The sister of a man living under a bush on an estate has accused the authorities of abandoning him. Ferrol Steele has been homeless for more than a year and has lived rough in a ditch under a bush opposite a row of houses in Sandy Lane, Blackbird Leys
Cyclists and walkers were warned to stay away from the River Thames as flood waters continued to rise. Heavy weekend rain caused flood waters yesterday in Oxford to cover sections of the towpath south of Osney lock, near the boathouses between Folly
More than 100 staff were evacuated from Oxford's Royal Mail sorting office in Cowley yesterday following an explosion. It is believed a gas canister may have caused the explosion, which happened in an engineering workshop at the depot in Alec Issigonis
A 14-YEAR-OLD yesterday became one of the youngest people in the country on an antisocial behaviour order as police labelled him 'Bicester's biggest troublemaker'. Nicholas Hendon, of Chalvey Road in Bicester, has been in trouble since he was 11 and
THE case against Peter Leonard Searle, 18, of The Ridings, Stonesfield, who is charged with driving without due care and attention, was adjourned today until May 3. The charge is in connection with a collision on the A44 in Woodstock on September 10
The successful appearance of the unlikely looking Dwayne Leverock for Bemuda against England this week, confirmed a theory of mine. After nearly 50 years of playing and watching the game, I reckon that English left-arm spinners are an eccentric and more
The successful appearance of the unlikely looking Dwayne Leverock for Bemuda against England this week, confirmed a theory of mine. After nearly 50 years of playing and watching the game, I reckon that English left-arm spinners are an eccentric and more
The successful appearance of the unlikely looking Dwayne Leverock for Bemuda against England this week, confirmed a theory of mine. After nearly 50 years of playing and watching the game, I reckon that English left-arm spinners are an eccentric and more
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STAFF are returning to work at the Oxford mail sorting office in Cowley following an explosion. About 110 staff were evacuated. The incident happened at about 11.30am in an engineering store room, but staff were then told to leave the premises at about
Graeme Coates of Abingdon made up this composite of pictures showing the moon's varying colours during the eclipse
Graeme Coates took this picture in Abingdon. He said: "The eclipse is almost total with most of the moon in the earth's umbra and a small portion still in the penumbra"
The case against Peter Leonard Searle, 18, of The Ridings, Stonesfield, who is charged with driving without due care and attention, has been adjourned until May 3. The charge is in connection with a collision on the A44 in Woodstock on Septembe 10 last
THAME'S 'Mr Scouting', Stephen Summersbee, has died aged 88. Stephen Summersbee, of Chinnor Road, died in Stone House nursing home at Stone and was cremated at Oxford on February 26. He was 70 years in the Scout movement in Thame, taking the Beavers
COMMUNITY worker Vi Miles, whose MBE was delivered at home because she was suffering from cancer, has died. Last month, Mrs Miles, 78, chose to receive the award at home in Milton-under-Wychwood, west Oxfordshire, after being diagnosed with the disease
A TEENAGER has been charged with robbery in connection with an incident on the River Thames towpath in Oxford. Adam Richens, 19, of Abingdon Road, Oxford, has been charged with robbery and possession of cannabis and will appear before Oxford Magistrates
THE NEVER-ENDING DAYS OF BEING DEAD Marcus Chown (Faber, £15.99)Drawing on the latest in cutting-edge theoretical physics, science writer Marcus Chown here attempts to answer some of the bigger questions regarding life, the universe, and everything
Five people arrested in connection with an armed robbery in Banbury High Street have been released on police bail pending further enquiries until Wednesday, May 2. Just after midday on Tuesday a vehicle was driven into the front of a jeweller's shop
Cinema is the ultimate illusion: the creation, at 24 frames per second, of worlds both real and fantastical that transport us away from our humdrum, everyday lives. In the hands of a master director, film can be a dazzling spectacle that holds us spellbound
Everyone has heard of Ibiza. A Spanish island in the cool Mediterranean steeped in relaxing beauty. If you've just done a double-take on that opening line and thought 'relaxing? Ibiza? Shouldn't that be trashy, loud and full of 'ave it large youths'
Children's writer Mark Haddon has given his support to a book detailing the experiences of asylum-seekers arriving in Oxford, which is being published to coincide with the literary festival. How the World came to Oxford: Refugees Past and Present features
UBER Cameroon Ed Vaizey, who has turned into something of a Tory luvvie since he was given the Shadow Arts Minister job, is still very much a frugal chap at heart. You may remember the Wantage MP was hit with a congestion charge fine last month when
We never cease to be amazed at the antics drivers and riders get up to on the road. In recent weeks, we have had a flurry of examples. Motorists have been seen eating breakfast, shaving, munching on a sandwich, balancing a cup of coffee on the steering
So someone has taken the arbitrary decision that eating a sandwich while driving is an offence of driving without due care and attention and worthy of three points and a £60 fine, eh! (Oxford Mail, March 1). This is what the seemingly affable and sensible
I was listening to a radio phone-in programme about the new law on the use of mobile phones while driving. It was mentioned that using a phone was more dangerous than being on the legal limit for alcohol. I think that was the wrong message to send
We are advised that cameras are now recording delinquent motorists who enter Oxford city centre within prohibited times (Oxford Mail, February 26). Perhaps this initiative could be extended to record those cyclists who persist in riding within pedestrian
I and my fellow Liberal Democrats were pleased to hear that Oxfordshire County Council had been rated "excellent" by the Audit Commission (Oxford Mail, Feruary 22). However, this has not been easy and has been the result of hard work over a number of
I agree with every letter you have published about Thames Valley Tonight on ITV. Please bring back Wesley Smith and Hannah Shellswell to Abingdon. We do not want to hear what is happening in Farnborough, Brighton, Weymouth etc. If we did, we would live
Subsidies fund dry stone walling courses, writes TIM HUGHES The traditional art of dry stone walling has been given a helping hand with the launch of subsidised training courses for anyone interested in learning the skill. Dry stone walls are a distinctive
VAL BOURNE gives some top tips on producing the best onions and shallots Most vegetable sowing has to be timed to coincide with the arrival of spring, otherwise the seeds just sit there and rot. But onion sets can be planted in the weeks approaching
NICOLA LISLE talks to the charismatic young tenor Mark Padmore ahead of his appearance at the Sheldonian Theatre If things had worked out differently, Mark Padmore could now be a clarinettist instead of a world-renowned tenor. After taking up the instrument
NICK UTECHIN, former editor of The Sherlock Holmes Journal, looks forward to a very different The Hound of the Baskervilles at the Oxford Playhouse Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous Sherlock Holmes adventure, The Hound of the Baskervilles, has
No literary festival would be complete without a a contribution from today's poets and Oxford's contemporary poetry will represented by the talents of Jenny Lewis and Sasha Dugdale. Over the years Jenny Lewis has staged countless performances of her work
The Oxford poet John Wain left one final manuscript awaiting publication on the day he died - May 24, 1994. It was a simple, yet poignant monodrama entitled Johnson is Leaving, which is about Samuel Johnson's own last few days of life in 1784. It had
One of the big draws of the festival, Alexander McCall Smith, talks to MARY ZACAROLI Fans of the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series will be pleased to hear that on Friday, March 23, Alexander McCall Smith has a noon appointment with the Radio 4 Today
Libby Purves's new novel is set in Oxford, a city she knew as a student and journalist, writes ANDREW FFRENCH In Radio: A True Love Story, Libby Purves recalled fondly her time as a reporter at Radio Oxford in the early 1970s. Now, in her latest novel
Tony Benn will be one of the big attractions at the Oxford Literary Festival 2007, writes REG LITTLE There will be celebrities aplenty at this year's Oxford Literary Festival but be sure not to count Tony Benn among them. The veteran Labour politician
To find out more details of the events listed below, contact the local Business Link customer service team on 0845 606 4466, see the website www.businesslinksolutions.co.uk or e-mail events@businesslinksolutions.co.uk. What does the future hold for
FIVE people arrested in connection with an armed robbery on a jeweller's in High Street, Banbury, have been released on bail. The five, who were arrested following the raid on Michael Jones shop on Tuesday, were released pending further enquiries until
They're nagging us about global warming again. Panorama (BBC1) mapped the experiences of Justin Rowlatt, whose BBC boss told him and his family to "go green for a whole year". This didn't stop Justin from flying to Jamaica, ostensibly to investigate carbon
An 18-year-old Bicester man arrested on suspicion of armed robbery has been released on police bail pending further inquiries. It is in connection with an incident in Middleton Stoney Road, Bicester, on Tuesday when a woman was robbed by a man holding
. . . and there was the biggest birthday cake in the whole world, with candles on the top. There was a layer of chocolate cake, a layer of fruit cake, a layer of rainbow cake, a layer of cheesecake. There was strawberry shortcake, ginger sponge
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I said a fond farewell on Tuesday to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre as I have known and loved it for nearly 40 years. The new production of Coriolanus will be the last play seen there before a three-year rebuilding programme begins. Though it was disliked
In common with many older members of the audiences piling in to see Equus at the Gielgud Theatre at present I have vivid memories of it 'the first time round'. John Dexter's 1973 production of Peter Shaffer's play for the National Theatre remains firmly
Using the fine long leaves of a cos lettuce to hold food in place works well, particularly if you plan to serve a warm salad, as this lettuce is tolerant of heat. Just remember to discard any of the dark outer leaves, as the milky fluid in the thick ribs
When the Slow Food Movement tried to establish itself in Oxford more than a decade ago, the idea took hold for a little while then fizzled out. All those excursions to meet the food producers that were planned with such enthusiasm by the newly formed
Dry as dust, or alternatively coming complete with a massive echo guaranteed to turn every piece of music into a mushy blur, it's not every concert venue that has the potential to enhance a performance. Just across the Berkshire border, however, lies
There's something magical about Port Meadow. After all, this vast expanse of flood plain so close to the city of Oxford is the oldest piece of common land in England. It's here that the ancient custom of rounding up the cattle for inspection takes place
Free improvising is - and listening to it should also be - an experience in conviviality. Most forms of expectation and structure are set aside in the interests of what is essentially a sonic conversation where even the etiquette of dialogue is intermittently
Determined to prove itself a theatre that has something for everyone, the Oxford Playhouse this week offered a production for children as young as six - and I'm talking months not years. Every day since Monday (with more shows today and tomorrow) the
When Richard Griffiths's Martin Dysart admits "I have never been on a horse in my life", the understandable reaction of his audience is to wonder whether he really needs to point this out. For Griffiths brings to the part - as he must - a remarkable embonpoint
Nostalgia, the old joke goes, is a thing of the past. But how much will it be a thing of the future? The music of Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Sam Cooke and Sam and Dave breezed into Oxford last week at the start of a nationwide tour
Patrick Woods' quintet, The Works, grabbed the audience's attention within moments at The Spin last Thursday, with its forceful rhythms and uncomplicated melodies giving out a strong scent of a pared down Weather Report. Nic France, on drums, with Bosco
The work of the highly acclaimed Cornish artist Trevor Price is so remarkable that once you have viewed some of his pictures, you never forget the style. Trevor is the artist who captures the intimacy of naked couples on canvas. Some are romantic, others
Readers pondering the blood-boltered figure staring from the recent full-page ads in their papers, might have wondered whether the Royal Shakespeare Company was having a second run of the Scottish play as its farewell to its principal theatre, that red-brick
Question: how do you make a send-up of a soap opera more fantastic and improbable than the real thing? After all, the convoluted plotlines of EastEnders, Neighbours et al are hard to beat. But with Soap, playwright Sarah Woods has a determined crack at
Driven is a new piece by Motionhouse's artistic director Kevin Finnan, premiered a month ago at Warwick Arts Centre. Its theme is the constant rush of modern everyday life, the way in which we don't have time to consider what we're doing, and how a tragic
A TEENAGER arrested in connection with an armed robbery in Bicester has been released on bail. The 18-year-old has been given police bail until March 9, pending further enquiries. He was arrested yesterday after a woman was held up with what appeared
Who indeed knows where the time goes? Fairport Convention mark 40 years with a new CD, Sense of Occasion (Matty Grooves), which is, coincidentally, their 40th album release. Though the Fairport family tree has kept aficionados busy over the years, this
Goalkeeper Billy Turley is convinced Oxford United can overhaul leaders Dagenham & Redbridge at the top of the Conference - because he knows from personal experience it can be done. Turley, who was United's man-of-the-match in Tuesday night's 1-0 win
Autotype UTV League Division 3 underdogs Clanfield 85 pulled off a shock as they dumped last season's runners-up Saxton Rovers out of the Devenney Cup with a 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory. The sides had been locked at 2-2 after extra-time, before it
Substitute James Ford scored a late winner as ten-man Barton United came from behind to reach the final of the Sam Waters Cup with a 2-1 win over Morrells of Oxford League rivals Riverside. It looked as though a Ronnie Williams's strike was enough,
A MAN who allegedly stabbed to death his estranged wife and her Oxfordshire lover before burning down her house was often "aggressive" and "difficult" towards her, a court has heard. Fiona Marshall - the stepsister of Carphone Warehouse tycoon David
FIXTURES. SATURDAY. FOOTBALL. NATIONWIDE CONFERENCE Oxford Utd v Forest Green. BRITISH GAS BUSINESS SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Chipenham Tn v Banbury Utd. Div 1 South & West: Abingdon Utd v Uxbridge, Didcot Tn v Brook House, Oxford City v Lymington
RESULTS. FOOTBALL. NATIONWIDE CONFERENCE Oxford Utd 2, Stevenage 0. BRITISH GAS BUSINESS SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Banbury Utd 1, Hemel Hempstead Tn 3. Div 1 South & West: Abingdon Utd 4, Thatcham Tn 0; Chesham Utd 3, Didcot Tn 2; Uxbridge 1
Oxford University have their first pre-Boat Race fixture tomorrow against an American crew. This comes three days before the respective president's announce their crews for the annual event from Putney to Mortlake on Saturday April 7. The sport continued
After a promising start, Oxon 2nd are still looking for their first victory after being pipped 8-7 by Sussex 3rd in Division 3C of the Inter-County Championships. Playing at The Park Sports Centre at Holton, Oxon moved swiftly into a 3-1 lead when Dave
Drug dealers are being targeted in a new hard-hitting campaign to drive them out of Oxfordshire's pubs and clubs. Thames Valley Police and the county's Nightsafe schemes are trying to frighten off pushers with new posters showing a drugs dealer in handcuffs
Residents are celebrating after the debris from cleaning out houses and flats was removed five weeks after being flooded. Earlier this week, there were four or five skips overflowing with rubbish in Normandy Crescent, in Cowley, Oxford, on grass verges
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell is unveiling plans to protect the area around Belnheim Palace from development NEW laws will be introduced to prevent ugly development near Oxfordshire's best known stately home. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell will today
Frustrated families on a new estate in Wantage can walk their children past a new play area, but can't use it even though it has been given the go-ahead by safety officials. The swings and roundabout on the new Letcombe Park estate have been fenced
Five Oxfordshire RAF reservists are preparing to take on the Taliban in a few weeks when they begin a tour of duty in Afghanistan. The reservists, from RAF Benson's 606 Chiltern Squadron, will also make military history when they join forces with Territorial
The ambulance service has defended its response times following concerns about the time it took to get an injured motorcyclist to hospital. Former firefighter Arron Hyatt raised concerns after a motorcyclist with serious leg injuries waited at the scene
A paedophile has been jailed for the worst child pornography an experienced policeman has ever seen. Computer technician Brian Hutchins, 25, was caught with almost 18,000 images and 316 video images of children. Some of the images included the abuse
Two pensioners were taken to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital yesterday after their car was involved in a crash in Eynsham. Police said an 83-year-old man suffered potentially life-threatening chest injuries during the incident in Acre End Street at
An Oxford University student has died during a night out dancing with friends. Elizabeth Vasey, a 26-year-old postgraduate student, collapsed suddenly at a Scottish country dance on Saturday night. She was treated by a doctor, before being taken to
A community centre bar threatened with closure following a raft of complaints has been saved from the axe. The bar, at the East Oxford Community Centre, on the corner of Princes Street and Cowley Road, has caused residents a headache for months. They
Tensions continue to run high over plans to close an Oxford City Council sheltered housing block in Risinghurst. Rowlands House - home to 15 vulnerable council tenants - is too costly to refurbish and maintain and will close. But the city council,
Cherwell District Council has reiterated its commitment to build Bicester a new community hospital - but health bosses say they still have no plans for one. The council wants to build a hospital on the town's newly-approved south west development to
Microlight competitor Owain Johns would like to think the sky's the limit. But as he prepares for this year's Microlight World Championships in the Czech Republic he knows a better machine could seal victory for him. So the 32-year-old teacher from
On Saturday, June 16, Barton community will come together in the heart of the tight-knit north east Oxford estate for a massive day-long party. Clowns, magicians and stilt walkers are all being booked to provide entertainment; pictures, photographs
Food, water and shelter will be limited on Great Barrier Island, 50 miles from Auckland in New Zealand and the toilets will be primitive. But Francie Smee, a mother-of-three from Oxford, hopes it will be the perfect place to rebuild her life following
A teenager is thought to have become the first person in Oxfordshire to have been fined for using a mobile phone while riding a motorcycle. Stephen Wilkes, 17, was caught by police after they saw him texting his mother while riding his 50cc Sym Jet
Former North Oxford champion Mark Rummings is making his US PGA Tour debut this week after rising to prominence in Florida. The 28-year-old is playing in the Toshiba Classic at Tampa Bay, alongside Kevin Stadler, son of ex-Masters champion Craig.
Walking tours exploring the history of black people living and working in the city are to be launched. The new weekend tours will start in June, following one-off walks in October about the heritage of black students. Tour organisers decided to begin
Best Mate, the triple Gold Cup winner trained by Henrietta Knight at West Lockinge, near Wantage, is to be added to the Cheltenham Hall of Fame. The ill-fated gelding, who died of a suspected heart attack at Exeter in November 2005, will be inducted
WARNING signs have gone up along the River Thames towpath in Oxford after bad weather caused the river to overflow on to footpaths. Oxford City Council, which is in charge of most of the towpath, put up signs warning it could be flooded in bad weather
A TEENAGER is thought to have become the first person in Oxfordshire to have been fined for using a mobile phone while riding a scooter. Stephen Wilkes, 17, was caught by police after they saw him texting his mother while riding his 50cc Sym Jet scooter
AN OXFORD University student has died during a night out dancing with friends. Elizabeth Vasey, a 26-year-old postgraduate student, collapsed suddenly at a Scottish country dance on Saturday night. She was treated by a doctor, before being taken to
GOALKEEPER Billy Turley is convinced Oxford United can overhaul leaders Dagenham & Redbridge at the top of the Conference - because he knows from personal experience it can be done. Turley, who was United's man-of-the-match in Tuesday night's 1-0 win
Oxford City Stars coach Darryl Morvan was far from downhearted following the 4-1 defeat at Invicta in the English National League Southern Division play-offs. He said: "I am sure there were many people who would have expected us to struggle tremendously
Depleted Oxford City Stars were far from disgraced as they succumbed to a 4-1 defeat at English National League Southern Division winners Invicta in their opening play-off game. Alan Green, Sam Broughton, Lukas Szabo, Ben Moody, Marlon Williams, Luke
DES Brackett has been impressing on his Oxford University team what a big deal it is to box at the York Hall. But the coach is confident they will fired up and ready for the 100th Varsity Match. Brackett said: "As a boxer myself, it took me to reach
OXFORD University captain James Webster has been delighted with his side's preparation as they bid to retain the Truelove Bowl at York Hall, Bethnall Green tonight. The 21-year-old modern history student is fighting as a heavyweight this year, and his
OXFORD United's impressive new striker, Chris Zebroski, says he is determined to get match fit as quickly as possible so he can play his part in helping the team reach - and get through - the play-offs. The 20-year-old gave an excellent first performance
Jim Lewis, owner of triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate, hopes Impek might line up in the 2008 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree. Having returned to the fray with a runaway victory in the William Hill Gold Cup at Exeter in October, the
HENRY Dean coached the Dark Blues from 1988 to 2003. During that time, Oxford had a record 13 consecutive victories and Dean played a key role in reviving the match as a spectacle. He said: "Before I took over, the boxing wasn't that good and the
FOUR people from Oxford were arrested after they were prevented from leaving a pub in Dorset. Two men and a woman, thought to be from Oxford, entered The George Inn in Portland, Dorset, on Monday. They were thought to have been in a road accident.
FARMERS are being asked to take care with pesticides after water in the River Cherwell was found unfit to drink. Tests carried out by the Environment Agency revealed that water in the river at Banbury did not meet drinking standards. The cause of
TWO talented Oxfordshire writers are getting Britain reading, after their stories were picked from 10,000 entries for a book promoting literacy. The Oxford Times reporter Fran Bardsley, 25, of Oxford, and Colette Dickinson, 37, from Radley, had their
A NORTH Oxford community association has won vital grant funding to help it keep local groups running for the coming year. Cutteslowe Community Association, which is based at Cutteslowe Community Centre, in Wren Road, has been allocated £10,000 for
PUBS in north Oxfordshire will go smoke free on Wednesday to mark National No Smoking Day. The initiative will give landlords an insight into challenges they could face when a national smoking ban in pubs begins on July 1. It will also help customers
THAMES Valley Police are staging an event in Didcot this Saturday to recruit more commmunity support officers. Those interested can join a patrol with a PCSO to learn more about the role and will be booked on to a recruitment event to start the application
FORMER world champion, Damon Hill was at Silverstone this week to lend his support to the circuit's season-long 'Back The Brits' campaign, celebrating the fact that four British drivers will line up on the start grid at this year's Formula 1 Santander
PARKING is so tight in Oxford that drivers are now being told to park on pavements in two narrow streets. Oxfordshire County Council has painted parking spaces on pavements in Ferry Road and William Street in Marston, where a new controlled parking
A FOOTBALL academy to produce star players and coaches of the future is being set up in Oxford. Oxford United has teamed up with Peers School to launch the full-time football academy open to 16- to 18-year-olds eager to make it as professional footballers
A 48-YEAR-OLD classic aeroplane, which was flown from Aberdeen to Brackley for a coat of paint, is now in prizewinning condition. The Piper Apache has been restored to the colours and markings it wore when factory-new in 1959. The reconditioning was
A BANBURY printing company is to get a £2m boost as part of a £27m investment plan by the Goodhead Group. Stones, on the Wildmere Industrial Estate, which has been printing in Banbury for 153 years and was the Magazine Printing Company of the Year in
GARDEN writer Anna Pavord will be speaking at Oxford University's Said Business School this evening as part of the Botanic Garden's winter lecture series. Her lecture - The Search for Order in the World of Plants - starts at 8pm in the Nelson Mandela
PLANS to improve safety along a stretch of the notorious bends on the main road though Marcham are just around the corner. Oxfordshire County Council is planning a temporary trial period of traffic signals for one-way working and a temporary footpath
FARMOOR II reservoir, which opens on Saturday, is introducing a number of new events for the 2007 trout fishing season. The 240-acre fishery will be runing special days for beginners and novice fly fishers, as well as barbeques for anglers and some
MUSIC lovers are being invited to solve the "mystery of the organ" by attending two recitals at St Mary's Church, Banbury. The recitals are on Sundays, March 11 and March 25, both starting at 3pm. Admission is by a charity donation. The first recital
