard excuse no. 16 in the politician's manual
AS the frost bites and the sky threatens rain and snow, most of us can shut ourselves away and enjoy Christmas. But there are many people in Oxford who do not have a home, or a family, or somewhere safe and warm to go. Icolyn Smith has been running
Sir - As one of the two petitioners at a recent city council meeting, speaking on behalf of the central mosque's possible use of its minaret for broadcast calls to prayer, I would like to make one correction to the front page article (November 30) about
It has been one of the most eventful years of modern times in Oxfordshire. The floods alone have made it that. It is good to report this week that some families have been able to return to their flood-damaged homes in time for Christmas. We are conscious
It has been a long time coming, but County Hall has finally publicly admitted what its plan is to deal with the waste left over in the county after recycling. There will be little surprise that it is to go for the incineration of waste. The council's
CYCLISTS in north Oxfordshire will be able to use a new canal bridge, after the county secured its share of a £50m Lottery project. The national 'green' project, Connect2, submitted by environmental travel group Sustrans, won the Big Lottery Fund
THE Epstein, the Oxford band who won the Glastonbury Emerging Talent award this year, will be playing in Wallingford today. The band, fronted by Olly Wills, will be at the Portcullis Club in Goldsmiths Lane for the gig which starts at 8pm. The band
MEMBERS of Parliament have condemned South Oxfordshire MP Boris Johnson for referring to black people as "piccaninnies". Six MPs signed a motion criticising the Tory MP for referring to Africans as having "water melon smiles" and saying of African
The family of the pilot who crashed near Oxford believe he may have deliberately brought down his plane in woodland to avoid nearby houses. Father-of-three Tom Miller, from Chipping Norton, is in a critical condition at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital
THE owner of a taxi firm has lodged a second appeal to regain his licence. Keith Ince, 62, the owner of Keith's Cabs and a partner in Sue's Taxis of Wantage, was fined £1,000 by Didcot Magistrates earlier this year after a case brought by the Vale
A judge who sentenced a benefit cheat councillor criticised Oxford City Council for spending an "excessive amount of time" on the case, which led to spiralling costs. Last month, Olive McIntosh-Stedman, 65, who represents Cowley and Littlemore on Oxfordshire
NEW facilities are being provided in Oxford to recycle drinks cartons. The city council, in partnership with Tetra Pak Ltd and the carton industry body Ace UK (Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment), has provided four new banks for recycling
THIEVES stole a trailer from Bignell Stud Farm, in Kirtlington Road, Chesterton. The thieves took the silver-coloured trailer, worth about £1,800, sometime between Saturday evening and Tuesday afternoon. Anyone with information should call Thames
Some will no doubt interpret it as yet another attack on the motorist. But if there is money to be made from motorists who flagrantly break parking regulations in Oxford, there is every reason to collect it. It is better for the city council to be
Enforcement officers manning Oxford's car parks have been told to "get motivated and tough" and issue thousands more fines. Council bosses reckon scores of drivers get away with flouting regulations and have told enforcers to come down hard on those
LAST NIGHT'S RESULTS 7.35: 1 RASH INVESTMENT 5-2 co-fav, 2 Rambling Girl 5-2 co-fav. (1x6x4). Trainer: Wills. Time: 28.05. Bookie Queen (4) 5-2 co-fav. N/R Scarlet Ohara (3), trap vacant. 7.50: 1 HAVEANOTHER 4-1, 2 Merlaboo Slippy 9-4 fav. (1x3x4).
