A MASTERCHEF contestant from Bicester has tonight soared through to the next round of the show's semi final after impressing judges during a Red Arrow Anniversary. Food blogger Sarah McCready was part of the winning team of four who served up lunch
While working in Bury Knowle Park at Headington, Oxford, in the 1980s, I would make a small pond for the house martins at the beginning of April each year. I would soak the mud so the birds could reline their nests under the eaves of the Georgian
MILESTONE: Pupils celebrate Donnington School’s 50th anniversary in 1986. Back row, left to right: Anna White, ?, Claire Broad, Daniel Eagleton, ?, Mark ?, ?, ?, Emily ?. Front row: narrators – Nicola Davidson (nee Winchester), Lisa Holloway, Michelle
I enclose a photograph of the Rose Hill under-16 football team, possibly in the 1957-8 season. We played mainly friendly matches as there weren’t many youth leagues in those days. If my memory serves me right (after more than 50 years), I believe
The equipment looks a little old-fashioned by today’s standards, but it did the job. The British Legion at Littlemore, Oxford, was holding a party for members’ children, and one of the attractions at the event, in 1962, was a film show. The
2005 * Police and paramedics are searching for hoaxers who have put lives at risk by making a spate of 999 calls in Oxfordshire. * City councillors were applauded when they rejected plans by Christ Church to demolish the historic Westgate and
Villagers in Long Wittenham celebrated 2,000 years of theatrical history with a weekend of festivities in 1984. The climax was a parade called Flamboyance and Flummery featuring costumes through the ages. To the accompaniment of historic dances
FIFTY-THOUSAND names were put on an online petition calling for new banning orders affecting homeless people to be scrapped in just two days. The Oxford University-based student group On Your Doorstep has been raising awareness about issues surrounding
Women had the chance to learn all about the countryside during a visit to a farm. The Oxfordshire branch of the National Farmers’ Union organised an annual farm walk for members of women’s groups in Oxford and Banbury. When this picture was
A concert will mark the 90th birthday of former Oxfordshire teacher Jeffery Babb. Many ex-pupils remember him fondly as music teacher at Wheatley Secondary School, a post he held from 1951 to 1962. He and drama teacher Gerard Gould helped pupils
Another tribute to Bob Gray, Oxford’s schoolboy international footballer, has come to light. Oxford City FC secretary John Shepperd has a match programme for the game between England and Scotland schoolboys at Goodison Park, Everton’s ground, on
All sorts of weird and wonderful costumes featured in the village society’s annual fancy dress walk in 1986. Among those taking part were Lesley Grice, left, and Steven Andrews who clowned about before the 94 walkers set off around the village.
A MOTORCYCLIST has been taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after a serious accident involving a van between the A338 and A420 in Frilford. Police have arrived at the scene in Frilford Road, near Abingdon Prepatory School, and said
Two men died when their plane crashed at Port Meadow aerodrome in Oxford just 10 days before the end of the First World War. Captain Lenox Arbuthnot, a 22-year-old experienced pilot, and his passenger, Second Lieutenant Albert Scholes, 21, were
It was a time for former apprentices in the car industry to reminisce. Memories of days long ago when they were learning their trades at the Osberton Radiators’ factory in North Oxford were exchanged at their 24th annual lunch. The plant, tucked
THE General Election on May 7 is shaping up to be the most unpredictable in a generation, with no party in the House of Commons expected to win an overall majority. Voters across the country have a more important choice to make than ever as a range
MOTORISTS in central Oxford are facing delays due to heavy congestion along Botley Road. Traffic is queueing as far back as the Ashmolean Museum all the way to the junction with the A420. The westbound carriageway of the A420 is currently shut
PASSENGERS travelling from London Paddington to Oxford are facing delays of up to 30 minutes. A First Great Western spokesman said a train had broken down between Slough and Maidenhead. The spokesman added he did not know when the problem will
A MASTERCHEF contestant from Bicester will tonight go up against seven chefs in the TV show semi final after making it past the first knockout phase. Food blogger Sarah McCready was one of eight successful contestants from a total of nine who impressed
A MOTORIST was taken to John Radcliffe Hospital after a collision on the A40 westbound near Witney. Ambulance and fire crews were called at 12.13pm after a small van and a small car collided on the A40 in between the B4022 (Witney East) and A415
GARY Waddock is back in frontline management for the first time since leaving Oxford United last summer. The 53-year-old has been put in caretaker charge of Portsmouth for the final four games of the season, after Andy Awford left his position
1:36pm Thanks for your input, we'll be back with all the updates from tomorrow's #oufc v #ntfc game from 7pm. — @OxfordMailOUFC 13 April 2015 1:36pm
A LANDSCAPE gardener has avoided prison over trying to break into an outhouse. Kenny Martin, 27, had denied attempted burglary but was found guilty by a jury in December. A judge heard how the father-of-two has tried to turn his life around
Reader Bernadette Lynch enjoys a knees-up at Finstock's Folk at the Hall Bernard O’Donoghue, Mick Henry and Nick Hooper and The DellyWellyBoot Band Finstock Hall March 21 The old Village Hall at Finstock may soon
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Let me know exactly what time you’ll arrive” writes the landlady of my B&B, “because I might need to pop down the hospital. Little Jimmy’s just been hit by a car.” Poor Jimmy I think, checking my emails on the service station Wi-fi. As a parent
WE are fortunate to have a Labour candidate, Andrew Smith in Oxford East, who does not want to waste millions of pounds on renewing our Trident nuclear submarines. In the House of Commons he said: “I have made very clear my opposition to Trident
I WAS very interested to read your article that Oxford City Council was looking to lock off access to the Thames-side path because of yobs (April 9). I live on the opposite side to the gates and we have the same problems with the same people on
HAVING probably heard American Pie, currently in the news, between 50 and 100 times, I have never unduly dwelt on the various shades and levels of meaning, if any, in the lyrics. I was always amused though that in Spain the allegedly blasphemous
I NOTICE that on April 1 you referred to the meeting held at St Andrew’s Linton Road on March 15th as a hustings. I would be grateful if you could make clear to your readers that this meeting was not a hustings but an attempt to encourage our congregation
YOUR relentless correspondent Councillor John Tanner has really excelled himself in contradiction. He writes that the EDL demonstration “should not be allowed... in a tolerant and international city like Oxford”. Tolerant? Not allowed? Where
THERE does appear to be a real need for Oxfordshire’s traffic strategy to be streamlined and updated. However, a considerable further increase in our region’s economic growth and traffic load cannot be assumed, in view of the fact that the British
IT comes as no surprise that Nicola Blackwood is supported by a leafleting campaign organised by the pro-hunting lobby Vote OK (April 9). Ms Blackwood’s assertion that the Hunting Act is undemocratic is blatant nonsense since the act is in fact
A FAMILY-RUN Oxford Pub of the Year champions is celebrating after being named among the best 200 locals in the UK. CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, announced The Masons Arms in Headington as amongst the top 200 after volunteers judged value for
Michelle Eyre Chief prayer officer at Discovering Prayer, Wantage I tried out being a nun for two and a half years. That was 20 years ago and since then, I’ve been working out how to juggle life as a busy working mum with some space for meditation
A PENSIONER being pursued by debt collectors for an overdue council tax fine, despite paying his bill six months early, has won his fight after the Oxford Mail intervened. Bryan Davis had been threatened with a visit from the bailiffs to collect
HOUSING and transport were high on the agenda when David Cameron was joined by other parliamentary candidates for the Witney constituency at a General Election hustings. Representatives of the National Health Action Party and Wessex Regionalists
Five televisions and a PlayStation were stolen from a campsite in Beckley, police said. The TVs, Sony PlayStation and cash were stolen from five caravans at the Common Road campsite over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, between 6.30am on Thursday
CHILDREN got a close look at creepy crawlies and a grass snake at Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Live reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals were on show at the Parks Road museum on Saturday afternoon. Yinka Falade, who went
JAMIE Ashdown will use the final five games of this season to show Oxford United that he deserves to remain at the club longer. The 34-year-old goalkeeper was handed a first start in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at AFC Wimbledon, making several fine stops
MORE than 100 bikers roared up to Oxford Children’s Hospital for their annual toy drop. The Harley-Davidson riders from across Oxfordshire and beyond dropped off two crates full of puzzles and games yesterday for some of the least fortunate children
A renowned childbirth expert from Oxfordshire has died following a battle with cancer. Standlake resident Sheila Kitzinger died at her home in the village yesterday at the age of 86. The Oxford University graduate wrote more than 25 books about
Campaigners will hold a peace protest in the town centre this morning. From 11am, members of Abingdon Peace Group will ask Bury Street shoppers to sign a ‘people’s ballot’ calling on the Government to invest in public services not war. The
A 19-year-old man arrested on suspicion of an assault outside The Bridge night club has been released without charge. The alleged assault happened outside the club on Hythe Bridge Street on March 14. The man was arrested and bailed until yesterday
A GRANDMA who halved her size after a gastric bypass has warned others not to go under the knife as new figures reveal weight-loss procedures are at a four-year high. Oxford University NHS Trust has carried out 41 bariatric procedures on people
ANDY Whing admitted he was nervous before his return to the Oxford United line-up on Saturday, but was delighted to be back in the action, writes MARK EDWARDS. The 30-year-old had not started a game since the defeat at Burton in February, but said
KEVIN Pietersen believes he has been offered an England lifeline after the departure of England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Paul Downton. Pietersen was speaking after scoring 170 in Surrey’s 420-7 declared in The Parks on the opening
TRAINS were delayed by up to 15 minutes between Reading and Didcot Parkway. National Rail’s Twitter account said the delay was due to signalling problems. They have now been cleared.
OXFORDSHIRE is set be hotter than Benidorm this week with temperatures of up to 21C forecast for Wednesday. The Met Office has predicted the mercury could rise as high as 20C tomorrow, before going higher again the following day. News
Wantage Town confirmed themselves clear from relegation danger in Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West with a valuable goalless draw at Sholing Sports on Saturday. The visitors, who missed a second-half penalty, are now six points
Thame United ran out 4-0 winners over Ardley United at the ASM Stadium, and in the process leapfrogged their visitors into sixth place in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division. The hosts took the lead after 18 minutes in bizarre fashion
Many Clouds was given a hero’s reception in Lambourn yesterday after his momentous triumph in the Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree. More than a thousand people turned out to cheer the eight-year-old, who gave trainer Oliver Sherwood a first
Bradley Smith was the top Briton when finishing sixth in the Red Bull Grand Prix GP of the Americas in Austin, Texas, last night. Starting tenth on the grid, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider from Oxfordshire, moved through the field to come in ten
Head coach Rowland Phillips felt a 40-13 defeat to Wasps in the Aviva Premiership yesterday was an unfair reflection on a positive London Welsh performance. Tom Varndell’s hat-trick condemned relegated Welsh to a 19th successive league defeat as
North Leigh fought back from a two-goal deficit to snatch a late 2-2 draw from their Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West trip to Shortwood. Despite dominating the first half with the wind at their backs, North Leigh found themselves
General manager Justin Merritt admitted that a Vanarama Conference North play-off place looks unrealistic for Oxford City after their 1-1 home draw with Harrogate Town. “If we’re analysing things, we’ve taken one point out of our last nine at home
Oxford City 1 Harrogate Tn 1 Oxford City’s chances of finishing in the Vanarama Conference North play-off places grew ever more slender as they were held to a draw at home to Harrogate Town. Tom Winters put City in front early in the second
Oscar Time is to be retired by owner-trainer Robert Waley-Cohen after finishing 15th in the Crabbie’s Grand National on Saturday. The 14-year-old, who was second to Ballabriggs in the 2011 National and fourth to Aurora’s Encore two years later
THERE are minor delays at The Plain roundabout in Oxford after a collision between a bike and a car. Thames Valley Police spokeswoman Charlotte Redman said it appeared the cyclist was in the collision with the open door of the car. News
A NEW cultural strategy for Oxford which will see the city council try to bridge funding gaps by working with businesses is recommended for approval today. The local authority has said its “vision for culture” is to work in partnership with museums
MATT Tomkins drives his 1969 Morris Minor to and from university – but just over eight months ago he found it in hundreds of pieces in a garage in Oxfordshire. He embarked on a painstaking restoration job, calling in help from former Cowley plant
KEVIN Pietersen’s determination to relaunch his England career proved bad news for Oxford MCC Universities as he plundered 170 of their attack for Surrey in The Parks yesterday. Pietersen’s pulling power saw a crowd of around 800 flock to the picturesque
OXFORD dominated the Thames at the weekend, with victories in both Boat Races. The Dark Blues claimed their fourth win in five years in a supreme show of strength in the 161st men’s race. President Constantine Louloudis claimed a fourth and
DAVID CAMERON has promised his plan to only be a two-term Prime Minister will not affect his work as Witney’s MP. The parliamentary candidate for Witney controversially said he would not run for a third term as PM if the Conservatives were able
Didcot Town’s outside hopes of making the play-offs were ended when they suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat at the hands of in-form Evesham United on Saturday. The visitors, unbeaten in Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West since January
MICHAEL Appleton will use the final four games of the season to look at more of his fringe players, but is demanding Oxford United end their campaign on a high, writes MARK EDWARDS. The U’s head coach brought in Jamie Ashdown and Andy Whing for
THE immigration detention centre at Campsfield House in Kidlington must close, parish councillors have said. Kidlington Parish Council’s policy and finance committee approved a motion on Thursday calling on the Government to close the 276-bed centre
PEOPLE have been warned of the dangers posed by barbecues as the weather gets warmer. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service issued the warning after a gas-powered barbecue caught fire in Tiddington, near Thame, on Thursday. Two fire engines were
A FOOD co-operative fears its future could hang in the balance should it fail to raise vital cash after a series of challenges. Cultivate was Oxfordshire’s first commercial market garden, growing produce for their mobile grocers the Veg Van, which
MORE top teachers need to be attracted to Oxfordshire to help poorer children achieve top results, it has been claimed. It comes after figures from the Department for Education revealed only 59 per cent of 19-yearolds in the county on free school
BREAKFAST clubs could help close the attainment gap between children from richer and poorer backgrounds, councillors will be told this week. In a report to Oxfordshire County Council’s education scrutiny committee, director of children’s services
VILLAGERS will be given a chance to grill their parliamentary candidates over their views on housing developments. Hanney residents have been invited to the meeting at Hanney War Memorial Hall on Saturday, April 18. Doors will open at 7pm for
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO AFC Wimbledon 0, Oxford Utd 0. VANARAMA CONFERENCE NORTH Oxford City 1, Harrogate Tn 1. EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Banbury Utd 3, Weymouth 0. Div 1 South & West: Didcot Tn 1, Evesham Utd
TRANSPORT bosses have been urged to introduce new rules in Oxford that would force lorries to fit life-saving side guards. Oxford City Council backed the measure in December and chief executive Peter Sloman has now called on Oxfordshire County
ONE hundred years ago today, Irene Trusler was born in London. She worked for most of her life as a nurse abroad, living in Iran and East Africa. Now the grandmother-of-five, who married John Purry in 1965, lives in Victoria Road, Oxford, and
