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VANDALS damaged the pitch at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium this morning ahead of the club's first home game of the season. The attack happened at about 5.30am and there is CCTV footage of the vandals, a club spokesman said. Pc Paul Phillips, of Thames

A DANCE company is encouraging young and old to pull on their dancing shoes and get active this summer. Sole Rebel Tap will hold tap, body percussion and hip hop dancing classes from Tuesday, August 30, to Friday, September 2. There

A SWINDON pub landlord has defended the decision to serve alcohol to Oxford United fans from 9am ahead of next week’s derby match. Travelling supporters will be directed to The Merlin pub near the Wiltshire side’s County Ground on August 21

BACK in 1986, people would have laughed at the thought of buying clothes and electricals in a supermarket. But as one of Oxford’s biggest stores celebrates its 25th anniversary next week, it is now commonplace. The Sainsbury’s store at the Heyford Hill

A GOAL 12 minutes from time by Bradford substitute Ross Hannah leaves Oxford United still searching for their first win of the season. A flick-on from Luke Oliver saw Hannah time his run well and he netted from six yards out. Simon Heslop

OXFORD United say that they have on CCTV the vandals who broke into the Kassam Stadium this morning and ruined part of the pitch ahead of this afternoon's game against Bradford. The letters STFC had seemingly been burnt into the grass in two places in

CHRIS Wilder made four changes to his starting line-up for the League Two clash at home to Bradford today. James Constable drops to the bench, along with Jon-Paul Pittman and Damian Batt. Simon Clist, scorer in Wednesday's 3-1 defeat at the hands of

ACTOR Tom Hollander and comic David Mitchell will put each other on the spot for a new fundraising event in aid of an East Oxford charity. The two former Abingdon School pupils have signed up to appear in Full Circle at Oxford Playhouse on

A £400,000 scheme has been launched to create Didcot’s first all-weather football pitch. The new facility would be on Didcot Town FC land at Loop Meadow and the plan is being supported by South Oxfordshire District Council and the town council

Oxford City boss Mike Ford gives new striker Steve Basham his debut when they host Redditch United in their Evo-Stik Southern League opener at Court Place Farm on Saturday. Basham, 37, who signed from Brackley in the summer, will link up with fellow

IT WAS the first trip to foreign soil the school had organised – and these children were clearly delighted to be taking part. There were smiles all round as the party from Headington Secondary School in Oxford – better known as Margaret Road School –

A FIRM which specialises in providing conference calls for businesses has been bought out in a multi-million-pound deal. MeetingZone was snapped up by private equity firm GMT Communication Partners for £38.5m. All 45 staff will continue

VANDALS tried to destroy an Oxford beauty spot, deliberately starting a fire in woodland at Shotover Country Park. Although fire crews were able to contain the blaze, they warned it could have escalated into a major incident. Park rangers

AN ARMY of cyclists and walkers are to travel from church to church to help raise thousands of pounds for charity. Last year’s Ride and Stride event raised £110,000, with funds split between individual churches nominated by each rider or strider and

FRIENDS of an 11-year-old girl who needs a life-changing operation hope an event next month will raise a smile on her face. Gulshat Kadyrova, known as Lily, was born with no hip sockets and came over to Oxford from Turkmenistan for a lifesaving

IT opened back when John Travolta was strutting his stuff in Grease, but last weekend an Oxford club closed its doors for the final time. The Coven nightclub has stood in Oxpens Road since it took over an abandoned cafe in May 1978. But it has now

Witney middleweight Steve Mullins is set to make his professional debut at the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon at the end of next month, writes PETER FOLEY. The 31-year-old former ABA finalist and England international will box on the undercard of the

Alexz Wigg, nephew of former Oxford Cheetahs speedway star Simon Wigg, is among a strong entry for the Berks Bonanza Super Trial motorcyle event at Seymore’s Arena, Aston Tirrold, near Didcot tomorrow (11am). Wigg is the third best trials rider in the

A ROGUE washing-machine repairman who conned customers out of hundreds of pounds has been spared jail. Clive Bramall, who ran Oxford and Abingdon Washing Machine Repairs, admitted 10 charges at Oxford Magistrates’ Court yesterday. The 57-year-old inspected

DUE to road closures in London tomorrow for an Olympic Games cycle racing test event, coaches operating the Oxford Bus Company’s X90 Oxford Espress service will be unable to serve Victoria coach station and the stops in Buckingham Palace Road from 4am

A TERMINALLY-ILL woman who compiled a ‘bucket list’ of final wishes has passed away. Janet Priest, from Greater Leys, died this week aged 63. She was diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer earlier this year. The great-grandmother was able to tick off

Oxford driver Jason Plato was fined £500 after a controversial win during three highly-charged Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at the new Snetterton 300 circuit. Plato won the first race from pole position in his Chevrolet Cruze, but

A FOOTBALL mad teenager killed in a car smash was a “complete and utter legend” who was loved by all he met, friends and family said. Jay Wills, 17, died after the Ford Ka he was driving on Broughton Road, near Banbury, collided with a Renault

Oxford windsurfer Bryony Shaw has warned her RS:X rivals that she will be in even better shape for next year’s Olympic Games. The 28-year-old secured bronze at the Weymouth and Portland International Regatta after ending the medal race in seventh

YOUNGSTERS were yesterday enjoying the animals and activities at newly-opened Cogges Manor Farm Museum in Witney. Children got to play with guinea pigs, chickens and ducklings, explore a straw bail maze and make mud pies. The farm has

A TEENAGER who was found with drugs in Blackbird Leys again just weeks after being caught dealing on the estate was locked up last night. Durrell Lemonius threw away a package of drugs on the corner of Druce Way and Sandy Lane as he cycled away from

I paidD a visit to Fat Phil’s tackle shop in Abingdon Road, Oxford, last week and found Phil was serving a young lad, who was accompanied by his mother, writes Andy Wwebber. The lad was just starting out in fishing and Phil was kitting him

The fifth round of the Super League was fished by seven teams of six on the Thames at Radcot and Clanfield last Sunday and it was dominated by small fish, writes Andy Webber. Paul Passmore (Turners) continued his fine form to win with 9.3.0 of small

Banbury United have been been named FA National Charter Standard club of the year for their work in the community. The FA and McDonald’s Community Football Awards were created to recognise and reward individuals and clubs across the country

TOP up the oil, replace a spark plug...feed the 7ft boa constrictor? It’s not every day mechanics at Carringtons of Oxford come face to tail with a slippery customer while carrying out an MOT. But that is exactly what happened when Steve Spacksman and

DETECTIVES in Oxford have appealed to the public to ‘shop a yob’ as they seek to bring copycat troublemakers to justice. As officers investigate a series of public disorder incidents during the past week they have called on the public to hand over any

It would be some people’s worst nightmare. But when mechanics flipped open the bonnet of a Mini Cooper for its MOT they got a slithery surprise. A seven foot boa constrictor was nestled comfortably in the corner. Fair play to the team for hauling

Sentences dished out by courts have come into sharp focus this week. The marauding thugs who ripped apart town centres up and down the country have been hauled before magistrates. The aim has been to make an example. But, in some cases

FIRST, a word of warning. Don’t go to Verona to propose to your beloved, unless you’re planning on only being on your knees for a very short amount of time. One American tourist’s perfect moment of romance was rather spoiled when a Japanese lady in high

Jake Wright says that Oxford United do not want to keep saying they have been unlucky. The U’s skipper is relishing today’s npower League two home match against his former club Bradford City, but knows that his side must kick-start their season. Oxford

A POPPY wreath and cross to honour fallen soldiers on the repatriation route into Oxford has been ripped out of the ground and tossed into a hedge. John Weston, of Latton Close, Southmoor, created the tribute by the A420 on Armistice Day 2010 as a mark