OXFORD United bloodied their two new signings at Forest Green last night, but it was a stunning goal from James Constable and a 14-minute hold-up when the lights went out that the fans were talking about most. Constable, handed the captain's armband
Oxford United were left in the dark as a local power cut plunged them and everyone in Forest Green's New Lawn Stadium into darkness. The lights went out after 42 minutes with the U's leading 1-0 thanks to a fantastic goal from James Constable, but they
The floodlights have come back on and the remaining four minutes of the first-half between Forest Green Rovers and Oxford United are now being played. Oxford lead 1-0 thanks to James Constable's superb strike.
Oxford United lead 1-0 at Forest Green tonight - but a floodlight failure has put the match in doubt. James Constable fired Chris Wilder's side ahead with a superb effort, only for power to cut off the whole village. Eye-witnesses said that they could
PLANS are being drawn up to close Wantage Civic Hall during the mornings to try to stem losses of £215,000 a year. Morning users of the hall, in Portway, have reacted with dismay to the announcement and fear they will be left without a venue for their
NEW striker Francis Green went straight into the starting line-up at Forest Green tonight, with fellow loan capture Onome Sodje named as one of the subs. Adam Murray was not included in the team or on the bench, with manager Chris Wilder simply giving
Mark Bradstock has high hopes Carruthers will run a big race for his Letcombe Bassett stables, near Wantage, in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday. The six-year-old gelding, one of the leading novices last term, made a satisfactory reappearance
Goalkeeper Michael Anderson, a member of the Oxford United Football and Education Academy, bids for a place in the England Colleges FA squad at Lilleshall this weekend. The 18-year-old from Bicester takes part in the national squad trial
Aaron Barrett scored a double in Corner House’s 5-2 win against North Oxford Conservative Club in the Premier Division of the RT Harris Oxford City FA. Michael Steers, Jamie Brackett and Byron Jose (penalty) got their others. Nuffield Arms beat Oxford
Iain Horner crashed home the late winner for KEA in their thrilling 4-3 victory at Steeple Aston in Banbury District & Lord Jersey FA Premier Division. A hat-trick from Sam Donaldson had put KEA seemingly in control, only for Steeple to level. Earlier
BOYS at one of Oxfordshire’s top schools are set to answer to a woman headteacher for the first time in its 750-year history. Felicity Lusk will become the first woman to lead Abingdon School when she takes over the reins in September next year. Her
Hanborough staged a dramatic fightback to book their place in the third round of the Witney & District FA's Fred Ford Cup with a 6-5 extra-time victory at Minster Lovell. It looked all over as the hosts raced into a 4-0 lead, with Ben Tew grabbing a
Abingdon United saw off North Leigh 4-1 in the Allied Counties Youth League North Division. Conor Hunt put Abingdon in front, and a strike from Chris Howells doubled the lead. Nick Christodoulou made it 3-0, before Jordan Marsh added No 4 15 minutes
Callum Mackinnon scored twice to clinch a 4-1 victory for Oxford City at Spalding United in the Conference Youth Football Alliance Cup. Mackinnon was involved in the move which saw City open the scoring in the 42nd minute when he flicked on
A BARMAN who “borrowed” money from the till at Abingdon Conservative Club and then fiddled the accounts to cover his tracks has been spared jail. Peter Baskerville, 60, of Ash Gate, Abingdon, took cash from the bar he was running and then falsified figures
Harwell Village Res, from North Berks League Division 3, defeated Stoke Road Legion 9-8 on penalties after their Berks And Bucks Junior Cup second-round tie ended 3-3 after extra time. Des Healy, Neal Smith and Eddie Yarker scored for Harwell. East
Lee Spencer smashed a seven-timer for Donnington who thrashed Iffley Harriers 13-1 in the second round of the Autotype UTV League Ridgeway Cup. Craig Gilboy grabbed a brace, with Nathan Poyser, Ryan Coles, Nick Andrews and Ian Smith also on target.
THE partner of Oxford surveyor Chris Wheeler, who died after getting trapped under his kayak in the flooded River Dart, on Dartmoor, Devon, on Saturday, paid an emotional tribute to him. Julia Hopkinson, his partner of 14 years, said Mr Wheeler, 46,
AN INQUIRY has been launched after a light aircraft crash-landed at an Oxfordshire airfield. Emergency services were called to Chalgrove Airfield, off the B480, shortly after 1pm yesterday after a Beech 200 plane carried out a controlled crash landing
Research Machines did the Autotype UTV League proud by storming to a 6-0 at Reading Sunday League Division 2 outfit Turnpike Sports. Mike Connolly notched a double – his first goals for the club – in the second-round victory, with Stu Coppock, Alex
Saxton Rovers were pushed all the way at Lambourn Sports before winning 5-3 to maintain their perfect start to the season in North Berks League Division 1, writes Phil Annets. Paul Churchouse (2), Danny Parry, Ben Sutton and Matt Shelton scored for
YOUNG artist Petra Bachrati will have her work seen by hundreds of people this festive season. The 10-year-old won a camera when her design was picked as the best in a competition run at St Andrew’s Primary School, in Headington, Oxford. It will now
I turned 38 last week. Yes 38, still single, and still, as my dear co-hosts reminded me, a loser in life’s ‘find a hubby lottery’. So, after observing an appropriate period of self pity and depression over still being a singleton (roughly a minute
LANGUAGE schools and colleges across Oxford could be forced to close if proposed clampdowns on student visas go ahead. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced a review of student visas in an attempt to cut down on immigrants using courses as a cover
AFC Hinksey stormed to their ninth straight Division 1 win with a 3-0 success against Slade Farm United. Micheas Herbert, Toby Webster and substitute Martino Ventriglia were on target. Tim Stevens got a late winner for Yarnton in their 2-1 win against
Bletchingdon bowed out in the first round of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup following a 3-2 defeat by Hellenic League Premier Division side Carterton. Trailing 3-1, it looked all over for the Senior League Premier Division side, only for Jonny Richards to
Over the past 10 years, I have seen standards of driving slip to an all-time low. There is bad parking on yellow lines and in disabled spaces, people talking on mobile phones, no indicating, and even people allowed to leave their cars on the footpath
I WRITE in response to the letter regarding antisocial student behaviour (Oxford Mail, November 18). This problem also occurs in Valentia Road, with taxis coming and going all night, and students banging doors, shouting, swearing, and smoking. It is
RESIDENTS are calling for homeless people to be moved on again from a former rubbish tip in Jackdaw Lane (Oxford Mail, November 18). Some people just won’t leave the homeless alone. Instead of having a grudge against them, why don’t they go down and
THE flood work carried out in Abingdon by the Environment Agency is timely indeed, given what has occured in Cumbria. Let’s just hope it prevents a similar deluge occurring here. PETE COLLINS, Abingdon
The Channel 4 programme Dispatches last week provided a very interesting insight into how lobbying groups, some representing foreign interests, even governments, influence our foreign policy by bankrolling politicians, obviously with strings attached.
Cherwell (Oxford) marched on in the ESFA Under 14 Premier League Schools’ Cup with a 3-0 home win over Blessed George Napier (Banbury) in the fourth round. Adriel George, Kyam Walls and Michael Raff grabbed the goals which took Cherwell into the last
Vale of White Horse Under 13s paid the price for a disastrous start as they went down 3-2 to North Dorset in the Meeson League at Shaftesbury Sports College. North Dorset took the lead after just 25 seconds, and a minute later a wind-assisted shot flew
THE widow of a bomb disposal expert killed in Afghanistan called on the country to show more support for troops as she paid a powerful tribute to her “warrior” husband at his funeral today. Christina Schmid told the congregation at Truro Cathedral, in
THIRTY-ONE varieties of cask ale kept 600 drinkers refreshed at the Wantage Beer Festival. The event at the Masonic Hall on Friday and Saturday featured a number of locally brewed beers, incuding Penelope, from Grove, Dr Hexter’s Healer, named after
ROYAL British Legion members once again lined an Oxford street today to salute a soldier killed in Afghanistan. RBL standards were dipped in salute as the coffin of Sgt Robert Loughran-Dickson, of the Royal Military Police, passed along Headley Way,
A DIDCOT sixth-former has been named the top young biologist in the county at a ceremony at Oxford’s Museum of Natural History. Claire Thompson was presented with the Sixth Form Biologist 2009 award by the Oxford Independent and State School Partnership
Oxford Mail Girls League A brace from Millie Harris helped Tower Hill Vixens to a 3-0 victory over Thame in the Under 12 League. Her first goal came when Amy Williamson’s shot was blocked, but Harris fired home the rebound. Williamson scored the
Hannah Smye scored twice and won a penalty as Oxford City hammered Swindon Town 5-1 in the South West Combination League. Lauren Carnell put City ahead with a 26th-minute penalty after Smye had been fouled and Steph Mobbs doubled their lead from 18 yards
WHERE can you take your baby in the morning, chat to pensioners at lunchtime, learn to read all afternoon and dance your way to fitness in the evening? From cradle to grave, community centres offer a wealth of activities and opportunities to keep neighbourhoods
ANGRY neighbours are fighting back against a fresh attempt to build student flats in East Oxford. Developers have already been turned down twice by city councillors and once by a Government planning inspector in their bid build a block of student flats
AN OXFORDSHIRE charity that helps severely disabled people communicate with the world has been given a helping hand. Printing firm Webmart, in Wedgwood Road, Bicester, has donated £12,000 to Charlbury charity Special Effect. The money will be used to
WALLINGFORD’S former Waitrose store is finally up for sale, but the district council has abandoned its attempt to redevelop the site. The 20,000 sq ft site in St Martin’s Street has been empty for four years since the supermarket moved to new premises
TWO cinema projectionists who loaded reels at Wallingford’s Corn Exchange for nearly 30 years have shown their last film. Richard Watts, of Pound Lane, Cholsey, started at the Market Place theatre in 1980, when blockbusters included The Empire Strikes
Blenheim Palace has won a silver award in a scheme set up to encourage businesses to go green. It became the 2,000th member of the Green Tourism Business Scheme, after taking measures such as introducing low energy lighting and putting timers on fountains
A WOMAN with epilepsy and learning difficulties has been honoured for looking after elderly people for more than 10 years. Managers at Townsend House in Headington, Oxford, which is run by the Order of St John Care Trust, praised the hard work of volunteer
THEY may wear traditional habits and dedicate their lives to God but the nuns of Holy Trinity Monastery, in East Hendred, also have a hi-tech calling. The sisters have set up their own company, the Veil Press, to providing print and web design services
RAF Brize Norton has admitted it may have contacted pubs in west Oxfordshire in the past to tell them not to serve soldiers in uniform. Pubs in Carterton and Witney have claimed they have had orders from the nearby RAF base, but until now the base has
A FOOTBALL team has celebrated two years of helping people with learning disabilities – and is now looking to expand its activities. When the Oxford City Casuals was set up by Oxford City Football Club two seasons ago, organisers hoped to attract about
BROADCASTING legend Sir Terry Wogan was given a hero’s welcome by hundreds of fans when he dropped into an Abingdon book store. The Radio 2 presenter was in town to sign copies of his latest book, Where Was I?!: The World According to Wogan
Ollie the Ox’s Kids Club: Christmas Crafts and New Year Cheer, Tuesday 22 December - Thursday 24 December at the Museum of Oxford 22 & 23 December: 2.00pm - 3.30pm 24 December: 10.30am - 12.00pm Get into the festive spirit by making
Giles Sports Witney Youth League Liam Felstead hit a four-timer as Carterton beat Wychwood 6-0 in the Under 9 Blue League. Tyler Flagge and Ben Stephens were also on target. Leaders Ducklington defeated Tower Hill Stars 6-0, thanks to a hat-trick from
Christmas at Oxford Castle, until Thursday 24 December at the Oxford Castleyard Oxford Castle will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland this Christmas with a giant Christmas tree Watch out for a possible appearance by Santa too!
Oxford Printmakers, until Sunday 10 January 2010 at the O3 Gallery, Oxford A group show for Christmas by the Oxford Printmakers Free admission www.o3gallery.co.uk
Father Christmas Letters, until Sunday 3 January 2010 at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History / Pitt Rivers Museum 10.00am - 5.00pm Every day (except Christmas closure) Look out for postboxes in the Museums and delve deep
Oxford Art Society Christmas Exhibition, until Wednesday 23 December at Art Jericho Oxford Art Society Members' Poetry Evening & Workshop for children. Event is free. Further details from Art Jericho. The gallery is in
Oxford United have made their second signing in 24 hours with striker Francis Green arriving on loan from Kettering with a view to a permanent deal. The 29-year-old forward can play up front or on either wing. He began his career
Winter Warmer Trail, until Saturday 20 February 2010 at the Museum of Oxford 10.00am - 5.00pm Tuesday to Saturday Gallery based trail for families Tickets: £1 which includes a souvenir prize www.museumofoxford.gov.uk
'Boar's Head' Creation Station, until Saturday 2 January 2010 at the Museum of Oxford 10.00am - 5.00pm Tuesday to Saturday Simple crafts for families to do together. Make your own Boar's Head hatband in honour of a Christmas
Donington Park still has the potential to host next year's British Grand Prix, according to the circuit's leasing company's chief executive Simon Gillett. Although Silverstone chiefs claim they are close to agreeing a 10-year staging agreement to
The Big Botanic Christmas Tree, until 3 January 2010 at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden 10.00am - 4.00pm See a naturally decorated Christmas Tree. Look for Christmas spices in the glasshouses at weekends. Entry
THIS year’s winter princess, Eleanor Scammell, will be a star at Witney’s Christmas lights switch-on. On Friday, the town centre will be bright with coloured lights, following the switch-on by Witney MP David Cameron at 7pm. Father Christmas
Police today appealed for a witness to a crash in Cumnor to come forward. Officers were called to the crash scene at 7.35pm on Tuesday, November 3, after a silver Nissan Primera crashed into a hedge on the Eaton Road, at the junction with the unclassified
A BARMAN who “borrowed” money from the till at Abingdon Conservative Club — and then fiddled the accounts to cover his tracks — has been spared jail. Peter Baskerville, 60, of Ash Gate, Abingdon, took money from the bar he was running and then
Largest selection of quality Christmas trees in the area Easy parking A splendid array of Christmas decorations and foods Yatty’s Yuletide Yummies (winter warm fayre, weekends only) Open from Friday November 27th 9.00am
Celebrate this Christmas in traditional Victorian opulence, amidst carol singers and magicians, surrounded by bedecked Christmas trees and glittering candleabras, whilst supping mulled wine and enjoying a traditional 3 course banquet. A
Santa Specials steam hauled trains with Furness Railway Trust's 'Cumbria'. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 & 20 December 2009 The Cholsey and Wallingford Railway always celebrate Christmas in a traditional and family friendly way, so why not join us
A veggie Christmas is not all nut-roast and lentils. If you want to avoid the traditional turkey, try these great festive recipes from the Vegetarian Society's Christmas Kitchen! TO START Courgette Christmas Candles Makes 12–14
The top boss of an Oxfordshire software firm has said the resilience of the business will see it through the recession. Turnover at Wallingford-based Gladstone increased by two per cent to £9.73m in the year ended August 31, which chairman and chief
Want to get away from the Christmas crush in crowded high streets? Then why not try looking for individual gifts in one of Oxfordshire's historic market towns. Woodstock's individual shops and galleries always have beautiful Christmas offerings
AEA Technology 24.75 BMW 2991 Electrocomponents 170.4 Gladstone 29 Nationwide Accident Repair 79.5 Oxford Biomedica 12.75 Oxford Catalyst 53.5 Oxford Instruments 228 Reed Elsevier 475 RM 164.5 RPS Group 201.6 Courtesy
It's party time! No excuses, don't sit back and wait for everyone else to play host - do it yourself. And if the thought of organising a party on top of all the other Christmas preparations makes you recoil in horror, just follow our guide to make
FAMILY and friends have paid their respects to a Didcot-based bomb disposal expert killed in Afghanistan. The funeral of Olaf Schmid took place at Truro Cathedral this morning. Staff Sgt Schmid, 30, served with 11 Explosive Ordnance
Environment Agency flood watch warnings were today removed from two rivers in West Oxfordshire. The warnings had been issued for the River Evenlode from Moreton-in-Marsh to Cassington, including Kingham, Milton-under-Wychwood, Shipton-under-Wychwood
A racing car engine developed by an Oxfordshire firm is being used as part of an attempt on the World Land Speed Record. The 4.2-litre unit made by Menard Competition Technologies at Leafield for the Superleague championship will be tested by Richard
THIRTY-ONE varieties of cask ale kept 600 people refreshed at the Wantage Beer Festival last weekend. About a third of the ales were local ones. Top on drinkers’ lists were Penelope, brewed in Grove, Dr Hexter’s Healer, named after the
A light aircraft has crash landed at an Oxfordshire airfield. Emergency services were called to Chalgrove Airfield, off the B480, shortly after 1pm yesterday after a Beech 200 plane carried out a controlled crash landing. The pilot, believed to be
The theme of the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed – provisionally to be held on 2010 2-4 – will be ‘Viva Veloce! – The Passion for Speed’. This theme celebrates Italy’s all-consuming fascination with motor racing, and its global influence on the sport
Drivers are facing delays on the A40 outside Oxford this morning following a crash between a bicycle and a motorbike. The accident happened shortly after 6.30am at the Eynsham roundabout. David Staines, a spokesman for Thames Valley Police, said the
Oxford United’s new loan signing, Onome Sodje, will go straight into their squad for tonight’s Blue Square Premier game at Forest Green Rovers. Manager Chris Wilder has also been boosted by Mark Creighton recovering from the tight hamstring
TWO years ago, the people of Abingdon were cruelly slurred when a national newspaper claimed they had snubbed troops serving their country. Photos of seemingly empty streets in the town were published. The truth was very different but, unfortunately
THREE cheers for Her Majesty giving Catherine Masters the birthday present she really wanted as she turned 110. Katie, as Mrs Masters is known, hit the headlines last year when she complained the Queen had been wearing the same yellow dress
FRIENDS and colleagues last night paid tribute to a canoeing “legend” who died after getting trapped under his kayak in a flooded river. Chris Wheeler, 46, a member of Abingdon’s Kingfisher Canoe Club, was pulled from the River Dart, near Newton
