GRITTERS will salt the county's roads tonight for the first time this season, as temperatures look set to plummet as low as -2C. Oxfordshire County Council announced on Twitter that it was 'officially winter' as it deployed its team of gritters
POLICE are on the hunt for CCTV that might show the thief that has stolen a bike and gardening equipment from a shed. The burglary happened in Fewcott, near Bicester. Thieves broke into the shed on Fritwell Road between Wednesday at 4pm and Thursday
A SCHOOLGIRL was ‘pressured’ into a sex act for £50 in a ‘grotty’ East Oxford house, a court has heard. The woman, who can not be named for legal reasons, said in a police interview played for jurors at Oxford Crown Court today she had ‘felt sick
THERE is no longer crosstown traffic in Walton Street but there is a new record shop. Store boss Andy Tucker, who is opening Riverman Records there in a former Threshers’ off-licence, is hoping there will be strong footfall even if vehicles can
THE world’s first residential ‘pop-up’ on-street electric vehicle charging points are being trialled in Oxford. The ‘OxPops’ trial features six ‘UEone’ retractable pavement bollards installed in Lonsdale Road, Summertown. The trial - which started
Commuters face major disruption this afternoon on the trains. All lines were blocked between Didcot Parkway and Reading due to a broken down train on the line, with delays expected to continue until at least 6pm. #Pangbourne - ⚠️Disruption
THOUSANDS of bikers who took part in a mass rally in memory of PC Andrew Harper have raised £30,000. The Ride of Respect saw motorcyclists ride from RAF Benson to Abingdon on October 27, led by PC Harper's wife Lissie Harper and other loved ones
Josh Widdicombe has made a name for himself as one of those likeable breed of comedians who get themselves worked up over life’s little annoyances. His flat, though precisely enunciated, tones rise to a fever pitch as he recounts brushes with bureaucracy
A MAN had to have surgery for a broken jaw after being punched in the face in an 'unprovoked' attack. The victim, aged in his 20s, was walking in Oxford city centre when he was approached by a man who hit him. Police are treating the case as
A NEW 24-hour gym will be opening its doors in Didcot. PureGym will be taking over the empty unit on Broadway – where Boots used to be, next to the Royal Mail. Work on the gym started earlier in the year, after South Oxfordshire District Council
A DRIVER of a blue Suzuki Swift died on the roadside after crashing into a van on the A361 near South Newington. The fatal incident happened on Thursday evening, at around 6.30pm. The driver of the white van was treated at the scene for minor
By Gwyn Wright. AN Oxford University college has launched an investigation after a porter allegedly asked a black graduate if he used to ‘rob’ the place. The former student claims a porter at St John’s College asked him if he used to ‘clean
EDDIE Pepperell had a frustrating second round at the Turkish Airlines Open. The Abingdon golfer carded a level-par 72 to drop down the field in Antalya. Pepperell parred his first five holes before a nightmare double bogey at the par-four
Oxford United will be looking to avoid slipping up when they visit Hayes & Yeading United this Sunday. We look back at the most recent times they have been drawn away to non-league opposition in the Emirates FA Cup first round. Merstham 0,
A NEW 'dream team' have taken over a historic pub near Oxford that was saved by villagers. The group are now running the Abingdon Arms at Beckley and have pledged to improve the service while keeping the pub open seven days a week. The ‘dream
A SPECIAL school in Oxford has seen a rapid decline in standards, plummeting from Ofsted's best rating to the worst. Northern House School in Summertown has been rated 'inadequate' in all areas, down from its previous judgement of 'outstanding'
SHEDS and outhouses have been broken into in a village near Bicester. Thames Valley Police said the thieves struck in Souldern. Officers said the offences took place between 2.30pm on Wednesday and 8.30am yesterday. READ AGAIN: Burglars flee
THE Bishop of Oxford is to take a three-month sabbatical. The Rt Rev Dr Steven Croft, who leads the Oxford Diocese, will start his study leave in January. While he is away the Rt Rev Colin Fletcher, the Bishop of Dorchester, will become acting
THE northbound A34 near Oxford will be closed for the second of two weekend closures from tonight (Friday) until Monday morning for 'essential bridge repairs'. Highways England, which is carrying out the work, says two weekend closures were needed
THE Museum of Oxford is launching a month-long crowdfunding campaign through Art Happens with Art Fund, to support a future exhibition focusing on life in pubs and breweries. There will be an event to mark the start of the crowdfunding campaign
A PROJECT in East Oxford which helps the homeless by making them tasty meals is celebrating its fourth birthday. Headington resident Shabnam Sabir began the Oxford Homeless Project after giving out dishes to the city’s homeless during Ramadan, the
AN ENVIRONMENTAL consultancy firm which aims to bring a fresh approach to land development is celebrating five years in business. Ecology by Design based in Chalgrove, South Oxfordshire, has doubled in size every year since it was founded in January
“What’s that flash car you are driving?” This was the third time in as many days I had been asked the question by friends and neighbours, so the eye-catching design was clearly working. “It’s a DS 3 Crossback.” And, for the third time, I was met
KARL Robinson admits the Emirates FA Cup has a hold on him unlike any other competition. The Oxford United boss will be looking to avoid a giant-killing when he takes his side to Hayes & Yeading United in the first round on Sunday. Robinson
DARRYL Eales is certain to receive a warm welcome from Oxford City tomorrow. The former Oxford United owner will arrive at Court Place Farm for the Emirates FA Cup first round tie looking to get one over on the hosts in his role as Solihull Moors
ALARM has been raised after Bicester Town Council held a private meeting, excluding press and public, to discuss a payment allegedly worth tens of thousands of pounds. The meeting was held last Thursday evening to ‘consider the approval of a payment
DAN George is predicting a high-scoring encounter when Chinnor visit Rosslyn Park tomorrow. The Thame-based side travel to south-west London, bidding to make it back-to-back wins in National League 1. Chinnor will have to adjust to the home side
MIKE Ford hopes Banbury United can steal a march on their play-off rivals when they host St Ives Town tomorrow. The Puritans sit third in BetVictor Southern League Premier Division Central, but several teams around them are in FA Trophy action and
STEFAN Brown is hoping to emulate his Emirates FA Cup first round feat of eight years ago should he get the nod to lead the Oxford City attack tomorrow afternoon. The striker is relishing the chance to again make a name for himself when Solihull
ANDY Ballard says he will be bursting with pride when he takes his place in the dug-out for Oxford City’s Emirates FA Cup first round tie tomorrow. The joint-caretaker boss, who grew up playing for the club, took over the managerial reins with Justin
A SERIES of one-day festivals in Oxford’s ‘trendiest street’ have attracted an extra 20,000 shoppers. John Mair, chairman of the Little Clarendon Street Association, worked with traders to create Mayfest, which brought in 10,000 people to see food
TREATING Hayes & Yeading United the same as any other opponent will be the key to avoiding an upset this weekend, according to Anthony Forde. Oxford United are the odds-on favourites to progress from the Emirates FA Cup first-round tie at Beaconsfield
GIVEN Oxford United’s position in Sky Bet League One’s top four, there is a school of thought that a cup run can become an unwelcome distraction. Karl Robinson is doing his best to disprove that theory – by attempting to go deep in three separate
A PROJECT commemorating the role of the Guide movement after the First World War will go on public display. This weekend the Guide Hut in Woodstock will exhibit information, artwork and artefacts as part of an ongoing community project by pupils
KARL Robinson and Tariqe Fosu missed out in the Sky Bet League One monthly prizes. The Oxford United pair were short-listed after an excellent October. But Robinson, who was also nominated in September, lost out to Peterborough United’s Darren
AN Oxford MP has said plans for an electoral pact which will see her Green rival stand down in the upcoming general election are an example of ‘grown up politics’ The Liberal Democrats and Green Party in Oxford West and Abingdon have agreed to enter
SHOWERING sparks of multi-coloured light have been brightening up the Oxford Mail office this week as we enjoyed Camera Club’s plethora of ‘fireworks’ submissions. Capturing the colourful explosions is no easy feat but many members created stunning
AN 87-year-old man was caught driving a BMW 3-Series at nearly 100mph on the motorway. The octogenarian was fined and given five penalty points for the speeding offence. Pathmanathan Mylvaganam was sentenced at Oxford Magistrates' Court on
A YOUNG warehouse worker took a fatal overdose with a 'death row' drug he had ordered online. Michael Longshaw took his own life in the home he shared with his father and step-mother in Carterton, aged just 23, while they were away in Barcelona
THE manager of an Oxford pub has revealed how it was the victim of a bizarre art heist. A portrait of Prince Harry painted specially to celebrate his wedding to Meghan Markle was stolen from the Crown pub in Cornmarket Street last month. The
SHOPPERS are witnessing an early Christmas 'miracle' - Oxford’s Covered Market is now ‘full’. The proud claim comes from city council bosses - landlords of the historic market - who have been working hard to ensure as many units as possible are
MORE than 100 flats for NHS staff will be built across two Oxford hospital sites, as the health trust looks to update its accommodation for staff. Oxford City Council’s east area planning committee approved plans for 125 new flats at the John Radcliffe
A NEW independent coffee house that shares its home with a repair shop on Cowley Road is celebrating a top hygiene rating. The appropriately-named GigaBean (a play on the word gigabyte), started serving customers in August. Set up by Sam Earle
The latest inspections by Oxfordshire councils' hygiene teams. What do the numbers mean? 0 - urgent improvement necessary 1 - major improvements necessary 2 - improvements necessary 3 - business generally satisfactory 4 - business
A MAN charged with more than a dozen offences involving the sexual abuse of children has elected to face a trial by jury. Anthony Pitts appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday. The 38-year-old of Milestone Road, Carterton, faces a total of
