Archive

  • SWIMMING: Double joy for Isabelle

    Isabelle Langley, of All Saints Primary School, Abingdon and Didcot Barramundi SC, won two gold medals at the ESSA East & South East Division Primary School Individual Championships in Watford. The ten-year-old triumphed in the 50m butterfly

  • Black and white image of blaze

    I ENCLOSE two photographs from historian Jim Brown, who lives at Fernham, near Faringdon, and has a large collection of pictures of the Faringdon area. This fire broke out in a barn on John Luker’s farm at Longcot, near Faringdon, on November 6

  • On track to get out of special measures

    BICESTER Community College is moving in the right direction according to Ofsted, and its leadership team hopes the school will be out of special measures soon. Ofsted inspectors who paid a third visit to the school last month praised the quality

  • A brolly good show when Queen visited

    I WAS interested in your piece on the Westgate Centre in Oxford (Memory Lane, November 11). You say that when the Queen visited Oxford in 1968, she was taken to a marquee in the Church Street car park and shown a model of how the area would look

  • Delays on the A34 after two-vehicle accident at Didcot

    TWO incidents on the northbound A34 are causing delays this evening. Thames Valley Police were called to a two-vehicle accident at Didcot at around 2pm and one lane is currently closed. One person has minor injuries as a result of the accident

  • Family Links charity wins national recognition for its work

    A CHARITY which helps parents learn the skills needed to bring up their children has won national praise for its work. Family Links was highly commended in the children and young people’s charity category at the Children and Young People Now awards

  • Travel review - Bluestone in Pembrokeshire

    We’re in a brilliant blue room, little fluffy clouds dangling from the ceiling, while a rainbow-haired Edoc coaxes us into inventing fairies under the beady eye of a mammoth Mr Potatohead. No, this is not a festive cheese dream. This is the Emaginarium

  • Screen Breaks - Having to roll with the trolls

    You find me this week, dear reader, the same old cheerful film critic I always was. However, were you speak to me a few days ago, I would have described myself very differently. For last week I was the victim of that most modern of bullying tactics

  • Curtain Raisers - Santa vs. Scrooge, I'm An Aristocrat and more

    * Having finally given myself over to all things Christmassy, I’m delighted to announce that the Christmas event at Oxford Castle Unlocked, Santa vs Scrooge, ticks all the right boxes. This is an interactive event which really gets the family involved

  • Stage Whispers - Miracle on 34th Street and Cats

    This is a magical time of year and we have some festive treats in store for our audiences with Miracle on 34th Street, which runs from December 9–11, and our Christmas production, the musical phenomenon Cats, which starts on December 17. The theatre

  • Brunch at Joe's Bar & Grill, Oxford

    It was glorious to step into the buzz of Joe's Bar & Grill and leave the sharp chill of the crisp wintery morning behind us last Sunday. At barely 10.30am it was already heaving with only a handful of spare tables to choose from. It was

  • Starting Up: Lucie Greenwood @ The Milk Shed

    Ice cream's licked...so what's up next? Lucie Greenwood finds out We forgot the FEEEEEGS” yelled Hattie! It was half past midnight following our first Milk Shed dinner, the last few guests just gathering themselves in a slightly inebriated state

  • Chef's Special with Mike North at The Nut Tree, Murcott

    I am Mike North, chef, restaurateur, and father of three. I started cooking in professional kitchens while still at school when I was 15. I was however always interested in food while growing up as my father was a butcher and I am one of eight children

  • Out & About: The Drunken Knitwits

    All you need to join is a pair of needles and a length of yarn…oh, and a few quid for a pint or two. You’re probably wondering what on Earth I’m talking about? Well, last week I was initiated into Oxford’s newest secret society. As with the notorious

  • Take Note - Boomtown Rats, Niamh McNally and more

    * IT’S the first real festival of the summer, so it’s only right that it should be the latest vaguely local event to unveil the bulk of its line-up for next year. Sir Bob Geldof’s Boomtown Rats, Craig Charles and You to Me are Everything stars

  • View from the mic - 'There's no X Factor for me'

    It’s a marmite kind of show, dividing us neatly into two categories: the lovers and the haters. I guess I am the latter, but you would not believe the number of people who come up to me in the meet-and-greet at the end of my gigs, gleefully suggesting

  • In front of the box: Kangaroo Dundee

    Aussie blokes are not widely celebrated for their maternal streak. Cricket, maybe. Heroic drinking. And, er, barbecues? But not the sort of gentle, tender, patient character traits that it takes to, say raise a child. Nah: that’s ‘sheilas’ work

  • Men and women's brains differ: Wow!

    Well, it’s official: male and female brains are definitely, definitely, absolutely wired differently. Absolutely. That’s the reason we don’t understand each other. That’s the reason one sex can park well and one can talk well, and neither can do

  • Rebecca Moore - Oxford Savvy: Laser treatment for private parts

    Are you worried about what gift to surprise that special someone with for Christmas? Or perhaps your partner is pestering you about what you’d really love to receive under the mistletoe? After all, sexy lingerie is so 1990s. We’re in the post feminist-feminist

  • Frome: a wonderfully weird market town

    We’re milling around next to a lush green synthetic ‘lawn’ as a glitterball twirls and little hands waggle in the air, disco pumping from a mobile sound system. The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans peps up the smiling crowd on their quest to find

  • Stay at home Dad: I cope with flu as well as the next woman

    I was watching an episode of an old 70s sitcom the other day and was amazed by the outrageously sexist comments made by some of the male characters. If any man were to speak like that these days they could expect a slap around the face at the bare

  • Off with the gloves: See the wood from the trees

    Sheena Patterson of Oxford Garden Design gets a scare and issues a warning You have to be brave to walk in woods after sunset if you have a vivid imagination, as I do. It’s disorientating and not very sensible, but as far as I’m aware, sensible

  • Keeping Fit: Now's the time to make a change and get moving!

    As a personal trainer, my job focuses on getting more and more people off their butts to start exercising. In recent months I have been working in a corporate company, delivering massage twice a week and a fat loss programme once a week. It has

  • Doctor in the house: I admit it, I got man flu as well

    'Physician cure thyself’. The old adage. Never a great thing, a poorly doctor. No one likes to see that. Rhinorrohea, malaise, mild pharyngitis, conjunctival injection with epiphora? Yes ladies and gentleman, I officially have man flu. And yes,

  • The Whole Tooth: Third inkeeper needs a hankie

    Who can believe that it’s December? All the usual clichés – where has the time gone, the summer seems like yesterday. So here we are again, faced with the task of buying presents for people who don’t need anything. For me, the big event of Christmas

  • Portsmouth set to choose Richie Barker as new manager

    Portsmouth are expected to announce Richie Barker as their new manager. The ex-Crawley boss is understood to be the south coast club's preferred choice to take over as boss according to sources. It means that Chris Wilder will remain as Oxford

  • Festive traumas of Christmas 2012 and Birmingham live on

    It has begun... it’s a magical time of year and as I hung a long string of colourful mini festive stockings hand filled with a feast of chocolate surprises in my son’s room I declared it officially open… Christmas that is. I am possibly willing it

  • Trying the Dukan diet: Losing weight but losing marbles too

    RIGHT! That is it! I have had enough of the chub! I am going on a diet, NOW!” If you lived in our house you would recognise this as my usual hollering on a Monday morning, having just stood on the scales which have yet again revealed that I am at least

  • Missing man thought to be in Oxfordshire

    A missing 31-year-old man is thought to be in Oxfordshire after last being seen on the M40. Stechford man Michael Griffiths, 31, was last seen driving on the northbound carriageway near junction 8a for Wheatley last Thursday.  He was reported

  • British Diabetic Association's top five worst diets of 2013

    Starting a pre-Christmas diet or planning how to lose weight in the new year? JAINE BLACKMAN takes a look at the British Dietetic Association’s five top worst diets of 2013 THE party season is almost upon us – the time when winter woollies have

  • Business leaders happy with Osborne’s plans for economy

    BUSINESS leaders in Oxfordshire say measures in Chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement are a step in the right direction. But for some they do not go far enough. The Chancellor unveiled a series of measures including capping business

  • Competition shows album covers can be works of art

    HOTEL manager Paul Watson showed off the most creative and eye-catching album covers of the year at an exhibition. A shortlist of 50 record covers have been nominated for the award, which recognises the best artistic design in modern music culture

  • COMMENT: Time to make voice heard over scale of county cuts

    THIS is probably a good time to point out that county council finance chief Arash Fatemian is a decent, normal chap, who to our knowledge has never drowned a kitten and does not practise withcraft. You may hear otherwise in the days ahead, because

  • The advantages of not having an automobile

    READING Stephen Ward’s letter about car ownership (November 29) made me wonder how we managed to enjoy holidays pre-Second World War when practically no one owned a car and, yet, we did. Most of the holidays that I went on were choir or Sunday

  • Work on railway over Christmas angers residents

    THE QUIET of Christmas morning looks set to be broken for families in one part of Oxford this year – with Network Rail starting work on lifting and replacing tracks. The major engineering works near the Godstow Road area of Wolvercote, will start

  • Why couldn’t I have listened to my own advice?

    AFTER all the times I have warned others that the Internet is a minefield for computer novices like me, you’d think I’d take my own advice. Well I didn't; I’ve been hacked, duped and relieved of cash. When the chap came on the phone, allegedly

  • Thanks to all who helped with reunion

    WITH reference to your article (November 27) regarding the Headington Quarry Reunion: on behalf of our small committee, I would like to extend thanks to all those whose efforts helped make the occasion such a success. To Chris Meeson, who very

  • ‘Choose and book’ didn’t work for me

    HAVING endured an acute painful shoulder (torn and snagging up cartilage) since February this year and injections and painkillers having little effect, my GP finally referred me for treatment via the ‘choose and book’ scheme. What a waste of time

  • Join together to protect this hidden city gem

    TO read in the Oxford Mail (November 30) that Jonathan Beecher has submitted plans for sheltered housing and a music room overlooking ‘Narnia’, the woodland and the lake at the bottom of Lewis Close, and that BBOWT had not been consulted and had no

  • Ain't no such thing as fly-dumping here

    A tale of almost ordinary folk where snobbery and survival meet in the back streets of Oxford beneath the dreaming spires over the burning issue of rubbish…or who’s using whom? North Oxford is a curious place where innocence and guile live cheek

  • Patched-up Oxford United defy the odds

    Mickey Lewis hailed “an amazing night” as Oxford United overcame extraordinary selection problems to beat Gateshead after extra time in the FA Cup last night. Deane Smalley’s 116th-minute penalty was the only goal of a freezing night where the

  • Pompey closing in on new manager

    Portsmouth are understood to have concluded interviews for their vacant managerial position. The south coast side have been talking to potential candidates for the past three days. Chris Wilder spoke to Pompey on Tuesday having been granted

  • Bereaved Kingston Lisle parents lobby MPs over acne drug

    Parents whose teenage son died after taking an acne drug are campaigning at Westminster to get it banned. Jack Bowlby, 16, from Kingston Lisle, near Wantage, was found dead in his room at Cheltenham College on October 12 last year, after taking

  • Littlemore youngsters celebrate St Nicholas

    CHILDREN received an early Christmas present last night as they celebrated the St Nicholas lantern procession. The festival was organised by St Mary’s and St Nicholas Church and began with youngsters making lanterns in Littlemore’s community centre

  • RUGBY UNION: Head coach Burnell changes entire team

    Justin Burnell changes his entire starting XV as London Welsh return to British & Irish Cup today when they welcome Edinburgh Academical to Old Deer Park (2pm). It will be Welsh’s first outing at their London home since the second leg of the

  • RUGBY UNION: Chinnor blow as Cathcart breaks arm

    Chinnor fly half James Cathcart is expected to be out for at least two months after breaking an arm. The long-serving player suffered the break during a second-team game last Saturday. “It’s a massive blow to both him and the club,” said Chinnor

  • FOOTBALL: Scott and Learoyd press powerful claims for City

    Oxford City manager Mike Ford has praised the attitude of his squad players, stressing that strength in depth is the key to maintaining a consistent run of form. Ford handed starts to goalkeeper Mark Scott and defender Adam Learoyd in last week

  • FIXTURES December 7-12

    SATURDAY FOOTBALL CALOR LEAGUE Premier Div: Biggleswade Tn v Banbury Utd Div 1 South & West: Didcot Tn v Paulton Rov, Tiverton Tn v North Leigh. FA CARLSBERG VASE 3rd round: Kidlington v Bodmin Tn (3). UHLSPORT HELLENIC LEAGUE

  • Woman’s nose broken

    A 24-year-old woman suffered a broken nose when she was punched in the face in a racist attack. The victim was attacked by what police described as a “large” woman in St Aldate’s on Saturday between 3.10am and 3.25am and racially abused. Police

  • Quarry inquest opens

    The inquest into the death of a quarry worker was opened and adjourned yesterday at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court. Father-of-three Les Hole, 52, who lived in Freeland, Witney, died on Saturday after a collision with a lorry at Smiths of Bletchingdon

  • Bus sex assault jury considers its verdict

    The jury in the Oxford Crown Court trial of a man accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl on a city bus has retired to consider its verdict. Haroun Mahamat Akai – formerly of Evans Court, Kidlington, but now staying in Perth Road, Dundee

  • Ian Hudspeth interview

    Here is the full interview with Ian Hudspeth on the £64m cuts for Oxfordshire County Council.

  • Cuts: Opposition leaders Liz Brighouse and Zoe Patrick react

    Liz Brighouse, the Labour leader, says: IT may be that in the foreseeable future there will be no closures of children’s centres, but one of the things they (council leaders) have said they are looking at is how to better integrate these services

  • Super-fit pensioner bounds in to fill TV star’s video slot

    SLAM poet Steve ‘Barkin’ Larkin’s Christmas single, Oi Codger — Be a Better Coffin Dodger! is going on sale on iTunes.   Steve 'Barkin' Larkin And one of the stars of the accompanying music video is 76-year-old Oxford fitness instructor

  • FOOTBALL: We have no fear, says Wilkinson

    Kidlington manager Martin Wilkinson is confident his side can continue their impressive run as they host South West Peninsula League side Bodmin Town in tomorrow’s FA Carlsberg Vase third-round tie. Bodmin are currently second in their division

  • Mandela: His speeches during his 1997 visit

    NELSON MANDELA, who died yesterday, visited Oxford in July 1997. During the visit he was made a Freeman of Oxford. A year earlier Oxford University gave him a Degree of Doctor of Civil Law and he also spoke there. Mr Mandela also gave a speech

  • St Clement’s traders fear bleak Christmas trade

    TRADERS in St Clement’s say they are facing a bleak Christmas, with a 70-space car park and free bus service being ignored by shoppers. The temporary car park in Marston Road was created to ease the plight of businesses hit by building work on

  • FOOTBALL: Absent strikers lead to North Leigh rethink

    North Leigh are without strikers Kieran Sanders and Aaron Woodley for their trip to Tiverton Town in Calor League Division 1 South & West tomorrow. Sanders is travelling in Thailand for a month, while Woodley is expected to be out for between

  • BADMINTON: Cook proves he's top star

    Alex Cook, from Chinnor, achieved one of the best results by an Oxfordshire junior in recent years when he won three medals in the Cheltenham Under 15 Gold Star tournament. The Star events are open only to the top 16 national players in each age

  • Man is arrested after drugs raid

    A MAN was arrested on suspicion of drug dealing after police raided his Banbury home. Officers used a battering ram to break in the door of the house in Lidsey Road just after 10.30am yesterday. Fourteen officers were involved as all rooms

  • Bed-blocking showing signs of improvement

    THE health boss who promised to tackle bed-blocking “head-on” more than two years ago has said there are now signs the situation may be improving. Dr Stephen Richards, chief executive of the GP-led Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, pledged

  • FOOTBALL: Wantage boosted by Younie return

    Wantage Town welcome back Andrew Younie as they look to recover from back-to-back defeats with a trip to struggling Newbury in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division tomorrow. Younie missed last week’s defeat at home to promotion rivals

  • TENNIS: Promising Brown loses in final

    Lucy Brown excelled in reaching the final of the AEGON British tour Masters event in Nottingham. The promising Oxfordshire player, from Elsfield, who is ranked No 12 in Britain, lost to Nottinghamshire’s rising star Freya Christie 6-1,3-6, 6-1

  • Pizza restaurant spends £700k on new eaterie

    A THIRD new restaurant is to open in Bicester’s £70m town centre redevelopment. Pizza and pasta chain Prezzo says it has spent £700,000 on its new Pioneer Square restaurant. The eaterie, which has created 20 jobs, will open on Saturday, December

  • Scrappy exhibition reveals artistic talent

    WHAT is one man’s scrap could be turned into artist David Farrar’s treasure. The 22-year-old led the project to build Narnia out of cardboard for the CS Lewis Festival in September. And for one night only he is exhibiting his work in a special

  • How Oxford led the way to create Park and Rides

    FORTY years on from its launch, Oxford’s park-and-ride service is as popular as ever, continuing to cut congestion across the city. Passengers using the service will have the opportunity to travel free of charge tomorrow to mark the 40th birthday