Archive

  • RUGBY UNION: Oxford denied in home opener

    Oxford University 8, Leicester 17 Oxford University’s first home game of the season ended in a deserved defeat to a young Leicester side at Iffley Road tonight. The students had the consolation of a late try from their man-of-the-match,

  • Man rescued from mud in Wolvercote

    An elderly man was rescued from the river at Port Meadow in Wolvercote after falling on the muddy banks. The incident happened at about 5pm on Sunday. Fire crews from Rewley Road, along with Kidlington’s Rescue Tender, were called, but the

  • Woman injured in traffic collision in Witney

    A woman in her 80s suffered broken bones when she was involved in a collision with a car. Police were called just before 8pm on Friday to the accident, which happened in Bridge Street, Witney. The woman suffered a broken leg and fractured ribs

  • Illustrator draws on early inspiration

    KORKY PAUL won the Children's Book Award in 1987 for Winnie The Witch which has been published in more than 10 languages. Korky, who lives in Oxford, has since illustrated successful books for Random House, Penguin and many other publishers What

  • Literacy vital if you wants a good career

    SENIOR figures in the Oxfordshire business community have highlighted the importance of reading in the workplace. They talked about how vital literacy is to help develop a successful career and backed the Oxfordshire Reading Campaign. The campaign

  • 'Travel without ever leaving your house'

    CHRISTOPHER Miles was captivated by reading as a child and has never lost his love of books. Now, the 46-year-old has gone one step further and published his debut novel, Dog Soldier. The book is a tale of love and loyalty set against the Napoleonic

  • Life in prison for Aaron Buron's killer

    TEENAGE murderer Haydan O’Callaghan has been given life in prison, with a minimum of 21 years behind bars. The 18-year-old was sentenced today at Oxford Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of murdering Rose Hill musician Aaron Buron on Friday

  • Wantage Town Juniors Football Club finally find a home

    A JUNIOR football team in Wantage that formed in 1969 has finally found a home of its own. Wantage Town Juniors, formerly known as The Wantage Concords, has never had its own pitches and has been renting from King Alfred’s School But Vale of White

  • Exhibit showcases a broad subject range

    THESE are some of the stunning and intriguing images Oxford’s snappers have captured for a new exhibition. The Oxford Photographic Society today opens its annual exhibition at the Said Business School in Park End Street. The society was formed

  • Top scout issues 11th hour appeal for volunteers

    THREE Beaver Scout groups are at risk of closing because of a lack of volunteers, the city’s leader for the movement has warned. Activities at the 2nd Cowley Beaver group had to be suspended last month because of the shortage. A temporary volunteer

  • Braving the cold for a good cause

    WRAPPED up in warm winter coats, these girls turned out on a bitterly cold night to do their bit for charity. They were pupils at Milham Ford School, Oxford, and they were collecting in 1956 outside St Michael at the Northgate Church in Cornmarket

  • Students' japes failed to amuse

    CHARLES and Stanley Dorrill had to crack down on unruly behaviour by undergraduates during their time as managers at the New Theatre, Oxford. Students engaged in a practice called ‘ragging’, the purpose of which appears to have been to cause as

  • Looking wobbly even on four wheels

    EVEN on four wheels, these youngsters were having difficulty standing on their feet. They were a group of beginners having their first roller skating session at the Old Gaol sports centre in Abingdon in 1982. But under the expert tuition of

  • The changing face of Clifton Hampden

    PUPILS at the village school were in danger of being hit by flying stones in 1972. Council workmen had resurfaced the road with stone chippings, many of which were being thrown up on to the pavements by passing traffic. More than 30 children had been

  • More 'stars' of Red Beret

    GEORGE Eccles wasn’t the only Oxfordshire man to appear in the film Red Beret – former soldier Cyril Smart was a member of the cast too. He and fellow British servicemen were recruited as extras while doing their National Service. Their role was

  • 'Summer' trip

    IT MAY have been a summer similar to the one which we have just had. With overcoats on, these schoolboys were clearly expecting bad weather, despite the fact it was July. The photograph shows footballers from Hinksey School in Oxford on their

  • Have your say on spending for the Vale

    RESIDENTS in the Vale are being asked to help decide the future of public spending. The district council put a survey on its website asking for feedback on spending including housing, the arts and particularly the new two-hour free parking scheme

  • Pioneer geologist's fame will be spread worldwide

    WILLIAM Smith failed to make his fortune by creating the first geological map of Britain in the 19th century. The geologist, from Churchill near Chipping Norton, suffered financial ruin after his innovative work was plagiarised. But his work

  • Didcot Town get home draw in FA Cup

    DIDCOT Town face a home game against Arlesey Town in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round. The Railwaymen are enjoying their best ever run in the competition and are now 90 minutes away from the first round proper. Arlesey, from Bedfordshire,

  • Stolen crucifix

    Police suspect a 2ft tall silver crucifix found outside a property in Oxley Rise, Wiggington, was stolen. The cross was discovered on Saturday, September 15. Anyone with information should call police on 101.

  • Assault bail

    ABINGDON: A 27-year-old man arrested on suspicion of sexual assault has been bailed until November 10. The man was arrested over incidents alleged to have taken place between August 1 and 27.

  • Iris Murdoch's honour is 'held back'

    Author Iris Murdoch was denied an honour “until she had done something better”, it has been claimed. Newly-released Government documents, obtained by the Mail on Sunday under the Freedom of Information Act, show officials considered granting the

  • Azealia Banks @ O2 Academy Oxford

    Harlem musician, Azealia Banks, wooed a sold out crowed at the O2 Academy Oxford on Saturday night. Currently mid way through a UK tour, Banks gained international cult approval following the 2011 internet release of her lyrically raunchy but visually

  • RESULTS: October 6-7

    FOOTBALL NPOWER LEAGUE TWO Oxford Utd 0, Gillingham 0. FA CUP 3rd qual round: Didcot Tn 1, Maidenhead Utd 0; Yate Tn 2, North Leigh 1. UHLSPORT HELLENIC LEAGUE Bluefin Spts Cup 1st round: Henley Tn 3, Lydney Tn 4. Premier Div: Abingdon

  • Woman injured

    BICESTER: A woman was freed by firefighters from her car following a crash at about 8.30am on Saturday. The incident happened on the B4011 at Blackthorn, near Bicester. South Central Ambulance Service was called out to reports of a car that

  • FOOTBALL: North Leigh bow out after late goal

    A LATE strike ended North Leigh’s hopes of reaching the fourth qualifying round for the first time as they lost 2-1 to fellow Evo-Stik Southern League side Yate in the FA Cup third qualifying round on Saturday, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. Yate, bottom

  • Oxford United fans' debate

    Good morning everyone. After several glum weeks this forum should be more upbeat today after the U's took four points from two games. What was your take on the results - have United put their rotten run behind them? Here are the thoughts

  • RUGBY: Students ready to face Tigers

    JAMES Harris will captain Oxford University in tonight’s clash with Leicester at Iffley Road (7.15), writes Ed Mezzetti The openside flanker fills in for regular skipper John Carter, who ruled himself out due to his duties as his brother’s best man

  • Upgrade for sewage plant

    GROVE: A sewage works that feed into Letcombe Brook has been given a £4.5m upgrade. Thames Water has installed three new storm pumps, each weighing a tonne, and more than half a kilometre of storm discharge pipe at the plant which is north of Cow

  • FOOTBALL: Didcot just one game from FA Cup first round

    DIDCOT Town made history by reaching the fourth qualifying round for the first time after Morgan Will-iams’s goal gave them a superb victory overMaidnhead United at Loop Meadow on Saturday. Gary Elkins’s side now stand just one win away from a

  • 'Arsonists could put people's lives at risk'

    ARSON attacks are on the rise in Oxford with firefighters warning the crime could end up costing lives. Police investigated 43 arsons between April and August in Oxford – up on the 39 in the same period in 2011. Slade Fire Station manager Paul

  • ‘Join our club to get back on the job trail’

    A NEW job club to get people back into work is being launched on two Oxford estates. Residents in Blackbird Leys and Littlemore will now have access to a Jobs advisor each week at their respective community centres. The clubs was funded with

  • Fast and furious roller derby proves a hit

    SKATER Alyssa Sutton sped round the roller derby arena at a training session, failing to be put off the sport by an initial fall. Ms Sutton, from Church Hanborough, was among the group of women enjoying the introductory roller derby session at

  • EDITORIAL COMMENT: Start-ups sow seed of boost for ecomony

    THE steady rise of businesses starting up and the theory many of them are being launched by our bright young things can only be encouraging for the local economy. New figures we report today show a record total of 591 companies started in Oxfordshire

  • Hard going on pavement

    Everyone in the country is aware that there is no money available for health, roads and education but these are all areas where money is badly needed. I suffer with a painful spine disorder and every time I venture out on my mobility scooter the

  • A great place to live in

    We have lived in Abingdon for well over 30 years as its sense of community has waxed and waned. Despite problems that still need to be sorted out, like the traffic flow and the present shop ‘blight’ in Bath Street, for example, there are so many

  • Children's imagination

    I heard county councillor Melinda Tilley on BBC Radio Oxford, on September 28, state that “children who cannot read have no imagination”. She was dithering at that stage, so I am not sure she meant to say that, in support of the county council

  • Allow schools to improve

    We hear that this year’s primary school results show a marked upward turn, with county averages edging ahead of the national figures. Detailed analysis will follow and our focus must remain especially tight in the city. But the schools and the

  • Summertown still lacks certain vital amenities

    AS A long-time resident of Summertown, I was naturally interested in the views expressed in Bob Howse’s letter (Viewpoints, October 4). Summertown has indeed become more ‘exclusive’ over the years, but times change and places change accordingly

  • EDITORIAL COMMENT: Watch for arson

    WE HAVE also seen a rise in arson and, while most have been minor, thankfully, it is worrying. It is unrealistic for the police to be able to solve many of these incidents and so it is down to us to help stifle this trend and report any suspicious

  • All dictatorships are bad

    I DIDN’T think it would be necessary to enter into tedious history lessons to suggest that extreme political dictatorships should be equally denounced. However, Tim Siret (Viewpoints, October 2) is sadly suggesting that counting Russian dead should

  • Give us a referendum

    CAMERON says yes to a referendum but he wants a conditional one. That way he can twist the results to what he wants – just like Wilson did in 1974. It’s got to be simple: in = yes; no = out. If he did this, he would be as famous as Churchill

  • MAN ABOUT TOWN: Time has come to charge for my appearances

    I’ve lost count of the number of movies I’ve starred in. True, most of them have been small, independently shot films, but a few have been slightly larger in budget. And of course I’ve always modelled. Fact is, I must have appeared in literally

  • Cameron promises 'not too many tweets'

    PRIME Minister and Witney MP David Cameron has finally joined the modern world by creating a Twitter account. The PM’s second ever tweet was a picture of himself meeting staff at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital. That was only an hour after his

  • London Welsh coach hails influential Henson

    WELSH head coach Lyn Jones praised Gavin Henson’s “influential” Premiership debut. But he said it was too early to judge the fly half’s form. Jones said: “His performance was very good, his kicking game was hugely influential. “We all saw

  • Woman rescued from Benson Lock

    A woman was rescued from the water at Benson Lock near Wallingford yesterday morning. Fire crews were called at 11.27am, but the 50-year-old was pulled out of the water by a passer-by before fire crews arrived. She was then transported to a

  • One of our best results - Oxford United boss

    A DELIGHTED Chris Wilder described Oxford United’s goalless draw with Gillingham as one of the best results during his time in charge. Saturday’s result was an important step forward for a United side again ravaged by injuries and was the first

  • Warning over A34 closures

    MOTORISTs were yesterday reminded that several stretches of the A34 will be closed overnight this week as part of a £2m resurfacing scheme. Tonight the northbound carriageway between the slip roads at Hinksey Hill will be closed between 9pm and

  • A business boom in young entrepreneurs

    A BOOM in new businesses is proving Oxford is a hotbed for entrepreneurs, new figures show. Last night experts said the city’s successful track record in new start-up firms was sparked by the legacy of its two universities and history of high-tech

  • Car fire escape

    SANDFORD: Two men escaped from their car which burst into flames following a crash at 1am on Sunday. The car crashed on the slip road of the A4074 near Sandford-on-Thames and was then destroyed by the fire. One of the men had cut his hand and was

  • Unseen work by Tolkien to be published

    A work by JRR Tolkien that has remained untouched for 80 years will be published for the first time next year. The Fall of Arthur recounts in verse the last days of King Arthur, when, on the threshold of Mirkwood he was summoned to return to Britain

  • Government cap is good news for rail commuters

    Rail commuters from Oxford and Didcot to London will save an estimated £89 a year thanks to the government decision to cap fare increases. In August this year the Department for Transport announced its “inflation-busting” rail fare rises of three

  • It's King Ryan as Oxford United keeper saves the day

    RYAN Clarke struggled to recall a better performance for Oxford United after playing a key role in keeping the league leaders at bay on Saturday. The goalkeeper made four superb saves, including a breathtaking double stop in only the third minute

  • Talent Oxford 2012 stars wow the judges

    WHEN youth worker Aweys Hirabe was eight years old, an Usher video inspired him to start dancing. By the age of 19 he began to take his talent more seriously, travelling the country entering competitions. And on Saturday night the 20-year-old

  • Spires decision

     The fate of a proposed £8.2m business centre for the Oxford Spires Academy is due to be decided tomorrow night. East area planning committee councillors will decide whether to permit the Reuben Business Centre with ICT suites, a laboratory, sixth-form

  • Quay day pulls out all the stops

    BANBURY’S quayside was flooded with boat buffs for the town’s ninth annual Canal Day. Punters were invited to dress in 1930s get-up for this year’s gangsters and molls theme. Barges of all kinds crammed the quayside for the floatilla, and canoe

  • Leys residents offered health MOT

    BLACKBIRD Leys residents will be offered a free health MOT on Wednesday. The event, organised by housing assocation GreenSquare and the Leys Partnership Community Fund, will provide older local residents advice on a range of issues from dental

  • Family wins payout for asbestos cancer victim

    A FAMILY has won tens thousands of pounds in compensation after a Bicester man died of asbestos related cancer. Peter Wilkins died in March 2010, aged 82, four months after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer. He had started a compensation