Community leaders and groups took part in a workshop aimed at shaping the future of the 5,000-home eco-town in North West Bicester. Top of the agenda was how to ensure the development was integrated with the rest of the town. The workshop was the first
SHOCKED residents woke up to find their street completely blocked by roadworks that were not due to start until a fortnight later. The roadworks in North Hinksey Lane form part of a massive £7m Thames Water project to expand sewers in the area. But
Chinnor secured a bonus-point victory in a match that was closer than the scoreline suggests. Here is the numbers' game. See Tuesday’s paper for full report. Competition: National 3 South West Score: Chinnor 35, Exmouth 3 Chinnor player
With their mouths taped up, these Oxford University students got shoppers staring as they highlighted the plight of Palestinian political prisoner Khader Adnan. The 33-year-old maths graduate, who runs a bakery in the West Bank, has been on hunger strike
A driver campaigning against controversial plans to record all conversations in city cabs has been told the system is here to stay. Oxford City Council told Khalil Ahmed, pictured, that most drivers support the camera plan and it was vital to improve
ABOUT 1,000 homes in Oxford were today without electricity after a power cut. Southern Electric said about 600 homes in Marston and Headington had been reconnected by 4pm and it hoped to restore power to all homes by 8pm. Spokesman Grahame
Oxford United extended their good away form, but had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Bristol Rovers today. The point makes it six games unbeaten for Chris Wilder's side, but they will be disappointed not to have got more of the game with home keeper Michael
Mission accomplished for NATALIE GEORGE as she manages two weeks’ holiday on Thailand’s islands on a total budget of just £800 – but finds that it also pays to look closely at just who you are talking to during an evening out When people say you
WITH just a mile of the 2011 Pink Ribbonwalk to go, Pc Craig O’Leary felt an intense burst of sadness for his mum Gina, who had died almost exactly one year before, from cancer. “But then came a feeling of euphoria,” said the father-of-one from Bicester
Ten-year-old Elise Chaundy has been in and out of hospital since she was born. The North Kidlington Primary School pupil was unable to keep food down as a baby and spent much of her first 18 months in hospital. Then, aged four, she contracted
OXFORD United's game at Bristol Rovers this afternoon is subject to a 1.30pm pitch inspection. The Memorial Stadium is covered in puddles and with it still raining the referee will look at the playing surface to see if the game can go ahead.
A CHIPPING Norton cinema has installed a new digital projector thanks to £23,000 in donations and support from Sir Ben Kingsley. Chipping Norton Theatre, Spring Street, installed the piece of kit in October but has only started using it now because the
A DRUG addict who turned to dealing to fund a £100 a day crack cocaine habit has been jailed. Paul Strong was arrested after police raided the bedroom he was staying in at a house in Didcot on January 23. Officers found the 35-year-old with £165 in
Community organisations in Oxford are to benefit from more than £90,000 in grants to carry on their good work. Oxford City Council’s executive board approved grants for 16 groups which had made bids for up to £10,000 each. Among those
YOUNGSTERS in Carterton now have a place to go in the evenings after the town’s threatened youth centre reopened. The Allandale Centre, in Burford Road, was set to close last year after Oxfordshire County Council cut its ongoing funding. But Carterton
THERE may not have been much sun outside but that didn’t stop these youngsters learning the science behind sundials. More than 30 children accompanied by parents and carers took part in a ‘fabulous fundials’ activity at the Museum of the History
Youngsters visiting an Oxford gallery could take inspiration from exhibitions and have a go themselves this half-term. Modern Art Oxford’s art trolley was in place alongside an exhibition of British artist Graham Sutherland’s work. Gallery spokesman
A FIREFIGHTERS’ union last night warned sharing an emergency control centre with Berkshire could have “disastrous” results. Oxfordshire County Council is looking at creating a shared control room with the neighbouring fire and rescue service in a location
Forum A pulled off a shock as they ended defending champions Vikings A’s season-long winning record with a 5-5 draw in Division 1 of the Oxford & District Association. Greg Boone excelled for Forum by beating Jingyu Sun and Alan Cherry, while Karl Bushell
Nick Colton tracks Johnnys Way and Cantunda Ramos in the Springbok Hurdle at Wimbledon tonight. Michael Peterson’s pair of Rushmoor Toby and Drumcroe Bond proved pre-race trials helps as both won opens at Romford. l OXFORD will stage their BAGS/SIS
WORKMEN are this morning trying to fix the two-foot wide water main which burst in South Hinksey. The surge of water, which covered half a square mile, left eight homes flooded yesterday. Residents were evacuated and some were trapped
Two men have denied impersonating solicitors at a police station. John Evans, 43, and James Mangan, 39, appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday and denied perverting the course of justice. The pair are alleged to have gained access to the custody suite
The Dancin’ Oxford Festival will be launched today with 50 dancers performing at three sites across the city. There will be performances at noon at the Westgate, 1pm in Bonn Square, and parades at 2pm and 3pm through Cornmarket Street.
THE mentality of a man who would attack a complete stranger in the street is hard to grasp, particularly when the victim is a young woman. A week on, Kerry Hastings is still feeling the physical and psychological effects of being jumped from behind and
SIX fire engines were called to deal with a balcony fire at Windrush Tower in Blackbird Leys this morning. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze started in a "plastic item" on the fourth floor of the block of flats off Knights
About 25 people turned up to a meeting organised by the Woodeaton Quarry Action Committee on Thursday night in Beckley Village Hall. The group is fighting plans to fill the quarry with 520,000 tonnes of rubble. Those at the meeting included applicant
Oxford City Council’s budget for the next financial year will be set on Monday at a meeting in the Town Hall at 5pm.
BUSES in Oxford could have their emissions legally capped in a bid to cut pollution in the city. Oxfordshire County Council has applied to Government to set a limit on nitrogen dioxide emissions as part of plans with Oxford City Council to make the city
A SUPERMARKET worker last night described fearing for her life after a stranger attacked her at Oxford Railway Station. Kerry Hastings was left screaming for help after a man punched her twice in the head and once in the back before grabbing
Angie Kibble received her champion trainer award at last Thursday’s abandoned meeting at Oxford Stadium, as did ‘dog of the year’ Spencers Lad. Other awards at the Owners’ Association presentation night went to the Ron Bicknell-trained Speedy Ali for
Former Renault driver Vitaly Petrov has replaced Italian veteran Jarno Trulli at Oxfordshire-based Caterham for the 2012 Formula 1 season. Petrov, 27, joins the Leafield outfit after two years at Enstone-based Renault, now re-named Lotus, and will
The majority of last Sunday’s matches bec-ame victims of the freezing overnight temperatures, but Tackley Est-ates AC managed to fish. They staged their Villagers Cup on the lower links stretch of the Cherwell, where seven hardy souls turned out. As
More evidence of the ever-increasing size of our chub comes with this picture from Dan Coulling. The Oxford angler tempted his personal best of 6.10.0 from the Thames at Sandford. Conditions were hardly ideal, with bright sunshine and
Oxfordshire batsman Rob Williams led Preston Capes to victory over Cropredy in Division 1 of the Banbury Indoor League, but only after a mighty scrap. Williams’s 35 not out steered them to 148-4 and Cropredy finished five runs short as James
Didcot Barramundi’s relay teams won two gold medals at the Oxfordshire & North Bucks County Champion-ships in Bletchley. The same four boys – Edward Burrows, 14, and 13-year-olds Oliver Ripley, Ricky Martin and David Murphy – triumphed in the
The connections of former Oxford favourite Jolly Poacher will hope new kid on the block Jolly Gino will emulate their kennel star’s success in the opening heats of the RD Racing Trafalgar Cup qualifiers at Oxford Stadium tonight. With the competition
Ashton regained the outright lead in Division 1 of the Gentworks Oxford & District League with a 3-0 win at Oxford Bowls. Pete Fenn (+60) started the ball rolling, beating Terry Gripe (+100) 200-139. Callum Vinall (+70) continued his
Thame A, inspired by a century break by Lee Richardson, came from behind to beat Abingdon Con 4-2 in the quarter-finals of the Gentworks Oxford & District League’s Buildbase Cup. Abingdon, bottom of Division 1, gave the league leaders a fright
OUR story on the county council investing its pension millions in tobacco shares while operating an anti-smoking policy brought a typically swift response from the authority’s leader, Keith Mitchell. Go to his blog at krmcbe.co.uk/political_blog.htm
Sam Waley-Cohen pronounced himself more than happy after Long Run regained winning ways with a workmanlike victory in the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury yesterday. The 29-year-old amateur jockey and the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, who is owned by Waley-Cohen
Berinsfield’s Ronan Wadley won through to today’s semi-finals of National Schoolboys Championships with an impressive points success at Kidlington on Sunday. The southpaw delivered one of the best performances of his career against highly-fancied
An inquest was opened on Wednesday into the death of a man killed in an accident at a building firm. David Hewson, 60, of Osterley Grove, Banbury, was killed in a forklift truck accident at Jewson in Beaumont Road on Friday, February 10. No date has
Unbeaten Oxfordshire duo Steve ‘Marvin’ Mullins and Daza Usher return to the ring next month at the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon. The pair were present at the launch of the show which is being staged on Friday, March 23. Witney-based
A man was found with a plastic gun and a fake beard on his way to a robbery. Edward Stirling, 44, was also found in High Acres, Banbury, with a knife, a balaclava, 21 bundles of rope, a hammer and nails. At Oxford Crown Court yesterday he admitted having
A team of forensic experts has been combing the scene of a suspected arson at a house in Cowley Road. Fire crews were called to the empty property near the Cowley Road Methodist Church at around 3.45pm on Wednesday when the blaze broke out. A 40-year-old
Simon Thomson watched as a “tidal wave” came rushing through his back garden. He had been helping clear the water from his neighbour’s garden as it seeped through a wall into his land. He said: “The garden wall eventually collapsed and there was a tidal
IT was the Blay family who raised the alarm. They were unlucky enough to live across the road from the pipe which burst yesterday morning. Father-of-four Keiron Blay, 47 said: “We were the first house to be hit by the flood. “We have a five-day old
A financial trader from Benson was last night still receiving hospital treatment after falling from the third floor of his flat in the Peru capital Lima. Owen Goddard, 33, originally from Littleworth Road, fell on Monday from the third-floor
A man who thought he was burgling a shed found two people living inside. Ashley Rawlinson opened the door of the outbuilding in Canning Crescent, South Oxford, but was scared off by the couple inside before he could steal anything. The 23-year-old was
Children turned their hands from school work to circus skills as clowns came to Wantage for a special half-term holiday show. Comedy duo Circus Berzercus appeared at Wantage Civic Hall yesterday. From left, Riven Heredge, three, Barnaby Terry, who was
Chris Wilder says the pressure is on his strikers to score the goals that will keep them in Oxford United’s team. James Constable and Oli Johnson found the net against Dagenham on Tuesday, but with five attacking players now at his disposal, the U’s
A hospital porter will go on trial for alleged burglary. Dariuz Sokolowski, 34, of York Road in Headington, was at Oxford Crown Court yesterday to deny aggravated burglary at a property in Mansfield Roadon May 28, while allegedly armed with
Some South Hinksey residents lost more than just furniture in the flood. Both of Stacey Norris’s cats drowned when the water came rushing through the village. The 26-year-old said: “I’m absolutely devastated by it. “I had them for 16 years and they
Staff at RAF Brize Norton received a Royal thank you for the way repatriations have been handled. The Princess Royal was at the air base yesterday to officially become RAF Brize Norton’s Honorary Air Commodore. She had held the role at RAF Lyneham in
Not one person has been fined in Oxford for flouting the ban on smoking in pubs in almost five years since it came into force. Oxford City Council has admitted it does not carry out routine checks specifically to check for smokers ignoring the rules
OUR thoughts go out instinctively to the residents of South Hinksey who were woken yesterday morning by – of all things – a torrent of water described as being like “the River Thames” pouring through their streets. A burst water mains was the culprit
OSNEY Lock could be shut for more than two weeks as part of £900,000 weir repair works next winter. The Environment Agency is to splash the cash replacing parts of the two weirs at the West Oxford lock after checks in 2010 found they were in a poor
A teaching union has raised concerns that proposed free schools could lead to a drop in standards in Oxfordshire. Oxfordshire National Union of Teachers, NUT, warned that because teachers in such schools do not have to have formal qualifications and
Bicester got a new addition to its high street after hardware store Wilkinsons opened its doors. The Market Square store moved into the former Co-Op supermarket building after it closed last November with the loss of more than 40 jobs. Bicester’s mayor
