Archive

  • Rail firm sets launch date

    New rail operator Wrexham & Shropshire will launch its services linking Oxfordshire with Shropshire and North Wales later this month. The firm, which is part-owned by Chiltern Railways' parent company Deutsche Bahn, will begin operations on Monday, April

  • United fans take up run challenge

    Larger-than-life Oxford United fan has taken up a challenge thrown down by the club's players to tackle one of the UK's biggest killers. Ryan Wells, nicknamed Roley, will take part in the very first Oxford Run for Moore to help fight bowel cancer -

  • £12m payouts after hospital mistakes

    MISTAKES made by staff at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, have led to compensation payouts of more than £12m in the past month. A disabled man has been awarded won more than £7m after medical complications following his birth at the Oxford hospital

  • £12m payouts after JR mistakes

    Mistakes made by staff at the John Radcliffe Hospital have led to compensation payouts of more than £12m in the past month. A disabled man has beenTuesApr1 awarded won more than £7m after medical complications following his birth at the Oxford hospital

  • School awarded special status

    PUPILS and staff at an Oxford school are celebrating after it was awarded dual specialist status. Cheney School, in Cheney Lane, Headington, has been a specialist languages college for five years, and on Tuesday was awarded a second specialism in raising

  • Oxjam packed with top bands

    THE county's top musicians are lining up to get involved in a month of music in aid of Oxford-based charity Oxfam. The third national Oxjam festival started on Tuesday. The first major event in the county will be a night of metal, punk and rock

  • Train windscreen shatters

    UP to 500 people were evacuated from a train at Didcot today after its windscreen was smashed. The windscreen on the train, the 1.51pm First Great Western service from London Paddington to Malvern, via Oxford and the Cotswold Line, was broken on the

  • Heartbreak for Cheetahs fans

    SPEEDWAY: Oxford Cheetahs supporters have expressed their utter dismay at the closure of their speedway club. With the action under way for another campaign across the country, this year should have been one of jubilation, with Cheetahs celebrating

  • HORSE RACING: Ollie out of National

    Ollie Magern, owned by Roger Nicholls, from Milcombe, near Bloxham, is lame and will miss the John Smith's Grand National on Saturday. Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies discovered the problem on Wednesday, and scratched the ten-year-old from the Aintree

  • GOLF: Frilford's blast from the past

    Frilford Heath went back in time to mark the club's 100th birthday with a 'cross-country' tournament. The club's lease was signed on March 31, 1908 and 100 years to the day later, members played 11 of the original holes. Frilford spokesman Ian Seward

  • GOLF: Eales heads field

    Three former European Tour winners top the bill when the Jamega Pro Tour gets under way at Magnolia Park on Monday. Paul Eales, Andrew Sherborne and Mark Mouland, who have over 60 years' combined experience on the main tour, are taking part. The 18

  • GOLF: Davies sinks Chippy

    Nev Davies's 25-foot putt on the 18th green helped Frilford Heath beat Chipping Norton 2-1 in Section 1 of the Shaw Gibbs Oxfordshire Foursomes League. Davies's masterstoke capped a fine fightback as he and Alex Gavrilovic came back from three down

  • GOLF: Results round-up

    OXFORD CITY Mueller Trophy: 1 G Bristow 79-15=64, 2 S Collins 86-20=66 (cb), 3 P Bradbury 74-8=66 (lg). OXFORD LADIES March Stableford - Silver Div: 1 J Toms 37pts, 2 C Whittle 35 (cb), 3 J McCairns 35. Bronze Div: 1 H Briffett 37, 2 D Torgersen 34

  • Train windscreen shatters

    Up to 500 people were evacuated from a train at Didcot today after its windscreen was smashed. The windscreen on the train, the 1.51pm First Great Western service from London Paddington to Malvern, via Oxford and the Cotswold Line, was broken on the

  • RUGBY UNION: Chinnor don't need firing up

    The Oxfordshire Cup final against Oxford Harlequins will give Chinnor the chance to avenge their only league defeat of the season. But captain Matt Hutchings says simply playing in Saturday's Iffley Road showpiece should be sufficient for them to raise

  • RUGBY UNION: Benson hosts Fijians

    Fijians serving in the UK armed forces descended on RAF Benson, near Wallingford, for a series of sevens trials. They were all hoping to make a UK Fijian team, who will compete in upcoming tournaments. The event (right) on Easter Monday was watched

  • Labourt stunt

    Mark Lygo, MP Andrew Smith, Liz Brighouse - shame on them. None of them lives at Wood Farm in Oxford. The campaign for a 20mph speed limit, which they say they are supporting (Oxford Mail, March 26), has been ongoing for years. My family and I have

  • Cheesed off

    I read that Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, preached doom and gloom in his Easter Sunday service, saying that civilisation was about to collapse and urging us to ditch all our worldly luxuries as we cannot take them with us. Is he as cheesed

  • RUGB UNION: Twickenham bound

    Wallingford's Under 10 A team will play in a curtain-raiser for the Guinness Premiership final at Twickenham. They will take on Otley on May 31 after progressing through regional qualifying in Nottingham. Captained by Conor Graney, they are the Oxfordshire

  • Lazy criticism

    Brian Lester ought to do his research before he commits pen to paper (Oxford Mail, March 28). Oxfordshire County Council does not close its offices on the day after Bank Holidays in the same way that the city council does. Our offices are open and

  • Out of action

    I am disabled and use a wheelchair for shopping. As my chair was having its MoT, I borrowed a wheelchair from Sainsbury's supermarket in Witney. There appeared to be only three available. One had only one brake - the other was stuck in the 'off position

  • RUGBY UNION: Fitness gave Bicester edge

    Bicester manager Mike Hutchinson said fitness was the key as they secured promotion to Southern Counties North. Saturday's 37-3 victory at Abingdon sealed Bicester's passage after three seasons in the BB&O Premier Division - and they have not lost in

  • RUGBY UNION: Oxford open Martin lounge

    Oxford paid tribute to one of their greatest servants by officially opening the Ron Martin Lounge at their Southern Bypass ground. Martin, who died in 2005, was Oxford secretary for 21 years and Oxfordshire RFU president for two, as well as carrying

  • Equal importance

    I am one of many people who are keen to save Cogges Manor Farm Museum in Witney from closure, and I have offered to give support through fundraising. Recently, however, I came across a revelation - Cogges Manor Farm is situated on an ancient site of

  • RUGBY UNION: Tombleson's sevens call

    Former Oxford University wing Tom Tombleson has received his second call-up to the England Sevens squad. Tombleson (above), who is now playing at Newbury, is in the squad for the next leg of the IRB World Series in Adelaide, Australia. The triple

  • Get rid of all these lights

    I whoeheartedly agree with Lisa McCann (Oxford Mail, March 26) - what a fabulous week without traffic lights at Littlemore roundabout. I travel around Oxford all hours of the day - l have to for work - constantly sitting in queues at many roundabouts

  • RUGBY UNION: Henley in denial

    Relegation to National 3 South must have hit Henley Hawks really hard as they appear to be in denial. There was no mention of the dreaded 'R' word in Saturday's match report, nor can it be found on their website, but Henley will soon have to face up

  • Force appoints new senior officer

    BRIAN Langston was named today as Thames Valley Police's new Assistant Chief Constable for Operations. Mr Langston, 47, has been with the force since 1980. He will take up his post on Monday and will command the Operations Directorate which includes

  • Boy charged with assault

    A 16-year-old boy from Aylesbury has been charged with grievous bodily harm and was due to appear at Oxford Youth Court today. The charges relate to an incident on 14 September 14, 2007, in Ludsden Grove in Thame, where a man was assaulted.

  • TV sleuth back in class

    TV's new Miss Marple, actress Julia McKenzie, is taking time out from sleuthing to visit at a west Oxfordshire school. She is cutting the ribbon to open a new outdoor learning area at Burford Primary School on Friday. The actress, who has taken over

  • School gets special status

    Pupils and staff at an Oxford school are celebrating after it was awarded dual specialist status. Cheney School, in Cheney Lane, Headington, has been a specialist languages college for five years, and on Tuesday was awarded a second specialism in raising

  • It's not too late to enter

    It's not too late to enter the OX5 Run this weekend to raise money for the Oxford Children's Hospital. That's the message from fundraisers at the purpose-built hospital at the John Radcliffe site in Headington. Last year, about 200 runners turned

  • Ox-jam packed with top bands

    The county's top musicians are lining up to get involved in a month of music in aid of Oxford-based charity Oxfam. The third national Oxjam festival started on Tuesday. The first major event in the county will be a night of metal, punk and rock at

  • Local share prices

    02/04/2008 pm AEA Technology 72 BMW 2854 Electrocomponents 200 Nationwide Accident Repair 129.5 Oxford Biomedica 22 Oxford Catalyst 159 Oxford Instruments 185 REED 666.25 RM 200 RPS Group 324.25

  • Views split on cell research

    Oxfordshire's MPs are facing pressure to state their positions on the controversial Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Roman Catholic churches in Oxford have been asking their congregations to write to their MPs urging them to vote against parts

  • Not too late to join OX5 Run

    It's not too late to enter the OX5 Run this weekend to raise money for the Oxford Children's Hospital. That's the message from fundraisers at the purpose-built hospital at the John Radcliffe site in Headington. Last year, about 200 runners turned

  • Green school gets its gong

    It is officially the leanest, greenest secondary school in Oxford - and pupils have now been enjoying the fruits of their labour. Oxford Community School, in Glanville Road, East Oxford, has been officially presented with its Green Flag Eco-School award

  • Route to confusion

    Predictably, perhaps, the free bus pass scheme for over-60s that came into force on, erm, April Fools' Day, has turned out to be something of a farce in Oxford. Passes for the scheme that now allows OAPs to travel on buses anywhere in England have failed

  • Complaint filed over centre revamp

    A former Oxford City Council official has lodged an official complaint about its plans to demolish and redevelop Cowley Community Centre. Ben Ticehurst, who helped set up the West Indian Day Centre community facility, based at the Barns Road building

  • Mum’s dating woes inspire website

    A single mother with an autistic son has launched what she believes is the UK's first Internet dating site for parents of children with special needs. Jane Stooks, 43, of Clifton, near Bicester, said potential partners were scared off when she revealed

  • New bus passes should start at 9am'

    Pensioners are complaining that the Vale of White Horse District Council has refused to copy other authorities in subsidising an extra 30 minutes for the new bus pass scheme. The new national scheme launched yesterday allows anyone over 60 or who is

  • Update: Power restored to A34 lights

    ABOUT 700 homes in the Bicester area were hit by a power cut during the early hours today. Homes in Wendlebury were also affected, together with the traffic lights at junction nine of the M40. Morven Smith, a spokesman for Southern Electric, said

  • Charity marks a decade of help

    A Witney charity set up to help people with Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia marked its 10th anniversary. Dozens of balloons carrying personal messages were released at Oxford Castle, in New Road, on Tuesday to celebrate the Clive Project's

  • AUNT SALLY: Duo going for glory

    Mick Berry and Laurie Scarrott will battle it out for the Kidlington Indoor League's singles crown on finals night. In the semi-finals, Berry beat Peter Dempsey 2-0, while Scarrott came from behind to defeat Ray Barson 2-1. RESULTS Kidlington Indoor

  • ATHLETICS: City veterans have field day

    Oxford City's veterans had a superb day in the British Masters Cross Country Championships, held at Bloxham's Warriner School on Saturday. With more than 400 athletes from all over the country competing in age groups from over 35 to over 60, City took

  • ATHLETICS: Marie-Anne is a muddy marvel!

    Headington Roadrunner Marie-Anne Fischer completed two multi-terrain races in 24 hours over the weekend. On Saturday, she clocked 2hrs 30mins 15secs in the Orion 15 around Epping Forest in Essex, a muddy and arduous race, before tackling the Combe Gibbet

  • AMERICAN FOOTBALL: Saints set for kick off

    Oxford Saints will travel to Norwich Devils when their British AFL Season starts on April 13. Their first home game is against Sussex Thunder on May 4 at Oxford Rugby Club. Oxford were rocked by the retirement of four key players at the end of last

  • Motor show preview online

    MONTHS before the British International Motor Show opens at ExCeL in London (public days from July 23 to August 3), a sneak preview of the exhibition's main attractions is already available online. Visitors to www.britishmotorshow.co.uk can navigate

  • Popular dairy farmer John Healy

    John Healy, described as a man "who loved the land" and the co-founder of the North Aston Dairy in north Oxfordshire, has died suddenly at the age of 55. Well known in the dairy farming community, he and his business partner Matt Dale delivered milk

  • Police link raids

    POLICE today appealed for witnesses to two burglaries in Witney. Burglars broke into the Sobell House Charity Warehouse, Station Lane Industrial Estate, at 9.30pm on Monday and stole £100 cash and a Renault van registration plate OV55 EXA. Another

  • Witness appeal over burglaries

    Police today appealed for witnesses to two burglaries in Witney. Burglars broke into the Sobell House charity's warehouse, at the Station Road Industrial Estate at 9.30pm on Monday and stole £100 and a Renault van, registration OV55 EXA. Another business

  • Harley in pole position

    THE extent of the nation's love affair with the motorcycle is revealed today as the website fish4bikes. co.uk, part of the nationwide cars classified website fish4cars.co.uk, unveils its current top ten' of the UK's favourite makes and models. The report

  • Local share prices

    02/04/2008 AEA Technology 72 BMW 2872 Electrocomponents 198.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 130.5 Oxford Biomedica 22.5 Oxford Catalyst 159 Oxford Instruments 185 REED 659.5 RM 199.75 RPS Group 324

  • Hundreds hit by power cut

    ABOUT 700 homes in the Bicester area were hit by a power cut during the early hours today. Homes in Wendlebury were also affected, together with the traffic lights at junction nine of the M40. Ross Easton, a spokesman for Southern Electric, said

  • Village grieves for crossing victim

    VILLAGERS have said they warned Network Rail about the dangers of a crossing at Tackley rail station five years before a pensioner was hit by a train and killed. Residents in the close-knit community were last night coming to terms with the death of

  • Power cut hits Bicester homes and traffic lights

    About 700 homes in the Bicester area were hit by a power cut during the early hours today. Homes in Wendlebury were also affected, together with the traffic lights at junction nine of the M40. Ross Easton, a spokesman for Southern Electric, said power

  • Forfeit

    Full marks to the judge who ordered fraudster Susan MacDonald to forfeit £600,000. Hit them hard in the pocket - criminals shouldn't be allowed to profit when they get out of jail.

  • Despicable

    Anyone who has had connections with Sobell House hospice in Oxford will know what excellent work it does for patients and their families. But its vital fundraising has been put in jeopardy by thieves, who raided its warehouse. Any theft is despicable

  • Safety is top of the agenda

    It is too early to say who, if anyone, was to blame for the tragic death of widow Margaret Evans on the railway line at Tackley. But it is right that there should be a full investigation. One of the questions to be asked is whether it is safe to allow

  • Bank note pest in prison

    A MAN who waves bank notes at teenage girls was back behind bars for again breaching his Asbo. Married Stuart McGhie, 38, of Church Cowley Road, Oxford, was given 21 months after admitting waving a £20 note at three girls on a bus. Oxford Crown

  • Line failure 'costs garage £30,000'

    A FAMILY is furious with British Telecom after their business was forced shut for the first time in 87 years when the phone line went down. Bellinger's Service Station in Station Road, Grove, lost an estimated £30,000 over the Easter weekend because

  • 'We feared this would happen'

    Villagers have said they warned Network Rail about the dangers of a crossing at Tackley railway station five years before a pensioner was hit by a train and killed. Residents in the close-knit community north of Woodstock were last night coming to terms

  • Leader pops in for pint

    A PUB has risen from the flood waters and reopened its doors. The Plough, in Witney's High Street, is back in business more than eight months after being flooded by the River Windrush. Witney MP and Tory leader David Cameron called in to celebrate

  • Rogue fish sellers 'bullied elderly'

    COUNTY Hall was filled with a pungent smell as Oxfordshire County Council trading standards officers examined a haul of fish. Martin Woodley and his colleagues have collected hundreds of packets of fish from people who claimed they were bullied into

  • Heading it in

    THE Headway brain injury association is holding a human table football fundraising event today. The event is at the Oxford Four Pillars Hotel, in Abingdon Road. Anyone is welcome to come along and watch the event, which runs from 2pm until 5pm.

  • Drugs conviction hailed 'major victory'

    POLICE have hailed the conviction of a 23-year-old man as a major victory in the fight against Class-A drugs in Oxford. Triston Lawrence, of Nettlebed Mead, Greater Leys, was convicted by a jury at Oxford Crown Court today on four counts of possession

  • Judge locks up school trespass pervert

    A MAN who crept into the grounds of an Oxford girls school and performed an indecent act was locked up indefinitely. Amjad Malik, prosecuting, told Oxford Crown Court that Jonathon Buron, of no fixed address, went to Headington Girls School and tried

  • Bones find might be Roman

    ARCHAEOLOGISTS working in Oxford city centre have unearthed bones that could be more than 2,000 years old. A team of archaeologists has been excavating a site between St Giles and Blackhall Road since mid-January - and last week the diggers struck

  • Art shows set to open

    THREE new exhibitions will open at Modern Art Oxford, in Pembroke Street, today. They are a sculptural installation by Mircea Cantor on the theme of uncertainty, which features a carved wooden form wrapped around the trunk of a tree in a Transylvanian

  • Drugs plea

    A 21-year-old man has admitted possessing 15.7g of cocaine with intent to supply after drugs were found hidden behind a panel in his car. Simon Beazley, of Bowbank Close, Longworth, admitted the charge at Oxford Crown Court, but said he was only looking