Archive

  • FOOTBALL: Didcot move off bottom

    DIDCOT Town moved off the bottom of the Premier Division and out of the relegation zone with a crucial 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Weymouth last night. Elliott Osbourne-Ricketts fired home from 25 yards in the eighth minute to put Didcot ahead.

  • Monster catches the eye as he's on the move

    IT’S not every day that a plesiosaur is spotted roaming Oxford’s streets. But this life-size aquatic reptile turned heads in the city centre when it was wheeled to a new home. The monster of the deep was on its way from the Museum of Natural History

  • FOOTBALL: Mays brothers call it a day at Clanfield

    Clanfield's Mays brothers have left the Division 1 West club, with striker Craig Mays rejoining Witney United. While 14-goal striker Craig has joined Witney, brother Dean walked out after refusing to be a substitute in their match with Letcombe. Clanfield

  • Drink In The Style

    This coming week Oxonians will be surrounded by lithe beauties in exquisite garments, chattering on their iPhones and tweeting about the up-and-coming artisans of the cloth. But while they flit between The Regal in East Oxford and the Exam Schools in

  • Jacket Potatoes?

    Eating and fashion have never been comfortable bed partners but as Oxford Fashion Week is making huge efforts to embrace diversity and applaud women of all shapes and sizes, where to wine and dine before and after the shows is almost as important

  • Yoof Working

    RACHAEL O’CONNOR’S senses confirm YOOF at The Cellar is going from strength to strength. Stepping down into the subterranean surroundings of The Cellar, your senses can be fed a variety of offerings, from the glossy sheen of beer and cider

  • Shakin' All Over

    Eighties heartthrob Shakin’ Stevens shows TIM HUGHES his serious side as his 30th anniversary show goes on the road. WE all know him as the multi-platinum selling Welsh Elvis – the loose-limbed, denim-clad star behind such hits as Green

  • Rite So Wrong

    THE RITE (15) Thriller/Horror. Anthony Hopkins, Colin O’Donoghue, Alice Braga, Ciaran Hinds, Toby Jones, Rutger Hauer. Director: Mikael Hafstrom Inspired by true events, The Rite is a creaky supernatural thriller that projectile

  • String Theory

    NO STRINGS ATTACHED (15) Romance/Comedy/Drama. Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Jake M Johnson, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Kevin Kline, Greta Gerwig, Lake Bell, Cary Elwes. Director: Ivan Reitman That crazy little thing

  • Man About Town

    Carl Anglim is the man responsible for Oxford Fashion Week. We speak to him about why it’s a ‘must-see’ event, its highlights, and how he pulled it all together. Carl Anglim has brought fashion to Oxford in a big way. Over the past three

  • Passion For Fashion

    It’s here FINALLY. The biggest, most glamorous week of the year has arrived. So get out your poshest frock, dust off your highest heels and totter on down to Oxford Fashion Week for a packed schedule of events that’ll have your chin resting on your Jimmy

  • Suited and Booted

    To celebrate the launch of Oxford Fashion Week on Monday, TIM HUGHES discovers the style secrets of some of the city’s hottest music acts. They seek him here, they seek him there... his clothes are loud, but never square.... When it comes

  • Massive Attack

    TIM HUGHES talks to the youngest member of the grime wave massive Roll Deep as they prepare to take Oxford by storm. THERE’S no doubt about it, Britain is in the grip of a grime wave. What started out as the soundtrack to life in some of

  • Snowball incident girls told to behave

    POLICE sent warning letters to two 13-year-old girls after they were spotted prank door-knocking and throwing snowballs. The girls, both from Rose Hill, Oxford, were sent the letters last month after two residents reported problems a few weeks before

  • Banbury factory heritage protected

    PLANS to redevelop a former factory in Banbury have been revised to “protect the heritage” of the site. Planning permission is being sought by owner Standard Life Investments for six buildings at the 53-acre former Sapa factory site in Southam Road.

  • Bicester is a boom town as train trips soar

    BICESTER is Oxfordshire’s boom town when it comes to travel by train. A new report shows that the town’s two stations – Bicester North, on the Chiltern Line, and Bicester Town, on the branch line from Oxford – saw a combined 17.8 per cent rise in custom

  • Local share prices (PM)

    AEA Technology 5 BMW 4887 Electrocomponents 265.8 Nationwide Accident Repair 98.5 Oxford Biomedica 6.35 Oxford Catalysts 86.5 Oxford Instruments 614.75 Reed Elsevier 542.75 RM 158 RPS Group 195.2 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Crash causes A40 delays

    A four-vehicle crash this afternoon caused delays on the A40 in west Oxfordshire. The collision, which happened near Cassington, partly blocked the road. Delays are reported in both directions with queueing traffic on the westbound A40 back

  • Boy, 14, charged with Oxford robberies

    A 14-year-old boy has been charged with two counts of robbery in Oxford. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested following a robbery in New Inn Hall Street at 11.30pm on Tuesday, where a 22-year-old woman was robbed of money.

  • Man charged after drugs raids

    Police have charged a man in connection with two drugs warrants executed in Tiddington last week. The warrants were executed on Thursday, February 17, at addresses in Fernhill Close, Tiddington, and Green Hitchings, Great Milton. John

  • Barton: Plans to get estate fighting fit this weekend

    HAWAIIAN dancing, yoga and boxing classes are being planned to help people get fit. A series of free taster sessions is being organised on Oxford’s Barton estate to encourage residents to get more active. The first Live Well day takes

  • Thieves steal £1,000 of fishing tackle

    Thieves stole more than £1,000 of fishing equipment from a garden centre in Chinnor. Between 5.30pm on Sunday and 8.15am on Monday, thieves broke into the Chinnor Garden Centre in Thame Road by smashing the roof windows and climbing in. Once inside

  • Tank trooper is ready for a pint

    A SOLDIER who drives armoured vehicles on Afghanistan’s bomb-ridden roads said he can’t wait to have a pint with his mates back home. Trooper Daniel Fograscher, 21, is on his first tour of duty with 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, and is behind the wheel of

  • Three injured in A420 smash

    Three people are believed to have been injured following a crash on the A420 near Longworth. Police were called to the eastbound dual carriageway at 1.10pm to a crash involving a silver and blue Toyota 4x4 and yellow Scania lorry. Three

  • Manager takes on mountainous challenge

    A RECRUITMENT manager will put his best foot forward for charity when he attempts to climb Kilimanjaro. Dan Wellings, 24, from Headington, will be scaling Africa’s highest mountain for Action for Children. He said: “Action For Children came to my company

  • My Chemical Romance @ Cardiff International Arena

    PERCEPTIONS of a gig between two people stood next to each other are an odd thing. The missus and I caught My Chemical Romance for the Cardiff gig on Monday, a week after seeing them perform at Wembley Arena. There was so much the same

  • Abingdon pupils' hi-tech opportunity

    A £550,000 study block has been opened at an Abingdon comprehensive school. The ICT, Enterprise and Sixth Form Centre was officially opened at Fitzharrys School after a six-month facelift, thanks to a Government grant. Oxford West and Abingdon MP Nicola

  • Retro style required to aid charity

    MORE vintage please! That’s the plea from the Sue Ryder Care charity shop in Abingdon, which is now selling retro clothing to help those with life-threatening illnesses. The charity shop, in Market Place, opened its vintage department last month, hoping

  • Medical insights

    AN open day to show the public what research is being carried out at Oxford’s hospitals will be held next month. On Thursday, March 17, between 3pm and 7pm, the John Radcliffe Hospital will be open to the public. There will be opportunities to visit

  • Oxford doctor to help out in medical centre

    a slithering viper, rifle-wielding tribesmen and a fuel leak are just some of the challenges Steve Fabes has beaten on his round-the-world challenge. But as well as testing his skills of bravery and adventure, the trip is also putting his medical knowledge

  • Mini launches Rocketman concept

    Pop legend Elton John may be celebrating the birth of son Zachary, but now one of his most famous songs has been adopted to christen a new “baby” version of the Cowley-built Mini. The Rocketman is a concept car that will make its official debut at the

  • Firm pitches in to help rugby club

    THE girls section of Gosford All Blacks Rugby Club in Kidlington got a major boost after receiving a £5,000 donation from a Banbury firm. Norbar Torque Tools agreed a two-year sponsorship deal with the club and a cheque was presented by Norbar managing

  • Local share prices (AM)

    AEA Technology 5 BMW 4839 Electrocomponents 263.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 98.5 Oxford Biomedica 6.45 Oxford Catalysts 86.5 Oxford Instruments 618.5 Reed Elsevier 542.5 RM 161.25 RPS Group 193.6 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Kidlington residents support ban on cars

    THE pedestrianisation of Kidlington High Street moved one step closer after shoppers and traders overwhelmingly backed the plans. Cherwell District Council said a six-week consultation revealed 84 per cent of people believed pedestrianisation would

  • Chance to snap up a great prize

    THATCHED cottages, rolling hills or a dawn mist could help snap happy residents capture the beauty of West Oxfordshire. A competition to show off the beauty of the district is now open and the best images could be used to help attract tourists to the

  • AUNT SALLY: Chauffers' title

    Chauffers beat Rose & Crown 4-2 to be crowned champions in the Yarnton Royal British Legion Indoor League. Mick Berry led the way for Chauffers, capping his 15 dolls with a six. They pipped Three Pigeons, who finished runners-up, despite a 6-0 win over

  • BOWLS: Hawes in national bid

    Oxford & District’s Katherine Hawes is through to the final stages of the English Indoor Bowling Association National Ladies Singles Championship. The England international came through five matches to secure a last-16 tie against Clevedon’s Stefanie

  • GOLF: Results round-up

    FRILFORD HEATH Stableford (Blue Course): 1 J Francome 38pts, 2 A Booth 37, 3 J Cannon 35. Stableford (Blue Course): 1 A Rudge 38pts, 2 S Bishop 36 (cb), 3 S Lymer 36. Mail on Sunday Classic – 2nd round: Magnolia Park 2½, Frilford Heath 2½ (Frilford

  • Getting to grips with Ben the owl

    TEN-YEAR-OLD Adam Blackwell got to grips with Ben the Indian Eagle Owl at a Science Oxford event. Owl expert Rod Smallman showed off eight of the nocturnal birds and answered questions from the audience at the children’s event on Tuesday. The creatures

  • ICE HOCKEY: Forshee is ejected as Stars slump

    Coach Ken Forshee was given his marching orders as Oxford City Stars suffered their fourth English National League South Division 1 loss in a row with a 7-2 home defeat by Chelmsford Chieftains. Tempers flared in the second period with Stars trailing

  • CRICKET: Arnold honoured by Oxfordshire

    Keith Arnold collected a special award to mark the end of his record-breaking county career at the Oxfordshire Cricket Board presentation evening. Arnold, who retired last season, took 682 wickets for Oxon in a career spanning 30 years. And his commitment

  • Vale agrees £710k of budget cuts

    SUPERLOOS will close, garden waste charges will rise and car park repairs will be scaled back under cost-cutting plans agreed by the Vale of White Horse District Council. Last night, the Liberal Democrat-run council agreed £710,450 of savings after its

  • RUGBY UNION: Littlemore's family boost

    THE Jones family have given Littlemore an extra boost as they bid for promotion back to the BB&O Premier Division. Coach Kevin Jones gave debuts to his sons, the former Oxford Harlequins duo Frank and Ralph Jones, in Saturday’s 48-10 Division

  • West Oxon budget praised as cuts avoided

    OPPOSITION councillors yesterday praised Conservatives for setting a budget without major service cuts. Parties on West Oxfordshire District Council yesterday unanimously supported the Tory budget for the 12 months from April. This will guarantee no

  • Dentists found guilty of fraud

    HUSBAND-and-wife dentists have been found guilty of defrauding the NHS. Peter Wedge, 42, who ran the Castle Street Surgery, Banbury, was found guilty by jurors at Oxford Crown Court yesterday of one count of fraud. His wife Ruth, 43, who is suffering

  • Alcohol linked to death in stream

    A MUSIC fan had been in a happy and contented mood the night before he died in a tragic accident after falling into an Oxford stream. Matthew Jones, of North Hinksey Lane, had been at a pub quiz and nightclub in the city on November 7, but was reported

  • GOLF: Francome riding high

    Seven-time National Hunt champion jockey John Francome triumphed in a stableford competition at Frilford Heath. The Channel 4 racing pundit, a Frilford member since 1999, carded 38 points on the Blue Course to win. Meanwhile, Derek Walton birdied the

  • Luscombes at The Golden Ball, Lower Assenden, Henley

    Lucky the chef who makes his name; lucky the chef with a name that can be made an important selling point for his restaurant. Jones, Bloggs, Blenkinsop, Humphreys — they wouldn’t really do the trick. But Luscombe on the other hand . . .

  • Comic defends ‘blasphemous’ show

    A COMEDIAN set to perform in Oxford tonight has defended his show from accusations it is blasphemous. TV comic Richard Herring’s Christ on a Bike: The Second Coming is being staged at the Glee Club, in Hythe Bridge Street, at 7.30pm. However, Dr Ken

  • The right is wrong

    Catherine Bearder MEP said (Oxford Mail, February 14) that the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is independent of any government or political interference. That is largely correct, but it means by logical conclusion that it is also independent

  • Cuts 'too fast, too deep'

    Isn’t it odd that the very people who support the cuts, complain about their impact (yesterday’s Oxford Mail)? The only reason Oxford City Council is forced to put up some charges and reduce some services is because the Government is cutting too fast

  • Green budget would have saved services

    Budget setting for local councils is always a difficult process because legally you can only present an alternative budget that balances and uses money that actually exists. Not presenting a budget, as we saw with Labour on the county council, or presenting

  • Schoolchildren enjoy day of animal magic

    CHILDREN left the classroom to come face-to-face with some real creepy crawlies. Pupils from Windale Primary School, in Blackbird Leys, donned wellies for the day out at Sutton Courtenay’s Environmental Education Centre. The children

  • GREYHOUNDS: Bank on Ballymac Ace

    TRAFALGAR Cup winner Ballymac Ace could prove the trump card for Monmore trainer Chris Allsopp in the final of the Oxford Bookmakers Oxfordshire Stakes final at Sandy Lane tonight. The black dog, who won a thriller by a neck over Oxford hope Danielles

  • How do they help?

    In view of the forthcoming transformation of our society into a Big Society, might I suggest a small addition to the burden of bureaucracy which will surely be welcomed by our Government? We have, open to scrutiny, registers of members’ business and

  • Be kinder to rats

    RATS are becoming an increasingly common sight in Oxford. Understandably, many people don’t want rats anywhere near their houses, but some Oxford residents are using, shall we say, not the most humane methods to get rid of them. Glue traps, usually flat

  • Off the map

    I READ with great interest your report (Oxford Mail, February 14) on the recently published crime maps in Oxford. It must have taken quite some time to study the map in the level of detail that you claim in your article. I would like to point out to

  • Half-baked scheme

    Having read recently of the Oxfordshire recycling results, I decided to take some old car body panels deemed too far gone for a Triumph Spitfire restoration I am attempting. Having loaded up and travelled to my local tip at Stanton Harcourt, about to

  • THE INSIDER: Update from the corridors of power

    There is no doubt Local Government Minister Eric Pickles has been getting his teeth stuck into councils up and down the country. His Department of Communities and Local Government has overseen severe cuts to town hall budgets. But The Insider had no

  • Repair project is anything but a gas

    A MASSIVE gas mains repair project has arrived in Oxford’s busy Beaumont Street. A huge trench has been dug along the centre of the road outside the Ashmolean Museum, stretching from the Randolph Hotel to St John Street. Traffic is still flowing in both

  • 'OAPs to bear brunt of county cuts'

    COUNCIL chiefs have admitted pensioners, the poor and the disabled face being hit hard by massive cuts. In a frank assessment of planned £119m savings, Oxfordshire County Council said OAPs were at risk of greater isolation by cuts to social services

  • RUGBY UNION: Oxon up and running

    Two tries from Christoph Bart helped Oxfordshire to a 28-3 victory over Buckinghamshire in their opening National Under 20 Championship clash at Wallingford. The Henley man impressed at outside centre as Oxon got their South West Region A campaign

  • 'Do your sums before you do a refurbishment'

    Landlords considering refurbishing their property to generate more rent should do their sums first, warns one agent. Brian Blue, of Bicester-based Bluestone Letting and Management, said: “The nature and condition of the property determines the type of

  • Lovely riverside setting

    Riverside gardens are one of the main attractions of a five-bedroom family home in Kidlington. Number three, Watermead is tucked away along a private lane and has lawns that slope down to the edge of the River Cherwell. Owner Kathy Walton, a former

  • In the heart of the village

    Standing opposite the village’s 13th-century church, Llandaff House is a Grade-II listed house in the centre of Eynsham. Thought to have been built in 1732, with 19th-century additions, it is spread over three floors and has many period features including

  • Georgian style near centre

    Two modern houses with Georgian-style looks are within easy distance of the centre of Abingdon. Number 2, The Copse, has potential to generate income from a bed and breakfast business, according to agents. The five-bedroom property has four reception

  • United to salute wounded soldier Jack

    A FOOTBALL-MAD soldier has spoken about losing both his legs in an explosion in Afghanistan. Jack Cummings will be Oxford United’s guest of honour on Saturday at the club’s Military Day for the visit of Hereford United. Hereford is the home of the SAS

  • Marr's boot decisive for Dark Blues

    Charlie Marr’s boot earned Oxford University a 26-12 victory over Crawshay’s Welsh XV at Iffley Road on Wednesday night. The fly half’s four penalties proved the difference in a patchy game. The Dark Blues, who were captained by hooker James Wisson,

  • ATHLETICS: Dean sets sights on world stage

    Hatti Dean says the horrendous conditions at Sunday’s National Cross Country Championships will stand her in good stead when she bids to qualify for Team GB for next months’ world championships in Spain. Former Radley ace Dean finished an impressive

  • GOLF: Pepperell set to turn pro

    Eddie Pepperell will sacrifice a potential Walker Cup place by turning professional in April. The 20-year-old Drayton Park member revealed his plans in the wake of his Portuguese Amateur Championship victory at Montado. Pepperell was

  • Two properties on development near Standlake

    Two four-bedroom houses are still available at a small development in west Oxfordshire. Malthouse Farm is set in the grounds of the property of the same name, which is mentioned in the 11th-century Domesday Book. It was once owned by William the Conqueror

  • CUTS: Council leader’s argument is ‘pathetic’

    AN NHS psychologist who counsels dying cancer patients, has described claims by the leader of Oxfordshire County Council as “pathetic” after he accused her of showing no love for vulnerable people. Oxfordshire County Council leader Keith Mitchell hit

  • WHEELING IN: Vauxhall Astra ecoFLEX

    When deciding how to revamp Britain’s road tax system, politicians decided to use a measure they knew rather a lot about — hot air. More specifically, the hot air that issues from every exhaust pipe. To be even more precise, despite the cocktail

  • RACING: Vet Main is struck off

    James Main, the vet involved in the affair which saw Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson suspended for three months in 2009, has been struck off by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Main, of Kingston Lisle, near Wantage, administered an injection

  • ATHLETICS: Hawtin leads way for City

    BETH Hawtin was the leading light in the junior races, finishing 27th in the under 15 girls’ race at Alton Towers. Hawtin produced a brave run in the quagmire conditions, clocking 16mins 04secs to record an excellent 27th from a field of 300. Elissa

  • Call for daily warden visits after death of OAP

    A PENSIONER found dead at his sheltered accommodation should have been visited more regularly by wardens, his family said last night. Neville Pullen’s body was discovered at Knights House, in Risinghurst, Oxford, on Monday, February 14, but

  • COMMENT: Is this the right place to save money?

    THE sad story of Neville Pullen’s death going undiscovered for up to two days is a circumstance we shall probably see repeated. It is another example of the change to life in modern Britain — a change some will argue shows that society is valuing

  • Drivers warned of Oxford traffic light failure

    Drivers were warned to take extra care after Traffic lights failed around Frideswide Square, Oxford. Several sets of lights failed between Hythe Bridge Street and Becket Street and engineers are working to fix them. Traffic is reportedly

  • Isolation risk to elderly of library cuts

    Oxfordshire County Council’s decision to withdraw funding from 20 libraries could increase the risk of isolation among the county’s elderly. This is the conclusion in a report by the county council’s own officers. The warning is contained

  • Woman killed in house fire

    A woman has died following a house fire in Didcot this morning. Firefighters were called to the blaze in a first floor flat in Kibble Close at 2.11am. Crews pulled the woman from the fire and tried to revive her but she was later confirmed dead by

  • Oxford United legends awarded testimonials

    Oxford United legends Dave Langan and Joey Beauchamp will return to the club for a special testimonial game at the end of the season. And the club hope it will make the last few days of the campaign even more exciting for supporters.

  • 20 years of M40

    As the M40 through Oxfordshire celebrates its 20th year, it is hard to imagine life without it. It is not difficult to imagine what we would have lost if it had been allowed to plough through the heart of Otmoor. The area has developed much in the intervening

  • Carnival priority

    Is Oxfordshire County Council being inflexible in its attitude towards this summer’s Cowley Road Carnival? We think so. This event takes place on one Sunday of the year and it is the overwhelming feeling of everyone that it should take place in Cowley

  • Seconds out

    We have published statistics on the performance of ambulance services across Oxfordshire not for the first time this week. We make no apology for repeating the exercise, however, for the statistics show a huge discrepancy between the service received

  • Parky at the Pictures (In Cinemas 24/2/2011)

    Happy birthday Ultimate Picture Palace! The jewel of Jeune Street celebrates its centenary on 24 February and it marks the occasion with free screenings of Philip Hind's excellent documentary, The Ultimate Survivor, and Basil Dearden's charming

  • Relative riddle

    Sir – Why do you print a picture of Nikita Khrushchev whenever councillor Ian Hudspeth figures in the news? Are they in some way related? I think we should be told. Chris Carter, Alvescot

  • No thing of beauty

    Sir – I would think there is only one answer to Vodafone, who wish to erect a mobile phone mast near the war memorial — no. Their request is as insensitive as the planners who erect so many street signs in front of some of our very fine buildings in

  • Stark reminder

    Sir – We were hugely disappointed to hear of the cancellation of this year’s Oxford Folk Festival. Not only is the city deprived of one of its most popular events that celebrate the range and diversity of Oxford’s music heritage, it is also

  • Consider evidence

    Sir – What a sadly uninformed rant against faith schools from your correspondent last week; consider the evidence: Faith schools consistently receive favourable Ofsted reports. Faith schools consistently achieve high academic standards. Faith

  • Nice young people

    Sir – Dr Daniel Emlyn Jones (Letters, February 17) clearly believes the old private school myth that the state schools are rife with bullying and that only private education can bestow confidence. My three daughters have had an excellent education at

  • Ducked the question

    Sir – In his otherwise full reply to letters about library closures, Keith Mitchell ducked the rather central question I put to him: will he reverse at least most of the closures when the deficit-related cuts taper off — or does he really want to be rid

  • Red areas to return

    Sir – One of your correspondents last week was concerned about the damage that British Gas caused to the attractive red paving in Little Clarendon Street, in Oxford. The Highways Department assures me that they always check to see that such things are

  • Co-ordinated approach

    Sir – Our current consultation on the proposal to merge Botley Primary School and the Elms Road Nursery School and Children’s Centre has provoked passionate debate. It is regrettable that the debate has been fuelled, on occasions by information

  • No real expertise

    Sir – Re councillor Waine’s letter on the ‘Diversity of Provision’ (February 3) — it reinforces my view that the real problem today rests in the fact that decisions so important to the quality of people’s lives are being made by politicians with expertise

  • Another option

    Sir – I’m sure Chris Buratta reported faithfully on the Oxfordshire council’s tax cuts (Report, February 15) but, sorry Chris, if they told you that ‘libraries must close’, they didn’t tell the whole truth. Cuts have to be made: true. Libraries

  • Ill-considered letter

    Sir – Keith Mitchell’s ill-considered letter to your paper, (February 17), will have won him no supporters. I refer particularly to the paragraph where he takes Dr Diana Sanders to task for her support for the library service: ‘I am only sorry

  • Apologies in order

    Sir – It appears that Keith Mitchell feels under pressure. These days, who doesn’t? He sees that his proposed policies for cuts in public services are being criticised and he disagrees with the critics. That is to be expected in political debates and

  • I do not want to see libraries closed

    Sir – In your coverage of our budget set on Tuesday last, you consistently refer to “20 libraries for closure”. This is simply not true. Our budget plans for spending cuts to the library service rising to £2m over the next four years are just that —

  • How to discourage volunteers

    Sir – Reg Little describes a scheme to alleviate the problems of Oxfordshire’s elderly pensioners by calling on volunteers to “Give an Hour” to help them (Report, February 3). However, very many of these pensioners are themselves caring for an even more

  • Park-and-ride charge

    Sir – Mr Mitchell has a difficult task imposing cuts, it is not possible to please everyone. He has asked upset library users what other social service we would cut instead. But he knows we don’t have the detailed budget knowledge necessary to make informed

  • Idiotic argument

    Sir – It is astonishing that the leader of the council, Keith Mitchell displays such a lack of respect and adopts such a dismissive tone in his letter (February 17). It is a pathetic tactic to claim that because people in Oxfordshire are concerned about

  • Huge assumptions

    Sir – I am astounded at the leader of the county council, Keith R Mitchell’s personal attacks on several of your readers’ genuine concerns about the closure of local libraries in these pages last week. In particular his suggestion that Dr Diana Sanders

  • Fly to the Past moves to new home

    Two 1930s aircraft landed at Oxford Airport to launch historical air show Fly to the Past. And readers will get to see the August 21 event at a special price. As well as the de Havilland Dragon Rapide and Tiger Moth planes, Hercule Poirot, Lana Turner

  • Put your boss in the stocks

    EVER fancied locking your boss up for the day? Oxford Castle and Comic Relief have teamed up to let companies across the county the chance to do just that. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for businesses who are raising cash for

  • Commuters are causing parking misery

    VILLAGERS have said a lack of parking in the city is creating “an absolute nightmare” outside their homes. According to people in Marston, increased parking restrictions elsewhere in Oxford are forcing people to find new places to park.

  • Hamlet: Milton Keynes Theatre

    In the National Theatre’s current production of Hamlet, heavies guard the doors of Elsinore Castle. Squiggly wires rise from their collars, feeding security information into their earpieces. Overhead, CCTV cameras watch every move. This is indeed a modern

  • Search out the wines of Lurton — near you

    The Lurton family is, in wine terms, a little like the showjumping Whitaker family; they are everywhere. No matter how old — or young — you are, there seems to be a family member about your age making a wine not far from you. The Lurtons

  • Dramatic win aids Oxford 1

    Last weekend’s latest 4NCL outing can be judged a modest success for Oxford 1. This despite a 6.5–1.5 defeat on the Saturday doled out by the powerful Wood-Green-Hilsmark-Kingfisher 1 team. Oxford’s one win that day was thanks to new signing Thanasis

  • Watch out for early new arrivals

    It is now late February and the year is most definitely on the turn, with the first stirrings of a new spring and the awakening of life in the wild as the days lengthen. Any bad weather is now likely to be no more than a brief hiccup as the sun strengthens

  • Get out and go wild

    Spring is here: Despite the recent rain and grey skies, spring is here. Wildlife is crawling out from underneath piles of leaves and out of nooks and crannies, tree buds are fattening with growing leaves, and birds are tuning up for the dawn chorus.

  • Advice centre marks 40th year of service

    This year marks the 40th year of service to the community for the Independent Advice Centre, Wantage. Local MP and Government minister, Ed Vaizey, joined staff and volunteers earlier this year to celebrate the event and cut the birthday cake. During

  • Fabulous February in the garden

    February is such an exciting month if you are are a gardener! One of the highlights is the RHS February Show held at Vincent Square. It’s one of the few London shows left and a great place to acquire new snowdrops from growers like Avon Bulbs and Foxgrove

  • The Big Ballet: New Theatre

    The Big Ballet is based in Oxford’s twin town of Perm in Russia’s Ural Mountains, the area that produced two of ballet’s greatest names — Tchaikovsky and Diaghilev. But, despite their great achievements, they would never in their wildest imaginings have