MORE than 5,000 people descended on a south Oxfordshire farm at the weekend for one of the county’s best-loved music festivals. The 12th annual Truck Festival, at Hill Farm, in Steventon drew to a spectacular close tonight with a headline set
Oxford City’s Hannah England faces a nervous wait to see if she is in the Great Britain team for the World Championships in Berlin after finishing fourth in the 1500m at the Aviva London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace on Saturday. The British team for
Bradley Smith’s chances of winning the British 125cc Grand Prix ended when he crashed in a weather-hit race at Donington Park on Sunday. There were high hopes for the Oxfordshire 18-year-old star when he landed pole position with a brilliant performance
The Enstone-based Renault team have been suspended from the next Grand Prix in Valencia on Sunday, August 23 after a wheel from Fernando Alonso's car came loose at the Hungaroring on Sunday. The pit crew failed to attach Alonso's right front wheel correctly
Oxford seamer Jack Brooks claimed two Australian wickets on his first-class debut for Northants in a 135-run defeat. Brooks, who started his cricketing career at Tiddington, opened his account by bowling Andrew McDonald for 32 in Australia’s first innings
MILLIONS of pounds for new houses could be coming Oxford’s way under plans to let the city council keep money it collects from rent and property sales. Councils with their own housing stock are currently forced to hand all rent and 75 per cent of cash
David Smith and Paul McMahon set a record for Oxfordshire’s ninth-wicket stand on the opening day of their Minor Counties Championship Western Division clash against leaders Cornwall at Challow & Childrey. Smith, who hit his first Minor Counties Championship
CRICKET MINOR COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP Western Division Oxfordshire 351-8 (90 ovs, D Smith 129no, P McMahon 99no, R Kaufman 33, A Smeeth 3-47), Cornwall 39-2. SERIOUS CRICKET HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE Division 1
SATURDAY’S RESULTS 7.35: 1 PRETTY FANCY 5-2 jt fav, 2 Seems Like Magic 3-1. Trio: (5x2x3). Trainer: A Kibble. Time: 27.62. Farloe Vision (1) 5-2 jt fav. 7.50: 1 HOT ONTHE BUNNY 2-1 fav, 2 Knockanae Slippy 7-2. Trio: (6x3x4). Trainer: T Kibble. Time:
BANBURY Ben Birch, 21, of Cornwall Road, Banbury, admitted assault on March 29. Also admitted failing to surrender to the court on March 8, in Banbury. Given a conditional discharge for 24 months, and ordered to pay £70 costs. Terry Hedley
THE deputy leader of Oxfordshire County Council has become the first local representative to be elected head of an influential regional transport body. County councillor David Robertson has become chairman of the South East Regional Transport
RESIDENTS in Wolvercote say they have been kept in the dark about an inquiry that will determine whether a business park is built on their doorstep. They said they were given no notice by Oxford City Council that the Northern Gateway development at Pear
VISITORS to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford are being asked if possible not to arrive by car for the next six weeks, due to roadworks on a key access road starting today. The hospital is resurfacing a 150-metre stretch of road from the West Wing
If there’s one thing guaranteed to stop me watching television, it’s the ad breaks. You’d think then I’d be grateful to the people that make them. After all, aren’t they freeing me up to enjoy a world of infinitely more interesting possibilities? Well
THE BBC is always plugging its digital channels, so I thought I would check out what was on BBC3 one evening. The schedule included Boob Job – My Big Decision, Katie Price: The Jordan Years, and Underage and Pregnant. It made Sky One look intellectual
I WRITE regarding national servicemen medals. I would like to thank all the kind readers who responded to my letter (Oxford Mail, July 10) with such comprehensive information. Sadly, it appears I was in the wrong places at the wrong time to be included
THE mother of a premature baby given hours to live has spoken of her pride and relief in watching her son defeat the odds – and even dodge swine flu – as she prepares to celebrate his first birthday. Jardell Townsend weighed just 2lb when he was born
ANDREW Coles, equality representative for Unite, informs us that “We’re well into Pride season now, but he just can’t imagine many Tory activists taking to the streets in celebration of Britain’s lesbian and gay culture” (Oxford Mail letters, July 7).
I have just had a bag dropped through my letter-box, asking me to donate a bag of unwanted clothes to a commercial clothing collection company. In the small print it says they will donate “at least £75 per tonne of clothes collected” to the charity named
I read with amusement Richard Stevens’ letter (Oxford Mail July 21) published as it was on the day that it was revealed that government debt is at a record level. I have a feeling he’s in denial. The trouble with debt is that somebody has to lend the
THE silly season is upon us again, when our politicians are on their summer holidays and assume that we, the electorate, are so stupefied by sun, sea and sand that we can overlook their funny little foibles. Thus we have a local MP, John Howell, attempting
I AM writing to you regarding the closure of St Christopher’s School. I cannot believe they are planning to close this school and move it. My children attend the school and as a parent, my family and I have been treated very well by the headteacher
THE manager of an animal sanctuary saved just days from closure last night said he was “overwhelmed” by the show of public support at its annual open day. More than 200 people turned up at the Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary in Stadhampton yesterday, pledging
CHARLBURY stomped to the sound of 3,000 feet today, as it hosted its very first Race For Life. About 1,500 women took part in the joint 5km and 10km sponsored races around Cornbury Park. The event is expected to have raised an estimated £127,000 for
A FLOATING jetty for disabled sailors at a reservoir near Oxford is just weeks away from completion – the culmination of a massive community fundraising effort. For six years, campaigners have been battling to raise £500,000 to pay for the jetty, to
HUNDREDS of parents and their children enjoyed a day of fun in the sun in Oxford to help a support group for grieving families. Saturday’s event was held at the Oxsrad sports centre, in Marsh Lane, Marston, to raise money for the Grieving Parents Support
FUNDRAISERS stepped out – in unorthodox fashion – to help pay tribute to a little girl who lost her fight against a brain tumour and cerebral palsy. People donated hundreds of pounds as 16 Thong Rangers spent four hours making their way through Didcot
A brilliant all-round display from Damian Shirazi gave Banbury a convincing five-wicket victory at Potters Bar in Division 1 on Saturday. This win, plus a shock success for bottom club Farnham Royal over runaway leaders Henley, has reignited Banbury’
Aston Rowant maintained their winning streak with a convincing 113-run victory win away to Reading on Saturday to stay firmly in the Diviision 2 West title race. This was Rowant’s sixth success of the campaign – more than any other team in the division
Thame Town opener Sam Lachlan achieved a rare feat of carrying his bat through a completed innings, but could not stop his side going down to a five-wicket defeat against Falkland in Division 2 West. Lachlan, promoted to open, finished on 62 not out
A stern reaguard action by Joe Porter and Francois Vainker earned Oxford a battling draw in their Division 1 match at Tring Park. Oxford were staring defeat in the face at 151-7 after 42 overs in reply to Tring's formidable 273-5. But Porter (47no)
Alex Rhodes scored twice as an Oxford United XI turned in a good performance to win 2-0 at Brackley. He opened the scoring after 29 minutes when converting Alfie Potter's cross after a fine move down the right. And midway through the second half, after
Liam Hope’s second-half brace earned Didcot Town a rare 2-1 victory at Thatcham Town. Having failed to beat Thatcham in six previous league encounters over the past three years, Didcot again feared the worse when Jemel Johnson opened the scoring with
Lewis Hamilton was back on top of the podium after claiming his first victory since October's Chinese Grand Prix. The world champion took the chequered flag in a Hungarian Grand Prix overshadowed by Felipe Massa's accident in qualifying on
Michael Schumacher could make a surprise return to Formula One racing following Felipe Massa's crash, according to three-times world champion Nikki Lauda. In light of his injuries sustained during his accident in Saturday's qualifying session for the
A man who went missing from his home in Henley on Friday has been found. Police said today that Ian Simpson, 76, of Greys Green, Rotherfield Greys, was located by police officers in Chalfont St Peter yesterday evening. He was taken to
A man is recovering today after being treated by paramedics after a fire in a ground floor flat in Lake Street, off Abingdon Road, Oxford, on Friday night. Firefighters were called at around 7.20pm to deal with the small fire, which is believed to have
Arsonists are suspected of setting fire to a car in Ludlow Drive late last night, a spokesman for Oxfordshire fire and rescue said. Firefighters were called shortly before midnight to tackle the blaze, which completely destroyed one car. Police have
Firefighters tackled a house blaze which they said started in a kitchen cooker. Two fire crews were called the fire in Cholswell Road at around 5pm yesterday. No one was injured in the blaze.
A car fire near Spiceball Park is being treated as arson, a spokesman for Oxfordshire fire and rescue has said. Firefighters were called to a lane behind the park at around 4.45pm on Saturday. The car was on fire when they arrived and firefighters at
Fire crews were called to tackle an out-of-control barbecue blaze. Firefighters extinguished the fire at a house in Main Street, Merton, near Bicester, at around 4.45pm yesterday. A spokesman said a canister was ablaze and a second propane gas cylinder
