RAIL bosses have reversed their decision to shut the back gate at Oxford Station after an outcry from passengers. The Oxford Mail revealed this month that First Great Western chiefs were planning to close the entrance to stop fare dodgers.
A WOMAN who appealed for help with knitting baby clothes for a maternity ward was inundated with the response across Oxfordshire. Pensioner Margaret Fell, from Grove, has now given the John Radcliffe Hospital’s special care baby unit more than
AN appeal has been made to find stories and pictures to help celebrate a landmark event at the Cowley Mini Plant. Next March sees the centenary of the first car – a Bullnose Morris – to roll off the production line at the factory. Bosses want
WE were clambering along the bare knuckle of one of Porthtowan’s cliffs when the storm hit. Not just a dousing of English rain, but the full force of Mother Nature chasing in, throwing a whole bruised sky at us. And, with nowhere to hide, I just
Almond Avenue, Kidlington, residents Geoff Ayres and Linda Nicholls spend about three days putting up their festive lights. They join neighbours Peter Horsley and David and Julie Oliver to form a trio of colourful homes. Mr Nicholls, 62, said
Forum C led the way with a 399-397 victory over Forum B on a night of nail-biting finishes in the Aubrey Hughes Handicap Shield second round. With Brian Jermyn, Chris Smith and Fraser Harris enjoying a 100-point start for Forum C, they held off
A MAN repeatedly sent to jail for assaulting, harassing and burgling the home of his mother and grandmother has been handed another term. Homeless heroin addict Scott Weddell, 33, appeared at Oxford Crown Court this week over the breach of a restraining
VISITS to an Oxford museum helped inspire children to create artwork. The Story Makers exhibition at the Pitt Rivers Museum features work made by youngsters with learning difficulties. Arts psychotherapist Helen Edwards worked with pupils from
ANOTHER 20mm of rain is expected in Oxfordshire in the next 18 hours, the MET Office has warned. Between 10mm and 15mms of rain has already fallen in the county in the last 12 hours. Another 10mm or 15mm is expected today and 5mm Sunday morning
The daughter of a man who died after becoming homeless is sleeping rough for charity tonight. Sian Hawley, 25, will camp outside the Westgate Centre with her cousin James Desmond, and her father’s cousin Colin Morris-Smith. Miss Hawley’s father
The ability of cannabis to relieve pain differs greatly between people, Oxford University research suggests. Researchers gave a pill including a cannabis compound and then applied a cream to their skin which causes a burning feeling. The 12
RADIO listeners in the Oxford area can now tune in to local stations on digital devices after the service was switched on yesterday. It means 300,000 residents can now pick up BBC Radio Oxford, Jack FM, Heart, Capital and Gold radio stations.
Max Gannicott, of Devils Mauy Thai, Wantage, won the 55kg Celtic Challenge title in Birmingham. The 15-year-old lifted the British and Southern Ireland crown by beating Somalian Hizram Sheekh on a unanimous points decision.
November returns from Lechlade Trout Fishery show 262 anglers caught 750 fish from Lechlade Lake at an average size of just under ten pounds. The biggest fish were all browns, Malcolm Hunt catching one at 19lbs 12oz, while Alex Hill had another
City of Oxford’s Emily Wood achieved two national qualifying times in the Northampton Winter Festival Open Meet at Corby International Pool. The 13-year-old’s time of 1min 16.38secs for the 100m breaststroke ranks her sixth, and the 2.44.47 for
A FAMILY say a burglar ruined their Christmas after he stole cash from a piggybank and smashed a toddler’s presents. In another incident, Colin Thompson broke into a child’s cardboard collection box for the blind, to take just £7 in change.
THE number of flood alerts in Oxfordshire has reduced overnight from 23 to 19. But river levels on the Thames - which is on flood alert - are expected to rise today with continued heavy rain. The River Ock from Watchfield to Abingdon
NEVER give up hope. That has been the message relayed this week regarding the future of Oxford Stadium, which closes next Saturday. This situation has occurred many times in the past at Sandy Lane, but this is the biggest fight yet. We
IT has been a memorable year for Sister Frances Dominica who is celebrating not one but two milestones. The founder of Oxford-based Helen and Douglas House celebrated her 70th birthday yesterday surrounded by friends and hospice staff at Douglas
TWO Blackbird Leys headteachers have left their posts as one of Oxford’s top independent schools prepares to sponsor their primaries. In October it was announced that the Dragon School in Bardwell Road would be the lead sponsor in a new multi-academy
OXFORD United's game against Fleetwood Town today has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. An official assessed the playing surface at the Kassam Stadium this morning and deemed it unsuitable. Rain is forecast for the rest of the day, so
DISRUPTION to rail services between Oxfordshire and London Paddington is over after engineers repaired fire-damaged signal equipment earlier than forecast. First Great Western had warned there could be problems until about 4pm today but Network
Paul Robinson led Fieldside to a 4-2 victory at home to Abingdon Conservative Club in the first round of the Gentworks Oxford & District League’s Atox Cup. Robinson produced breaks of 39 and 30 in securing a 2-0 success over Dave Noake.
SHOPPERS at Abingdon’s revamped Abbey precinct say they like its new look after a £4.5m facelift, despite ongoing building work. Developer NewRiver removed the 1960s arcade’s canopies, replaced wooden benches, and created two new two-storey units
THE principal of the Oxford Academy, Mike Reading, has left the school. A statement released by the Anglican Diocese of Oxford said he had left for personal reasons. Mr Reading, pictured, was with the school for five years and had been on leave
Adam Webb returned figures of 4-15 to help Hook Norton to a 12-run victory over Broughton & North Newington in Division 2 of the Banbury Indoor League. Andrew Stanley’s 36 helped Hooky to 103-4 which looked well short as Broughton set off strongly
The local branch of the Pike Anglers Club of GB are fishing a members-only match at Horseshoe Lake, Lechlade, on January 20. Tickets are £10. The next Oxon meeting is at Oxford City FC on Thursday, January 31 (7.30pm).
Drennan Banbury Gunsmiths have retained their Angling Trust Oxford Winter League crown for another year after finishing in style last weekend. Their anglers occupied the first two places in the final round fished by five teams of eight on the Kennet
Altaf Ali produced a break of 41 to help Riley C to a thrilling 4-3 victory at Cowley Conservative Club A in the second round of the Gent-works Oxford & District League’s Colin Cutler Memorial Trophy. Division 3 side Cowley, who received a
CHRISTMAS Day is due to be sunny and dry in Oxfordshire, if not the rest of Britain. Staff at the Met Office confirmed yesterday that although there is some heavy rain to come in the county, Christmas Day should have good weather. Most of the
MICHAEL Duberry wants to put pressure on Oxford United’s centre backs as he eyes a return to the starting line-up. The veteran returned to action with a cameo appearance on Tuesday after more than six months out with a neck injury. After getting
WORK to add 500 parking spaces to the Thornhill park-and-ride site will start in the new year, it has been announced. Oxfordshire County Council confirmed work to expand the busy facility near Headington will start in January. The £3.6m project
WHEN you tuck into turkey with all the trimmings this Christmas Day spare a thought for little Usman Baker, whose rare protein intolerance means turkey, mince pies and even chocolates are all off the menu. Eight-year-old Usman, from Barton, suffers
PLANS to raze Oxford University’s Old Road campus to the ground and rebuild it have been recommended for approval. The university wants to demolish all the buildings on the Headington site and build 48,000sq m of research space over two to five
A SCHOOL in South Oxfordshire has been closed due to a suspected vomiting bug outbreak. Tetsworth Primary School was shut at 10am on Thursday. It will remain closed over Christmas until January 7. Oxfordshire County Council confirmed that
THE latest jobs announcement at the Cowley Mini plant is good news as we head towards Christmas. Not only for the workers themselves, or the people who will take those jobs, but for the city as a whole. In this age of financial doom and gloom
THERE are encouraging signs of growth in Oxfordshire’s market towns. Witney has set the standard with the offer of free parking and the Marriotts Walk development. Bicester is one to watch, with a major expansion of Bicester Village on the
UP TO 150 new jobs are to be created at the Mini plant after workers gave the green light to a groundbreaking change in shift patterns. Union leaders say that from November next year the Cowley works will operate on three shifts of seven-and-a-half
REVEALED behind door number 22 of our Badvent calendar are two men police believe stole nearly £1,000 worth of fuel in Witney. The Oxford Mail and Thames Valley Police have been publishing pictures of wanted suspects every day in the run-up to
A MULTI-MILLION pound facelift of Oxford’s Leys estates must concentrate on tackling antisocial behaviour and sorting out parking problems. That is the view of residents who attended the latest Leys regeneration community event. Initial design
PASSENGERS using First Great Western trains between Oxfordshire and London face another day of disruption tomorrow after fires damaged signal equipment in West London. The blazes yesterday were at Acton and in an equipment room near Airport Junction
