Archive

  • Spelling out language student problems

    LANGUAGE students could be directed away from busy shopping areas to specific meeting points in the city in a bid to stop overcrowding. The idea was suggested at a crunch meeting of bus companies, police officers and councillors at Oxford Town Hall.

  • A new spin on art in city

    MEXICAN artist Abraham Cruzvillegas took to the streets of Oxford on his new mobile sculpture constructed from a tricycle. With impressive mirrors and a sound system blasting out whistling noises, Mr Cruzvillegas reckoned other cyclists in Broad Street

  • COMMENT: Go out and support your local shops

    How pleasing it is to see a family-owned local shop thriving in the midst of a recession and despite the relentless march of the supermarkets. Sadly, Alcocks butchers in Summertown is the only one remaining where once there were nine in the area. Summertown

  • Butcher's shop has avoided the chop

    THE last independent butcher in Summertown is celebrating 25 years of being a cut above this weekend. Alcock’s Family Butchers in Banbury Road, Oxford, was opened by Tony Alcock in 1986. He served the community for 19 years before passing

  • House builder profits despite recession

    TIMBER frame housebuilder Stewart Milne has seen its fortunes improve despite announcing job losses. The company, which employs 119 staff in Witney, announced pre-tax profits of £406,000 for the year to June 2011, up from £140,000 last year. Earlier

  • Rush hour tailbacks on A34

    THERE are currently problems on both carriageways of the A34 around Oxford and Abingdon. A white articulated lorry and silver Vauxhall Insignia car collided around half a mile south of the Botley interchange. Police were called to the

  • Local share prices (PM)

    AEA Technology 2.3 BMW 4286 Electrocomponents 190 Nationwide Accident Repair 93 Oxford Biomedica 5.3 Oxford Catalysts 60 Oxford Instruments 809.75 Reed Elsevier 493.1 RM 74.9 RPS Group 162.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • City councillor 'should have declared interest'

    A CITY councillor broke local government rules when she posed tourism questions in the council chamber without declaring she works as a tour guide. Green Party member Nuala Young should have declared a personal interest when she asked about Oxford City

  • Rape investigation launched

    Detectives are investigating a rape in Blackbird Leys, after a woman reported being attacked in an alleyway there last night. The 25-year-old woman was walking along Balfour Road at about 11pm when she was sexually assaulted. Her attacker is described

  • Koreans may copy farmers’ market plans

    TRADITIONAL farmers’ markets in Oxfordshire could be replicated thousands of miles away in South Korea. A group of South Koreans visited some of the county’s farms who sell direct to the public, to taste their produce. And they were so impressed with

  • Ride into the past for charity

    DRESSED as soldiers from the armies of Napoleon and Wellington, a band of re-enactors passed through Oxfordshire on a march to raise funds for street children. They were taking part in Sharpe’s March, a 50-mile trek from Marlborough in Wiltshire to Reading

  • Development plan ‘could hit parking’

    A BUSINESS leader has welcomed a planned redevelopment of Banbury town centre, but sounded a warning over parking proposals. Council plans for the Bolton Street area would replace the building on the corner of North Bar Street and Castle Street, which

  • Craftsmen restore boundary wall

    MASTER thatchers Kit Davis, left, and Adrian Cox have been helping to return a Blewbury boundary wall to its former glory. They have been painstakingly removing a 1950s sand and cement render on the wall – thought to date back to Anglo Saxon times –

  • Streets sing with town’s secrets

    THE streets of Didcot are set to come alive with performance, poetry and song, inviting people to view the town from a different perspective. The Living Word Walks take to the streets today and tomorrow courtesy of the town’s Cornerstone arts centre

  • Mixed-sex schools are best, says head

    MIXED sex schools prepare students for life. That’s the view of the headteacher of a top-rated Oxfordshire state school who has spoken out in favour of mixed education. Earlier this month, Didcot Girls’ School headteacher Rachael Warwick praised the

  • FOOTBALL: Kidlington trio to sit out Binfield trip

    Kidlington will be without the injured trio of Jack Quainton, Jack Dunmore and Christian Perkins when they travel to Binfield in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division on Saturday. Jack Smith and Dan Sadler are back from injury for Witney Town

  • Bicester election result

    The Conservatives swept the board in a by-election for a town and district council seat in North Bicester Melanie Magee won the Cherwell District Council seat with 443 votes. Second was Kevin Walsh, Labour, with 130 votes and Liberal Democrat

  • PIGEON RACING: Results check

    Shotover & District (Wincanton, 15 sent 225): 1, 2, 3, K Shipperley 1606, 1545, 1542; 4 R B Clarke 1533; 5, 15, R Jenkins, son & daughter 1529, 1474; 6, 9, 13 P Wells 1520, 1502, 1491; 7, 14 M/M V Hall 1517, 1478; 8, 20 E Irving 1503, 1420; 10, 11, 12

  • Conmen target 90-year-old

    A 90-YEAR-OLD man was duped out of £700 by distraction burglars who targeted his home. The pensioner was in Marston Road, Oxford, at about 9.30am on Tuesday when he was approached by a man who claimed he was the grandson of a builder who had worked at

  • Clist sits it out for United

    Simon Clist will not be playing in tomorrow’s match because of the terms of his loan agreement. The Oxford United midfielder is in the middle of a three-month loan at Hereford, but the deal stated that Clist was not permitted to be involved when the

  • Community centre to rise from the ashes

    ONE night in February, distraught residents on an Oxford estate watched as their former social club was destroyed by fire. But this week they gathered for a happier reason – to see the eyesore demolished to make room for a new community centre. It is

  • Local share prices (AM)

    AEA Technology 2.3 BMW 4358 Electrocomponents 191.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 93 Oxford Biomedica 5.35 Oxford Catalysts 59 Oxford Instruments 819.5 Reed Elsevier 492.6 RM 81 RPS Group 162.1 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • RUGBY UNION: Quins duo to make debuts

    Oxford Harlequins give debuts to Charles Sammut and Graham Sage in tomorrow’s National 3 South West clash at ambitious Redingensians. Sammut, who has joined from Old Patesians, starts at blindside flanker, while ex-Keynsham man Sage comes in at scrum

  • ROWING: Olympic hopefuls are back in action

    OXFORDSHIRE’S Great Britain Olympic rowing hopefuls are back in training ahead of London 2012, writes ED MEZZETTI. Britain’s oarsmen and women returned to action this week following a short break – and now the battle begins to secure a spot in next summer

  • FIXTURES: October 1-7

    SATURDAY FOOTBALL NPOWER LEAGUE TWO Hereford Utd v Oxford Utd. FA CUP 2nd qualifying round: Thame Utd v Oxford City. EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE Div 1 South & West: Abingdon Utd v Tiverton Tn, Mangotsfield

  • FOOTBALL: Didcot's new boss Mudge wants points on board

    Didcot Town’s new manager Dave Mudge says his first priority is to get some more points – starting with Saturday's Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West trip to Mangotsfield. Mudge (pictured) replaced Francis Vines and had no hesitation

  • BADMINTON: Roberts and Blair star

    Joe Roberts, of Brize Norton, and Dan Blair, of Didcot, have continued their winning ways. Two weeks ago, Blair won the boys singles’ gold medal at the Badminton England under 15 tournament held in Reading and together with Roberts won gold

  • Artist's funeral

    The funeral of a well known Oxford artist will take place at Pusey House in St Giles today. Zoe Peterssen, who created art from a bench in Christ Church Meadow, died on August 29 after a short battle with cancer. An artist in residence at Pusey House

  • Rail strategy for faster journeys

    A new railway strategy, unveiled yesterday, promises faster journey times around Oxford. The Initial Industry Plan, includes investment in electrification, new trains, signalling upgrades and line-speed improvements between 2014 and 2019. Network Rail

  • ROWING: City lead the way in Isis Sculls

    City of Oxford led the way with 19 first places in the Isis Sculls, when 140 boats raced in four divisions over 1,850 metres. Wallingford and Abingdon clubs also enjoyed plenty of success. Mike Edge, of Wallingford, won the masters D

  • Priceless artefacts shown by Bodleian Library

    AN opportunity to see ancient texts and priceless manuscripts is being offered as one of the world’s oldest libraries throws open its doors. The treasures of Oxford’s Bodleian Library will go on show from today, offering a rare glimpse of the

  • MOTORSPORT: Berwick bids for hat-trick

    Dan Berwick will be aiming to win his third successive Dirt Track event at Oxford Stadium tonight (7pm), writes ROBERT PEASLEY. More than 40 races will feature in a packed programme also containing Quads, Moto-cross bikes, and the small, but

  • Cor, that's an unusual rent to pay

    IT was rent day at Witney’s Cogges Manor Farm yesterday but, unusually, it was a cause for celebration. Tanika Bandaro and Kiera Lee, from Year Five at The Blake Church of England Primary School, in Witney, handed over the payment – a basket of apples

  • What a load of cobblers

    TARMAC to replace cobbles in Merton Street is an act of vandalism but the university is very rich, so why can’t it pay? Some years ago the grass area either side of Tom Tower was cobbled. Very costly as the stones came from Malta, or some other place

  • Aircraft claims do not stand up

    GLYN Limmer (Oxford Mail, September 20), tells us that the only American parts of the Mustang aircraft were the stars on the wings. I think we should consider a few facts to see how this claim stands up. In 1940, the British Purchasing Mission in

  • FOOTBALL: Thame boss West is up for City Cup clash

    Thame United boss Mark West says the pressure is all on Oxford City when they host the Evo-Stik Southern League club at the ASM Stadium in the FA Cup second qualifying round on Saturday. But West admits his Uhlsport Hellenic League side, who could boost

  • We have no Tevez at United, says boss Wilder

    Chris Wilder said he cannot praise highly enough the players desperately trying to force their way into the Oxford United team. And the U’s manager joked that there was certainly not a Carlos Tevez-type character at the club. Although United have a

  • UPDATE: Two smashes cause rush hour jams

    Two lorries smashed into each other on the junction of the A34 and Botley Road causing commuter traffic chaos. The collision on the north bound carriageway saw traffic snarled back to the A420 as motorists tried to make their way to work.

  • Locum jury hears of GPs' concerns

    THE senior partner at an Oxford doctors’ surgery told jurors of the “very troubling” things he found when investigating concerns about a locum. The doctor gave evidence at Oxford Crown Court yesterday in the trial of Yenugula Srinivas, who

  • CABBAGES & KINGS: Male drivers showed very little respect

    IT isn’t often I’m disappointed with my fellow males. But on Sunday quite a few of ‘em, car drivers all, made me heartily ashamed. The scene? The roundabout at the junction of Old Road, Morrell Avenue and Divinity Road. The occasion? Oxford

  • Leave our car park alone

    HEADINGTON – Park or Bust? So, Oxford councillors have offered to carry residents’ shopping to their homes. We add our votes to those of many Headington residents in favour of not selling-off to Brookes or disturbing the council-owned 128-bay car park

  • Technical debate on plane

    OH DEAR, Derrick Holt and James Wade have got themselves in a tizzy over my comments regarding the Mustang fighter in the Second World War (Oxford Mail, September 23). James Wade says the Mustang was built to British specifications by the Americans,

  • Change in planning law makes sense, despite the trust's belief

    IN response to Hilary McGrady’s article “save the countryside” (Oxford Mail, September 26), I fancy she doth protest too much in her personal opinion, mirroring that of the National Trust, that the Government’s suggested changes to the planning system

  • Recycling centre needs to have clearer signage

    I have been using the dump at Redbridge for more than 20 years as a domestic user and have adjusted to the recycling arrangements over the years. I have recently experienced problems in finding the landfill skip and noticed a couple of skips with a

  • United on look-out for more junior link-ups

    Oxford United’s group sales manager James Peterson is on the hunt for more links with youth clubs around the county. The U’s already run a guard of honour and Saturday special packages with junior sides from across the county, but the club

  • It's Ultimate Support Saturday when United host Bristol Rovers

    The atmosphere at next Saturday’s home game with Bristol Rovers is going to be electric. And that will be largely down to a group of Oxford United fans who have dubbed the game the ‘Ultimate Support Saturday’. Joe Nicholls, one of the supporters who

  • Axe falls on staff at education firm

    HUNDREDS of jobs are set to be axed at schools technology provider RM Education, it emerged yesterday. Bosses at the company said they will make up to 300 redundancies across the UK business, with the majority of staff based at the headquarters in Milton

  • Athlete gives Minis a jump start

    BRITISH Olympic hopeful J.J Jegede took a not-so-Mini jump by the River Thames yesterday. The 2011 English long jump champion leapt more than six metres across the roofs of three Cowley-built Minis. Mr Jegede said: “When you watch athletics on TV

  • To Sir with love

    ACTOR Laurence Fox gave fellow Lewis star Kevin Whately a cheeky peck on the cheek for our photographer yesterday as they called in at an Oxford café to film scenes for the sixth series of the ITV detective drama. Last month film crews from the Inspector

  • Crook who fled police on crutches jailed

    A SERIAL criminal who fled police by hobbling from his hospital bed on crutches has been jailed. Peter Gaughan, 27, was arrested after being cut free from a stolen Honda sports car in North Oxford. He denied burgling a property in Banbury Road earlier

  • University launches degree in policing

    A NEW degree course has been launched at Oxford Brookes University to train the next generation of Thames Valley Police officers. But the Thames Valley Police Federation last night warned the new two-year degree should not replace existing

  • COMMENT: Degree for police

    A new degree course was launched yesterday – in being a policeman. There is nothing hugely unusual about taking a vocational degree. For example, Oxford Brookes University has successful programmes for nurses and paramedics. The force has said it wants

  • Traffic snarled up after A34 smash

    A crash involving two lorries and a car has caused congestion on the A34 this morning. One lane of the road is blocked northbound between the turn off for Botley and the A420 and Oxford Road at Kidlington. Meanwhile, another incident on Woodstock Road

  • Heslop is a man on a mission

    SIMON Heslop is delighted to have broken his away-goal duck for Oxford United – and is now concentrating on trying to get a tap-in. The U’s midfielder has developed a reputation for spectacular strikes since his arrival at the club 18 months ago. The

  • Students track down film work

    YOUNG directors from Oxford and Cherwell Valley College in Banbury were commissioned to make short films for Network Rail and First Great Western. Some of the films were historical, while others were about the journey the students make to and

  • ‘City half-marathon has spoiled our run’

    ONE of Oxfordshire’s running clubs has complained that the much-anticipated Oxford Half-Marathon spoilt its own big day. The half-marathon took place on Sunday for the first time since the 1990s. And organisers of the Longworth 10km run found the turnout

  • Good causes can apply now for a grant from Mail owners

    A DIDCOT charity took people with mental health problems on a relaxing day trip to the Cotswold Wildlife Park, thanks to a grant from the Oxford Mail’s parent company, the Gannett Foundation. The foundation is the charitable section of Gannett Co Inc