A MAN has been arrested after a suspected thief dressed as a doctor was spotted in a ward at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital. Hospital staff noticed a man wearing a stethoscope walking into patients’ rooms and searching their belongings at about 9.50am
Motorists faced delays on the M40 in Oxfordshire this evening as the Christmas getaway got under way. A crash, involving a lorry and a car, partially blocked the junction eight spur road to Oxford Traffic was also reported as slow on the northbound
VULNERABLE people who have been braving freezing temperatures on Oxford’s streets received a special Christmas meal today. Dozens of homeless men and women enjoyed the festive feast at the Asian Cultural Centre in Manzil Way, East Oxford. Billy Carella
WORSHIPPERS can visit city centre churches by bus on Christmas Day as Stagecoach offers a December 25 service for the first time. The bus company will operate its Route 1 service on an almost hourly basis from Blackbird Leys to central Oxford. This
A man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after armed police swooped on a car spotted in Lansdown Close, Easington, Banbury, yesterday at about 10.30pm by a police automatic number plate recognition system. The vehicle was wanted by Cambridgeshire
AEA Technology 27 BMW 2872 Electrocomponents 164.1 Gladstone 29.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 80.5 Oxford Biomedica 11.5 Oxford Catalysts 50.5 Oxford Instruments 201 Reed Elsevier 505.75 RM 163 RPS Group 217.4 Courtesy of redmayne
Whatever your views about the pros and cons of Oxford Airport growing into the world of scheduled flying — and there was an anti-noise demonstration the day before the first ever international scheduled flight took off from there last week — one point
ANA SAMPSON describes how her nostalgic anthology was born Like many people, I didn’t really enjoy poetry at school. In the light of this admission, it may seem a little odd that I have just written a book called I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud. . .and
Peter Bowler’s wonderful collection The Completely Superior Person’s Book of Words (Bloomsbury, £14.99) has some good examples: Bezonian, Engastrimyth, Laevorotatory, Smatchet, Unthirlable. Commit a few of these to memory – with their meanings, of course
SUTTON Courtenay angler Phil Bennett had the shock of his life while spinning for pike and perch on his local pit. He cast his spinner out into the lake and had just started to retrieve it when he felt a slight pluck on the line and immediately struck
THE severe cold weather last Sunday meant that several matches were either cancelled or moved to other venues. The Thames was pushing through and the colour had dropped out of it for the 11 anglers who fished the Dorchester AC Christmas match. Using
Farmoor's Christmas match attracted 41 hardy souls despite the freezing weather. Fishing was good considering the conditions, with 99 fish being caught, giving a rod average of 2.4. Welsh angler Matthew Griffiths was top rod on the day with ten fish
DON Quarterman top-scored with 13 dolls as Oxford Gas steamed to a 4-2 win over Cricketers in the New Club Wheatley Winter League. RESULTS New Club Wheatley Winter League: Oxford Gas 4, Cricketers 2; Veterans 4, New Club B 2; Hazels Nuts 2, Black Horse
Kennington reached the three’s competition final in the Johnsons Buildbase Oxford League with a 5-1 victory over Democrats at Berinsfield, writes PETE EWINS. Pauline Withey started the ball rolling with a 4,950-2,610 win over Bob Parsons. Mark Trafford
THE Boxing Day bonanza at Oxford Stadium expects its biggest attendance of the year as punters get out in the fresh air to see off the worst of the festive excesses. There is a full 12 card which gets under way at 11am with the last race 2pm. Nick
Michael Peterson has set out his stall in the trainers championship and goes into the last two meetings of the year with a lead of five points over Angie Kibble. He is still hot favourite to land his first title and has 22 runners against Kibble's 18
ALAN Green scored an impressive hat-trick as Oxford City Stars thumped Milton Keynes Thunder 8-3 in Division 1 South of the English National League. Despite the scoreline, the first period was a tight affair. Although Stars had the better of the play
AMY Hadden and Sarah Poulter both notched trebles as Oxford City Midnight Stars cruised to a 9-1 victory over Telford in Midlands Division 1 of the Women’s League. Telford came to Oxpens Road with something to prove after a 9-3 mauling on their own ice
BRYAN Claringbold and David Pimm finished 12th representing Great Britain in the Audi quattro World Final in Australia. Claringbold and Pimm, from Frilfiord Heath, competed over 36-holes on two consecutive days at the New South Wales Golf Club in Sydney
Simon Fisher led home the pack when Abingdon Amblers held their annual club half marathon at Wootton. Braving freezing weather conditions, Fisher won the race in 1hr 24mins 44secs. Nic Hamilton was third to win the vet 40 category, while Sarah Matthews
Teeanger Patrick Lay, from Bampton, finished second in the Easykart E Plate Championship – his final race of 2009 at the Clay Pigeon Raceway in Dorset. But the runners-up spot saw the 14-year-old crowned junior Easykart Vice Open Plate champion. Lay
A joint operation between Thames Valley Police and the Metropolitan Police Service has led to four people being charged with distraction burglaries. Michael Henge, 37, of Bicester, Patrick Nolan, 46, of Hampton, Middlesex, Bridget Todd, 34, of Uxbridge
A fired-up Michael Schumacher is ready to put Formula One's young guns in their place as he chases an eighth world title next year. There was a sparkle in Schumacher's eye as he announced he was stepping out of retirement after three years
Thames Valley Police said today they had received thousands of calls following the severe weather. On Monday, the Control Rooms and Enquiry Department (CR&ED), received more than 8,000 calls, which is an increase of 107 per cent compared
Police today appealed for information after three burglaries in the Wantage area. Between 10am on Friday and 3.30pm on Saturday, burglars broke into a house in Kennet Close and stole Christmas presents, including electrical items. A
So we are in to the quiet season now, pub quizzes on hold, no KBDG meetings and Chuffer off to Malta for three weeks (or is it four?). Well I did have a little mini-break in Stratford-upon-Avon last week, the nearest thing to doing anything theatrical
An Oxfordshire police officer today warned people that possession of some so-called ‘legal highs’ could lead to prosecution. The chemical solvent gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), known as liquid ecstasy, will become a class-C drug. This drug is sometimes
A NEW inspector for one of Oxford’s most vibrant and diverse areas has vowed to continue listening to the community. Insp John Linsdell has taken over the East Oxford Area, which is made up of St Clement’s, Iffley Fields and Cowley, and covers both Iffley
Waste and recycling collections in some areas of West Oxfordshire were suspended today due to icy road conditions. A spokesman for West Oxfordshire District Council said this was a particular problem in the higher areas of the district.
YOBS who hurled giant plant pots on to railway lines and damaged buildings with graffiti during a night of attacks have been warned their vandalism could have cost lives. Three giant planters were smashed and thrown on to tracks at Shipton-under-Wychwood
FOR the second time this year, parts of Oxfordshire and the South East have been gripped by winter – and also for the second time this year, the ‘why oh why’ brigade have been in full voice, bemoaning Britain’s alleged inability to cope with snow
EVERY New Year’s Eve the same tired old friends shrug their shoulders and suggest the night is always a let down, so its better not to bother - so sit together in a pub and have a nice quiet time. But if there is one night of the year when
Seven-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher is back. The motor-racing legend has signed a three-year contract to drive in 2010 with the Brackley-based Mercedes GP team, ending three years in retirement. Schumacher said:
AEA Technology 27 BMW 2884 Electrocomponents 164.9 Gladstone 29.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 78 Oxford Biomedica 11.4 Oxford Catalyst 50.5 Oxford Instruments 204.5 Reed Elsevier 507.25 RM 162.75 RPS Group 217 Courtesy of Redmayne
A MOBILE play scheme for disabled children and adults has been awarded £50,000 by the Big Lottery Fund. The Oxfordshire Playbus scheme will use the cash to buy a new sensory bus. Its last vehicle broke down more than a year ago and is now beyond repair
Michael Schumacher's return to Formula One is due to be officially confirmed today by Brackley-based Mercedes GP. Schumacher is understood to have signed a one-year contract, with an option for a further season, ending three years in retirement
Police warned drivers to take extra care and pay attention to road and weather conditions on their journeys today. Head of Roads Policing for Thames Valley Police, Supt Rob Povey, said: “There have already been a number of collisions this
James Constable, Oxford United’s top scorer, says he’s desperate to make up for lost time in the big Boxing Day battle against Rushden & Diamonds. The 18-goal striker missed United’s last match, against Hayes & Yeading in the FA Trophy. And with last
David says: The car that defined the hot hatch generation is heading stylishly into middle age. It is hard to believe that it was back in mid-March 1973 that a small group of Volkswagen engineers first mooted a sports version of the forthcoming
FIREFIGHTERS put out two car fires in Oxford this morning. Fire crews were called to Oxford Road in Littlemore at 1.33am, and then to Mallard Close, Blackbird Leys, at 3.11am. Thames Valley Police have been informed about both incidents.
Police today issued a warning about hazardous driving conditions on the M40 in Oxfordshire. The alert was issued early today about the road in both directions between junction six at Watlington and junction seven after a number of vehicles
Police today renewed an appeal to a fatal collision on the A41. At approximately 8.15am on Monday, November 30, a large blue DAF box van towing a trailer and a silver Vauxhall Astra collided on the A41 between Waddesdon and Woodham, at the junction
OXFORDSHIRE'S education chief has reacted to news that the United Learning Trust (ULT) will no longer provide sponsorship for a proposed academy at Oxford School. The trust has informed ministers it will no longer sponsor the plans for the
SOME train services in north Oxfordshire have been cancelled due to bad weather this morning. Chiltern Railways has cancelled a number of services, including the 8am Banbury to London Marylebone service and 11.13am and 11.44am from Bicester North to
BRIGHT sunshine and highs of two degrees are expected today, although the Met Office predicts heavy rain this evening and into tomorrow morning. Rain is expected to clear on Christmas Day, which is likely to be cloudy and cold with temperatures of up
Thousands of online shoppers have been warned they may not receive their goods by Christmas after snow crippled some deliveries. Royal Mail said it is doing "everything possible" to ensure the post arrives on time. But it said the "severe
Brackley-based Mercedes GP remain silent amid claims Michael Schumacher is to make a famous return to Formula One for next season. No official word was forthcoming from the team in the wake of a report that stated the seven-times world champion had
THE United Learning Trust (ULT) has withdrawn its plans to turn Oxford School into an academy. The trust has withdrawn its sponsorship for the Oxfordshire school and another in Northamptonshire to concentrate on it's existing academies. Schools Secretary
Nathan Skelton scored a brace on his debut as Oxfordshire Under 18s made the semi-finals of the Mick Parry Memorial Trophy for the first time in three years with a 2-1 victory away to Dorset. It set up a last-four tie against Wiltshire in February.
ICY roads in west Oxfordshire mean Stagecoach's S3 bus route is unable to serve Cornish Road in Chipping Norton, Chadlington, Spelsbury, Combe, Stonesfield and Fawler at present. In addition, routes 488 and 489 are unable to serve Cornish Road
THIEVES have made off with an orphan’s Christmas and birthday presents. Sabrena Afridi, who turned six yesterday, was hoping to celebrate with friends and her adoptive family after a tough year spent battling an incurable and life-threatening
Sir – Rosamund Weatherall (Letters, December 10) is right to say that littering from vehicles is not acceptable and I can assure her that in Cherwell we put significant resources into keeping verges and lay-bys clean. We have dedicated staff who spend
Sir – Peter Howell, most valiant defender and protector of Oxford’s buildings, is right (Letters, December 10) that Rick Mather’s revised Keble Acland designs will incorporate “Only the taller part containing the entrance” of Sir Thomas Jackson
We are pleased to report the heartwarming story of Carter Romeo who is able to hear clearly this Christmas thanks to a new surgical procedure at the John Radcliffe Hospital. Carter has benefited from National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines
The Low Carbon West Oxford group deserves huge congratulations for its project to pilot renewable energy in this part of the city. The award of a £500,000 grant to fund its work is recognition of its creative and dynamic response to the floods of two
Sir – I’ve just read your intriguing item about Pope Benedict (Report, December 10) and felt the need to mention that while he will become the first reigning pontiff to visit Oxford, he is not the first pope with links to the city. Nicholas Brakespear
Sir – The introduction of 20mph speed limits in areas of London has contributed towards a 50 per cent reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured on the roads. Research published online in the British Medical Journal examined
Sir – As a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists it was disappointing to note that Oxfordshire County Council is continuing to pursue its aim of reintroducing the Locomotive Act and the practice of requiring any motorised vehicle to be preceded
Sir – I saw an article in the national press which reported that a city (London, I think) had introduced a fine of £50 for dog owners whose dogs fouled the streets. It inevitably took my mind back to the notorious matchstick-littering incident in Oxford
Sir – Following the letter which you printed on November 20, I have now carefully adjusted my own aerial connections so that I can receive all the digital channels, as I could in the past. But the fact remains that many ITV channels, to be exact all
Champagne and sparkling wine for Christmas and New Year — what could be better? After all, everyone loves Champagne. This mixed case is ideal for greeting relatives and friends during the Christmas period and is of course perfect for toasting in the New
Sir – The “A415 Action Group” has been formed by Standlake residents in order to present the views of the people of Standlake and protest against Oxfordshire County Council’s proposal to reroute via a new Thames river crossing, huge and unacceptable amounts
Sir – When the Oxford Area Arts Council took over the Fire Station in the early 1970s I had the job of day-to-day running of the place as a community arts centre. It was obvious to me at the time that the people willing to come to hire the rooms to
Sir – David Hills’s claims (Letters, December 17) that the University of Oxford did not hold a competition for architects to submit designs for the buildings on the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter (ROQ) are simply not true. The University
Sir – Chris Koenig’s piece on the sad demise of the Lord Nuffield Club, formerly known as Morris Motors Athletic Club, (Business, November 19) made for depressing reading. In reality I believe that the main responsibility for this should really
Sir – How odd for councillor Michael Waine (Letters, December 17) to criticise your correspondent, Martin Sheldon. The only reason St Christopher’s is not part of the academy proposals for Oxford Community School is a hard-fought campaign by the parents
Sir – May I draw to your readers’ attention that in my experience as a daily commuter that during rush hour in St Giles the 20mph limit is almost universally ignored? Those that do try to adhere to it risk beeping horns and dangerous driving from
Sir – With reference to Reg Little’s article OFS revamp major threat to arts in the city (December 11), the board of OVADA (Oxford Visual Arts Development Agency) are concerned to clarify some issues in respect of our position regarding the Old Fire
OXFORD will not get its £100m flood relief channel – protecting thousands of homes – until it gets hit with more floods. Environment Agency (EA) bosses, who want to build the channel to the west of the city to protect about 2,120 floodplain properties
Here we are at Christmas Eve and I wonder whether you are one of the bodies still dashing up and down the High Street getting those last gifts or are you smug and snug at home, everything in its place, all ready to go? Either way, I hope
Answers to the wine quiz: 1 Rustenberg; 2 England; 3 Rootstock; 4 Tokaji; 5 Italy; 6 Lagares; 7 En Primeur; 8 Ull de Llebre; 9 Enologist; 10 González-Byass; 11 New Zealand; 12 Nebbiolo; 13 Vin; 14 Latour; 15 Rosé. Taking the first letter of each
Blackbirds feeding on insects and on the berries on shrubs and plants in gardens are a familiar sight in autumn and winter. While many householders might think they are the same blackbirds, it is not always the case, as blackbirds are migratory birds
A 70-YEAR-OLD man made a dramatic escape after falling through the ice of his frozen lake. Peter Baring was testing the strength of the ice on the lake at his home in Ardington, near Wantage, on Monday at 9.40am. After making it halfway
A NUMBER of Chiltern Railways trains between Oxfordshire and London will not run tomorrow morning, due to the adverse weather conditions, the firm said tonight. The services that will not operate are: 6.10am London Marylebone-Banbury
