Archive

  • Fire at house

    Firefighters were called to a house fire in Botley Road, Oxford, tonight. A woman was treated for smoke inhalation by paramedics at the scene after a small fire broke out involving a curtain and sofa in the ground floor of the two-storey house.

  • Calls for charges at free park sites

    Calls are being made to introduce charges at Oxford’s remaining free park-and-ride sites. And the man in charge of transport, Rodney Rose, said his answer to those calls “could be interesting”. Oxfordshire county councillor John Sanders

  • Boost to beat breast cancer

    Early detection of breast cancer has been given a boost in Oxfordshire with the arrival of new digital scanners. The county has become the first in the south central NHS region to use only digital scanners for mammograms. The four new scanners cost

  • Filling the gap on patient feeding

    OXFORD hospital bosses claim patients are now getting what they need after a damning report revealed basic nutrition standards were not being met. Earlier this year health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) released details of its inspection

  • New scanners boost breast cancer fight

    EARLY detection of breast cancer has been given a boost in Oxfordshire with the arrival of new digital scanners. The county has become the first in the south central NHS region to use only digital scanners for mammograms. The four new

  • Local share prices (PM)

    AEA Technology 2 BMW 5181 Electrocomponents 221.8 Nationwide Accident Repair 88.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.25 Oxford Catalysts 52.75 Oxford Instruments 780.75 Reed Elsevier 544.25 RM 67.5 RPS Group 182.7 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Thames Valley to lose 100 officers

    MORE than 100 frontline police posts will be lost as Thames Valley joins its specialist units with Hampshire in a bid to save £6.7m. Armed response units, the dog section and roads policing will share training and equipment with the Hampshire

  • Thames Valley to lose 100 officers

    More than 100 frontline police posts will be lost as Thames Valley joins its specialist units with Hampshire in a bid to save £6.7m. Armed response units, the dog section and roads policing will share training and equipment with the Hampshire force when

  • Rise in black cats needing homes

    AN animal charity has claimed it has seen an ‘unlucky rise’ in the number of black cats needing a new home. The Blue Cross adoption centres in Burford and Lewknor has seen the number of black cats looking for a home in Oxfordshire leap from 775 in 2010

  • A futuristic vision of cooling towers

    DIDCOT’S coal fired power station is due to close in 2015, opening a heated debate on what will happen to its imposing cooling towers. An Oxford business consultant believes the site could be transformed into an electric tourist attraction.

  • Home page plea

    They are logging on in Russia and Australia, but residents in Blackbird Leys are not switched on to their community website. Now an estate stalwart in Blackbird Leys is urging people to make it the estate’s digital hub. Parish councillor Brian Lester

  • Building up a safer future

    HISTORICAL buildings in Bicester town centre including a pub and a pet cemetery have been given greater protection. The Bicester Conservation Area has been extended by Cherwell District Council in its first review of the zone since 1992. It has added

  • Local share prices

    AEA Technology 2 BMW 5280 Electrocomponents 224 Nationwide Accident Repair 88.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.3 Oxford Catalysts 53 Oxford Instruments 790.25 Reed Elsevier 544.25 RM 70.3 RPS Group 186.7 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • FOOTBALL: Wantage take shoot-out drama

    Premier Division outfit Wantage Town were given an almighty fright by Division 1 West side Letcombe before triumphing 11-10 in an amazing penalty shoot-out in the Uhlsport Hellenic League's Bluefin Insurance Brokers Challenge Cup second round. The tie

  • FOOTBALL: Nomads roar up to second

    Oxford City Nomads moved up to second place in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division with a 2-0 win at Henley Town. James Dobson fired Nomads ahead, and Kameron Abassi grabbed the second after 22 minutes. In Division 1 West,

  • Motorists told to be on guard

    Police have warned motorists to be on their guard after a BMW was stolen and a gang were seen “acting suspiciously” by a nearby Audi. Burglars stole car keys from a house in Cranesbill Drive, Bicester, and drove off in a BMW sports car parked on the

  • Families step out to boost hospital

    Bearing pictures of the woman they all loved, the family of cancer victim Andrea Barker were among those who turned out for a charity event to support Oxford’s NHS. Husband Stephen Barker, 46 and children Jacob, 16, and William, 13 took part in a walk

  • Fans' tributes to Jimmy Savile

    County residents who were touched by the kindness of Sir Jimmy Savile paid tribute to the TV star yesterday. The eccentric marathon runner, DJ and star of Jim’ll Fix It was found dead at his Leeds home on Saturday. Through his popular BBC show the presenter

  • Oxsrad result

    Craft workers descended on the Oxsrad Sports Centre in Marsh Lane, Marston, for its fifth annual craft fair. Yesterday’s event saw more than 30 stallholders selling their wares, bringing in more than £600 through pitch fees alone. Organisers hope ticket

  • RACING: Rupert has Betfair mission

    Time For Rupert could run next in the Betfair Chase at Haydock after he finished second to Weird Al in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday. Paul Webber, who trains at Mollington, near Banbury, reported that his star had come out of

  • Leven hits wonder goal as Clarke save secures victory

    Peter Leven may get most of the headlines for his spectacular goal, but it was keeper Ryan Clarke’s penalty save that enabled Oxford United to hold on for a memorable 2-1 win against fellow promotion-cha-sers Port Vale. Leven struck an amazing

  • RESULTS: Ocotber 31

    FOOTBALL. NPOWER LEAGUE TWO. Oxford Utd 2, Port Vale 1. FA CUP. 4th qual round: Weston-super-Mare 2, Oxford City 3. EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE. Premier Div: Banbury Utd 1, Swindon Supermarine 1. Div 1 South & West: Bridgwater 1, Abingdon Utd 1; Poole

  • Running scared

    Scores of runners took on a scary Halloween themed 10km run yesterday. Spookily dressed marshalls and supporters cheered on 125 women who took part in the sixth annual Candleford Canter 10k run at Fringford. Mary Grace Spalton, 35, from Aston Rowant

  • Seven arrested over driveway work

    Seven people were arrested over alleged rogue trading in Abingdon and Banbury. Five men from the North of England aged between 19 and 30 were arrested in Abingdon on Thursday, police said last night. Officers responded to a complaint from a 79-year-old

  • School meals row boils over

    A row has broken out over plans to change school meals contracts, amid concerns it will hit the quality of food served to pupils. Liberal Democrat and Green councillors have called in the Oxfordshire County Council plan for scrutiny. The Conservative-run

  • Being positive: HIV rate doubles

    The number of people living with HIV in Oxfordshire has more than doubled in the past nine years, figures show. Latest figures from the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust show there are 458 people with the immune system disease, compared

  • FOOTBALL: Ford looking for another big FA Cup payday

    Oxford City boss Mike Ford called it a “a good draw” after learning that his side would travel to face Redbridge, from Ryman League Division 1 North, in the first round of the FA Cup on Saturday, November 12. “At this stage, we were ideally

  • Leven specialising in great goals

    Oxford United midfielder Peter Leven said his spectacular winner against Port Vale on Saturday had been one of the best goals he has ever scored. The summer signing from MK Dons struck just minutes after Port Vale’s Marc Richards had cancelled

  • FOOTBALL: Abingdon on the up

    Bridgwater Tn 1 (Pearse 58) Abingdon Utd 1 (Collier 49) Abingdon United made it three games without defeat with a well-deserved point at Bridgwater Town in Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West. Bridgwater

  • FOOTBALL: Stanley in birthday joy

    Stourport Swifts 0 Didcot Tn 1 (Stanley 54) Didcot Town skipper Alex Stanley had a 28th birthday to remember with the winner against Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West's bottom club, Stourport Swifts, on his 100th appearance for the Railwaymen

  • FOOTBALL: Red card for Hopkins

    Poole Tn 3 (Cann 38, Preston 39, Joyce 51) North Leigh 1 (Hole pen 10) Michael Hopkins was sent off as North Leigh were sunk by Poole Town in their Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West clash. Hopkins

  • FOOTBALL: Banbury keep run going

    Banbury Utd 1 (Green pen 3) Swindon Supermarine 1 (Stanley 23) Banbury United extended their unbeaten run to five games with a draw against Swindon Supermarine in an Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division clash which

  • FOOTBALL: Mooney save does it for City

    Weston-super-Mare 2 (Pepperell pen 55, Ingram 90+3) Oxford City 3 (Pond 3, Basham 34, Barcelos 74) Goalkeeper Jason Mooney produced an injury-time wonder save to secure Oxford City a place in the FA Cup first round with

  • Fresh dismay at top exec payout

    Bosses have remained tightlipped over a £100,000 payout made to the former head of Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital. It comes as the Oxford Mail can reveal the current chief executive of the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals (ORH) Trust earns £235,000 a year

  • THE MAN ABOUT TOWN: Life lived in moments, not milestones

    Today, I am halfway to getting my birthday card from Her Majesty The Queen (yes, this very day). But is it a milestone? Not really. Like hundreds of millions of other people, I’m just lucky enough to have lived 50 years, and milestones I think should

  • The greedy public sector

    So workers in the public sector want to strike over pensions. What a greedy selfish lot they are, with short hours, lots of coffee breaks, subsidised canteens, free parking, abuse of franking machines for Christmas and birthday cards – jobsworth types

  • Call the grammar police

    I do not doubt that Chris Payne was not perceived as a “half-witted, semi-illiterate ignoramus” during his tenure with the “Old Bill” in Rose Hill, nor that the good people of that area mostly seemed pretty pleased with his work. Nonetheless, I should

  • The public is starting to turn on its leaders

    Who's running the shop? Rebellion is rife across the world and now it appears it has come to Oxford. Gaddafi has been overthrown, Egypt has toppled its despot and now it seems even our own dictators in the City Chambers are being subjected to the will

  • Wilder praises Leven after spectacular goal

    Chris Wilder singled out Peter Leven for praise following his wonder goal that earned Oxford United a 2-1 victory over Port Vale on Saturday. Leven chipped Vale keeper Stuart Tomlinson from all of 45 yards to put United 2-1 ahead, although

  • 'Make our streets safe to walk down'

    Women marching to end sexual violence in Oxford said attacks this summer proved the demo was more vital than ever before. The annual Reclaim the Night march saw more than 100 women holding banners, waving signs and chanting “Women unite, reclaim the

  • Carriage plan is madness

    RE: Approved – Carriages Plan on Track (October 24). By approving the re-introduction of horse-drawn carriages to the city, Oxford City Council is demonstrating that it values profit more than public and equine safety. Carriages are dangerous to riders

  • Take care of wheelie bins

    I read with disgust that the councillors in Middlesbrough are forced to charge £40 for lost or stolen wheelie bins. Let’s get this in its right perspective. These wheelie bins were forced upon us, and lots of people have to leave their bins at the front

  • Anti-motorist authority

    When are the powers-that-be responsible for traffic management in this city going to realise their hare–brained ideas are doing more harm than good? Their latest project around The Slade, Old Road, Dene Road area is neither wanted nor needed, as reported

  • Brown's time-travel power

    R Tucker states in his letter to the Oxford Mail that Gordon Brown denied us a referendum to enter the EU. I did not know that Gordon Brown had such power, as he entered Parliament as a member for Dunfermline East in 1983. The referendum to enter the

  • UK cannot leave the EU

    I have noticed a splurge of anti–EU letters in the Oxford Mail, all calling for a referendum on membership. One of the funniest was on October 21, where the writer blamed Gordon Brown for not having a referendum to join the EU. It’s difficult for the

  • Tory policies are putting all of our futures at risk

    This is a really worrying time for families and businesses; struggling with higher food prices and gas bills and worried about their jobs and their children’s futures. The Tory–led Government is cutting too far and too fast and risks choking off economic

  • Oxfordshire councils will get Iceland money refunded

    MILLIONS of pounds invested by Oxfordshire councils in collapsed Icelandic banks will be repaid. The five Oxfordshire councils with money tied up in two failed banks will get 98 per cent of the £21m they invested, after a nationwide bid to return funds

  • Oxfordshire performers sing out for cancer support

    HUNDREDS of singers packed into Oxford’s New Theatre to add their voices to a fundraising driver for a cancer care charity. More than 500 members of Oxfordshire choral societies took part in the Macmillan Cancer Support fundraiser Come and

  • Wilder delight at dream FA Cup draw against the Blades

    Chris Wilder said he was “fantastically happy” after his Oxford United team drew his home-town club Sheffield United in the first round of the FA Cup yesterday. The U’s travel to Bramall Lane in two week’s time and Wilder, who played 105

  • Tributes to cycle crash victim

    FRIENDS and colleagues of a cyclist who was killed in Oxford have described their devastating loss. Joanna Braithwaite, 34, died after she was involved in a crash with a cement mixer lorry in Woodstock Road on Friday. It is thought she

  • COMMENT: Ticket to ride?

    COUNCILLOR John Sanders has a point when calling for further park-and-ride charges to be introduced. Since charges were introduced at Pear Tree, Redbridge and Seacourt, drivers who have been clamouring for spaces at Thornhill and Water Eaton instead.

  • COMMENT: Women need a clear steer on screening

    THE news that Oxfordshire’s NHS hospitals are now fully equipped with state-of-the-art digital scanners will be welcomed by women throughout the county. It underscores residents’ commitment to supporting their health service as £96,000 of the £270,000

  • It's time to play

    A SCHEME to revamp most of Oxford’s play areas has entered the home straight as the 51st playground was officially opened in Cowley. Oxford City Council has spent two years and £2.5m refurbishing and replacing play parks across the city, and aims to