Archive

  • Twins born as PC mother dies

    A pregnant policewoman collapsed and died but doctors were able to deliver her twin babies. PC Sarah Underhill, 37, was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford from the home she shared with her husband Richard — who is also a police officer

  • Subaru hold top six places in Corsica

    After the first day of tarmac competition in Corsica, Banbury's Subaru World Rally Team entries once again livened up the WRC with a thrilling day-long battle for position. The pairings of Petter Solberg / Phil Mills and Chris Atkinson / Stéphane

  • Twins born as Pc mum dies

    A pregnant policewoman collapsed and died but doctors were able to deliver her twin babies. Pc Sarah Underhill, 37, was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford from the home she shared with her husband Richard — who is also a police

  • Sparrows fly in for Dragons visit

    A group of teenagers from South Africa gave a colourful musical performance today for pupils from Oxford's Dragon School. The visiting students from Johannesburg, aged 13 to 20, are staying with pupils from the independent preparatory school, in Bardwell

  • Passing on Poppies post

    Army veteran Frank Hall has been collecting for the Poppy Appeal for 40 years. But the 86-year-old, from Stonesfield, steps down after next month's appeal and is calling on the community to take up his good work. Mr Hall has been the Poppy Appeal organiser

  • Killer's daughter jailed

    The daughter of a man who killed a Banbury boatman was today jailed for six months. Tammey Crain, 22, helped cover up for her father James Crain, 53, after he punched Maurice Batts, 64, on his canalboat Tina at Grimsbury Wharf, in the town, last year

  • UPDATE: Car attack 'attempted murder'

    A man is tonight seriously ill in hospital after being rammed by a car after a row in an Oxford street. Police confirmed they had launched an attempted murder investigation following the incident in Blackbird Leys. Shoppers watched in horror as the

  • Mississippi life... beside the Thames

    A corner of London will be transformed into the 'Big Easy' next weekend, with a free festival celebrating the best of New Orleans. The two day event, which kicks off next Friday, takes place in the O2 arena — the venue formerly known as the

  • Killer's daughter jailed

    The daughter of a man who killed a Banbury boatman was today jailed for six months. Tammey Crain, 22, helped cover up for her father James Crain, 53, after he punched Maurice Batts, 64, on his canalboat Tina at Grimsbury Wharf, in the town, last year

  • Biker hurt in crash

    A motorcyclist was taken to hospital tonight after a rush-hour crash north of Kidlington. The woman rider was hurt in a collision with a Peugeot car near the Jolly Boatman pub, on the A4260 Banbury Road, at about 5pm. A police spokesman said the woman

  • Historic move

    St Cross — one of Oxford's oldest churches — is set to be taken over by Balliol to house the college's historic collections. After more than 800 years of Christian worship, St Cross is unlikely to continue as a full time church after tomorrow. Dwindling

  • A tough act

    Children have been learning about the perils of drugs, drink and domestic violence by taking part in a hard-hitting play. More than a dozen 10- and 11-year-olds from primary schools in Oxford have been rehearsing for the Secret Plays on the Leys project

  • River rivalry

    Four rivers running through Oxfordshire are uniting pup- ils at a secondary school. Gosford Hill School, in Kidlington, has brought in a house system to bring students from different years together and foster team spirit. Staff, pupils and governors

  • SPEEDWAY: Cheetahs ready for final outing

    While the chance of a possible return to Oxford Stadium remains shrouded in uncertainty, the nomadic Oxford Cheetahs take to the track for a final time in 2008 at Swindon’s Abbey Stadium on Saturday (6pm). The TFSuccess.com Cheetahs are taking part

  • Crowds queue for Roger Moore

    Bond legend Sir Roger Moore was shaken, but not stirred today as he signed copies of his new autobiography in Oxford. The veteran actor and Unicef ambassador spent more than an hour posing for photographs and signing hundreds of copies of My

  • Home front life support

    "It was the start of the nightmare. I could not shake the fear which I have lived with ever since — and that fear was so out of control I could not breathe." Margaret Hooke was describing the moment she heard about her son's encounter with

  • Digger dance

    Not since Arnold Schwarzenegger shared the screen with Edward Furlong in Terminator 2 have man and machine been portrayed together so eloquently. More than 350 people gathered in a playing field at The Cherwell School, Summetown, Oxford, to

  • Support

    We think of our servicemen and women at war, but rarely consider the agonies felt by their families. They must go through hell every day wondering if their loved ones are safe. The loneliness of service families was brought home to one mum, Margaret

  • Why can't we name this rapist?

    A 14-year-old boy is convicted of rape, but we are not allowed to tell you his name. Judge Anthony King at Oxford Crown Court ruled that the youth's identity must remain secret. We wouldn't expect to name a youth on a minor charge. But this wasn't

  • Osborne on loan at Eastbourne

    Brentford defender Karleigh Osborne, who was recently on loan at Oxford United, has joined Eastbourne Borough on loan until November 6. The 20-year-old centre back goes straight into the squad for tomorrow's Blue Square Premier clash against Stevenage

  • Graffiti could transform subway

    Graffiti artists are being offered the chance to transform a subway into a work of art. The subway which connects Old Marston to the Marston estate — running under Marston Ferry Road — has long been a target for vandalism and graffiti.

  • New networking club launched

    A new networking club with a sparkle is being launched in Oxford. Only Connect promises to combine both social and business networking in one event with "friends, entrepreneurs, eccentrics, artists, actors and professionals of all ages" invited

  • Drop-in centre for stressed students

    A drop-in centre for students feeling stressed out, depressed or under pressure has been launched in Oxford. Headspace, at The Mill, at 46 Cowley Road, will be open every Tuesday between 7pm and 9.30pm for students to come in, talk to people, get advice

  • SNOOKER: Fieldside set pace at top

    Fieldside stretched their lead at the top of the Gentworks Oxford & District Snooker League Premier Division to five points with a 4-2 victory against Woodstock A. Second-placed Abingdon RBL A drew 3-3 away to Riley B. RESULTS Premier Division: Fieldside

  • Billiards: Leaders Riley make it three wins on the spin

    Riley A made it three wins out of three in Oxford and District Billiards League Division 1 with a 2-1 victory at New Club. Matthew Challen (+40) made a 22 break and beat Ian Gee (+50) 200-143, despite breaks of 25 and 21 by Gee. Malcolm Bough (+70

  • BASKETBALL: Eagles are flying high

    Oxford Brookes Eagles Under 16s warmed up for the new season with a 50-46 home win over Premiership side Reading Rockets. The side has been rebran- ded this season following a merger between Abingdon Eagles and Oxford Brookes University. Now the

  • POOL: Lewis 'gutted' by semis loss

    Oxford's Malcolm Lewis was 'gutted' after being pipped 5-4 by Scotland's Davie McGawn in the European Blackball Pool Championships senior individual semi-finals at Selsey, near Win- chester. Lewis, England's over 40s captain, came through four rounds

  • Today's local share prices (PM)

    AEA Technology 37.5 BMW 1946 Electrocomponents 142.75 Nationwide Accident Repair 108.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.9 Oxford Catalyst 169 Oxford Instruments 211.75 REED 469.5 RM 166.5 RPS Group 193.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Burglars target Jericho homes

    Police issued a warning this afternoon after eight burglaries in the Jericho area of Oxford. The properties were targeted over two weeks and five of them were as the result of people not locking doors properly or even leaving them open.

  • SCHOOL SPORT: Duo on top of the world

    Magdalen College School, Oxford, have their first world champion chess players. Matthew Daggitt, from Kidlington, and Ben Thorne, from Summertown, came out on top of 50 other players in the inaugural Summerscale World Junior Exchange Chess Championships

  • SCHOOL SPORT: Brownsdon proves a big success at Gosford Hill

    Students from Gosford Hill (Kidlington) and Marlborough (Woodstock) were given a lesson in what it takes to get to the top by former Olympic swimmer Suki Brownsdon. She took a British Olympic Foundation MasterClass at Gosford Hill – and it proved a

  • CRICKET: Gloucs call for Beard

    All-rounder Michael Beard has been offered a place in the full Gloucestershire academy for the 2008-9 winter programme. Beard, who plays for Thame Town and represented Oxfordshire Under 15s and 16s last season, will train on Wednesdays and Sundays,

  • CRICKET: Rising stars invited to trials

    Talented Oxfordshire youngsters who are dreaming of making a living from the game are being invited to attend trials for Gary Palmer's cricket academy on Sunday, November 9. The CCM Academy has proved a springboard for youngsters from the Minor

  • CRICKET: SOA to help youngsters

    South Oxfordshire Amateurs, the county's premier wandering club, have set up a charity for the benefit of young players. The charity aims to fund cricketers aged 25 or under, particularly for the club's annual western tour and occasional trips abroad

  • ICE HOCKEY: Buoyant stars on the warpath

    Oxford City Stars will be out to prove a point when they take on Streatham Redskins at Oxpens Road in Division 1 South on Sunday (6.15pm). Stars, who are top of the English National League table, won their first meeting this season 5-2, but Streatham

  • More important

    Do we really want to waste time and money analysing whether crisps taste better if they are crunchier (Oxford Mail, October 7)? Surely there are more important things to research? CARL BUTTERWORTH Iffley Road Oxford

  • Energy prices hit hotel chain

    Spiralling energy prices have sparked a massive drop in profits for the owner of The George Hotel. Peel Hotels saw its pre-tax profits fall 42 per cent to £437,832 for the 28 weeks to August 24. Chairman Robert Peel said: “The impact of the huge increase

  • WI branch celebrate 50th

    Fifty years of Jam and Jerusalem were celebrated at Dean Court St Andrew's Church Hall, West Oxford, this week. Dean Court Women's Institute marked its 50th anniversary with a grand party, inviting past and present members, including inaugural president

  • Hard workers

    May we, through your paper, thank the people who, at our fundraising night for Help For Heroes on September 27, helped us raise £231. The Inflatables were fantastic as usual. All who came had a great time and were so generous with their donations.

  • Flapping proudly

    One of the most stirring sights a Briton can witness is the national flag of the United Kingdom — the red, white and blue Union flag, flapping proudly in the breeze. How poignant and disgusting that, in Botley, the Union flag has been hoisted

  • So reassuring

    Having read the recently released figures by the Home Office showing the hours a policeman spends on patrol (one hour, 39 minutes per 12-hour shift), may I say how wonderfully reassuring it has been to see so many policemen and vehicles on the city centre

  • ANGLING: Mick on mark in winter opener

    The first of this year's Winter League matches was held last Sunday on the Thames at Clifton, Dorchester and Benson where 57 matchmen were in action. Richard Norris tells me the river did not fish that well and there were a few blanks, while once again

  • Swallow show

    First thing Friday morning is 'empty the bins day at work' and a chance to see the swallows which have nested under the roof of our goods-in department. While walking out to the skip, the swallows fly past at lightning speed and my workmate and I marvel

  • Myths about plastic bags

    It's time someone injected some common sense into the issue of supermarkets attempting to show their concern for the environment by curtailing the use of lightweight plastic carrier bags. The bags are made largely from recycled plastic (about 80 per

  • GREYHOUNDS: New trainers turned down

    Trainers wanting to bring their dogs to Oxford Stadium have been told that there is no more room at the track. I understand that two more trainers from the doomed Reading Stadium track have applied to join the ranks at ranks at Cowley. Oxford have

  • Ludicrous suggestion

    When I started to read John Tanner's letter, I began to smile because, knowing that he is a staunch Labour supporter, his excuse for cutting weekly rubbish collection to fortnightly was mainly to reduce the carbon dioxide in the air, so that the thousand

  • City needs a cleanup

    I was amazed to read city councillor John Tanner's letter commenting on Tory plans to bring back weekly rubbish collections (Oxford Mail, October 3). He calls it a gimmick. He says the money needed would be better spent on other projects. I cannot

  • Sick heroes? No thanks

    We've all been to them — retirement do's where management drones on about how, during more than 50 years of loyal service, Bert, Dick, Harold, Mavis, Marjorie, Agnes (take your pick) has never taken a single day off sick... Well, big deal! All I can

  • Mario's, 103 Cowley Road, 01865 722955

    With a name like Mario's, a red, white and green sign and rows of Italian football scarves on the walls, this compact restaurant in Cowley Road certainly looks authentic. As you come through the door you are struck by the heat of a looming pizza oven

  • Faeces-throwing couple evicted

    Two people have been evicted from Foresters Tower, in Wood Farm, Oxford, after complaints they threw soiled nappies, rubbish, and faeces from their 12th floor flat. Oxford City Council said it had received numerous complaints about the behaviour of

  • Only 3 weeks and 5 days to go!!!

    Well Im over 36 weeks now, was admitted to hospital again on Monday morning as they thought I might be in labour!! Was sat in the admission roon for over 3 hours, I had been getting pains in the top and lower bump and back ache. Once dr had done and internal

  • Hurst shirt returned to Wembley

    The shirt worn by Sir Geoff Hurst in the 1966 World Cup Final will be making a return to Wembley tomorrow thanks to an Oxfordshire businessman. Property investor Andrew Leslau has fronted a consortium of collectors who recently purchased the

  • Alonso quick in Japan

    Toyota’s Timo Glock was the surprise leader in the second session of free practice for Sunday's crucial Japanse Grand Prix. He topped the timesheet with a time of 1min 18.383secs to edge the Enstone-based Renault F1 team’s Fernando Alonso by 0.043secs

  • 69mpg is no joke

    I have finally realised why I really like the Skoda Fabia GreenLine Estate. It is not just that it is sober, solid and sensible on the outside and has a surprisingly spacious, tidily trimmed interior. It is because it is honest. The

  • UPDATE: Hit-and-run linked to fight

    A fight may have led to a hit-and-run which has left a man injured in hospital, police said today. Detectives said two black men were involved an altercation outside shops in Blackbird Leys Road, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, at 5.30pm yesterday. About

  • Records figures for the Co-op

    Bosses at the Midcounties Co-operative say they have "risen to the challenge of the credit crunch" and achieved a record rise in its fortunes. Profits at the firm which has its head office on Botley Road, Oxford, have soared by 61 per cent to £10m

  • Police plea over hit-and-run

    Police today appealed for witnesses after a man was seriously injured in a hit-and-run incident in Oxford. Officers said at about 5.30pm, two men were involved in an altercation outside the shops in Blackbird Leys Road. This was followed by

  • A guide for the bewildered

    Some of us may be sitting at our office desks resembling frightened rabbits caught in the headlights of this advancing financial crisis. We may nervously watch the shares in our employer's firm plummet, or wonder what difference the freeze in the Oxfordshire

  • Family firm creates jobs

    A family building firm is bucking the economic trend by creating new jobs and adding a major boost to its fortunes. Beard, based at Cumnor Hill, Oxford, is on target to generate an annual turnover of £51m this year, a 25 per cent rise on 2007. And

  • KISS BAR, PARK END ST, OXFORD

    Kiss Bar is next to Lava & Ignite on Park End Street, and I’m guessing that not everyone will have set foot there before. This is more because it’s so tiny rather than being any reflection of how good it is. It’s been there for as long as I remember

  • Going back to my routes

    ANDREW FFRENCH talks to author Guy Browning about how he has used maps to illustrate his childhood autobiography. Hit a Jellyfish with a Spade: How to survive life's Smaller Challenges did actually sell in spades across Europe. But translators found

  • CITY OF EMBER (PG)

    Family/Drama. Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, Bill Murray, Toby Jones, Tim Robbins, Mackenzie Crook, Martin Landau, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Liz Smith, Amy & Catherine Quinn. Director: Gil Kenan. During the ’50s and ’60s, the spectre of nuclear war

  • THE HOUSE BUNNY (12A

    Comedy. Anna Faris, Emma Stone, Kat Dennings, Lauren Hill, Kellan Rhude, Kiely Williams, Monet Mazur, Rumer Willis, Colin Hanks, Katharine McPhee, Beverly D’Angelo. Blessed with a powerful performance from Anna Faris as a Playboy bunny with a heart

  • NIGHTS IN RODANTHE (PG)

    Romance/Drama. Diane Lane, Richard Gere, Christopher Meloni, Mae Whitman, Scott Glenn, James Franco. Director: George C Wolfe. Lost souls are gifted a second chance at love in George C Wolfe’s slushy romance, adapted from the best-selling novel

  • Family firm bucks the dowturn

    A family building firm is bucking the economic trend by creating new jobs and adding a major boost to its fortunes. Beard, based at Cumnor Hill, Oxford, is on target to generate an annual turnover of £51m this year, a 25 per cent rise on 2007. And

  • MUTANT CHRONICLES (18)

    Action/Horror/Thriller. Thomas Jane, Ron Perlman, Anna Walton, Devon Aoki, Tom Wu, Steve Toussaint, John Malkovich, Sean Pertwee. Director: Simon Hunter British director Simon Hunter makes a strong bid for the worst film of the year with his second

  • Top award for Milton Park

    MILTON PARK: Developer MEPC, which operates the Park, has picked up an award for its new building 97. The 38,000 sq ft speculative office building won the South of England and South Wales regional award in the Commercial Workplace category of the British

  • Fly-tipper fined £800

    A woman has been fined more than £800 for fly-tipping after Tesco Clubcard details were found with the abandoned waste and used to trace her. Angela Pointin, 38, of Robsart Place, Cumnor, pleaded guilty at Didcot Magistrates Court on Tuesday to dumping

  • Father denies sending text threats

    A father accused of threatening his ex-girlfriend yesterday told a court the real victim in the case was his young daughter. David Holmes denies sending threatening text messages to Kirsty Bradbury and then breaking down the door of her brother Ryan

  • Update: Man badly injured in hit-and-run

    A man in his 30s suffered multiple injuries during a suspected hit and run on an Oxford estate. The man was involved in a collision with a car at the junction of Cuddesdon Way and Blackbird Leys Road, in Blackbird Leys, at around 5.35pm yesterday. A

  • SPEEDWAY: Cheetahs future up in air

    THE future of Oxford speedway is in a confused state after a local consortium have had their dreams of bringing back speedway to Sandy Lane scuppered, writes ROBERT PEASLEY. It was thought that would be the end of the Cheetahs, but management at Oxford

  • Man attacked by gang of teenagers

    A 49-year-old man was brutally attacked outside a pub after coming the aid of a a man being assaulted by the same gang. Police said the victim, gave a man a cigarette outside the Star Inn, Market Place, Woodstock, at around midnight last Friday. Minutes

  • Rose McKeon: Bicester licensee

    A popular Bicester licensee has died after a short illness. Rose McKeon had run the family-owned Littlebury Hotel in King's End with her husband Malachy, sons Michael, Malachy, Paul and Denis, since 1959. Born in 1925, Mrs McKeon was

  • Pat Crumly: Jazz musician and former newspaper columnist

    Acclaimed jazz musician and former Oxford Mail columnist Pat Crumly has died, aged 66. Born and raised in Oxford, Mr Crumly was musically inclined from a young age and, according to his sister Janet Burgess, was destined to become a musician

  • Clubcard nails fly-tipper

    A woman has been fined more than £800 for fly-tipping after Tesco Clubcard details were found with the abandoned waste and used to trace her. Angela Pointin, 38, of Robsart Place, Cumnor, pleaded guilty at Didcot Magistrates Court on Tuesday to dumping

  • Dorothy Morrison: Wantage deacon

    Tributes have been paid to Wantage deacon Dorothy 'Dot' Morrison who has died suddenly aged 61. Deacon of the Parish of SS Peter and Paul in Wantage with Holy Trinity Charlton, her death on Thursday, September 25, fell on the anniversary of

  • Judge dies at age of 68

    Judges and barristers paid tribute to a former Oxford circuit judge who has died, aged 68. Judge Paul Clark heard cases in the city from 1985 until 2003. He was also a trustee of the city's Ashmolean Museum. Paying tribute to him during a special

  • Haircut case man jailed

    An 18-year-old man was jailed yesterday for punching a man after his friends teased him about his haircut. Oxford Crown Court heard Kieran Tite, of Church View, Banbury, admitted causing actual bodily harm and assault after the attack on passers-by

  • Santas on the loose

    If you stumbled upon live reindeer and a crowd of Father Christmases in Oxford city centre this week, then fear not, your eyes were not deceiving you. The festive event in Broad Street was part of a bid to drum up support — and runners — for a Santa

  • Gold stars

    Sir — I was delighted to read in your paper (October 3), that Appleton Primary School had scored so well in the Ofsted inspection, however, I do not believe it is correct to say that it is the only primary school in Oxfordshire to have received a Gold

  • Church to close

    Sir — Most people in Oxford will be unaware that St Cross Church, Holywell, which has been in existence since the 12th century, will soon be closed as a church. It will become a library and archives centre for Balliol College. There is to be a final

  • City wants to sprawl

    Sir — Bob Price of the city council objects to your calling his council’s attempt to grab land a “land grab”(Letters, October 3). But this is surely an exact description of the city’s push to annexe a wide swathe of the Green Belt from Sandford round

  • Automatic fines?

    Sir — I was pleased to see that the national minimum wage was increased from £5.52 to £5.73, effective from October 1, 2008. While not a fortune, this again demonstrates Labour trying to set a minimum level of pay for the working class. What we all

  • Fans' treat

    Fairport Convention fans are in for a treat today when Ric Sanders performs in a shop to promote his new album. Ric along with musical partner Vo Fletcher will take to the stage in Chalkys, High Street, Banbury, at 4pm, and sign copies of their

  • Free fitness is fun

    Sir — However worthy the 'Doctors and Dignitaries' campaign to encourage people to take more exercise, and use facilities like the Castle Centre, may I point out that Wallingford also has a Green Gym — which is free year-round. Wallingford Green Gym

  • 90% of girls accept new jab

    Ninety per cent of Oxfordshire's 12 year-olds girls have taken up the offer of a new vaccination against cervical cancer at the first schools to be offered the jab. Oxfordshire Primary Health Trust say they are already more than halfway through the

  • Why the wait?

    Sir — Chiltern Railways' excellent plan to create an alternative route from Oxford to London via Bicester and High Wycombe has no starting date as yet. This link only requires a short length of curve to join the Bicester Town line to the main Bicester

  • On the beat

    Sir — Having read the recently released figures by the Home Office appertaining to the hours a policeman actually spends on patrol (one hour, 39 minutes per 12-hour shift), may I say how wonderfully reassuring it has been to see so many policemen and

  • Freeze now, pay later

    Sir — No doubt many of your readers, and others, will be delighted to hear the Tories are planning to have a two-year council tax freeze if they become the Government. Before everyone gets too excited, they might like to consider the following.

  • Cleaner transport

    Sir — I am sorry to read that Susan Thomas (Letters, September 26) is concerned about bus fumes. I can reassure her that the Oxford Bus Company has taken enormous strides in reducing and controlling harmful emissions from our fleet through exhaust after-treatments

  • College to take over church

    St Cross, one of Oxford's oldest churches, is set to be taken over by Balliol College to house the college's historic collections. After more than 800 years of Christian worship, it looks like St Cross is unlikely to continue as a full-time church after

  • Smaller drop

    Sir — I was shocked to read in your edition of September 26, the headline Cases of MRSA fall at local hospitals. I say shocked because the previous night, I and some 90 other members of the public had attended the AGM of the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals

  • Fashion statement

    Sir — I am not an eco-activist, nor do I condone letting down the tyres of 4x4 vehicles. The poor dears who drive them have enough on their plates already, what with escalating fuel prices and the ever-growing cost of keeping horses. But

  • Use it or lose it

    Sir — I agree wholeheartedly with Martin Sheldon's comments about the care given by the Bury Knowle Health Centre, and was equally concerned to read in the letter sent to all their registered patients that the new pharmacy was to be run by Boots.

  • Don't drop it

    Sir — We agree completely with councillor Tanner (Letters, October 3). It is much better not to drop litter in the first instance than to have others spend time picking it up. OxClean's preventative campaigns focus on 'on the go' eating and drinking

  • Caught in the spotlight

    Backers of the Cross of Light initiative to illuminate historic Oxford buildings can feel a warm glow of satisfaction this week. Wesley Memorial Church, one of the buildings where architectural lighting has been introduced, was among the plaque winners

  • Darren's delight

    DARREN Patterson saluted his players – and especially his midfielders – for sticking to their guns last night as they stunned in-form Torquay by taking a point away from Plainmoor.  Phil Trainer's 89th-minute goal brought United a precious away point

  • £22m city mall plan proceeds

    Plans for a new £22m shopping scheme in the centre of Oxford are to be submitted to the city council next week. Despite the prevailing economic conditions, private equity firm Carlyle Group is intending to push ahead with the major development

  • Tour de Summertown

    Sir — Oxfordshire County Council are to be congratulated on the new traffic and pedestrian scheme which is nearing completion in Summertown. In particular the new, wider paving gives a light and spacious feel to the shopping area for pedestrians.

  • Wild dream

    Sir — I wonder what sort of topsy-turvy world our local councillors inhabit? There was a time when they were seen as our representatives; an interface between constituents and the officers but firmly on our side. Now it seems the officers

  • Straight answers needed

    Sir — So our rubbish supremo John Tanner, who is patently failing to make Oxford a cleaner city, has had another bright idea give everyone another bin to clutter up the smelly streets. He is floating the idea of a special bin for food waste

  • Tenants take no responsibility

    Sir — Councillor John Tanner quite rightly suggests we should all stop dropping "gum, fag ends and crisp packets all year round". However, I would suggest that in East Oxford there needs to be rather more thought put into solving the litter problem

  • Revisiting an ivy-covered age

    Brideshead. The very name is enough to have Oxford University admissions tutors reaching for a swift slug of dry sherry. How the organisers of all those visits to secondary schools in northern England, to say nothing of the Oxford Black Boys Can

  • The waste debate

    Waste collection is once again hitting the headlines with West Oxfordshire and Oxford City councils both proposing changes to the way they run their schemes. As every council in the country has found, the status quo was not an option. Allowing everyone

  • Seeds of optimism

    In these times of financial crisis and credit crunch, it is heartening to see signs of continuing confidence in the future of Oxfordshire's economy. In Didcot, developers have put together what sounds an impressive and significant proposal to extend