One man has been taken to hospital following a major blaze at a factory close to Enstone Airfield. About 60 firefighters are tackling the fire at Oxford Plastics. The blaze started shortly before 8pm. Eye witnesses reported a
Sixty firefighters are battling a factory blaze at Enstone airfield tonight. The fire, at Oxford Plastics, near Enstone Airfield, started shortly before 8pm. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed they have 12 fire crews on the scene tackling
CARL Room, who runs the McDonald’s restaurants in Oxford, Botley, Abingdon and Headington, has been given a special recognition award for his contribution to Ronald McDonald House charities. Mr Room, 45, is chairman of governors at Ronald McDonald House
A STUDENT parking scheme undercutting a nearby city council run car park has netted £15,000 in the first few months. Since the end of last year, students from Oxford and Cherwell Valley College have been inviting shoppers and visitors to the city centre
A WOMAN has appeared in court charged with conning four people out of £30,000. Emma Hunter, 32, from Corbett Road, Carterton, was bailed after appearing at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday accused of five counts of fraud by using false legal letters
THE Henry Box School in Witney will avoid cuts to staff and lessons by becoming an academy, its headteacher said last night. The school is expected to become an academy and gain control of its running and budget from Oxfordshire County Council
AT 71 YEARS of age, most people are thinking about putting their feet up. But one of Oxford’s newest city councillors has just taken on a whole new challenge. Community campaigner Mick Haines was elected to represent Marston on Oxford City Council
A GROUP from Oxford University is set to burst the student bubble and help out in the community in their adopted city. Community Action Groups Oxfordshire and the Student Consultancy have teamed up to pair students with groups in Oxfordshire working
A BLIND actor from East Oxford is joining a cast of disabled performers “pranking” members of the public on TV. Tim Gebbels will star in Channel 4’s new comedy series I’m Spazticus this summer. The hidden camera show will be broadcast
DADS, uncles and brothers are being asked to get themselves checked out at a special men’s health event in Rose Hill, Oxford. The monthly health bus initiative will be concentrating on the conditions that affect men in a one-off day on Saturday, June
A LUNG cancer survivor has urged people with symptoms to get themselves checked out before it is too late. Grandfather Ken Cook, from Watlington, was diagnosed with the disease last year, despite never exhibiting symptoms. Thankfully a scan revealed
Here’s a hot tip if you want to spot the difference between a luxury and a super-luxury saloon – look for some seriously cool seats. That’s cool as in fitted with a fan to draw air through the perforated leather to ensure your derriere
AN OXFORD vicar is hoping to put his parishioners’ worries to rest over plans to renovate a Victorian church. The Rev Tim Stead is vicar of Holy Trinity church in Headington Quarry and is looking at ways of adapting it for the needs of a modern congregation
ANDREA Stewart runs the Wallingford group of Free Cakes For Kids. She said: “After completing my Masters in Cake Decorating, I was looking on the internet, saw Free Cakes for Kids and thought it would be a fabulous community project to get involved in
A BIRTHDAY cake is something every child loves. But financial problems, illness or maybe a parent in hospital mean not all children get to enjoy the simple pleasure of blowing out the candles on their own cake. But that’s where Free Cakes
HUNDREDS of lost walled gardens in Oxfordshire could be rediscovered thanks to a £50,000 award. The Oxfordshire Gardens Trust has been given the money to find out what happened to the once-common walled kitchen gardens. There are 55 historic parks and
POLICE searching for an escaped prisoner have this morning arrested a man. Thames Valley Police officers who have been searching for Richard Hunt arrested a suspect in the Eynsham area shortly after 11am today. He is in custody at St
THE sentencing of an Oxford man convicted of plotting to snatch a child off the street for sex has been put back to May 28. Anthony Baker was convicted in August for arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex attempt in May 2010.
BEER-LOVERS in Oxford have the chance to do their bit for charity and have a pint at the same time. The Oxford West End Beer Festival kicked off yesterday across four venues – The Duke’s Cut, The Honeypot, The Oxford Retreat and The Jam Factory. A
GRAEME SCOTT is certainly not a man to let adversity destroy him. Struck down with multiple sclerosis five years ago, he is now aiming to tackle the Three Peaks Challenge, wheelchair and all. Inspiring and amazing. We wish him the best of luck
OXFORD: Operators have begun bidding for the right to run a new Oxford TV channel. The city is one of the first 21 areas in the UK given the opportunity to launch its own local TV station as part of a new Government initiative. Potential operators now
BRAVE Graeme Scott is set to tackle some of the UK’s toughest mountains despite having multiple sclerosis. Aged just 26, Mr Scott was diagnosed with the neuro- logical condition, which can leave sufferers fatigued and facing problems with their
OXFORD: The sentencing of Hi Lo Jamaican Eating House owner Hugh Anderson, 67, has been adjourned. Anderson, of Cowley Road, was convicted of unlawful wounding by jurors at Reading Crown Court in April and was due to be sentenced yesterday.
SATURDAY CRICKET SERIOUS CRICKET HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE Div 1: Bishop’s Stortford v Banbury, Burnham v Oxford, High Wycombe v Henley. Div 2 West: Aston Rowant v Slough, Shipton-under-Wychwood v Dinton, Thame Tn v Falkland. CHERWELL LEAGUE
The Oxford Mail and the Phoenix Picturehouse have come together for the 6th Oxford Film Festival. This year, the focus will fall on Woody Allen, with six classic features being screened between 13-18 May. Born in Brooklyn, Allen Stewart Konigsberg
Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League ASTON Rowant captain Wesley Morrick was happy to talk up his side’s promotion chances in Division 2 West. Rowant have signed six new players, including former Oxford man Nick Ferraby, and Morrick believes
RICHARD Harrison claimed victory in round nine of the Beeline-sponsored Oxonian time-trial summer series in Burford. The Oxford City rider came home in 21mins 35secs over the ten-mile course, beating Rob Yeatman (21.51) into second. Matt Rowley (22.43
Former Oxfordshire paceman Jack Brooks enhanced his England claims on his home ground of Northampton as the Lions dismissed the West Indian tourists for 147 on the first day. Brooks, who began his cricket at village side Tiddington, returned figures
Former Chinnor flanker Tom Johnson has been named in Stuart Lancaster England rugby union squad for the tour to South Africa this summer. The Exeter Chiefs forward, who played for Oxfordshire while at Oxford Brookes at Twickenham in the 2003 County
Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League CONSOLIDATION was the watchword from new Oxford captain Ian Crosby as he looked ahead to the Division 1 seaon. Crosby has replaced the departed Jason Harrison as skipper, with Dan King promoted to vice-captain
Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League BANBURY captain Ian Hawtin believes they are strong enough to mount a title challenge in Division 1. But having finished seventh after an inconsistent 2011 campaign, a big improvement is needed from the
WALLINGFORD had a day to remember at their home regatta, claiming two victories and several places. The SiS Wallingford Regatta – the largest one-day event in the country– took place at Dorney Lake, only a couple of months before the Olympics are held
ALL right-minded people of this once great country of ours are wringing their hands in total despair at the incompetence of this Government and its predecessors. Just before the last election I said that, although we were a democracy, it was in name
THE huge rise in the number of families receiving food handouts is a devastating condemnation of this coalition Government’s policies. David Cameron and George Osborne should hang their heads in shame. In this day and age it is absolutely obscene and
OXFORD Cavaliers head coach Tevita Vaikona is delighted with his players’ commitment ahead of the new RL Conference campaign, which starts tomorrow. Cavaliers face a tough opener in the West of England Division at last year’s champions Gloucestershire
Banbury (v Bishop’s Stortford, away): Hawtin (capt), Tew, L Sabin, Haupt, Hawkes, West, Cater, Ryan, Blanchard, J Megson, J Phillips. Oxford (v Burnham, away): King, Barrett, Laudat, Perkin, Sandbach, Crosby (capt), Van Dyk, Mendis, I Evans, Sutherland
CONGRATULATIONS to Mick Haines on his success in winning a seat on Oxford City Council in last week’s elections. He truly deserves this as, for many years, he has championed the people’s causes and never given up, despite the disappointment of never getting
IN response to the incoming leader of Oxfordshire County Council’s comments following last week’s election results, I feel able only to respond with the following comments of my own. Ouch, Ian Hudspeth! Sour grapes! You term yourself a Conservative
DAVID Scott has certainly rattled the cage of Ed Turner, the deputy city council leader (last Friday’s Oxford Mail ViewPoints). Ed gives a long list of reasons for the new Barton development but Mail readers, being concerned, intelligent citizens
Headington Community Association was delighted to hear of the Messy Jam dance team’s recent success in a contest at Disneyland Paris (Oxford Mail, May 3). It was fantastic to see these young people doing so well and for some of them it was
BEING quite badly disabled, I have just received my first physiotherapy for several years (delayed due to corrective surgery). My physio session was at Witney Community Hospital, and it is no surprise the waiting list to see a physio is 12 to 14 weeks
WHEN do the buses turn up?” asked the recently-retired chap from Halifax. They don’t beat about the bush in Halifax. He was getting soaked, as were his wife and three grandchildren, who were beginning to think a trip to Oxford was not a good
EIGHT people will appear in court accused of a string of animal welfare charges after a raid on Crunchy’s Animal Rescue in Longworth. Those facing prosecution by the RSPCA include six members of the Russell family living at Weybread Cottage, in Faringdon
OXFORD: A 26-year-old man has been charged with a string of child sex offences as part of the Operation Bullfinch investigation into a child sex grooming ring. Kamar Jamil, of Aldrich Road, Summertown, appeared at Milton Keynes Magistrates’
SIR Roger Bannister will fire the starting pistol to set off Oxford’s half marathon as organisers say they hope to triple funds raised this year. Those behind the marathon say they hope 6,000 runners will take part and raise up to £75,000 for Helen and
MINISTRY of Defence workers, prison officers, job centre staff and college teachers walked out on strike over Government cuts and pension changes yesterday. Hundreds of workers joined picket lines around the county as unions united to protest over cuts
A DRIVER who struck and killed a motorcyclist said a wet road was to blame for the collision. Jonathan Bridger, 20, told police Christopher Mason “may have been going too fast” when the collision happened at about 7.20pm on May 30 last year. Bridger
BICESTER: Two smokers have been fined £400 after dropping cigarette butts. Christopher Ahlgram, of Cox’s Lane, Enstone, and Michelle Laurie, of Hawksmead, Bicester, were fined £75 but neither paid the fines. Cherwell District Council took the matter
OXFORD: A boat was stripped of its outboard motor at Bossom boatyard in Binsey by thieves on Wednesday. Louis James found that his boat along with several others had been targeted.
A HERD of cows hit by a train could have trampled down a trackside fence because they were spooked, investigators said last night. Two hundred passengers were on the CrossCountry service between Oxford and Banbury when it hit the animals near Tackley
THIS year’s Oxford half marathon is setting its sights high with the target of getting 6,000 runners by October 14. But there is no point settling for a middling pace when you can stride out and set new records, as was so brilliantly typified
Oxford City boss Mike Ford says he will do all he can to retain the services of keeper Jason Mooney and striker Aaron Woodley, but admits it could be tough. They were part of the City side that clinched promotion from the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier
MEMBERS of a close-knit regiment were united in grief yesterday to honour two fallen comrades. Corporal Andrew Roberts, 32, and Private Ratu Silibaravi, 32, were both serving with Bicester-based 23 Pioneer Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps
Organisers cancelled the Asparagus Festival in Evesham because of rain and flooding. Now we are told British asparagus is in crisis. Luckily, Medley Farm in Binsey continues to supply local shops, restaurants and the public. Millets farm shop in Abingdon
THOUSANDS of people are expected to descend on a park in Thame this weekend for an annual charity festival. Music in the Park will attract about 3,000 people to Elms Park in the town centre, as live bands, singers and dancers take over the town for nine
ARTISTS from East Oxford mapped out their talents this week ready for the annual Oxfordshire Artweeks festival. The artists arranged themselves on a map of East Oxford at the Old Boot Factory in St Mary’s Road, with each standing on the street they are
AN illustrator from Didcot told visitors to an Oxford fair for the disabled what life is like in a wheelchair. On Wednesday, groups of disabled people visited the Town Hall in St Aldate’s to get help and advice from local charities and traders. Hannah
THESE Carterton children are used to being separated from their parents. As families where one or more parent is involved in the armed forces, the youngsters have become used to their main contact being through Skype, email or telephone for
