London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones is reportedly set to leave the club. The 48-year-old is being lined up as Newport Gwent Dragons’ new director or rugby, according to reports in Wales. Former Welsh international Jones played his club rugby
MOST of Oxfordshire’s ancient trees are at risk from pests and diseases, it has been claimed. The Woodland Trust said there are at least 15 pests and diseases – including ash dieback – which pose a threat to 1,200 trees in the county listed on
MOST coffee drinkers do not think twice about the energy needed to make their hot beverage. But new Oxford eco-cafe The Hog Roast aims to change that and make customers more environmentally-aware. Its kettle, oven and lighting will be powered
A MOTORCYCLIST has been airlifted to hospital with “major leg injuries” following a collision with a car on the outskirts of Bicester. The emergency services were called to the B4100 between the A43 and Bicester just after 5pm. The road is
Oxford's Hannah England ran her fourth fastest 1500m time ever when finishing fourth in the IAAF Diamond Meeting in Rome tonight. England recorded 4mins 03.91secs when coming home fourth behind winner, Sweden's Abeba Areagawi, who recorded 4.00.23
One in four people are likely to have some kind of mental health problem at some point in their lives, but for each individual the experience can feel very isolating. Fortunately Oxfordshire Mind’s peer support groups offer a way for people with
A NURSERY branded inadequate by Ofsted is challenging the judgement. Little Treasures Academy, in Thorney Leys, Witney, was given the worst possible rating in every area when inspectors visited at the beginning of May. In a report just published
* THE Field Kitchen is relaunching for summer, with the first event of the season taking place on Friday at Hogacre Common. Founding chef Rupert Whitaker is very keen to showcase the produce of his favourite months of the year, as well as his latest
Always on the quest for great Indian food, Curry Brothers Tim Hughes and Ed Nix join a scientist friend for a high-brow trip out of town THE people of Eynsham have it good. Not only do they have an inordinate amount of pubs and a vibrant social
* World-renowned theatre company Complicite returns to Oxford Playhouse with a new co-production ‘Lionboy’ from Tuesday. Inspired by Zizou Corder’s best-selling trilogy of books, ‘Lionboy’ is Complicite’s first show for young people and families and
KATHERINE MacALISTER talks to the star of Creation Theatre’s one-man show Jekyll & Hyde Michael Palmer, AKA Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde in Creation Theatre’s new production, raises his arms dramatically to the sky and says: “Let it rain, let
KATHERINE MacALISTER and family head off to Hemel Hempstead to discover the joys of indoor skiing It was one of the most surreal days of my life. The sun was shining and everyone else was mowing their lawns, but while they turned their pale faces
FRAN BARDSLEY discusses our new book of the month, set in the War of the Roses PHILIPPA Gregory is of suitable stature in the world of historical fiction that she almost needs no introduction. Famed for presenting complex historical intrigues
BEHIND THE CANDELABRA (15) Drama/Romance/Comedy. Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, Rob Lowe, Dan Aykroyd, Scott Bakula, Debbie Reynolds, Cheyenne Jackson. Director: Steven Soderbergh Liberace always bowed down at the altar of excess. “Too much of
AFTER EARTH (12A) Sci-Fi/Action/Thriller. Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Zoe Isabella Kravitz, Sophie Okonedo. Director: M Night Shyamalan After Earth is a family affair, reuniting Will and Jaden Smith for the first time since the saccharine 2006
A FORMER teacher at Wantage County Primary who “never lost her love and enthusiasm for children” has died, aged 85. Mary Elizabeth Talbot, from Didcot, taught at Wantage County Primary, later Garston Lane, for 28 years. She was born Mary Walker
A FAMILY has paid tribute to their husband, dad and granddad who died after a fall in the garden. Donald Edward Kerby was born and bred in Oxford’s Great Clarendon Street, Jericho, to Hilda and Jack Kerby on March 23, 1928. He passed away at
On consecutive days last weekend I was privileged to be in the audience for performances of two operas I had never previously seen. They were I Puritani, by Vincenzo Bellini, which Grange Park Opera is giving at its incomparably beautiful headquarters
The Perch, Binsey Binsey Lane, Oxford, OX2 0NG 01865 728891 the-perch.co.uk An unforgettable sound of the Oxford summer of 40 years ago was the stentorian voice of George Chitty, who prided himself on being the city’s rudest landlord, ordering
FOUR STARS The production by Northern Stage of Dennis Potter’s Blue Remembered Hills reminds us how much potentially great work was lost when the BBC — disgracefully — dropped the Play for Today slot, in which it was first aired in 1979.
Emma Dolman tries to answer the question on many people’s lips — why art in Didcot? When South Oxfordshire District Council were putting the finishing touches on Cornerstone in 2008, one question we were always asked was ‘why are you building an
When Brakspear’s brewery in Henley closed in 2002 due to falling sales, it marked the end of a 220-year tradition. Now the Oxfordshire-based pub company has returned to its brewing roots. The iconic Brakspear Special, which has been produced
BUSINESS Minister Michael Fallon met apprentices and took a tour of the Cowley Mini plant. Apprentice Natalie Murray showed the minister around the car factory’s newly opened training facilities and introduced him to apprentices demonstrating their
JANE MESSINA on her experiences at an unusual library event in Oxford When I moved to Oxford, I wouldn’t have believed that a little over a year later, I’d be sitting in a room with a recovered drug addict, a transgendered Asperger’s sufferer,
Many readers will be feeling torn today as the level of opposition to the science centre scheme emerged. The scheme has so much to recommend it in terms of attracting visitors, creating jobs, generating income, educational opportunities for local
The announcement that the celebrated architects Glenn Howells have been appointed to design the John Lewis store will advance the growing conviction, “a new Westgate, it really is going to happen”. And it now looks equally certain that the redevelopment
Reg Little talks to author Alasdair Donaldson about his macabre book inspired by Oxford Alasdair Donaldson is really not the ideal guide to his former Oxford college. Visiting New College with the much travelled barrister is a distinctly creepy
SIXTY-TWO years after their eyes met over a crate of oranges at Oxford’s old marmalade factory, a couple are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary. Enid and John Stubbles of Rose Hill will toast 60 years of marriage today with their children
PET owners in Greater Leys fear their cats are being poisoned. Seven have died in the past two years – three of them this year – all with the same symptoms. Tracy Smith, of Deer Walk, found 12-year-old ginger tom Garfield in a confused state
MONTHS after moving into their new home a family was horrified when their cat was shot. Thirteen-year-old tom Sam has been left with five inches of stitches after a £650 operation to remove an air rifle pellet from his stomach. Now his owners
DISTRAUGHT grandmother-of-two Roseanne Daly is appealing for the return of her young Jack Russell, believed to have been stolen from her front garden. The dog lover spoke to two men outside her house in Pheasant Walk, Sandford-on-Thames, who were
West End star Kerry Ellis tells Tim Hughes about her charity project, alongside Queen guitarist Brian May, which is coming to a small Oxford venue SHE has graced the stages of the West End and Broaway, playing dazzling leads in some of our best-loved
Tim Hughes talks to Miles Hunt, frontman of re-formed indie rockers The Wonder Stuff IT is 25 years since The Wonder Stuff had their first hit. But while other bands of their generation may be taking things easy and sipping green tea, Miles Hunt
Tim Hughes previews the best forthcoming gigs Hip Hop AFRIKA BAMBAATAA The Cellar, Oxford Tonight £10 from wegottickets.com The godfather of hip hop Afrika Bambaataa makes a surprise, and some might
Tim Hughes meets The View: a band as famous for rowdiness as for their Scottish power Kyle Falconer is not much of a talker. He doesn’t need to be. When you front a band with the visceral power of The View you don’t need anecdotes and witticisms
TEN years ago, Barracks Lane Community Garden was a “dark, horrible and sad place”, with 26 dilapidated garages frequented by drug users. That was before a handful of locals spent four years and £80,000 transforming it into a vibrant community
AFTER four years serving in the harsh terrain of Afghanistan, the RAF’s fleet of Merlin helicopters is coming home to Oxfordshire. And Wallingford will celebrate the return of the RAF Benson crews with a special Armed Forces Day party on June 26
A COURT action which has delayed a planned new retail park for Banbury will be heard in November. The owners of Castle Quay shopping centre and Banbury Cross Retail Park are trying to get a judicial review of the scheme. Cherwell District Council
He’s gone from punk firebrand to national treasure. Now John Lydon is performing in Oxford with Public Image Ltd. He talks to Tim Hughes Eloquent and erudite, John Lydon could not sound less like the snarling punk-rocker of his youth. Smartly dressed
A 40-YEAR-old man remains in police custody in relation to an attempted abduction in Rose Hill. At 5.55pm yesterday a ten-year-old girl was approached by a man in Asquith Road who invited her back to his house. The girl ran off and alerted
OXFORD: Two people have appeared before Lincoln magistrates charged with criminal damage at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. Susan Clarkson, 66, of Bath Street, East Oxford, and Christopher Cole, 49, of Wilkins Road, Cowley, were among six arrested
HANNAH England will hope to build on an encouraging start to her season when she competes in the Rome Diamond League meeting at 7.15pm tonight. The 26-year-old Oxford City star produced her fastest campaign opener yet when clocking 4mins 3.38secs at
BICESTER: Police are still searching for a teenager believed to have been stabbed in the town. The alleged victim is believed to have been stabbed in the arm. A 17-year-old from Bicester was arrested on suspicion of possessing a weapon in connection
OXFORDSHIRE’S Olympic gold medal-winning men will go for glory in an eight this summer, it was announced yesterday. Andy Triggs Hodge, Pete Reed and Alex Gregory memorably struck gold as part of the the men’s four at London 2012. They will
TWO new distribution warehouses near Didcot could bring 2,000 new jobs to Oxfordshire. London-based Diageo Pension Trust Ltd yesterday announced plans for the distribution and logistics buildings on land west of Didcot Power Station, off Sutton
FOUR Oxfordshire athletes produced national top-ten performances in the Barrie Strange Memorial Throws meeting at Horspath. Radley’s Kathryn Woodcock climbed to seventh in the UK under 17 girls’ discus rankings with a throw of 39.44m. Clubmate
OXFORD: Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins is due to address the Oxford Union at the Frewin Court debating society at 6.30pm tonight. She will talk about her career and her long-standing work with the British Forces Foundation military charity, for
OXFORD: Police are still investigating an assault at this year’s Headington Festival. A 10-year-old boy claimed he was assaulted at the event in Bury Knowle Park after a group of about five children aged between 10-12 approached him at around 6.20pm
DAVID Bruce and Rachel Masser broke course records in winning the Otmoor Challenge. Oxford City’s Bruce and Woodstock Harriers’ Masser were in dominant form over the multi-terrain half marathon course. Bruce clocked 1hr 12 mins 8secs to smash
IT HAS been a massive success in Witney. And now free parking, or at least two hours of it, is coming to Bicester. It seems hard to imagine how Cherwell District Council’s own car parks will survive as pay and displays for much longer. Let’
FREE parking will be the centrepiece of Bicester’s new multi-million pound town centre. Developers last night confirmed the long-awaited £70m redevelopment will open on Wednesday, July 10. And they announced a new 526-space car park above the
SIMI Fajemisin climbed to fifth in the British under 17 long jump rankings after an impressive display in the UK Youth Development League. Oxford City’s Fajemisin, 15, helped Team Oxfordshire finish second in their Midland Premier 2 meeting at
YOUNG Stanley Cox was forced to hide behind a sea wall to escape the onslaught of German bullets and shells on the Normandy beaches. Now a great-grandfather of 13, the 88-year-old is today back in France to remember comrades who weren’t so lucky
Oxfordshire made a disappointing start to their Middleton Cup campaign with a 122-110 defeat by Middlesex at Bush Hill Park. Oxon picked up just six of the 22 points available in the South Section B clash, and must now win the three remaining group
JUST when did Israel become part of Europe, as they host the forthcoming UEFA Under-21 football tournament? Did the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian land result in an even bigger land grab than even I knew about? I missed that on the
I AM newly married and on a visit to the beautiful city of Oxford from Toronto, Canada. I lost my digital camera on the Redbridge park and ride bus on Tuesday afternoon. If it has been retrieved I would be most grateful to have it returned
Banbury Chestnuts have been hit with a 12-point deduction after failing to raise a side against Division 1 leaders Carterton in the Oxford & District League, sponsored by Yarnton Nurseries. The penalty sends Chestnuts crashing to the foot of
I WAS shocked to learn (Oxford Mail, June 4) that Thames Water is planning yet another inflation- busting rise in household bills for the people of Oxford. This is completely unacceptable while they continue to provide such a poor service to our
I hope whoever was responsible for my grandson not receiving his birthday card is proud of themselves. I posted the card last Thursday in plenty of time for his birthday on Saturday, June 1. We could not understand why it had not been delivered
HOW fortunate the commuters of Oxford are, with the announcement of the new rail link from Oxford to London, via Bicester village. The commuter now has the choice of Paddington or Marylebone, at one mile away, when the link is complete. The
FOLLOWING the revelations about bonus payments to Oxford Area NHS senior management, some of whom are paid six-figure salaries, I accessed freely available information on various NHS websites. Two were of particular interest: The NHS England organisation
Wantage-based jockey Cathy Gannon rode a 97.5-1 double at Southwell yesterday. She struck on 25-1 shot Barnacle, before following up aboard Left Defender (11-4).
OXFORD United are rumoured to be in talks with former Swindon Town full back Callum Kennedy. The defender, 23, still has another year left on his contract at Scunthorpe United, but is thought to be available on a free transfer as manager Brian
IT may be 69 years ago, but for many of those who took part in D-Day the horror and ferocity of the events still burn a vivid memory in their minds. The booming guns, horrific smell and sheer terror of those approaching the beaches came through
OSMAN Muskwe has set his sights on competing for Great Britain after being crowned English decathlon champion at Bedford. The 27-year-old Radley athlete shrugged off a hamstring injury to win the English title in dramatic style by just 24 points
ON the night before D-Day, Vernon Jones should have been celebrating his 21st birthday with friends. Instead he was crossing the English Channel with thousands of others ready to storm the beaches of Normandy in France. Mr Jones, who lives
AFTER storming to victory in Abingdon in recent county council elections, Lib Dem councillor Neil Fawcett is already using his platform to attack foreign energy firms – but not for the reasons you would expect. On his twitter feed, Mr Fawcett,
AS A resident of Barton I am saddened that the dance school, Messy Jam, has had to stop its classes in Barton. It was a positive asset to Barton where children came from different communities and mixed together, learned to respect different cultures
A Florence Park player was taken to hospital after collapsing during the Oxford & District League Division 4 game at Banbury Central B. The player, who has not been named, was taken ill during the 14th end. He was detained in hospital for
ADAM Chapman has left Oxford United to join Newport County for an undisclosed fee. It marks a return to the south Wales club for the 23-year-old, who played five games on loan during the 2011/12 season. Chapman finished last season on loan
A man has appeared at Oxford Crown Court to deny raping a woman in Banbury. Adrian Shorter, 33, of Bear’s Hedge, Iffley, Oxford, entered a not guilty plea to one count of rape on Monday. He is alleged to have committed the crime on February
SHAKESPEARE was a fan of quirky stage set-ups – his circular Globe Theatre making its mark in Elizabethan England. So he would no doubt have approved of the ambitious floating lake performance put on by 50 Oxford University students in the grounds
TWO out of three multi-million-pound Oxford housing schemes backed by designer Kevin McCloud have been given the go-ahead. But a third, to build 40 flats on the former Cowley Community Centre in Barns Road, was thrown out because it didn’t provide
A higher proportion of people work in education in Oxford than in any other part of the country. Nearly 24 per cent of Oxford’s population – or 16,452 people – work in the education industry. Cambridge is the city with the next highest proportion
FIREFIGHTERS were called to Oxford’s Redbridge recycling centre yesterday after a skip caught fire. The alarm was raised at 7.40am and fire crews remained on the scene in Old Abingdon Road tackling the blaze for about an hour. The fire started
A motorbike was stolen from outside a Wood Farm home on Tuesday. The red Suzuki was taken from the driveway of the house in Pauling Road between 9pm on Tuesday and yesterday morning.
TWO cyclists were involved in crashes which brought traffic to a standstill yesterday. A pedestrian was hurt in a collision with a cyclist outside the Royal Oxford Hotel in Frideswide Square, Oxford, at about 8.20am. The woman in her 30s was
AN ABINGDON councillor has resigned in protest over gay marriage. Holly Holman resigned her Conservative Party membership and stepped down from the Vale of White Horse District Council. In a letter to Prime Minister and Witney MP David Cameron
Jim Crace may live in Birmingham, but his latest novel is set deep in the countryside. Harvest (Picador, £16.99) is the haunting story of the death of a village as its common land is enclosed for sheep farming. Crace, winner of the Whitbread first
Now sightseers tread the concrete slabs of Trafalgar Square, where once, can you believe, it was the heavy hippo. Feral, by George Monbiot, challenges our assumptions and preconceptions; more so, it challenges our imagination. Monbiot’s central theme
EDDIE Pepperell thinks a maiden European Tour victory is on the horizon following two near misses already in his rookie season. Oxfordshire’s No 1 burst into the spotlight with a tie for sixth place in the illustrious BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth
THREE men arrested on suspicion of a string of sex-related offences after police raided Oxford's Nanford Guest House this morning have been released on bail. Police investigating alleged child sex exploitation swooped on the Iffley Road bed and
BURFORD’S impressive start to the Shaw Gibbs Oxfordshire Foursomes League continued with two convincing wins in a 2-1 home success over Oxford City. Simon Hopkins and Michael Potts got them away to an excellent start in the Section 1 clash, beating
THREE people have been arrested after police raided Oxford's Nanford Guest House this morning. Police investigating alleged child sex exploitation swooped on the Iffley Road bed and breakfast at 7.50am today. Those involved in the raid include
MARK Grootz birdied ten holes on the way to breaking his own course record at Hadden Hill. The 40-year-old, who plays off a handicap of plus-two, carded an eight-under-par round of 63 on the way to victory in the club’s monthly stableford competition
POLICE investigating alleged child sex exploitation have raided Oxford's Nanford Guest House this morning. Officers swooped on the Iffley Road bed and breakfast at 7.50am today. Those involved in the raid include officers from Thames Valley
JACK Antoniou hopes to compete at next year’s Commonwealth Games after becoming the youngest player to represent Cyprus at sevens. The teenager, from Oxford, made his debut for Cyprus in Dubai last December and most recently featured at the European
NEIL Smith made the most of perfect playing conditions to become The Wychwood’s club champion. He mastered the quick greens to card a 36-hole gross total of 153, three shots clear of nearest challenger Andy Tyler. Tom Garrett comfortably won
Few film-makers are as distinctive as Werner Herzog. Indeed, he could be the dictionary definition of an auteur, as he has always produced highly personal pictures and has made a habit of revisiting recurring themes, such as the individual's relationship
The next two volumes in the Ealing Studios Rarities collection dominate the column this week. Launching Volume 2 is the 1935 adaptation of Captain Frederick Marryat's Midshipman Easy, which marked the solo directorial bow of Carol Reed, after he had
OXFORD Cavaliers have begun the defence of their West of England League title with three straight victories. Cavaliers, who are linked to new club Oxford Rugby League, top the table with a 100 per cent record. Victories over Cheltenham Old
WHERE is Headington? That’s a question visitors to Oxford might ask themselves as they try to find the area’s famous shark. But now the people who live there are trying to settle once and for all what parts of the city really are in Headington.
FAMOUS violins crafted by Antonio Stradivari in the 18th century will be displayed in the UK for the first time next week. The Ashmolean Museum launches its ‘Stradivarius’ exhibition next Thursday, boasting a collection of 21 violins which are
JEN Nicholson was a double winner at Witney Angels’ end of season awards. The back-row forward won the players’ player of the year title and shared the coaches’ award with scrum half Claire Palmer. Teresa Godfrey was named ladies’ club person
IN medieval times, Littlemore was a tiny agricultural community miles outside the walled city of Oxford. Now archaeologists need residents to join them in a village version of TV’s Time Team. The East Oxford Archaeology and History Project,
THE Bishop of Oxford will be feeling hungry today as he fasts to highlight poverty. The Rt Rev John Pritchard is joining other bishops around the country for the Enough Food for Everyone IF campaign, which aims to highlight that one in eight people
FIVE STARS If you can imagine Harold Pinter and Alfred Hitchcock creating a puppet show together then you can get some idea of what to expect from Pickled Image’s new production The Shop of Little Horrors. In an unnamed town there is
FOUR STARS "I don’t think men and women are psychologically distinguishable.” So spoke the authoritative voice of Harvard professor Steven Pinker on Radio 4’s Today programme last Thursday. How different a picture had been presented
In my restaurant column in Weekend today, dealing with The Perch in Binsey, I mention a landlord of the past, one George Chitty, a former opera singer at Sadlers Wells. In the early 1970s, he was as almost as famous for rudeness to his customers as
With my reviewing duties at Oxford Playhouse on Tuesday over within an hour, I was out on the town in plenty of time for dinner. This being ‘steak night’ at J.D. Wetherspoons, there could be no better venue for us than The Four Candles in George Street
It is believed that there are more than 1,000 people in Oxfordshire with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). A small registered charity in Oxfordshire provides subsidised complementary therapies to people with MS, often not available on the NHS, as well as
