Ken Baker spent three years and at least £50,000 getting the Norah G canal boat afloat to use as a bed and breakfast. But today he admitted his hopes to extend his business interests into accomodation had sunk along with the boat in the Thames at Abbey
Families in Oxford will again pay more but get less for their money after an inflation-busting 4.5 per cent increase in council tax was passed. The city council’s ruling Labour administration had proposed to increase the city’s share of the bill by 4.9
A 22-year-old man suffered severe head injuries in an attack at a Witney bar. Police appealed for witnesses yesterday after the assault at Norton’s Wine Bar, in Langdale Court, at 9pm on Saturday. Dc Grahame Lea said: “This was an unprovoked attack
A paedophile jailed for life for preying on young boys has been granted leave to appeal against his sentence, it was confirmed tonight. David Cullen, 48, was ordered to serve a minimum of 10 years behind bars last November after admitting a string of
Eddie Hutchinson and his Oxford United teammates hold aloft the petition set up by supporters calling on the Conference to overturn their decision to dock points from four clubs for fielding ineligible players. Supporters’ group OxVox will deliver
Detectives are continuing investigations into a string of armed robberies in Oxford and the surrounding area. Two men are in custody in connection with nine armed raids over the past 10 weeks but there are a further eight gunpoint robberies since December
Organisers of the annual Oxford Mail Job Fair due to be held at the Town Hall tomorrow are expecting record numbers to show because of recent job cuts. The Town Hall, in St Aldates, there will be 26 exhibition stands from local companies and
FOOTBALL fans affected by job cuts at BMW and elsewhere in the county have been offered a helping hand by Oxford United. BMW staff who have worked, or are still working, at the Mini plant in Cowley in 2009, plus anyone else who is unemployed, can get
FORMER BMW workers handing back their uniforms tomorrow can meet employment advisers. The 850 agency staff laid off by BMW on Monday were told to return their uniforms and ID cards, or face a £35 cut in their pay packets. But, when they take their kit
A pub closed for eight months because of the 2007 floods has been hit by a devastating fire. Fourteen regulars at the Plough Inn, in Witney’s High Street, had to flee the pub last night after a fire broke out in a tumble dryer upstairs and spread to
Can I ask motorists why they drive in the city with their parking lights on? Why don’t they turn their headlights on? All they have to do is flick a switch. As a cyclist and a motorist I cannot see any advantage. But there is a disadvantage, as it means
A 19-year-old man appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court today accused of a rape and sexual assault in Thame. Arram Price, from Cardiff, was bailed on condition he lived at the address he had given the court and reported to police every day. He was ordered
A schoolboy today told a court two men punched, kicked and slashed him with a knife as he lay bleeding on the ground. The boy, who was 14 at the time, said the pair approached him in St Nicholas Road, Littlemore, Oxford, in January last year and asked
I agree with Victoria Owen’s opinion of Somerset as a good holiday venue (Oxford Mail, Globetrotter). Last year, instead of going to money-grabbing Cornwall, where you even have to pay for disabled parking slots along with other tourist-fleecing schemes
I recall Ralph Leavis writing to the Oxford Mail several years ago, criticising animals rights activists. He has continued in the same vein, churning out regular, rumbustious letters since then. Mr Leavis fails to understand why many people care about
it may well be that, when they suggested delegating to the waste disposal industry the decision as to whether Oxfordshire’s waste should be incinerated, the Liberal Democrats fondly imagined they were protecting the county against an unholy alliance
AEA Technology 16.75 BMW 1946 Electrocomponents 132 Nationwide Accident Repair 113.5 Oxford Biomedica 7.2 Oxford Catalysts 59 Oxford Instruments 142.5 Reed Elsevier 502.25 RM 174.25 RPS Group 158 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
MORE than 1,400 staff at Oxford University could lose annual leave after failing to turn up for work due to the recent heavy snow. University and College Union officials said managers at the university were threatening to deduct a day’s leave for each
Military personnel living in the county will benefit from a £100,000 war chest in recognition of their sacrifices in Iraq and Afghanistan. The money, included in Oxfordshire County Council’s budget for 2009-10, is primarily intended to help
A mother of four who sold a Christmas present to make ends meet after her partner was made redundant has told of her anger after the money she received turned out to be fake. Kris Davies took the decision to sell her two-month-old Nintendo
A burst water main in Oxford which forced the closure of a road has been fixed. A 6in Thames Water main burst in Oxford Road, Cowley, at about 2pm today. Workers dug up the road, between Littlehay Road and Havelock Road, and repaired the pipe. Traffic
Oxfordshire viewers have bombarded ITV with complaints over its new local television news programme, which covers much of South East England. Meridian Tonight merged together the former Thames Valley, ITV Meridian South and ITV Meridian South
A burst water main that forced the closure of a road has been fixed. A six-inch Thames Water main burst in Oxford Road, Cowley, at about 2pm today. Workers who dug up the road, between Littlehay Road and Havelock Road, have fixed the main. Traffic
OXFORDSHIRE viewers have bombarded ITV with complaints over its new local television news programme, which covers much of South East England. Meridian Tonight merged together the former Thames Valley, ITV Meridian South and ITV Meridian South
Faringdon Town scraped past Long Wittenham Athletic 2-1 in the North Berks Cup quarter-final. All the goals came in the first half with Derren Harrington blasting Faringdon into a second-minute lead. Tim Barton equalised for Long Wittenham, but Robbie
Hanborough ran out 2-1 winners at home to West Witney in the only Witney & District FA Premier Division game. Paul Rose and Lewis Clarke netted for the victors, with Louis Granga replying. Witney Wanderers beat Milton 4-3 in Division 1, with Roger
John Fathers Oxfordshire Junior Shield holders Ducklington’s reign came to a crushing end with a 5-1 battering by Witney & District FA Premier Division rivals Brize Norton in the quarter-finals. Dave Wanless led the way with a brace, and there were further
Tony Davison smashed a hat-trick as Arncott won 5-2 away at Kings Sutton in the Banbury District & Lord Jersey FA's Premier Division. Gary Lawton and Lewis Smith were their other scorers, with Stu Fleming and Ben Bossom on target for Kings Sutton. Sam
Jack Simmons scored all seven goals as Kings Sutton beat Yarnton Blues 7-5 in the Under 14 C League. Goals from George Knight (3), Andy Gillespie and Andy Stratford proved in vain for Yarnton. George Greening smashed a four-timer as Eynsham Youth ran
Dave Carter scored the equaliser as Oxford University Press twice battled back to salvage a 2-2 draw against Garsington. But the result did little to dent Garsington’s bid for the Premier Division title, as they still have four games in hand on leaders
King Alfred’s Community & Sports College stormed into the last eight of the ESFA Match! Under 12 Schools Cup with a 4-0 win at Ivybridge Community College, Plymouth. The seventh-round tie finally took place at the fourth attempt on an all-weather pitch
It proved a triple disappointment for the Oxford Mail Girls League representative sides when they travelled to Bristol. All three sides lost – the Under 10s going down 5-0, the Under 14s losing 8-0, with the Under 12s at least finding the net
OXFORD United are giving a helping hand to BMW workers and those who have been made redundant by offering cheaper tickets for this Saturday’s home game. Anyone who has worked or is working for BMW in 2009, or anybody who is currently unemployed
Campaigners were left “disappointed but unsurprised” after Oxfordshire county councillors voted unanimously to approve the building of a controversial bypass. Witney’s Cogges Link Road scheme (CLR) would see the construction of a £15m single carriageway
When does an ancient tree qualify for that description? It depends very much on the species, says David Kenny, who is the voluntary verifier for Oxfordshire for the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Hunt. A tree with a lifespan of hundreds of years will
The organisers of this year’s Mobility Roadshow are campaigning for bright new ideas and more innovation in future products to aid mobility and independent living. As part of their crusade, a new Innovation Zone at this year’s event will offer
Road safety checks in Oxford yesterday saw more than 140 drivers stopped for various offences. The checks, carried out by officers from across the Thames Valley Police area, were the start of the TISPOL (European Roads Policing Network) seatbelt enforcement
Police are investigating an arson after a fence was set alight in Carterton. Between 8pm and 9.30pm on Friday, two teenage boys were seen setting fire to the fence in Shilton Park. The fire damaged the fence and a nearby sign. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue
Teenage boys were spotted setting fire to a fence in Carterton. Police are appealing for witnesses to a blaze at Ash Avenue, in Shilton Park, between 8pm and 9.30pm on Friday. Two teenage boys were seen starting the fire which also damaged a nearby
New Yatt Riding for the Disabled Group – or NYRDA for short – is an independent charity operating from a dedicated equestrian centre in North Leigh. The charity was formed in 1984 and celebrates its Silver Jubilee this year. In 2002, they upgraded their
There is one national charity that offers vital support and information to anyone who has been affected in any way by crime. This organisation is called Victim Support. Trained staff and volunteers at Victim Support offer free and confidential information
A covert network of police cameras secretly tracking driver journeys and number plate details is to be almost doubled. Police will spend £1.2m on 34 new static automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras — at a cost of £35,000 each —
A covert network of police cameras secretly tracking driver journeys and number plate details is to be almost doubled. Police will spend £1.2m on 34 new static automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras — at a cost of £35,000 each —
Burglars who tried to break into a supermarket in Witney fled empty-handed after triggering an alarm. Police are appealing for witnesses after a glass door was smashed at Tesco Express, in Cogges Hill Road, at 4am on Saturday. Two of
A 22-year-old man suffered severe head injuries in an attack in a Witney bar. Police are appealing for witnesses to the assault at Norton’s Wine Bar, in Langdale Court, at 9pm on Saturday. The victim was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford
An underground chamber could be the reason a structure hailed as ‘Abingdon’s answer to the Tower of Pisa’ has been tilting more and more over the years. Engineers Hockley and Dawson spent a day carrying out exploratory work on the 88-year-old war memorial
Police are appealing for witnesses after an assault in a Witney wine bar. At about 9pm on Saturday, a 22-year-old man was assaulted in Norton’s Wine Bar in Langdale Court. He sustained a serious head injury and was taken to the John Radcliffe
Traders in Witney are fighting plans to change the former Woolworth’s site into a restaurant. More than 150 people from town centre cafés, restaurants and pubs have signed up to a campaign against site owner the Manny Davidson Trust’s request to change
AEA Technology 17 BMW 2011 Electrocomponents 134.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 112.5 Oxford Biomedica 7.25 Oxford Catalyst 60 Oxford Instruments 145 Reed Elsevier 510.25 RM 173.25 RPS Group 160.75 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
Thames Water has been ordered to pay £15,000 after a raw sewage leak killed hundreds of fish. Untreated sewage flowed into Emma’s Dyke, in Witney, killing about 650 fish in December 2007. Thames Water pleaded guilty at Banbury Magistrates
A blaze has ripped through a pub in Witney. Around 20 firefighters have been tackling the blaze at The Plough Inn, High Street, Witney, since 10.25pm yesterday. The fire raged through the first and second floors of the building.
A fire has ripped through a pub in Witney. Around 20 firefighters have been tackling the blaze at The Plough Inn, High Street, in Witney, since 10.25pm yesterday. The fire raged through the first and second floors of the building.
Thames Water has been ordered to pay £15,000 for a raw sewage leak which killed hundreds of fish. Untreated sewage flowed into Emma’s Dyke, in Witney, killing around 650 fish in December 2007. Thames Water pleaded guilty at Banbury Magistrates
Business editor Andrew Smith asked plant union convenor Bernard Moss, pictured, the key questions surrounding yesterday’s BMW crisis... What is your view on the redundancies? It is a sad day and the worst for me since 1992 when we effectively
Oxford United now know their next opponents this Saturday. The U’s will be at home to Mansfield Town in the Blue Square Premier, with the game brought forward from next Tuesday because neither club has a game. Havant & Waterlooville’s shock 2-0 victory
Oxford United’s stars are backing the petition set up by supporters demanding that the Conference overturns its decision to dock points from four clubs for fielding ineligible players. The U’s squad, including the player in question, Eddie
With the start of the Formula One season less than a month away Mercedes-Benz Retailers are hosting a Grand Prix weekend on February 21 and 22. Mercedes-Benz is offering complimentary upgrades, finance packages on new and used vehicles across
IN THE roller-coaster history of car building at Cowley, job cuts are nothing new. During the last national recession — technically defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth — the Rover Group, then owned by British Aerospace, called for
CHILD actor Adam Hargreaves is still willing to Climb Every Mountain in his quest for stardom as he wows audiences in The Sound of Music at the London Palladium. Ten-year-old Adam began his prolific stage career just three years ago with a role in An
BUSINESS Editor Andrew Smith asked plant union convenor Bernard Moss, pictured, the key questions surrounding yesterday’s BMW crisis... What is your view on the redundancies? It is a sad day and the worst for me since 1992 when we effectively
FOR every one of the 850 agency workers given the boot by BMW yesterday, another five will be affected. Men and women, some of whom have given as much as seven years service to the Cowley car plant, have partners, husbands and wives, sons and daughters
