Oxford United's professional players may have finished their 2000-2001 season, but the soccer courses run by Mark Jones continue right through the summer.

While Firoz Kassam continues funding the building of the new stadium and Mark Wright is busy building a new team, Jones approaches his busiest time as he prepares courses for children for the long summer holidays.

The busy summer programme involves courses all over the county from July 23 to August 31.

Courses take place on - July 23-26 (at Abingdon, Temple Cowley, Thame and Wheatley), July 30-Aug 2 (Witney, Bicester, Didcot and Kidlington), Aug 6-9 (Abingdon, Temple Cowley and Woodstock), Aug 13-16 (Cherwell, Oxford, Banbury and Chipping Norton), Aug 20-23 (Temple Cowley, Witney and Bicester) and Aug 28-31 (Abingdon, Temple Cowley, Wantage and Didcot).

Anyone interested should contact Jones on 01865 761503.

*Nicola Hunter, from Cancer Research, caught up with Jones at Bicester Community College where Jones was handing over the sponsorship money from the London Marathon he took part in last month.

The total raised was just over £2,000 which goes to the oncology unit at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford.