Archive

  • Hot weather poised to break records

    Britain remains on course for the hottest April since records began as the fine weather continues over the Easter weekend. Thousands of sun-seekers flocked to the beaches on Good Friday as the double Bank Holiday weekend got under way. The

  • Fresh plea in hunt for escaped prisoner

    Police today renewed an appeal for help in tracing a prisoner who has absconded from prison. Jarreau Charles, 24, walked out of HMP Springhill in Grendon Underwood on Tuesday. It is believed he was picked up by a white Ford Fiesta from

  • UPDATE: Body found in search for missing swimmer

    THE body of a man has been pulled from the River Thames. Emergency services had been searching for a missing swimmer at Abingdon Marina. Police said they launched the search after receiving reports of a man in his 30s who had gone missing

  • New planning application in for Bicester ecotown

    THE consortium behind Bicester’s eco town have submitted a new planning application after being told the first was not green enough. Among the changes are reduced car parking, alterations to the landscape and design of the northern section, more variety

  • 'Don't give rabbits as Easter gifts'

    AN OXFORDSHIRE animal charity has urged people not to buy bunnies this Easter after the number of pet rabbits abandoned at its centre more than doubled. Last spring, the Burford Blue Cross centre was caring for just 26 rabbits. But that has jumped to

  • Pile up on A418

    A STRETCH of the A418 was closed for two hours today after a four car crash close to the Waterstock Golf Club. Inspector Andy West, of Thames Valley Police, said it appeared one car had braked with three other vehciles joining the pile up, at about

  • Fears for missing swimmer

    EMERGENCY crews are searching for a missing swimmer after he was seen in trouble in the River Thames. Police and firefighters are have mounted a rescue operation in Abingdon, where they are still searching for the missing man. A member

  • GREYHOUNDS: Friday's BAGS results

    11.03: 1 BURWOOD INDY 6-1, 2 Nikitas Kewell 10-1. (3x6x5). Trainer: Mayo. Time: 28.12. Oi Oi Gilly (4) 9-4 fav. 11.19: 1 ARTE ET FORTIS 5-2, 2 Royal Rumble 4-1. (4x2x5). Trainer: Colton. Time: 27.94. Nikita Torres (6) 7-4 fav. 11.34: 1 TRUE DAVEY 4-

  • Brother hits out at dealers

    THE brother of a man who died of an alcohol and heroin overdose in the toilets of Didcot’s Orchard Centre has told dealers: There is more to life than making 50 quid. Damian Cox spoke after an inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death

  • Carers to get new help across southern Oxfordshire

    A SERVICE which gives carers and spouses of housebound people a break is to be rolled out through south Oxfordshire. Volunteers are now being sought to sit with people with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, or who have cancer or suffered a stroke

  • M40 lanes reopened after three-car smash

    ALL lanes of the M40 northbound have reopened following a three-car smash. But there are still tailbacks between junctions seven and 10 northbound, the Highways Agency warned. It is expected the queues will ease by about 1pm. The crash, which

  • Death fall jail sentence cut on appeal

    A MAN jailed for manslaughter after he accidentally pushed a partygoer down a flight of stairs has had his sentence slashed by top judges. Anthony Kynaston Bebbington, of Longelandes Way, was originally jailed for three-and-a-half years at Oxford Crown

  • MacLean hopes to spoil Chesterfield's party

    Striker Steve MacLean says United will be determined to wreck Chesterfield’s promotion celebrations. “They’ll bring a few fans down, it’ll be a big crowd and hopefully we can spoil their party,” he said. MacLean’s own Oxford season really began in the

  • Chox away for an egg-stra special Easter

    YOUNGSTERS at the Oxford Children’s Hospital were thrilled to be confronted with a mountain of Easter eggs yesterday. The chocolate mountain, featuring more than 370 full sized and 120 creme eggs, was presented to children who will be in the hospital

  • RUGBY UNION: Holloway called on to bench

    HENLEY Hawks have named an unchanged side for tomorrow’s home game against National 2 South leaders Ealing. But they have opted for four forward replacements, so flanker Adam Holloway replaces scrum half Steve Drake on the bench. Henley Hawks: Comben

  • Bid for mobile phone mast in High Street 'beggars belief'

    THE prospect of a 15-metre mobile phone mast in the middle of Oxford’s historic High Street has infuriated colleges and businesses. Workmen this week began digging a large hole in a traffic island outside All Souls College to test the feasibility

  • Murder evidence could be contaminated, court told

    VITAL evidence linking a farm labourer to a double shotgun murder could have been contaminated during storage, it was suggested to a jury. Key items forensically linking the killing of a Witney couple to the alleged murderer could potentially have suffered

  • Getting ready for a right Royal knees-up

    THE bunting has been ordered, the cakes iced, and the bubbly put on ice to chill. Across Oxfordshire, royal watchers, and funseekers are counting down to Will and Kate’s big day, with parties planned by communities across the county. In Nunnery Close

  • RUGBY UNION: Favourites Alchester in Boar warning

    Oxfordshire Shield ALCHESTER head coach Chris Kimber stressed they will not underestimate Blue Boar in Sunday’s final (12). Kimber’s men are strong favourites to retain the Shield, having already won the BB&O Premier Division title, while non-league

  • M40 lane to reopen

    THE closed lane of the M40 southbound, between junctions six and seven, will reopen at about 10.30am today. The lane was closed after a HGV caught fire at about 7.15am. Highways officials said CCTV cameras show only mild congestion. Two lanes were

  • Beano commits to Oxford United

    BOSS Chris Wilder spoke of his delight last night after James Constable pledged his future to Oxford United. The talismanic striker and captain signed a new three-year deal, to extend his contract until 2014. The centre forward’s previous deal would

  • Regiment plans memorial for fallen comrade

    THE first woman bomb disposal expert to be killed in Afghanistan is set to be remembered on a memorial wall at the Didcot barracks where she was based. Captain Lisa Head, right, of 11 Explosive Ordnance Regiment at Vauxhall Barracks, was critically injured

  • Former U's striker Davies back for reunion

    Former Oxford United striker Craig Davies returns to the Kassam Stadium for the first time tomorrow since his £85,000 move to the then Italian Serie B side Hellas Verona in January 2006. A player of undoubted talent, Davies has also had

  • FOOTBALL: Wantage crowned Hellenic champs

    WANTAGE Town are the Premier Division champions. Last night’s 2-1 victory over second-placed Ardley saw Andy Wallbridge’s side secure the crown for the first time. Goals from Tom Butler and Gavin Jones proved enough for victory and sparked joyous scenes

  • RUGBY UNION: It's foes reunited

    OXFORD Harlequins can redeem their season with victory over old rivals Chinnor in Sunday’s main final at Iffley Road (3.30). That is the view of Quins director of rugby John Brodley, whose side finished a below-par tenth in National 3 South West. Having

  • United bid to beat the best

    Chesterfield arrive at the Kassam Stadium as unquestionably the best team in the division. John Sheridan’s team could be up by the time tomorrow’s game kicks off, and they look to have a squad that will be competitive in League One next season. So in

  • POINT-TO-POINT: It's good going for Moscow Court

    Fast-ground specialists should be in their element at the Old Berkshire Hunt meeting at Lockinge, near Wantage, on Easter Monday. Moscow Court showed he appreciated a sound surface when landing the mixed open for Celia Plunkett’s Wigginton

  • Wrong priorities

    At a time when local authorities are facing a substantial squeeze on their finances, which are hitting local services hard, it seems incredible that the Government can find money to fund a no-fly zone over Libya and money to bail out Portugal,

  • Plane clarification

    G L Rendell is partly right when he says that RAF pilots had seat-parachutes (Oxford Mail letters, April 20). Certainly single-seat or training aircraft crew wore seat-parachutes, although some have now gone over to backpack parachutes. In modern fighter

  • Supermarket aims to offer quality and value

    I felt it was important to write to address the concerns raised in the Oxford Mail article about our plans to open in Faringdon (April 14). While we always want to ensure what we offer is of the highest quality, we know price is important. In addition

  • Drivers back on track after key rail bridge reopens

    REBUILDING of a key road bridge over a railway line in Oxford which has caused months of traffic problems is now complete. Traffic is able to use the Old Abingdon Road through Redbridge again after Network Rail completed work on the new

  • Mail's Milk Cup supplement brought back great memories

    Was it really 25 years ago that Oxford United won the Milk Cup? It seems like yesterday! It is great when something such as your Milk Cup 25th anniversary souvenir supplement (Wednesday’s Oxford Mail) is produced, so that us older supporters can relive

  • POINT-TO-POINT: Dante can storm in at Kimble

    Aston Rowant trainer Alan Hill holds a strong hand in the men’s open at the Kimblewick Hunt meeting at Kimble, near Aylesbury, on Saturday. He has the smart trio Dante’s Storm, Bon Accord and Start Royal among the ten-strong entry. Dante’s Storm looks

  • Short-sighted ideas are wasting us cash

    What’s wrong with our local councillors? They keep telling us how poor we are, and yet they repeatedly make the most short-sighted decisions about spending our council tax. Your report of the county council cuts (Wednesday’s Oxford Mail) says that

  • Audacious to oppose cuts

    OXFORDSHIRE county councillor Liz Brighouse’s opposition to cuts that are the direct result of her own Government’s financial mismanagement (Oxford Mail, April 13) is simply breathtaking in its brass-necked audacity. Keith R Mitchell Leader of the

  • Beware baggage thieves

    I would like to warn readers who may be travelling overseas this Easter not to let their bags out of their sight. That’s obvious, you may think, but on a recent flight, there was no overhead locker for the seats allocated to my daughter. The cabin crew

  • Health staff deserved their hotel rest, honest

    I thought your headline Health bosses and the £12k hotel bill” (Oxford Mail, April 15) was rather cruel. Being a health authority, it should know better than most the dangers of drink driving. How can you expect these wonderful hard-working people to

  • Man arrested in cannabis raid

    POLICE swooped on a suspected drugs factory in Witney yesterday and uncovered 30 cannabis plants. A man was arrested after the raid in West End at 8.28am. Officers discovered 30 mature plants, dried cannabis, and a large amount of cash. Police said

  • ROWING:Wallingford duo shine in trials

    Lindsey Maguire and Katryn Twyman of Wallingford, shone in the Great Britain senior and under 23 final trials. Both reached their A finals, Maguire coming fourth in the women’s pairs with Natasha Page, while Twyman was fifth in the women’s lightweight

  • BADMINTON: Battling Oxon just miss out

    Oxfordshire’s youngsters finished a highly satisfactory seventh in the 17-21 Inter County Championships at Hatfield, Hertfordshire. The Oxon team of Lauren Cooper, Harriet Allen, Nadia Howden, Poppy Bensburg, James Buffham, Will Green, Jonathan Campbell

  • FIXTURES: April 22

    SATURDAY. FOOTBALL. NPOWER LEAGUE TWO. Oxford Utd v Chesterfield. ZAMARETTO SOUTHERN LEAGUE. Premier Div: Banbury Utd v Truro City, Cirencester Tn v Didcot Tn, Oxford City v Leamington Spa. Div 1 South & West: North Leigh v Andover. UHLSPORT HELLENIC

  • COMMENT: A shame marriage

    SO after all the hype, Jack FM’s 2 Strangers & A Wedding turned out not to be a wedding after all. We were always sceptical about the veracity of claiming the exercise as a social experiment instead of a promotional stunt. Perhaps Robert and Justine

  • Fantasy wedding

    A RADIO station put the hitch in ‘hitched’ as the splicing of two strangers touted as a wedding turned out not to be legally binding. JackFM and Glide listeners Robert Kitson and Justine Oakley ‘tied the knot’ at the Oxford Castle Malmaison

  • COMMENT: Police doing their best in tough times

    YOU don’t begrudge Sara Thornton, the Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police, her job at the moment. As we report today, Ms Thornton has told Oxford City Council she can’t guarantee cuts to the force will not adversely affect the crime rate

  • Fire breaks out at home in Grove

    FIREFIGHTERS were called to a fire at a home in Grove last night. The blaze broke out at Carlton Close, Grove at about 7.40pm. Four fire engines, two from Wantage and two from Abingdon, attended the scene and were met with a large fire in the

  • M40 drugs man jailed for eight years

    A 28-year-old man has been jailed after cocaine with a street value of £600,000 was found in his car after he was stopped on the M40. David Chapman, of Rissington Road, Bourton-on-the-Water, was sentenced to eight years in prison (less 75 days for an

  • Smog alert for Bank Holiday weekend

    The Government has issued a "smog alert" with potentially dangerous levels of air pollution predicted in England and Wales as thousands headed off for an Easter getaway. Warm and still conditions brought on by the current high pressure system

  • 'Wood' you believe it? Fury as Oxford tree is felled

    A HOUSEHOLDER has complained after Oxford City Council allowed one of the area’s tallest trees to be felled. David Hearn, 47, from Cardigan Street, Jericho, pictured inset, said he was stunned to learn the authority did not need conservation permission

  • Oxford landlord blames locals for pub flat scheme

    A LANDLORD who put up a sign warning his pub risked being turned into flats says local people “only have themselves to blame” after developers were told they can build on the site. Brian Minns placed the sign outside the Cavalier public house

  • New fuel scheme is really hotting up

    A CHARITY says it has seen a huge level of interest since launching a scheme to help rural communities beat rising oil prices by buying in bulk. The Oxfordshire Rural Community Council (ORCC) has 250 people signed up to the scheme launched

  • Inquiry set for planning application over caravan site

    A PLANNING inquiry over a Romany gypsy’s proposal to put caravans on Green Belt land will be held on June 8, it has been announced. The independent Planning Inspectorate will hear the plan over two days at Cherwell District Council’s offices

  • Couple celebrate 60th anniversary

    CHILDHOOD sweethearts celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary yesterday said their good marriage was all down to luck. Raymond Mead, 89 and his wife Maisie, 88, from Old Headington, first met when they were teenagers. The couple lived next-door-but-one

  • Abingdon writer charts Oxfordshire's bizarre traditions

    Marilyn Yurdan, the 64-year-old author of Oxfordshire Customs, Sports & Traditions believes there is a richness to the county. It is the latest in a series of local history books by the Abingdon resident and she said: “I greatly enjoyed researching