Archive

  • Hotel chain plans budget accommodation

    BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge is planning to build a four-storey motel close to the Redbridge park and ride site in Oxford. The chain has submitted a planning application to the city council to build the 83-bed hotel on three and four storeys on the

  • A snapshot of air force base's history

    AT its peak, thousands of troops, nuclear missiles and fast jets were stationed there. The former US Air Force base at Upper Heyford, near Bicester, was central in the West’s defence against Russia during the decades-long Cold War. Although the Americans

  • Fire control merger to go ahead

    Oxfordshire County Council is set to press ahead with plans to merge its fire control centre, despite Buckinghamshire pulling out of the Thames Valley-wide project. County councillor Judith Heathcoat is set to back plans to create a joint Oxfordshire-Berkshire

  • New crossing will end traffic misery

    Residents of a village used as a rat run between Witney and Chipping Norton are calling for a new river bridge to be built. Crawley residents have grown sick and tired of damage to walls, and long queues caused by vehicles cramming through their narrow

  • Hundreds create a tapestry for town

    A tapestry woven with the help of hundreds of Abingdon hands is to be hung with pride in the town. The Abingdon Tapestry was made over a two-week tour of the town. A loom was taken to schools, a care home and the Market Place, giving as many residents

  • First aid pilot will continue

    A pilot scheme designed to reduce unnecessary ambulance call outs and A&E attendances will be extended for a further two years in Chipping Norton. The Chipping Norton First Aid Unit was launched at the newly-opened Chipping Norton War Memorial Community

  • Getting the message across

    Speeding drivers in Kirtlington were being ticked off this week. Youngsters from the village’s primary school were out in force with police officers on Thursday to catch speeding drivers. When the drivers were caught they were pulled over into a layby

  • GLOBETROTTER: Head for heights

    THE slopes above Combloux are fast and steep; hair-raising pistes slicing through forest towards the valley floor thousands of dizzying feet below. These French valleys, dominated by Western Europe's highest peak, Mont Blanc, offer some of the best

  • Children's goods firm ready to run

    Staff at a merchandise firm near Wallingford are warming up to raise cash for Oxford Children’s Hospital. Eighteen staff at Vogue International Ltd, Berinsfield, are jogging around the industrial estate it is based in to prepare for the OX5 Run at Blenheim

  • Jumping the gun over park-and-ride

    IT may be a sign of wishful thinking, but it seems someone has been a tad premature over plans for a Bicester park-and-ride. A signpost has been put up at a new roundabout on the A41, halfway between Bicester and junction nine of the M40, directing people

  • Things to do during half-term

    1Visit a museum While the idea of looking at old paintings might not initially enthuse your youngsters, most of the city’s museums are well geared up for children. On Thursday at the Museum of Oxford, in Oxford Town Hall, there will be a Home Front

  • SCHOOL SPORT: Icknield revel in Wasps coaching

    EIGHTY rugby-mad youngsters at Icknield Community College, Watlington, received a masterclass from London Wasps stars Tom Rees and Chris Elder. Rees, who has 15 caps for England, and Elder, who had a spell on loan at Chinnor two years ago, visited the

  • Cooling towers could make way for houses in 2015

    HUNDREDS of new homes could be built on the Didcot power station site when part of it is decomissioned, according to the leader of South Oxfordshire District Council. Ann Ducker has raised the possibility of homes being built once coal-fired Didcot

  • Loophole open for developers

    developers could get the upper hand in battles to build new estates, a council boss fears, after it was revealed a key housing target is being missed. Michael Gibbard said developers could overturn Cherwell District Council decisions to reject estate

  • Searching for the biggest loser

    FOUR lucky readers are looking forward to waving excess weight goodbye and shimmying their way to a fit and fantastic summer, thanks to the Oxford Mail. Over the next three months, we are teaming up with Virgin Active to help these four women

  • BILLIARDS: Oracle's title filip

    ASHTON lost top spot after a 2-1 defeat at New Club in Division 1 of the Gentworks Oxford & District League. Oracle are the new leaders, with Ashton also on 31 points, both having played 14 games. Dave White (+20) sealed the match for New Club after

  • Valentine's Day - free red rose

    WE'RE big romantics so if you buy your Oxford Mail on Tuesday, February 14, from Budgenns in Peachcroft, Abingdon, you'll get a free red rose. Stocks are limited so make sure you're first in the queue.

  • Saturday, February 11: Free seven day pass at Act!ve Nation

    Get your Oxford Mail today and you'll be eligible to get a free seven day discovery pass at Act!ve Nation. That's right - you can use the gym, swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms at the White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre in Abingdon. Just take along

  • Water works

    Drivers are being warned to allow extra time for journeys along Headley Way in Headington, near the John Radclifffe Hospital. Temporary traffic lights are in use until Thursday next week while Thames Water engineers carry out work on pipes beneath the

  • SNOOKER: Fieldside book place in final

    PREMIER Division leaders Fieldside beat their closest rivals Abingdon RBL 4-1 to reach the final of the Gentworks Oxford & District League’s Simmons Cup. Mick Bennett won two frames for Fieldside, while Robbie Adcock grabbed Abingdon’s consolation and

  • Board change at biotech firm

    Andrew Wood has stepped down from the board of biotech firm Oxford Biomedica, where he was chief financial officer. Tim Watts has been appointed to the board as chief financial officer and company secretary, with Mr Wood – who has worked for the firm

  • Young funds £1m house legal battle

    TWO tenants making a legal bid to claim ownership of a £1m North Oxford house for free are being bankrolled by Headington man Martin Young, it was revealed in court. The 67-year-old retired property manager appeared at Oxford County Court yesterday to

  • Court rules out council meeting prayers

    AN Atheist councillor has welcomed a court ruling banning prayers at council meetings. Liberal Democrat Jerry Patterson leaves Vale of White Horse District Council meetings when the Christian prayers are said. Yesterday the High Court ruled the practice

  • Grill catches fire

    BANBURY: A woman’s grill accidentally caught fire in the early hours of Thursday after making a snack ‘while tired’. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to a flat on Dashwood Road. Nobody was injured in the incident.

  • Missing boy safe

    DIDCOT: A 15-year-old boy with Asperger’s who went missing from Didcot has been found safe and well. Tom Peck, of Elderfield Crecent, was last seen at the Orchard Centre in the town centre at about 1.30pm on Thursday. Police tracked the teenager down

  • Cannabis grown to treat bad back

    A MAN walked free from court despite owning a cannabis factory that had produced almost £60,000 of the drug and was capable of yielding 7kg a year. Andrew Walters was spared jail because a judge decided he was “not, by any standard definition, a criminal

  • BOXING: Flanagan battles back

    Berinsfield’s Ciaran Flanagan came from behind with a determined effort in the final session to emerge as Home Counties schoolboy champion in the Class 3 (born 1997) 44kg category at Luton. In an intense battle with Stevenage’s Danny Hashmi

  • SCHOOL SPORT: Cheney's indoor rowers triumph

    youngsters from Cheney School won three individual golds and triumphed in both team events at the Oxford inter-school indoor rowing event at Wheatley Park School. Tom Placidi took the honours in the boys’ under 13 competition for the school, who compete

  • Murder case to hear pair plead

    OXFORD: Two men will next month enter pleas over the death of Denis Witney in East Oxford. Mr Witney, 39, died after being found injured in St Clement’s Street on November 9. Wayne Cattell, 36, of no fixed address, and Daniel McCollin, 30, of Blay Close

  • SWIMMING: City enjoy their big splash

    A group of City of Oxford youngsters are pictured at Temple Cowley Pool where they took part in the Big Splash initiative. The BBC and British Swimming scheme sought to inspire more people to swim. Some 84 club swimmers and parents took part, with many

  • ANGLING: Gate-crasher at pike party!

    THE Oxfordshire region of the Pike Anglers Club of Great Britain held their latest fish-in at Orchid Lakes, Dorchester-on-Thames, but it was a carp that stole the show. A total of 22 anglers enjoyed a great day under the guidance of owner Marsh Pratley

  • Train delays

    RAIL passengers are facing hour-long delays this morning after a train broke down at Heyford. CrossCountry’s Birmingham New Street to Reading service has been hit and replacement buses have been put on between Banbury and Oxford.

  • TABLE TENNIS: Vikings' perfect record is over

    VIKINGS D have extended their lead in Division 2 of the Oxford & District Association – but lost their unbeaten record in doing so. The table-toppers had three matches in seven days, and while two victories sees them 14 points clear, they no longer boast

  • GREYHOUNDS: Childs puts his faith in Stevie

    FORMER Oxford trainer Dean Childs will be hoping to make it a return to Sandy Lane to remember when Droopys Stevie lines up in the opening heats of the £1,000 RD Racing Trafalgar Puppy Cup tonight. Stevie has been impressive with a win and two seconds

  • Shotgun charge

    OXFORD: A 23-year-old man has appeared in court charged with brandishing a sawn-off shotgun at two women. James Bisson, of Sage Walk, Greater Leys, is charged with possessing a firearm with intent to cause Jazmin Grey-Turner and Jodie Marshell fear of

  • Brize honour for Princess Anne

    CARTERTON: Princess Anne will visit RAF Brize Norton and become the base’s Honorary Air Commodore on Friday. It will be the first time the base has had an Honorary Air Commodore. Princess Anne held the role at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire

  • County escapes major disruptions

    THE snow fell but, apart from the odd school being closed and a few crashes, life was hardly disrupted yesterday. The most prominent casualty was an anti-capitalist demonstration against Barclays bank, in Cornmarket, Oxford, which was called off. The

  • Extra £2m to be spent on roads

    AN extra £2m will be spent on minor improvements to roads around the county, as part of a last-minute cash giveaway in County Hall’s 2012 budget. County councillors met yesterday to vote through the financial plans, which will cut another £37m from council

  • CRICKET: Shipton in tough Village opener

    Oxfordshirechampions Shipton-under-Wychwood fa-ce a tricky trip to Cumnor in the National Village Cup first round on Sunday, May 6. The draw also pits Horspath at home to old rivals Aston Rowant. OXFORDSHIRE GROUP. Prelim round (April 22): Minster

  • Crime at the JR

    OXFORD: The John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford has the highest number of crimes of all hospitals in the Thames Valley Police region. The Headington hospital reported 84 crimes, including assaults, theft and criminal damage last year.

  • Join in city's annual spring clean

    THE great and the good of Oxford are calling on its residents to clean up their act. Yesterday saw the launch of the OxClean Spring Clean 2012. More than 200 Oxford Spires pupils gathered to see Oxford United player Damian Batt kick off the campaign

  • CRICKET: Harrison takes on new role

    Jason Harrison, who caused a surprise when he quit as captain and first-team coach of Oxford CC just before Christmas, has acquired another coaching role. The 40-year-old former Middlesex batsman has become head coach at Beaconsfield, who play

  • ATHLETICS: Hannah in test of stamina

    Oxford City’s Hannah England continues her preparation for the London Olympics when she competes in the Aviva Indoor UK Trials and Championships at Sheffield tomorrow. The world 1500m silver medallist (right) will be competing in 3,000m in an attempt

  • Di Canio in new United dig

    It was a normal day for Paolo Di Canio yesterday – another touchline ban and another dig at Oxford United. The Swindon boss has been handed a two-game ban for his third dismissal of the season. And he then claimed that striker Mehdi Kerrouche will make

  • Man dies following forklift accident

    A MAN has died in hospital after an accident involving a forklift truck. The 60-year-old, from the Banbury area, was taken to the Horton General Hospital after the incident, at a Jewsons unit in Beaumont Road yesterday. Police were called at

  • United's Tuesday game is on track

    Oxford United are optimistic that their home game with Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday night will go ahead. Although today’s game at Accrington fell to the weather, United’s Kassam Stadium pitch was yesterday described as playable by chairman Kelvin

  • Views of palace inside its own walls

    Blenheim Palace staff have been putting the finishing touches to an exhibition marking the stately home’s reopening for the season. The work of British artist John Piper will be on display in the Long Library of the Woodstock palace, which was closed

  • Dusty the coalman brings warmth to boatspeople

    WITH his boat Dusty cutting through the ice of the Oxford Canal yesterday, Mark Boardman is one of those unsung heroes during moments like the current freeze. Mr Boardman – nicknamed Dusty – is one of the last remaining boatmen who sells coal, diesel

  • Paedophile flouts ban

    A convicted sex offender being monitored by police was free to flout a ban on meeting children and chatted up youngsters at church services. David Cox had been given a sexual offences prevention order (Sopo) banning him from unsupervised contact with

  • COMMENT: Complacency that is truly breathtaking

    THE stories on page two and page five today about the respective failings of the police and mental health services once again raise questions about complacency within our public services. Thames Valley Police spectacularly failed to discover

  • Johnson: It's so frustrating

    Oli Johnson says it is hard to describe the frustration a professional footballer feels when their game is called off. Oxford United’s trip to Accrington Stanley today fell to the weather yesterday, and has been rearranged for Tuesday, March

  • An anniversary to take pride in

    OXFORD’s Pride event that attracts 5,000 revellers each summer is planning a major celebration this year to mark its 10th anniversary. The event is a celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life in Oxfordshire and planning for the party

  • Village cycle shop to close after 13 years

    A FAMILY-owned independent cycle store in Kidlington is closing down after 13 years serving the village. G R Cycles, in High Street, has seen its takings drop by two thirds in the past three years due to competition from supermarkets and the

  • An anniversary to take Pride in

    Oxford’s Pride event that attracts 5,000 revellers each summer is planning a major celebration this year to mark its 10th anniversary. The event is a celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life in Oxfordshire and planning for the party