Archive

  • COMMENT: Good luck Gulshat

    Best wishes to Gulshat Kadyrova, who is embarking on a sponsored walk that will be a true challenge. The 10-year-old, who was born without hip sockets, is walking two miles to raise money for a new life-saving operation. Oxford Mail readers were so

  • Ashmolean unveils new cast gallery

    OXFORD’S very own Venus De Milo has had her home at the Ashmolean Museum refurbished. The museum’s world-famous Cast Gallery, which includes exact replicas of the iconic statue and Rome’s Trajan’s Column, has been united with the rest of the

  • Man punched in homophobic attack

    A man was knocked to the grounded and punched in the face during a homophobic incident outside an Oxford pub. The 22-year-old was standing outside the Castle Tavern, in Paradise Street, at about 10.35pm on Wednesday while smoking with friends when he

  • Sex charges denied

    A 21-year-old man has denied three sex assault charges. Musa Camara denied charges of rape, a serious sexual assault and a sexual assault when he appeared at Oxford Crown Court today. The charges relate to an incident in Witney on June 30. Camara,

  • Adams's boys are in form

    Marc Richards (pictured), who has scored seven times already this season, has been on fire for Port Vale in recent weeks. Along with former Oxford United striker Justin Richards, he has formed a really deadly partnership, the two bagging 12

  • Talent finalists face their big night

    YOUNG performers will battle it out tomorrow night in the grand final of Talent Oxford 2010. Seven months after the first auditions, 17 finalists have been chosen from more than 500 entrants taking their first steps on the road to stardom.

  • Franks reveals great relief

    Leigh Franks admitted relief as well as delight at his debut against Cheltenham. The 19-year-old centre back, who took over from the injured Mark Creighton, said: “There were a few high and low points for me. “The deflection over Ryan

  • Student super-glued himself to friends in climate demo

    A CLIMATE change protester from Faringdon super-glued himself to other campaigners on the Royal Bank of Scotland’s trading room floor. Performance art student Chico Carino, 23, left, of Faringdon Road, pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates

  • School cook celebrates 25 years of feeding Didcot's children

    A COOK has been applauded for dishing out school meals to Didcot children for 25 years. Sue Dodd, 55, has cooked for Lydalls Nursery School for 15 years and has been honoured for making an outstanding contribution by the Oxfordshire Local Education

  • Gay Imam to talk at Meco Muslim centre

    A GAY Muslim Imam will be the latest guest of honour at a faith group. Imam Daayiee Abdullah will speak on Islam, Gender and Sexuality for Meco, the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford. The visit by the US activist comes after the group asked a woman,

  • Local shares (PM)

    AEA Technology 17 BMW 4319 Electrocomps 247.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 102 Oxford Biomedica 9.35 Oxford Catalysts 66.5 Oxford Instruments 507.5 Reed Elsevier 534.75 RM 142.25 RPS Group 190.9 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Man attacked outside Oxford pub

    Police are appealing for information after a homophobic related incident in Oxford where a man was assaulted. The incident happed at 10.35pm on Wednesday outside the Castle Tavern in Paradise Street. The 22-year-old victim was standing outside

  • CYCLING: Paul's shocked by rapid progress

    WANTAGE teenager John Paul’s meteoric rise through the cycling ranks hits a new high when he flies the flag for Scotland in Delhi. The 17-year-old will be one of the youngest competitors in the Commonwealth Games velodrome where the high-speed action

  • Pensioners fear bus diversion will leave them stranded

    PEOPLE living on Oxford’s Barton estate fear they will be left stranded when a bus service is diverted during roadworks. Oxford Bus Company’s number eight bus and Stagecoach’s 7C service will not serve the bus stop in Barton Village Road for at least

  • LADY DRIVER: Not on the 'lash

    MasCARa? Has the world gone mad? So here we are girls...a new season! Autumn is always the best time for a wardrobe update because we get to buy lovely new boots, coats, bags oh....and apparently it’s not just us that need a makeover because now we can

  • WORST CAR EVAH: Bentley Continental

    WHEN it comes to consideration for passengers and other road users, you’d think the Bentley would be right up there with the Jaguars and even the Rolls Royces of this world. After all, any motor costing somewhere north of £100,000 must be the last word

  • MY WHEELS: Edsel Corsair Convertible

    Q. What vehicle do you drive? A. Edsel Corsair Convertible 1959, 332 cubic inch (about 5.4 litres). Q. How long have you had it? A. I bought it in April this year. Q. How much did it cost? A. My wife reads the Oxford Mail so I’d rather not

  • THE CAR'S THE STAR: Ford Crown Victoria

    STATISTICS are difficult to handle and easier to corrupt than a politician. That may be useful for dodgy businessmen, but it does make life in the car world rather difficult. For instance, a Ferrari F430 Spider can easily reach 150mph. But

  • WHEELING IN: Peugeot RCZ Sport HDi 163

    PEUGEOT has been giving Audi a real run for its money on the sportscar championship racetracks of the world – now it plans to do the same on the road. For years, the Audi TT has dominated the coupé scene, but Peugeot plans to end that with

  • Census will create 400 jobs

    MORE than 400 temporary jobs will be created in Oxfordshire for the 2011 census. The main bulk of jobs will be as census collectors, who will visit households to collect questionnaires. Others will be visiting communal places like hotels and care homes

  • Church to convert barns into 'community spaces'

    A £2M scheme to open up two 400-year-old church barns to the Abingdon community is being launched. Christ Church, in Northcourt Road, plans to convert the barns next year when the it celebrates its 50th anniversary. The converted buildings will include

  • New city face in charge of events and twinning

    FOLLOWING stints in acting and theatre directing, the city council’s new international officer seems the ideal candidate to put Oxford and its young people centre stage. Rachel Capell, 39, took up the role of Oxford’s city events and international links

  • Local share prices

    AEA Technology 17 BMW 4415 Electrocomps 248.1 Nationwide Accident Repair 102 Oxford Biomedica 9.35 Oxford Catalyst 66.5 Oxford Instruments 502.5 REED 540.75 RM 139 RPS Group 191.2 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Help for teens affected by drinking in family

    Al Anon – which helps the families and friends of alcoholics – has been running Alateen groups for teenagers across the world and in the UK since 1964. Now the organisation is opening an Alateen group in Oxfordshire. Specifically for

  • Motoring groups condemn fuel rise

    The price of petrol and diesel is rising 1p a litre under a planned Government fuel duty increase condemned by motoring groups and transport companies as damaging and unnecessary. The AA said drivers would find it hard to accept the increase, while

  • Crash blocks A4130

    A crash today partly blocked the A4130 at Crowmarsh Hill, near Wallingford. Queueing traffic built up after the crash which involved two vehicles. The vehicles are awaiting recovery.

  • Nigerians get set to mark independence

    NIGERIANS living in Oxfordshire will celebrate fifty years of independence this weekend. Song, traditional dance and religious ceremonies will be held in Blackbird Leys tomorrow to mark the Golden Jubilee of Nigeria’s break from British rule

  • Station expansion welcomed but passengers want more

    RAIL passengers yesterday welcomed plans to extend Oxford station, but said more should be done to make it a landmark gateway to the city. On Wednesday city councillors approved plans for a £12.5m extension plan to build a new platform south of Botley

  • Tax protesters shut Oxford phone shop

    PROTESTERS forced a Vodafone store to temporarily close after staging a sit-down demonstration inside. Campaigners blockaded stores across the country over claims the firm had avoided tax to the tune of £6 billion. Vodafone last night dismissed the

  • Pedigree sheep butchered in Witney field

    A FARMER last night branded thieves as barbaric after three pedigree sheep and her champion ram were butchered in their field. The livestock were coaxed into a pen and killed and butchered some time between 11.45pm on Wednesday and 8am on Thursday

  • United trio put their Mind to it

    The Oxfordshire Mind charity are teaming up with Oxford United to present a ‘1 in 4’ legged race across the Kassam Stadium pitch at half-time at their home match against Aldershot Town next week. One in four people suffer from a mental health problem

  • Tarsus Restaurant & Hotel

    Now Booking for Christmas! From Mid November to January Greek Party Night Friday 12 November 2010 Christmas Parties Friday 3 December - Sunday 19 December Every night! En-suite rooms available For more details

  • Family devastated by death of 62-year-old in road crash

    THE family of a 62-year-old man killed after the car he was driving struck a tree said they are devastated. Chris Atkinson, who lived in Wallingford, was in a Citroen C3 when it came off the A4074 Reading Road in Cane End on Saturday. The road was closed

  • Drivers caught up in A34 chaos

    DRIVERS on the A34 faced long delays yesterday after seven cars crashed and blocked the road. Three separate accidents happened within yards of each other near East Ilsley, close to the Oxfordshire border, shortly after 8.30am. Cars heading into the

  • RUGBY UNION: Cope in for first start

    Anthony Cope starts for the first time this season as Oxford Harlequins host Coney Hill in National 3 South West. The experienced scrum half, who has been recovering from a shoulder injury, replaces Nick Strizaker (unavailable) as Quins’ third No 9 in

  • The Perch

    Follow the footsteps of Alice to Winter Wonderland and enter the world of Narnia Cozy up by our fireplace and let the magic of Christmas take you on a culinary journey, enjoying our delicious Christmas menu specially designed by Stephane, our

  • City to get giant outdoor Olympics gym

    A GIANT outdoor gym will be installed in Oxford to inspire residents to get involved in sport. The free facility, part of London 2012 Olympic events, will be created in Marston next month and will be open for a year. It will include a basketball, football

  • Ardley yob jailed for vicious attack on girlfriend

    A MAN who lay in wait for his girlfriend to return from the pub before launching a “savage attack” on her has been jailed. Stacy Nicholas smothered Leanne Chedzey’s face with a pillow before dragging her off a bed. The 36-year-old had earlier let himself

  • FOOTBALL: Toms have to miss out

    Tom Austin (groin) and Tom Malton (ankle) miss Wantage Town’s first-round tie with Shrivenham on Saturday. Kidlington are without Jimmy Deabill, Tom Woodbridge (both away) and Brad Chalmers (knee injury) at home to Bitton. Danny Dixon, Alex Bush, and

  • FOOTBALL: Byfield hands Witney a tonic

    Witney United have re-signed Vinny Byfield for Saturday's derby with Ardley United in the Premier Division. Dean Moss and Tom Smith return, though Darren Quegan, John Rixon, Dwayne Whylly, Adam Cartwright, Carl Evans, James Morrison and Matt Blenford

  • Fewer patients getting cancer drugs

    TWO thirds of Oxfordshire cancer sufferers saw bids for life-extending drugs turned down in the last 12 months. The figure has risen since last year when just under half of requests were refused, despite a high-profile campaign to get key drugs

  • Curiosity ended

    AS a boy I read in the Bible of the Tower of Babel and wondered what life would be like among people speaking diverse languages. I walk down Cornmarket and my curiosity is satisfied. DAVID BARNARD, Cherwell Avenue, Kidlington

  • Slash police pay

    SOAK, the Oxford graffitist should be welcomed as a symbol of police and CCTV impotence. While he is at large, he is providing proof of where financial cutbacks need to be made, ie massive reductions in police pay and the scrapping of CCTV as a pair

  • Good Scouting days

    WE WERE very interested to read that Reg Hayes “the oldest Scouter” had finally retired from scouting at the age of 95 (Oxford Mail, September 28). Prior to our marriage in 1953, I was cub leader of the 19th Oxford (Magdalen Road Mission Hall) group

  • RUGBY UNION: We will turn it around - Moran

    Wallingford director of rugby Martin Moran is backing his side to climb off the bottom of South West 1 East. Moran’s men host Maidenhead tomorrow, having lost their last three matches and struggling with injuries. But Moran believes there is light around

  • Oxford are underdogs

    It's been a long time since Oxford United were underdogs in a league match at home. But that’s the case tomorrow, when ex-Brighton manager Micky Adams brings his in-form Port Vale side to the Kassam Stadium. Vale have won seven out of nine this season

  • COMMENT: Selling us short?

    KATE Spall, the woman who successfully spearheaded the campaign to get cancer treatment Sunitinib available on the NHS, makes an astonishing claim today. She has told us that since it became more widely known applications could be made to the NHS to

  • Legion members line street to salute the Fallen

    MEMBERS of the Royal British Legion lined Headley Way in Headington yesterday as the body of a soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan was repatriated. The family of Cpl Matthew Thomas, inset, broke down in tears as his body passed through

  • Nil points for communication

    RE-charging points for electric cars at park-and-ride sites is a good idea. What could be better for drivers of eco-friendly cars than to park up and hook up before heading into the city? There is such a point at the Pear Tree site but I’ve never seen

  • Kept under wraps

    PENNY Little (Oxford Mail, September 9) is correct in her assertion that bovine TB is almost certainly caused by “harsh and inhumane farming”. The dairy cow is programmed to produce 10 times the amount of milk required by the calf and because of its

  • Cull is no solution

    THE badger is an iconic part of our British wildlife. A cull of the badgers, either by gassing, snaring or shooting would have little impact on TB in cattle, as some badgers would evade the cull. Culling is certainly not badger-friendly. In the 1950s

  • Where's the sense?

    EING severely disabled it was imperative I was able to park close to the cancer centre at the Churchill Hospital. A small adjacent car park seemed an excellent option as it had disabled bays rather than me having to endure a long painful walk from the

  • Noise torture

    HAVING read about the all-night rave which kept most of north Oxford awake (Oxford Mail, September 21), I’d like to point out that a good night’s sleep is a fundamental need for the mental health and well-being of human beings. Being kept awake all

  • Be considerate

    THANK you for drawing attention to the growing problem of noise nuisance in Oxford (Oxford Mail, September 27). The city council’s aim is to reduce noise over time so we focus on the noisiest and most persistent offenders. This may well mean we don

  • Obese need to look at what they eat

    Well done to Carl Hobbs for losing 11 stone through exercise and diet (Oxford Mail, September 28). He looks great for it and I am sure his health has improved dramatically. Mr Hobbs stated: “I don't think you can bribe someone to lose weight.” However

  • COMMENT: X marks the spot

    ONCE again our city is playing host to another film crew, this time the fourth X-Men movie. The new cast for this prequel have been causing a stir around the Sheldonian Theatre, providing further proof that our beautiful city is a difficult cinematic

  • X-Men stars film prequel in city

    HOLLYWOOD stars have been in Oxford filming what could be next summer’s blockbuster smash. Stars working on prequel X-Men: First Class are shooting scenes at the Sheldonian Theatre in Broad Street. James McAvoy and Troy star Rose Byrne

  • Hunt for attacker who left cat with 21 pellet wounds

    A CAT is fighting for his life after being blasted with 21 shotgun pellets. Tabby cat Marley, who is less than a year old, left his home in Yarnton Road, Cassington, at 10am on Tuesday morning, but did not return as usual later in the day.

  • TEN-PIN BOWLING: Crosses are Oxford champions

    THE Oxford Trios League is over for another season at Bowlplex in Oxford. The Crosses narrowly saw off The Saga Louts to take the title, while highest scoring male bowler was Carl Halford, with 278 pins in one game. Top women’s bowler was Julie Pender-Fitzpatrick

  • FOOTBALL: Ex-players turn out for Tavinor

    Oxford City Veterans will host Oxford United Legends in a benefit match for Steve Tavinor on Sunday. The former Oxford United defender, who has also played centre half for Witney Town, suffered a serious leg injury in an accident at work last year.

  • FOOTBALL: Let's get mean says boss Ford

    Oxford City manager Mike Ford has called on his side to be more ruthless, starting with Saturday’s Premier Division trip to Leamington. City, who have yet to win this season, give debuts to Aaron Woodley, who has joined on loan from Oxford United, and

  • Wilder backs Oxford United youngsters to tame leaders

    OXFORD United boss Chris Wilder has no doubts about the magnitude of the challenge facing his young team against table-topping Port Vale tomorrow. “It’s by far and away our biggest test of the season,” he said. Vale were always fancied

  • Awards aim to honour county charities

    A SHORTLIST has been drawn up of organisations in the running for awards at a ceremony to honour the best of Oxfordshire’s charities. The new awards attracted more than 100 nominations. Three organanisations have been shortlisted for each of the nine

  • Eyes down in Cutteslowe to boost community spirit

    STUDENTS swapped their books for bingo balls, as they helped a North Oxford estate hold a community session for residents aged between 10 and 90. Undergraduates from Oxford University visited Cutteslowe Community Centre on Thursday to help run a half-term

  • Bicester student's anger as course is axed

    Kirsty Turner had been looking forward all summer to starting an A-Level textiles course at Bicester Community College this month. But on her first day at the college she was told the course had been scrapped. The 16-year-old, of Oak Close, Bicester

  • Post-war Britain inspires brothers’ yard exhibition

    A new exhibition drawing on design ideas from post-Second World War Britain has opened at Modern Art Oxford. Artists Simon and Tom Bloor have created a makeshift ‘yard’ using painted wooden fences and shrubbery to explore architecture and landscape

  • Oxford's cycling doctor reaches Middle East

    AN OXFORD doctor has reached the Middle East, eight months into his mammoth five-year round-the-world cycle ride. Dr Steve Fabes bid farewell to Europe as he crossed the Syrian border — an now has five more continents waiting for him. The 29-year-old

  • Senna's McLaren stars at show

    McLaren's history will come alive in a McLaren Racing exhibit, headlined by Ayrton Senna’s MP4/4 at the Autosport International racing car show. The iconic MP4/4 will be the centrepiece of the McLaren feature at Autosport International, held