Archive

  • Protest at new housing plans

    BURFORD residents are fighting a new bid to put up 15 homes close to them – saying a similar development was a “nightmare”. Cottsway Housing Association plans to build 15 affordable homes at Frethern Close after putting up 13 there last year. But the

  • Delight as school rated outstanding

    ONE of Oxfordshire’s biggest secondary schools has improved to ‘outstanding’ as its popularity “increased noticeably”, said inspectors. Ofsted gave The Cooper School in Bicester top marks after rating it ‘good’ three years ago. Inspectors spoke of

  • GREYHOUNDS: Drop in trip to suit Greencroft Lulu

    Greencroft Lulu, runner-up in her last two outings over the four bends, can go one better at Oxford tonight. Steve Rayner’s black bitch found Ballymac Messi too good, despite posting a 27.46 mark, and before that had to give best to Follow the Light.

  • School to help unruly pupils

    A CHARITY is to open a residential school in Oxfordshire for some of the most vulnerable children in the county and the south of England. Action for Children will open Parklands Campus on the 20-acre site of the Spires School, Besselsleigh, which caters

  • A roaring time on Africa ride

    MOST men contemplating retirement might consider more time on the golf course – but born-to-be-wild Steve Wilson chose to roar across Africa on a 1950s mean machine. He has spent a lifetime writing about his passion for the two-wheeled wonders and marked

  • Taking part in Mum's honour

    BETHAN Morris was only six when her mum Michele died of a rare form of cancer — but she knows she would have been proud to see her take part in this month’s Race for Life. The 17-year-old will join an estimated 9,000 women for the Cancer Research

  • Which gates are fit for fallen heroes?

    WHICH of these gates do you think should be used to take fallen soldiers from RAF Brize Norton when repatriations are moved to Oxfordshire? The decision to have hearses leave from a back gate at the West Oxfordshire base has angered some, who

  • Spate of accidents at new roundabout alarms ambulance service

    DRIVERS are failing to spot a new roundabout that has been the site of two serious collisions, one of which left people paralysed, an ambulance chief has warned. South Central Ambulance Service’s operational manager, Alan Weir, spoke out about the design

  • Leisure centre grows in popularity

    MEMBERSHIP of Barton Leisure Centre has more than trebled following a makeover. The number of members rose from 130 to 500 since a redevelopment six months ago to add a new gym, refurbish changing rooms and add a new reception. Overall attendance has

  • Plans to protect more of Bicester

    BICESTER’S Conservation Area could be expanded to give more of the town greater protection from planning proposals. Cherwell District Council is consulting on plans to include Field St, Crockwell Close, Victoria Road and Priory Lane in the area. It

  • Hard work is paying off

    AT first glance, Aspire seems to be a thriving social enterprise scheme, with workers engaged in businesses from gardening and construction to growing and even selling recycled goods at the county’s markets. But what marks Aspire out is

  • Pensioners robbed in Iffley street attack

    Police are appealing for witness after two elderly women were robbed. The victims, aged 75 and 77, were walking along an alleyway between Abberbury Road and Bears Hedge, heading towards the bus stop on Iffley turn between 2pm and 2.30pm on Tuesday.

  • Man freed from Peruvian jail over drugs charges

    A JUSTICE charity said an Oxfordshire grandfather wrongly imprisoned in Peru for drug smuggling was held in “appalling conditions”. Alan Rae, 40, right, from Faringdon, was in jail for two years and missed the birth of his first grandchild after his

  • CRICKET: Five-star Fitzjohn

    James Fitzjohn returned remarkable figures of 5-2 as Cumnor B thrashed Witney Swifts by 87 runs in Group D of the Oxfordshire Under 15 Club Championship. Callum Russell (45) and Will Polito (35) helped Cumnor to a formidable 148-6 from their 20 overs

  • CRICKET: Freeland aces march on

    Freeland maintained their 100 per cent record in the Oxfordshire Under 15 Girls League with a 117-run win at Charlbury. Freeland piled on a massive 162-5 from their 20 overs as Abi Flory (26no) shared a stand of 59 for the fourth wicket with Amy

  • CRICKET: Oxon Under 12s undone by Middlesex

    Oxfordshire Under 12s fell to a 188-run defeat against a powerful Middlesex side at Radley College. After losing the toss and fielding first, Oxon began well, with some tight bowling from openers Kamaal Hamid and Max Smith. Jonty Robinson

  • CRICKET: Under 15s denied by rain

    Oxfordshire Under 15s saw their ECB County Cup match washed out in Wiltshire after they had put themselves into a very strong position. Batting first, Oxfordshire, who had walloped Isle of Wight in their opening cup game, were well placed on 113-1 with

  • CRICKET: Champs Cumnor reach finals day

    Reigning champions Cumnor booked their place in finals day of the Under 13 Ron Maudsley Trophy after a five-run win over Westbury. Batting first, Cumnor were made to battle hard to reach a modest 71-9 from their 20 overs. But then some

  • GREYHOUNDS: Hungarian star in Pall Mall bid

    Lyreen Mover, last year’s Derby runner-up, is being aimed at next week’s Betfred Pall Mall at Oxford. Trained by Gabor Tenczer in Hungary and owned by Max Picinelli, the black dog will be based at Shelgrove Farm, Horton-cum-Studley during the competition

  • Oxford's half marathon will go ahead

    ORGANISERS of September’s Oxford Half Marathon last night insisted it would go ahead, despite concerns from runners. And they insisted it would be a “fantastic event”. Oxfordshire Athletics Association (OAA) has said the event, which has not been staged

  • MOTORSPORT: Powell in the points at Oulton

    CHIPPING Norton driver Alice Powell collected some useful points in testing conditions at rounds seven and eight of the Formula Renault UK Championships at Oulton Park, Cheshire. Qualifying for the first race was interrupted by a red flag, meaning Powell

  • SWIMMING: Thessieu is Witney ace

    ENZO Thessieu claimed the swimmer-of-the-match prize for victories in the 9 & under boys’ 25m breaststroke and butterfly as Witney SC won round one of the Milton Keynes Junior League at Leighton Buzzard. Result: 1 Witney 199pts, 2 Ealing B 191, 3 Flitwick

  • Boyd shoots into contention

    Banbury golfer Gary Boyd shot a second-round 65 to stand only two-shots off the lead after two rounds of the Italian Open in Turin. Boyd (pictured), from Cherwell Edge GC, who earlier this week qualified for next month’s Open Championship at Royal St

  • SCHOOLS CRICKET: Windies legend Adams pays visit to Burford

    BURFORD School’s first team were given a lesson in batting as they hosted MCC for the first time in their history. Their team consisted of many former county players, and most notably, former West Indies captain Jimmy Adams. Electing to bat first, MCC

  • MOTORSPORT: Crash drama hands Plato win

    JASON Plato, from Oxford, had a dramatic victory and a second place at the fourth round of the British Touring Car Championships at Oulton Park. His win came in the second of three races, but it was a controversial triumph. Gordon Shedden, who had won

  • WEIGHTLIFTING: It's gold for Cox

    JOSH Cox (pictured) has qualified for the Under 17 European Championships after striking gold in Austria. The 17-year-old, from St Birinus School Didcot, won the under 17 69kg event while representing Great Britain. He totals of 94kg in the snatch and

  • AWARDS: Trio land bursaries

    THREE rising stars from Oxfordshire have scooped prestigious bursaries from the Jaguar Academy of Sport. Didcot weightlifter Eddie Chambers, synchronised swimmer Hannah Green, from Eynsham, and rower Jamie Copus, from Wallingford, have all been given

  • CYCLE SPEEDWAY: Edge suffers injury agony

    HORSPATH’S Rachel Edge is recovering in Oxford’s John Radcliffe hospital after she suffered a bad injury at the Welsh Junior Open at Newport. Edge was involved in an horrific crash in the junior women’s race and was rushed to hospital in Wales with damage

  • Taxi driver punched, threatened and racially abused

    A TAXI driver was punched, racially abused and threatened with a knife in East Oxford. Diden Souameur’s vehicle came nose to nose with Simon Stannard’s Nissan in a narrow section of Aston Street, when the latter declined to reverse. Stannard was seen

  • Women robbed in Iffley

    Two elderly women were knocked to the ground by a robber who snatched their handbags in Iffley. The victims, aged 75 and 77, were walking along an alleyway between Abberbury Road and Bears Hedge, heading towards the bus stop on Iffley Turn when they

  • Bookies used by dealers and addicts

    JUNKIES are getting high and drug dealers are conducting business in betting shops across East Oxford and Cowley, police have said. Store managers have reported a series of crimes on their premises, ranging from heroin use to criminal damage

  • KARATE: Oxford trio are in the medals

    THREE members of the Oxford Sport & Traditional Martial Arts club won medals for England at the World Seniors and Veterans Championships in Italy. Patience Kakitie, who lives in Abingdon, captured a brace of bronzes in the women’s competition at the

  • ANGLING: Hammond enjoys life in fast lane

    TWENTY-TWO matchmen travelled over to Ridgeway to fish the latest Carp League 2011 match and it was the white lane which produced the first five top weights, while the blue lane was a real struggle, writes ANDY WEBBER. What are lanes? I was told that

  • ANGLING: Star Steve hits Linear jackpot

    Steve Cliff, a 51-year-old technician from Buckinghamshire, fished Manor Farm Lake at Linear Fisheries for eight nights and caught a staggering 35 carp from the Stanton Harcourt big-fish water. The massive haul included 18 doubles – 12 twenties, four

  • BOXING: Female trio to fly flag for county

    THE attention in the ring turns to the fairer sex today – with three locals through to the finals of the Amateur Boxing Association of England’s National championships – a record for Oxfordshire. Windrush Valley’s Jasmine Yeates has already claimed a

  • EQUESTRIANISM: Victoria is riding high

    Rising Eventing star, Victoria Smith, from Chipping Norton, is the 2011 Charles Owen British Pony champion. The 14-year-old rider triumphed at Brand Hall, near Market Drayton, Shropshire with Phoebe Russel’s pony Chit Chat III. Smith only started her

  • BIRTHDAY HONOURS: Romy Briant

    AN OXFORD woman who streamlined domestic abuse support in the county will become an MBE. Romy Briant, 59, of Canterbury Road, formed the Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy Group in 2004. The organisation links authorities, such as Thames

  • BIRTHDAY HONOURS: Jill McCleary

    A SCHOOL governor passionate about making sure every child reaches their potential was named on the honours list yesterday. Jill McCleery will become an MBE for voluntary services to education. She has been a governor at St Ebbe’s Primary School in

  • BIRTHDAY HONOURS: Recognition given to local people

    CBE Professor Christopher Cropper Hood. Gladstone Professor of Government, University of Oxford and Fellow, All Souls College. For services to Social Science Professor Wendy Rosalind James.Emeritus Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Oxford

  • BIRTHDAY HONOURS: Christopher Walton

    FORMER college bursar Christopher Walton, who has raised and distributed millions of pounds to Oxfordshire churches, becomes an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Mr Walton is the president of the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust, set

  • BIRTHDAY HONOURS: Christine Burden

    CHRISTINE Burden has dedicated her life to making life better for lonely older people. In 10 years, she has turned a small coffee morning in East Oxford with a handful of regulars into a weekly lifeline for pensioners. But Mrs Burden, of Meadow Lane

  • United agree to salary cap for 2012-3

    Oxford United and the 71 other Football League clubs yesterday decided to introduce a salary cap for the 2012-3 season. At a meeting of the Football League chairmen in Cyprus, attended by United’s chief Kelvin Thomas, it was agreed that League One and

  • Council apologies over cemetery site error

    A FAMILY which owns a Marston farm wrongly listed by Oxford City Council as a potential site for a new cemetery have spoken of their surprise at reading about the plans. Jane Gannon, whose family has owned Hill View Farm since 1953, learnt about the

  • MOTORCYCLING: Bradley all revved up for British Grand Prix

    Bradley Smith chases his first Moto2 podium finish of the season at the AirAsia British Grand Prix at Silverstone tomorrow. The 20-year-old rider from Beckley was in sparkling form in the opening two practice sessions held in very different conditions

  • Brewery promises it will find landlord for shut bar

    BREWERS Greene King have pledged to reopen an East Oxford pub which closed after its landlord left. The James Street Tavern, off Cowley Road, shut in March amid a series of county closures by the brewer and other pub firms. Greene King