A 45-year-old man has been remanded in custody accused of child sex charges. Michael Costin appeared at Oxford Crown Court today charged with sexual assaults on two teenage boys and a teenage girl from Abingdon. Costin, now of Lincoln Avenue, Romford
VILLAGERS in Nuneham Courtenay have erected their own signs warning drivers to slow down, three months after a speed camera was switched off. The posters have been put up by children and parents along the A4074 in an attempt to stop drivers speeding
A CARE worker is hitting back at a clamping firm by warning other people to be careful where they park. Janet Somerfeld, 48, had to pay £100 when she parked in a private car park to take two adults with learning difficulties to Banbury Fair. She went
MORE than 50 people braved the cold to explore the night sky above Oxford’s South Park. The session, which was led by Dr Ian Griffin, an astronomer and the chief executive of Science Oxford, aimed to teach budding astronomers more about the stars.
WITNEY company RH Buses is to take over operation of three bus routes in west Oxfordshire from Stagecoach from Monday, December 13. The services affected are: No 18 between Oxford, Eynsham, Stanton Harcourt, Standlake and Bampton. No 19 between
FOOTBALLERS and their coaches will tour pubs in Blackbird Leys by bicycle tomorrow to try to raise £1,000 for their club. The Oxford Blackbirds FC sponsored ride begins at the Priory pub, in Grenoble Road, at 11am, cycling to the Bullnose Morris, in
THE teacher set to run the new Oxford Spires Academy says more will be expected of pupils when it opens next year. Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet is set to approve the closure of Oxford School and the creation of the new academy on Tuesday, before
AN Army officer has arrived in Afghanistan for the first time to help train the war-torn country’s new police force. Second Lieutenant Alasdair Macdonald, 24, is working alongside Afghan national security forces to prepare them to take over responsibility
AEA Technology 5.85 BMW 4475 Electrocomponents 242.8 Nationwide Accident Repair 104.5 Oxford Biomedica 10 Oxford Catalysts 67.5 Oxford Instruments 547.5 Reed Elsevier 536.75 RM 164.25 RPS Group 206.6 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley
I’ve been lucky enough to spend half term in Portugal this week and it was whilst I was sitting on the beach watching the doughnut salesman that an idea for this week’s blog came to me. ‘Bolaberlin’ he shouts as he walks along the beach, occasionally
Two varieties to choose from; Traditional and Nordman Trees of all shapes and sizes to suit any requirements and competitively priced For more information visit: www.hadshamfarm.co.uk Hadsham House, Manor Farm, Horley, Banbury OX15 6BN Telephone
At Peach Croft Farm you can select from a wide variety of quality Christmas trees in all sizes, including the popular 'needlefast' Nordmann Fir. Also available are an exciting range of wreaths, foliage and stands. For more information
Households are braced for a fresh round of energy bill rises after Scottish & Southern Energy raised its gas prices by 9.4 per cent. SSE, which owns Southern Electric, Scottish Hydro and Swalec, blamed the price rise, which will come into effect
Lance Corporal F. J. Hedge, of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, plays an important part in the impressive stage adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’s best-selling First World War novel Birdsong. His is a name (the only ‘local’ name I spotted
Police are appealing for information after a woman had her phone snatched from her hand in Banbury. At about 3.30pm on October 21, the 18-year-old woman was walking along Bath Road when the incident happened. The woman was walking along the road
A DISABLED housewife is appealing for witnesses after tyres on their two family cars were slashed three times in four months. Since July, Susan Lee and husband John, 48, of Windrush Close, Bicester, have had to replace a series of tyres on their black
Q.What vehicle do you drive? A. 1972 VW Beetle. Q. How long have you had it? A. Five years Q. How much did it cost? A. £1,000 Q. What work have you done to the vehicle? How much has it cost to repair? A. We have been undertaking the major
Strictly come parking? Regular readers of this column will recall that I have mentioned the shenanigans of supermarket car parks before. It is the place that often brings out the worst in even the most patient and placid driver, and the location for
IT was a crisp, sunny October morning as a motoring colleague took me to one side and gently chastised me for arriving at the event with my soft-top car firmly in hard-top mode. “You’re in Britain on a lovely day, driving a convertible. For
A UGANDAN woman who was granted refuge in Britain said she was deeply moved by an exhibition highlighting the experiences of asylum seekers. Filda Abelkec-Lukonyomoi visited ‘Escape to Safety’ which was launched this week in Bonn Square, Oxford
In these troubled times we have learned the hard way that governments are not to be trusted with money. But of course it’s not just a modern phenomenon. Back in the early days of Margaret Thatcher’s reign, ministers decided it would be a good idea to
Yes, James Bond’s Aston Martin, dubbed the most famous car in the world, has been sold at auction in London for £2.6m. And yes I agree - £2.6m seems a paltry sum for a car that has given men the world over the automobile equivalent of a dirty
A crash involving two vehicles led to long delays on the northbound A34 in Oxfordshire today. The road was partly blocked near East Ilsley. Emergency services are attending the scene. Other delays were also reported on the A34 after
Police are appealing for information after a robbery in Wantage, where a 34-year-old man had two iPhones stolen. At about 8.40pm on Wednesday, the man was in Ormond Road when he was approached by two men. The men threatened the man with
Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 December 2010 The Museum hours of opening are from 10.30am - 4.30pm and last admission is at 3.30pm Santa and his elves will be in the grotto on board his special bus, to greet children For £2.50 in addition
Sam Bird will drive for the Brackley-based Mercedes GP Petronas team at the young driver test days to be held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. British racer Bird, 23, drives for ART and will be competing in the final GP2 Series races
Saturday 4 & Sunday 5, Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 and Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 December 2010 The Cholsey and Wallingford Railway always celebrate Christmas in a traditional and family friendly way, so why not join us on our Special Santa Trains
Garden birds are struggling and will need plenty of help this winter. That is the warning from Oxfordshire RSPB, who have urged people across the county to put out plenty of food for our feathered friends. Starlings and sparrows are among the species
Santa's Grotto Oxford Town Hall Weekends only and then from Wednesday 15 – Thursday 23 December - open every day 10.00am - 5.00pm Story telling 4 times daily at 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 2.30pm Santa will not only
Lord Mayors Carols Sunday 19 December 2010 Oxford Town Hall 2.30pm (Doors open 1.30pm) Tickets: £2 (on sale from 6th Dec) Join the Lord Mayor of Oxford for this traditional event of carols and Christmas music. Proceeds
Carols For All with the Oxford Bach Choir Saturday 18 December 2010 7.30pm Sheldonian Theatre Celebrate Christmas in style with a fun programme of seasonal music and the chance to join in some well-known favourites including our
A FORMER cinema is to be transformed into a nightclub and community venue after councillors gave the scheme the go-ahead. Brothers-in-law Steve Head and Gary Howe will now turn Wantage’s former Newbury Street cinema into a late-night venue called Shush
A 24-year-old man has been charged with the robbery of a shop in North Oxford. Matthew McKechnie, of Wayneflete Road, Barton, has been charged with the robbery of the Pen to Paper stationery shop, in Banbury Road, Summertown, on October
Saturday 11 December 2010 Combe Primary School First performance: 11.00am - 11.20am Second performance: 11.50am - 12.10pm Woodstock Primary School First performance: 2.00pm - 2.20pm Second performance: 2.50pm -3.10pm
See Thomas the Tank Engine & his friends and have a ride behind “Thomas” and meet The Fat Controller. Visit Father Christmas in his Grotto with presents for the children For more information visit: www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
Oxfordshire duo Graham Paul and Janet Cooksey won three gold medals and a bronze at the veterans’ world championships in Croatia. Paul, 63, from Upton, near Banbury, won the over 60s foil category, while 70-year-old Cooksey, also of Upton, took over
WHEN landscape gardener John Savins opened his Christmas gift from wife Gillian in 1990, he had no idea it would lead to him giving tuition to the future King of England. She bought the 68-year-old a four-day hedge-laying course, beginning
Oxford United have been allocated 1,451 terrace tickets and an additional 300 seat tickets for the FA Cup first-round tie at Burton on Sunday Nov-ember 7 (3pm). They are priced £13 and £15 respectively, for adults, £11 and £13 for over 65s and students
Average Oxfordshire house prices dropped 0.4 per cent last month, according official figures from the Government's Land Registry — the first monthly fall since May 2009. The average price is now £240,926, compared with £214,287 at the height of the
AEA Technology 6.25 BMW 43.56 Electrocomps 242.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 105 Oxford Biomedica 9.95 Oxford Catalysts 67.5 Oxford Instruments 549.25 Reed Elsevier 535.5 RM 166 RPS Group
James Constable could face a serious challenge this season to finishing as the top scorer at Oxford United. Tom Craddock is now on spot kick duties, after Beano missed three last season – Matt Green and Jack Midson also missed penalties last season –
SATURDAY FOOTBALL NPOWER LEAGUE TWO Bradford City v Oxford Utd. FA TROPHY 2nd qual round: Billericay Tn v Banbury Utd. ZAMARETTO SOUTHERN LEAGUE Div 1 South & West: Abingdon Utd v Frome Tn, North Leigh v Gosport Borough. UHLSPORT HELLENIC LEAGUE
GENE therapy company Oxford Biomedica is continuing its search for a drug firm to help develop its possible cancer treatment TroVax. Its half-year results show a cash balance of £13.7m, compared to £16.3m in June, and the company needs to increase
AN RAF airman has been given the green light to deploy to Afghanistan just months after being diagnosed with heart problems. Sgt Alex Ford discovered the condition during routine training when medics told him his left ventricle was contracting later
Police today appealed for witnesses after a teenager was injured in a crash at the Headington roundabout. Just after 4pm on Monday, a white Iveco Eurocargo LGV and a red Mini Cooper collided on the A40, at the Headington roundabout. The driver of
MEMBERS of the public and the Royal British Legion stood with bowed heads and dipped standards as a cortege bearing the body of Corporal David Barnsdale passed along Headley Way, Oxford, yesterday, on its way to the John Radcliffe Hospital for his post
A woman from Didcot was arrested yesterday in Melksham, Wiltshire, following a Crimewatch appeal. Adelle McColl, 40, is in police custody and due to appear at Oxford Crown Court this morning. Det Con Dave Edwards said: “We had a huge response from
THE man’s appearance was strange, even for Oxford where the unexpected should never be unexpected – if you get my drift. He was about 50, medium height, losing his hair (who am I to comment?) and wearing a satisfied smile. What set him apart from the
l Just to correct Tim Siret’s letter (Oxford Mail, October 27) on a number of points. Firstly, the reason that Scotland can afford “free” prescriptions is because there’s a subsidy from the English taxpayer to Scotland. Secondly, while it may be socialist
DEFENCE cuts, cuts in public service, bus passes only valid after 9.30am... Will the Government’s next cost-cutting announcement be a cull of all people in this country who have dared to live for more than 60 years? HOWARD RICHARDSON, Holly Lane,
I am writing in response to your article about overcrowding on the No 13 bus route along Marston Road (Monday’s Oxford Mail). This issue has been raised with me by a number of constituents. As a councillor for Marston, I arranged a meeting with Oxford
AS a public servant of 30 years’ standing, I have to say that the arrogant tosh proffered by John J Monaghan (Oxford Mail ViewPoints, October 22) and his ilk really irritates me. I am sure he may have carried out plenty of very effective and useful
OXFORDSHIRE County Council’s decision to approve a waste incinerator at Ardley, near Bicester, is a disgrace. It is unnecessary, expensive and a blot on the Oxfordshire countryside. The 82-metre-tall chimneys and the incinerator itself will bring in
The vet who suggested that the Uffington White Horse (Oxford Mail, October 13 and The Insider, October 21) might be a greyhound, was an attempt at controversy by the clearly naïve. Greyhounds were not known in Ancient Britain when the White Horse was
I READ at the weekend that this country will have to pay £43bn in interest on our debt over the next year. I just wonder if Chancellor George Osborne has thought about applying for a Tesco credit card. I noticed in the money pages of the same newspaper
Chris Wilder returns to his old club Bradford tomorrow predicting a tough test for his Oxford United team. The Yorkshire club, who played in the Premiership as recently as 2001, have been on the slide since then, and are languishing in 20th position
Witney United general manager Andy Lyne hopes they have turned the corner ahead of the trip to Wokingham & Emmbrook in the Premier Division on Saturday. Back-to-back wins have lifted Witney up to 13th. “We are getting stronger all the time,” said Lyne
Chinnor need to up the ante on the road, starting with tomorrow’s trip to Weston-Super-Mare in National 3 South West. That is the view of head coach Jason Bowers, who is looking for his players to step up a gear. “The challenge is produce our home form
AN Oxford United fan has been banned from games for three years and another man fined £500 after a fight in the stands. A dispute between three spectators broke out in the Oxford Mail stand at the Kassam Stadium during United’s home game with
MIDFIELDER Josh Payne will join Oxford United from Doncaster on a permanent basis. He has agreed a two-and-a-half year contract, and will sign on a free in the January transfer window when his three-month loan deal expires. The 19-year-old has grown
SUPERFAST broadband connections are coming to Oxford after rival firms announced plans to upgrade their networks. BT says the city’s telephone exchanges will be fitted with its new Infinity system by March, replacing copper telephone wires with fibre
Oxford University’s campaign to raise money for teaching and research has topped the £1bn mark, it was announced today. The milestone, which has been reached in record time, is thanks to the generosity of donors who are “fundamental to Oxford’s future
Oxford City boss Mike Ford hopes to sign keeper Terry Burton on a permament basis. The former Forest Green Rovers No 1 played in Saturday’s 2-0 success at Banbury United and Tuesday’s League Cup win against Thatcham. Ford, whose side are without a game
THIS newspaper has never shied away from the fact that the Government must make painful cuts, but the revelation yesterday that Oxfordshire has missed out on promised funding to tackle major transport projects is a disgrace. No matter how the Tories
Banbury United boss Billy Jeffrey is optimistic teenage striker Nabil Sharif will shake off a shoulder injury in time for Saturday's second-qualifying round trip to Ryman League high-fliers Billericay. Initially it was thought the 18-year-old, who this
PLANS to Transform Oxford railway station and the A34 as part of the most extensive transport project in the city’s history have been shelved. In 2007 the county council was allocated £62m for its ambitious Access to Oxford project, which promised
STUDENTS blocked Broad Street in Oxford yesterday in protest at planned cuts in university funding and tuition fee increases. More than 1,000 people, holding banners and chanting: ‘Vince Cable, shame on you, shame on you for turning blue’ marched
BUSINESS Secretary Vince Cable is hugely discredited in dodging a visit to Oxford University because of student demonstrations against raising the tuition fee cap. The Liberal Democrats may not have expected to find themselves in power, but now they
IT WILL be down with the guitars and on with the aprons for organisers of an Oxfordshire music festival this weekend. Founders of the Truck festival, held in Steventon, near Abingdon each year, are opening a ‘Truck-stop’ cafe at their offices in East
SUPERMARKET staff will swap their day jobs to become decorators to give Blackbird Leys Youth and Community Centre a facelift. Employees from the Midcounties Co-operative will step in for a day next month to transform the tired 1960s Blackbird Leys Road
