Archive

  • The Scales of Justice

    Colin McDonald, 50, of Donnington Bridge Road, Oxford, admitted shoplifting meat worth £7.49 from Tesco in Cowley Road, Oxford, on January 20. Given a six-month conditional discharge and told to pay a £15 victims’ surcharge. Katie McNicol, 26,

  • The Scales of Justice

    Andrew Batten, 29, of Harlech Close, Banbury, admitted shoplifting two bottles of wine worth £15 from Tesco in Banbury on November 16. Also admitted shoplifting three bottles of spirits worth £27.50 from Marks and Spencer in Bridge Street, Banbury,

  • Motorist hurt in four-car collision

    ONE person was taken to hospital with minor injuries after a four vehicle crash in Buckingham Road, Bicester, last night. The crash happened near New Street. One other person suffered minor injuries, but did not need hospital treatment. The

  • COUNCIL BUDGETS SPECIAL: Facing the cuts

    THE axe has fallen on more than £51m of council services in Oxfordshire this week. Councillors at County Hall approved four-year savings of more than £46m on Tuesday, just one day after the city council’s financial plan to cut almost £5.4m by 2017

  • Children's book illustrator draws attention at school

    CHILDREN were transported to the magical universe of Winnie the Witch when award-winning illustrator Korky Paul paid them a visit. The children’s book illustrator, best known for his Winnie the Witch series, visited Charlton Primary School in Wantage

  • Young bookworms to cast their votes

    BOOKWORMS across Oxfordshire are being asked to put their heads together to help pick the winners of this year’s Oxfordshire Book Awards. For the fifth year running, schoolchildren across the county are being invited to vote for their favourite

  • Rotary Club has raised £1m in 50-year history

    A MILLION thanks is Wantage Rotarians’ message to townsfolk as they prepare to celebrate their 50th birthday. Since its launch in 1963, £1m has been raised by the town’s Rotary Club for a variety of good causes, local and international. From

  • Wood festival gets 'Power' boost thanks to music mogul Vince

    WITH its emphasis on nature, green living and a beautiful location in the South Oxfordshire Chilterns, Wood festival was a popular fixture on the music calendar. But when its sister, Truck, ran into financial trouble early last year, fans thought

  • REVIEW: Ballet classic truly a thing of beauty

    It’s rare I’m lost for words but on this occasion I think I truly am. Because where do you go after you’ve used up the words ‘brilliant’, ‘extraordinary’ and ‘magical’? Frankly I don’t know, but if you looked in a thesaurus for other words that

  • Village could get post office back - for two days a week

    A POST Office could return to Cropredy in North Oxfordshire – but only for two mornings a week under new plans. Views are being sought on the proposal for a postmaster to visit The Red Lion pub on Monday and Wednesday mornings. The former branch

  • Heyford Meadow beauty spot in line for award

    OLD tractors, boats and railway carriages were among 250 tonnes of rubbish that littered a water meadow four years ago. But after 30 months of clearance work and more than £80,000, the hard work by the Oxford Preservation Trust at Heyford Meadow

  • Road test of SEAT Mii Vibora Negra

    YOU can always rely on Spanish car maker SEAT to put a smile on your face, even with the smallest, soberest city car. The SEAT Mii (pronounced me) lines up alongside its sister vehicles, the Volkswagen up! and Skoda Citigo, but while they are being

  • Students urged to grow own greens

    BEANS on toast and ready meals could be off college menus for good. Going under the name Student Vegetable Diaries, Ben Wilkins visited Oxford Hub in Turl Street to show how easy it is to grow nutritious greens using everyday objects and food waste

  • Owner wants to build homes at former lodge

    AFTER months of uncertainty over its future, Oxford’s former Masonic lodge could become a residential development. Developers Homespace have held meetings with members of the Summertown community about the future of 333 Banbury Road and are hoping

  • Recruitment firm’s Three Peaks Challenge

    DAREDEVIL Dave Pratley will take on a major mountain climbing challenge to raise cash for the Thames Valley Air Ambulance. Along with colleagues, he will take part in the Three Peaks Challenge on May 18 and 19, attempting to climb Ben Nevis in

  • Heart consultant plots 100-mile Thames test

    RUNNING the equivalent of seven marathons in seven days would be enough for most people. But Oxford heart consultant Tim Betts’s latest fundraising challenge will see him run 100 miles along the Thames, day and night – without stopping. Father-of-three

  • Margaret’s set for ninth walk

    DRIVEN by the deaths of friends and family, Margaret King is preparing to clock up her 186th mile in her ninth consecutive Pink Ribbonwalk. Mrs King, 64, from Poffley End near Witney, took part in the county’s first Pink Ribbonwalk back in 1994

  • Teenager abused by alleged abuser, Old Bailey hears

    A TEENAGER has described how she was abused by an alleged gang member so people knew she "belonged" to him. The witness also told the Old Bailey Mohammed Karrar hit her around the head and sexually assaulted her with a baseball bat when she was

  • Beryl’s over the moon at Mail money

    PENSIONER Beryl Cooper is over the moon after winning £200 in the Oxford Mail Loyalty Card prize draw. Mrs Cooper, who lives with her husband Jim and their son Phillip in Kempson Crescent, Littlemore, said it was the first Mail competition she

  • London Welsh coaches convert Oxford kids to rugby

    HUNDREDS of sporty youngsters have tried out rugby thanks to a scheme run by London Welsh. So far 32 schools have taken part in free tag rugby sessions held by coaches from the Oxford-based club. They plan on visiting 40 schools by the end

  • Film maker shows first movie in home town

    A YOUNG Oxfordshire film maker returned home to show his first movie, based on Greek mythology. Former St Edward’s School student Alexander Nally who grew up in Stonesfield, showed The Telemachy at the North Wall Arts Centre, Summertown, on Wednesday

  • Gun men force their way into Oxford home

    TWO men forced their way into an Abingdon Road house with a gun and a knife. They knocked on the door of a house near the Nisa shop last night at around 9pm and when it was answered they pushed past and demanded gold from the family. The

  • Refresh Cafe run by ex-prisoners is officially launched

    A CAFE that helps prison inmates get back on their feet and into the community is officially launched today. Oxfordshire Recovery Network’s Refresh cafe provides training and employment opportunities for ex-offenders and those recovering from addiction

  • FOOTBALL: Quartet's return gives Kidlington derby lift

    Kidlington welcome back Jimmy Deabill, Aaron Posey, Tom Boxer and Tom Austin for their Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division trip to Oxford City Nomads tomorrow. The quartet were unavailable for their midweek defeat at Newbury, but return for

  • Kiwi songstress Gin Wigmore hits the UK

    GIN WIGMORE will bring her gravel-voiced songs to the Hammersmith Apollo tonight in support of Train. Wigmore is a singer-songwriter from New Zealand whose second album has been aptly titled Gravel and Wine, given her vocal style. Like most

  • Art that figures in a big way

    MODERN Art Oxford will be the first public gallery in the UK to host an exhibition by Swiss sculptor Hans Josephsohn. Josephsohn, who died last year, used bronze to cast simplistic forms of the human figure, and from tomorrow the Pembroke Street

  • Health chiefs quizzed over maternity review

    HEALTH bosses have again been accused of a “lack of transparency” over a closed maternity unit in Chipping Norton. Four months after births were suspended at the Cotswold Maternity Unit, bosses still cannot say when it will reopen or exactly what

  • BADMINTON: Pair are first champions

    ROY Creighton and Jess Lawrence defeated Oliver Buckley and Riley Stokes to land Witney Leys’ inaugural Jean Kloos Memorial Shield at Wood Green School. Twelve pairs took part in the event, which was set up in honour of Jean Kloos, the club’s late

  • FOOTBALL: Elkins says Elliott is still spot-on

    Didcot Town boss Gary Elkins says Elliott Osborne-Ricketts will continue to take the Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West side’s penalties – as long as he wants the job. The midfielder has scored three of his side’s penalties this

  • BADMINTON: Roberts triumphs

    BEN Roberts claimed boys’ doubles victory at the Under 15 Badminton England Bronze tournament in Warwick. Roberts, from Brize Norton, teamed up with Berkshire’s Ethan Colby to beat Jai Chanderana and Nick Twells, of Leicestershire, in the final

  • Gol murder trial most expensive

    THE case of double murderer Ensar Gol was the most expensive Oxfordshire case for the Crown Prosecution Service last year. He was found guilty of the murder of his wife and mother-in-law on September 4, 2011, in Thame. His trial in May last

  • Man is bailed again

    A MAN arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary, criminal damage and driving while unfit through drink has been rebailed until March 21. The 25-year old was arrested in connection with an incident at the Peugeot garage in Iffley Road, Oxford,

  • Robber was late for court

    A ROBBER has been remanded in custody to await sentencing after arriving late to Oxford Crown Court. Angela Birch, of North Way, Headington, said she was half-an-hour late to her 10am hearing yesterday because she had to find someone to look after

  • Child sex ring trial continues

    THE Old Bailey is today expected to hear more evidence from a teenage woman who claims she was raped and prostituted from the age of 11. Nine defendants accused of running a child sex exploitation ring in the city deny all 51 counts. Known

  • Power protest three plead guilty

    THREE Oxford people were among 21 protesters who have pleaded guilty to aggravated trespass after trying to halt the construction of one of the UK’s new gas-fired power stations, police said. Daniel Chivers, 34, David Shakespeare, 27, and Claudia

  • A34 collision

    A FORD Fiesta and a lorry collided on the A34 near the Milton Interchange, near Didcot, at 11am yesterday, causing minor delays. An ambulance and firefighters were called but there were no injuries.

  • Jury retires in cannabis factory trial

    THE jury has gone out in the trial of three men accused of running a cannabis factory in Banbury. Leslie Ballard, 59, of Broughton Road, Banbury, and Birmingham residents Gulfam Yousaf and Zafar Iqbal deny producing the Class B drug. Yesterday

  • BADMINTON: Casey still going strong

    PAUL Casey marked his 150th cap for Oxfordshire 2nd and his 199th county appearance by helping them to a 9-6 victory over Warwickshire 3rd at Solihull. He will win his 200th cap for Oxon’s first team at home to Buckinghamshire 2nd on Sunday and

  • Best wines when it pays to go big

    The Rickety Press at 67 Cranham Street, in Jericho, is adding a few new dinners delectable.  Last Wednesday they launched their Champagne & Oyster night. It was so successful they carried the oysters through Valentine’s Day and into the weekend

  • FOOTBALL: Cook has vital ingredient, says Ford

    Oxford City manager Mike Ford is backing Jamie Cook to keep up the good work away to Histon in Blue Square Bet North tomorrow. Ford says the former Oxford United winger is returning to the form that helped them start the season so well after being

  • RUGBY UNION: German wings in for Quins

    OXFORD Harlequins will give German wing Wilhelm Straengh his debut at title-chasing London Irish Wild Geese tomorrow. The new signing gets his chance as the National 3 South West strugglers seek to upset the odds. “Wilhelm had a good game for

  • CRICKET: Taylor's helping hand for England

    OXFORDSHIRE paceman Matt Taylor has been helping England’s batsmen practice for their one-day international series in New Zealand. The 18-year-old former Great and Little Tew seamer, bowled captain Alastair Cook and rearranged Jonny Bairstow’s

  • FIXTURES February 22

    SATURDAY FOOTBALL NPOWER LEAGUE TWO Oxford Utd v York City. BLUE SQUARE BET NORTH Histon v Oxford City. EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: AFC Totton v Banbury Utd. Div 1 South & West: North Leigh v Wimborne, Shortwood

  • Scandal reveals to us the importance of EU

    THE horsemeat scandal has revealed the depth of integrated supply chains across Europe. But it has also shown the safety and security of the British public can only be ensured through fast and effective European police cooperation. It seems

  • A heartfelt thank you

    WHEN I moved into my flat last year, I asked my housing association for a walk-in shower – a promise of help and assistance followed, with no positive out come. I then spoke to my local Labour councillors and asked for help. Cllr Mike Rowley

  • Stop this trade in cruelty

    IN THE light of the recent revelations of the horsemeat scandal, it seems appropriate that March is Animal Aid’s annual Veggie Month. In the last few weeks a great deal of attention has been given to the labelling of meat products and their possible

  • Long-serving councillor

    IN RESPONSE to Mr M Rhymes’ letter in the Oxford Mail (ViewPoints, February 6), his response says it all. He and his wife stood on the parish council for four years, good on them. My husband stood on the parish council for at least five years

  • United ready for action

    Jake Wright visited RAF Benson ahead of Oxford United’s Military Day tomorrow. The U’s will be honouring the armed services at their game with York City, where representatives of all the county’s bases will be in attendance. S erving personnel are

  • RUGBY UNION: Purdy is retained

    HENRY Purdy has kept his place in the England Under 20 side to face France in the Six Nations at Worcester tomorrow (3). The Leicester Tigers wing, from Milton-under-Wychwood, made his debut in the 16-15 defeat to Ireland last time out.

  • Holiday hotspot

    THE Oxford Mail (February 20) has commented on the increase in the number of people visiting the area in the past year. This increase doesn’t surprise me because I’ve long thought that there could be few cities so central to places of interest.

  • Madness to lose power

    WHY is Didcot losing its power station when there is no replacement? Are other countries relinquishing their main power provision sources, just because they are getting older but are still providing an essential service? There appears to be

  • Take action over neglect

    GAGGING orders endangering patients may be illegal under the Public Information Disclosure Act. If not, they should constitute a serious offence vis-à-vis all participants, alongside the failure of anyone within – and arguably without – the NHS

  • Now hold your horses

    MR CLARKE highlights the fact that ‘hundreds of thousands’ of Romanians and Bulgarians are likely to head for this Isle as from New Year’s day next (ViewPoints, February 20). With things as they are, I for one am not too worried, EU-imposed laws

  • Commuter outrage at 'lack of plan' for rail upgrade

    COMMUTERS say they are being kept in the dark about the real extent of disruption from the multi-million pound Oxford to Bedford railway upgrade. With the scheduled starting date just weeks away railway companies still do not appear to have a works

  • Melville aims for Oxford United home run

    ANDY Melville has urged Oxford United to improve their home record – starting against York City tomorrow. The U’s have found results easier to come by on the road in recent weeks. Last weekend's 1-0 win at Plymouth Argyle means four of their

  • MP Galloway's quick exit

    George Galloway, the Respect MP for Bradford West, stormed out of a debate at Christ Church because his opponent was an Israeli. On Wednesday he was discussing whether Israel should withdraw from the West Bank. But he left less than three minutes

  • Raynes wants another clean sheet

    Michael Raynes is targetting another clean sheet tomorrow as Oxford United attempt to build on last weekend’s win by beating York City. The U’s ended a five-game winless run with a 1-0 success at Plymouth Argyle. It was their first clean sheet

  • Parker happy to be part of Oxford United squad

    JOSH Parker wants to contribute to Oxford United any way he can in the final weeks of the season after making his first start last weekend. The 22-year-old replaced Alfie Potter on the right flank and impressed in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Plymouth

  • Road resurfacing

    Overnight resurfacing work along Oxford’s Eastern Bypass is due to start on Monday. A temporary 10mph speed limit will be in place while the work between the Kiln Lane junction and Green Road roundabout is carried out over five nights from 8pm

  • Another three football fans arrested

    Three more men have been arrested following crowd trouble during Oxford United’s game against Bristol Rovers on February 9. A 47-year-old from Marston, a 40-year-old from Wantage and a 39-year-old from Witney are being held on suspicion of committing

  • Rape accused 'had respect for woman'

    A MAN accused of raping a woman in an Oxford park told a jury yesterday he treated her “with respect”. Julio Dos-Santos, of Nightingale Avenue, Oxford, denies attacking the student in Bury Knowle Park, Headington, on September 11. He is accused

  • Oxford bike fanatic Paul fined...for not wearing seatbelt

    PAUL Booker got back on his motorbike and rode off after reluctantly accepting a £60 fine dished out by road police. It was only later when he read the fixed penalty notice that he realised he was being penalised for not wearing a seatbelt.

  • Oxford United Ladies ready for big day at the Kassam

    THERE is a double header at the Kassam Stadium this weekend, with Oxford United Ladies playing Newcastle United in the FA Women’s Cup. Sunday’s fourth round tie is the first time the ladies have played at the stadium. There is a huge reward

  • A new twist in the legal battle for £1m North Oxford house

    A COURT case over the ownership of a £1m house in North Oxford has taken yet another twist. Yesterday, an eviction hearing was due to resume at Bicester Magistrates' Court after it was dramatically adjourned in November. The case has been brought

  • COMMENT: Despicable crime

    JOHN Thompson may not be the first thief to snatch a Poppy Appeal tin from a shop or garage in Oxfordshire. But he may well be the first serviceman to stoop so low. Money donated to the Royal British Legion’s appeal goes towards helping veterans

  • COMMENT: Don't keep rail users in the dark over key project

    RAIL commuters are understandably frustrated they are not being kept in the loop about the Oxford to Bicester upgrade. According to campaigners for the Oxford-Bicester Rail Action Group, the line between the two towns could be closed for up to

  • Residents flee as huge blaze rages in Cutteslowe

    MORE than 60 firefighters battled a huge blaze at a block of flats in north Oxford yesterday that forced residents to evacuate their homes for their own safety. A three-storey building in Hawksmoor Road, Cutteslowe, was cleared of residents as

  • Day 24: Friday, February 22

    Crime reporter Ben Wilkinson is at the Old Bailey today  It's end of week 6 in the Oxford sex exploitation trial at the Old Bailey. Now hearing from Girl 4 who says she was abused from age 11 to 15 — @Ben_Wilkinson_ 22 February 2013

  • Event helps keep city cyclists safe on the streets

    CYCLE safety was on the agenda at an event in the centre of Oxford. Thames Valley Police and two mechanics held a free bike marking day in Broad Street, on Wednesday. Officers postcoded 122 bikes on a national database, making it easier for

  • Mobile unit will offer breast screening

    A MEDICAL centre in Witney is to offer women in the area breast screenings. The Oxford Breast Centre’s mobile screening unit will be at Deer Park Medical Centre until the middle of July. The unit will screen eligible women aged between 47 and 73

  • Woman stabbed herself then set fire to house

    A LANCE corporal mum-of-one took her own life by stabbing herself and setting fire to her house. The unusual circumstances surrounding the death of Intombizodwa Hove meant it was initially treated as suspicious by Thames Valley Police. But

  • Bagpipe players aim to make lots of noise

    THEIR skirl has stirred the heart of red-blooded Scots for generations. But a group of musicians is setting out to show that you don’t need to come from north of the border to play the bagpipes. Up to 60 pipers, playing instruments from around