WITNEY: Eight football teams played throughout the day to raise cash for a children’s charity last month. The tournament was organised by Summertown-based accountancy firm The MGroup and Witney Town to raise money for the club and SeeSaw, which
AN Air Training Corps squadron is struggling to recruit cadets because parents are worried youngsters may be “groomed” for military action. Most squadrons across the Thames Valley have 30 or more members but Cowley’s 2210 Squadron only has nine
KIDLINGTON: A free playday for children and families will be held tomorrow. The event at Exeter Hall Park in Oxford Road is the latest in a series of free days run by the Oxfordshire Play Association. It runs from 11am until 3pm and will feature
IT is a romance that has spanned two countries and lasted more than 50 years. John and Margaret Willemsen from Grove celebrated their golden wedding anniversary this weekend, surrounded by family and friends. The couple met when Mrs Willemsen
OXFORD: Headway Oxfordshire has been unveiled as the new charity partner for the Sainsbury’s Heyford Hill store. The charity, which supports people with acquired head injuries, will now benefit from a year of fundraising from the shop. It was chosen
THE problem of disused community buildings in Blackbird Leys will be tackled in a meeting this week. The Leys Area Forum will be held at The Barn, in Greater Leys tomorrow. Introduced last year, the forums aim to provide a place for residents
Update: Two motorbike riders were taken to hospital after a crash on the A4130 at Didcot. The incident happened at 6pm on Tuesday evening near the junction with the A34. Police officers were called after a crash between a Mini
THE body of a missing 14-year-old girl has been found in woodland. Molly O’Donovan’s body was found near Foscote Rise, Banbury, at 11.40am today, Thames Valley Police said. It said her death was not thought to be suspicious. It asked for
A free seminar, Uniting Businesses Throughout Oxfordshire, is being hosted by Wantage and District Chamber of Commerce. The event, which takes place next Tuesday at Shush the Venue, Newbury Street, will feature guest speakers including Stuart Roper
SOME of Team GB’s Olympic archers will hope to be on target when Oxford hosts the National Archery Finals later this month. Competitors will battle it out in four categories on Merton Fields at Christ Church Meadow on Sunday, August 26. It
VANDALS struck twice at an Oxfordshire rugby club at the weekend, causing more than £2,500 worth of damage. Coaches at Abingdon Rugby Club were shocked to discover someone broke into the club on Friday night, smashing up advertising boards and
VOLUNTEERS at a wood in Witney said they are saddened after vandals destroyed part of an outdoor classroom. The area in Deer Park Wood was installed by volunteers who developing the 11-acre site in 2010 for the community. It has been used by
AEA Technology 0.025 BMW 4779 Electrocomponents 221 Nationwide Accident Repair 60.5 Oxford Biomedica 2.2 Oxford Catalysts 68.75 Oxford Instruments 1274 Reed Elsevier 562.75 RM 78.5 RPS Group 247.3 Courtesy of Redmayne
VILLAGERS in Harwell are hoping to win grant money to build a new playground. The Oxford Mail’s parent company Gannett is once more giving away up to £10,000 to charitable causes across the county. And the Our Street Corner youth club in Harwell
CHARITABLE rockers braved the rain this weekend to mosh in the mud at the 22nd Chalgrove music festival. The event also hosted a custom bike show put on by the Thames Valley Coalition of bikers, featuring members of the Deviantz Brotherhood and
THE parents of a carpenter from Grove said they are in a “living nightmare” after their son’s dream holiday ended in a horrific accident. Ryan Elson, 29, is in a critical condition in hospital in Thailand after an accident while riding a moped.
CHALLOW & Childrey and Sandford St Martin met on equal terms in Cherwell League Division 2 at the weekend, but next summer are increasingly likely to be two levels apart. Challow are well placed to return to Division 1 with five weeks of
LIAM Manley took 7-31 as Great & Little Tew hammered Leighton Buzzard Town to put the Cherwell League Division 1 title race back in the balance. With leaders Horspath defeated by the weather, Tew capitalised by racing to a ten-wicket win by
OXFORDSHIRE'S Lawrence Clarke reached the Olympic 110m hurdles semi-finals today with a solid display. But former world record holder and 2004 Olympic champion, China's Liu Xiang, and Clarke's training partner Andy Pozzi crashed out. Clarke finished
Jonathan Mills has been confirmed as London Welsh captain for the 2012/13 season. Mills, 28, led Welsh to Championship success last season and is the Exiles’ longest serving player. He recently signed a new contract with the club. He made his
BANBURY: A 52-year-old woman had her purse stolen in the Cancer Research charity shop in Parson Street on Wednesday. Her Prada purse containing £120 and credit cards was taken at about 11.45am. Call police on 101 if you have information.
ABINGDON: Eight people were arrested and drugs worth thousands of pounds seized in raids. Police raided six properties between July 20 and 28. Four people, from Abingdon and Kennington, were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to
A MAGICAL invention is on display at Oxford’s Story Museum in Pembroke Street. Children’s writer Ted Dewan is inviting people to see the Rochester storyloom. Mr Dewan, pictured explaining the machine’s workings to Thomas Chappell, aged four-and-a-half
Cowley Workers Club pulled off a shock as they beat Men’s Premier Section outfit Kidlington Sports Club 6-3. A surprise was on the cards when wins from Phil Cook, Dizio Slezak and Wayland Honour saw the Section 1 side storm into a 3-0 lead.
WITNEY: A 41-year-old woman admitted fraudulently obtaining £613.82 of housing and council tax benefits. Monika Jedryka, of Colwell Drive, was given a 180-hour community order, and told to repay the money with £125 costs.
A BLUE plaque to Bee Gees legend Robin Gibb is due to be unveiled at the Oxfordshire house he loved next month. It will be followed by a celebratory ticket-only garden party, which members of the public can attend, at the home he shared with his
Cropredy moved a step closer to Cherwell Division 2 and sent Chearsley nearer to Division 4 by handing out a hiding to their struggling opponents. Michael Cappelluti finished with the remarkable figures of 5-5 after the visitors crumbled to 42
Horspath 2nd went top of Cherwell League Division 4 after hammering Hanborough while morning leaders Cublington saw their match washed out. Andy Cummings claimed 6-34, although Matt Neilson (38) and Dave Burgess (35) still managed to take Hanborough
A man reported missing last Monday has been found safe and well. Jamie Holt, 30, from Chalgrove, was last seen on July 30. He was found by North Hampshire Police at 7.23am on Sunday, August 5, in Claydon near Banbury.
A man has appeared in court charged with four counts of making indecent images of children. David Bolton, 48, of Laburnum Grove, Didcot, appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday before Judge Christopher Compston. His case was adjourned until September
Boats were having to squeeze their way down the Oxford canal yesterday after branches from a large tree fell, blocking most of it off. Littlemore resident Jane Parsonage came across it at about 9.30am as the canal was about to be cleared. She
OXFORD University has been awarded £195,000 to research ways of tackling leukaemia. Professor Paresh Vyas and his team were given the money by the blood cancer charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research to track down the genes that cause cancer
A SPACE weather expert based in Didcot is working to help protect the Earth from a magnetic storm that scientists fear could cause worldwide disruption next year. Professor Mike Hapgood, based at Rutherford Appleton laboratory, says the Earth needs
HORLEY stayed on course to finish their first Cherwell League season with a 100 per cent winning record when they beat Brackley easily in Division 5. Dave Eaton took 4-16 and Jonathan Hart 3-23 as the visitors crawled to 72 all out from 42.5 overs
CROPREDY 2nd looked capable of causing a major upset for a while in their match against Cherwell League Division 6 leaders Wolverton Town 2nd on Saturday. A fine spell of 6-48 by Michael Boscott helped Cropredy, who are cut adrift at the bottom
London Welsh’s newest signing believes the Aviva Premiership new boys will surprise clubs this season. Former Sale Sharks captain Neil Briggs has signed up for the Exiles, who will play their home games at the Kassam Stadium , Oxford, this season
REGARDING restrictions being placed on Blue Badge holders’ parking in High Street, Witney, one only has to look at the width of the pavement outside Boots/Co-op to realise that the problem has been caused by the pavement being widened to an excessive
AM I the only one to be glad when the Olympics are over and we will be able to watch our favourite programmes again? Would it not be a good idea to have an Olympics TV channel? KEN HILL, Trinity Road, Headington
Having taken over the family business in the Covered Market which I then ran for more than 15 years, we were eventually forced to close because of the council’s increasing rent demands, business rates, a measure of out-of-town competition and Lib
I HAVE no objection to the millions of pounds being planned to improve facilities for cyclists (Oxford Mail, August 4) provided they are used. I recently caught up with a cyclist on a busy main road, although there was a perfectly good cycle track
WHAT a great plan to let cyclists pedal their bikes along Queen Street in Oxford. I thought that this was meant to be a pedestrian zone. What plans have Oxford City councillors got next – to let cyclists through Cornmarket Street or even let
YOU report that “men can now sit tests in skirts and women wear suits and bow ties to exams after Oxford University rewrote its strict academic dress code”, following “concern the laws were unfair to transgender students” (Oxford Mail, July 30).
A MURDERER who killed a homeless teenager and dumped his body in a ditch 10 years ago has had his prison sentence cut. Leon Paige, formerly of King Walk in Didcot, was convicted of repeatedly stabbing Richard Parker, 18, after he “grassed” a friend
OXFORD City Council pocketed an extra £364,000 after taking on park-and-ride schemes in the city and charging in more car parks. A total of £338,000 from the three park- and-ride depots, along with an extra £26,000 from new charges at parks and
An inspired all-round display by Richard Kaufman spearheaded a determined fightback by Oxfordshire on the second day of their match against Western Division leaders Cornwall at Great Tew yesterday. Kaufman followed a five-wicket spell with the
It’s high time Oxford’s cross-town routes were opened up properly to cyclists. It’s a no-brainer to make Cycling as easy and convenient as possible because the alternatives – cars and buses, cause congestion and air pollution. It is hard to get
A NATIONAL newspaper’s headline reads “Tell teachers if you know a tax dodger”. Not very many years ago, the Soviet Union attracted strong adverse publicity in this country for exhorting citizens to report others for acts of this nature. Perhaps
WITH each Olympic gold medal for every British competitor the Union Flag is raised and there is a sycophantic dirge inviting God to ‘Save the Queen’. Why? Did Her Maj win a medal? What is wrong with composing an anthem more appropriate to the
IT IS a highly doubtful notion that the Barton West scheme would bring benefits as eschewed by planning consultant Mr Comerford, (Oxford Mail, July 20). Plans for a gym and restaurant are misleading, as destruction of allotments and a nature
A SECOND World War hero who was captured by the Nazis after surviving the Battle of Arnhem has been laid to rest. Family and friends of Bill Gibbard, who died on July 25 aged 93, gathered at Oxford Crematorium for his funeral yesterday. His coffin
OXFORD CITY have released striker Aaron Woodley and midfielder Mark Bell. Boss Mike Ford said the move would allow the duo to find other clubs. “Mark needs to be playing football,” said Ford. “He hasn’t played a game for two years and I think
WESTBURY’S double hopes disappeared after an appeal to be reinstated into the Airey Cup failed. The club fielded three ineligible players in their quarter-final victory over Stonesfield last month. The trio, all students, had each made one
A MECHANIC who took his manager’s Porsche for a spin after a night on the town has escaped jail. Adam Booth, 30, was working for G’day Kombis, in Burcot, when he took the Porsche belonging to then employer Andrew Rogers for a drive. Oxford
A HEROIN addict stole jewellery from his wife’s aunt while she trusted him to look after her dogs. Graham Jackson, 31, from Pye Street, Faringdon, helped himself to jewellery worth more than £10,000 while looking after his aunt-in-law Linda Sheppard
BACK when the statue outside the Kassam Stadium was painted pink, Oxford United were quick to turn it into a positive. When vandals painted the iconic bull statue pink the club teamed up with Against Breast Cancer to raise money for a good cause
OXFORD: A teenager charged with raping a 57-year-old woman is to appear at Oxford Crown Court. Grant Johnson, 19, from Radford Close in Rose Hill was arrested and charged on Sunday. He appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court yesterday, but did not
LONDON 2012 gold medallist Davis Tarwater returned to the university that helped rekindle his love for swimming to share his Olympic glory. The former St Antony's College student said he rediscovered his passion for the sport while studying for
OXFORD’S golden boy has been honoured with his face on a stamp. Andy Triggs Hodge, who lives off Cowley Road, won a gold medal for Team GB in the men’s four rowing on Saturday. Royal Mail is producing a stamp within 24 hours for every Team
SOLDIERS from Bicester are doing their bit to ensure the Olympic Games go without a hitch. Up to 200 troops from 23 Pioneer Regiment are working behind the scenes at the 2012 Games in London for about three weeks. The troops, usually based
WOODSTOCK: Saturdays singer Rochelle Wiseman has described the “overwhelming” moment she married JLS star Marvin Humes at Blenheim Palace. The pair wed in a star-studded ceremony on July 27, surrounded by family.
DIDCOT: A 42-year-old man appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court yesterday after being charged in connection with a serious assault in Park Close. John Harrison, who lives in Park Close, was arrested after a 50-year-old man was taken to hospital
CHINA’S athletes may be topping the Olympic medals table, but sports chiefs from the country have been in Oxford to take a leaf out of the city’s book. Members of the Chinese delegation travelled to the Oxford Sports Council’s headquarters at the
OCA Division 2 leaders Chadlington suffered a major setback as they fell to a 36-run home defeat against Marsh Gibbon , who moved off the bottom, writes KIEREN BUSHNELL. Stuart Leonard hit 33 not out in Marsh Gibbon’s 166-7, before Carl Needham
11:18am Idowu has one jump left to guarantee a final spot 10:51am Idowu's first triple jump is 16.47m. Needs 17.10 to guarantee final spot
Hannah England felt she was back where she belonged after reaching the Olympic 1,500m semi-finals. The 25-year-old Oxford City athlete finished fifth on her Games debut to progress to Wednesday’s semis with comparative ease. England clocked
HANNAH England was delighted after progressing to the semi-finals of the 1,500m at the Olympic Games. The 25-year-old Oxford City athlete finished fifth in yesterday’s heat, clocking 4mins 5.78secs. It was enough to secure her a place in tomorrow
If there is one thing most of us resent in life, it is the fact that parking our car is almost always accompanied by a charge. Indeed, such is the intensity of this sentiment, one might actually be forgiven for thinking free parking is a human
Alfie Potter is taking nothing for granted as he attempts to claim a place in Oxford United’s XI for the start of the season. The U’s kick-off their campaign a week today with a home tie against Bourn-emouth in the Capital One Cup. Just two
CHIPPING Norton went top of OCA Division 3 after a six-wicket win over Britwell Salome . Kevin Duester took 4-18 in Britwell’s 101 all out, before Chippy eased home at 102-4. Veteran Matt Launchbury returned from injury with 62 not out in Radley
KIDLINGTON stretched their lead in OCA Division 6 with a five-wicket victory at Dorchester . Edd Willmot (67) helped Kidlington to 196-5, in reply to the hosts’ 191 all out. Hook Norton 2nd took over in Division 7 with a seven-wicket win at
A 14-year-old girl from Banbury has gone missing, prompting a police appeal for help from the public. Molly O’Donovan, 14, was last seen at her home address at about 9am yesterday, and was reported missing shortly after 2pm. The teenager is
OLYMPICS fever has stretched beyond the humans in Didcot and reached the town’s scarecrow population. A new scarecrow trail around the town has opened to the public and will run until this Sunday. Scarecrows have been built by 43 residents
A MULTI-STOREY car park could open near Banbury Station next year after cash was secured for the project. Chiltern Railways has won £10.4m for the four-storey car park, to provide 707 extra spaces from November next year. The cash has come from
VOLUNTEERS have spent 15 years restoring a meadow to its former glory. The painstaking process has required a soft touch, but this year for the first time the whole 14 acres could finally be mown at once. Kidlington Parish Council donated £1,000
THE great and the good of the food world, along with thousands of hungry visitors, will descend on Oxford once again this month. The third annual Foodies Festival will take over South Park on the August Bank Holiday weekend. Last year’s event
