Archive
-
Date
Teacher receives medal
A Bicester teacher has won a silver medal for her work outside the classroom. Linda Ellard Linda Ellard, acting head of science at Cooper School, in Churchill Road, was presented with the Teaching Awards prize for South East of England community teacher
-
Date
Children willing to help those in need
Young fundraisers from East Hanney, near Wantage, remembered generations past and present. During a special service, pupils at St James School presented £68 from the sale of their harvest festival produce to the October Club in Wantage, which cares for
-
Date
F1 test for Dumas
The European Formula 3000 runner-up Romain Dumas is to be given a test by the Enstone-based Renault F1 team. Dumas was a front runner in the Euro F3000 title this year driving for John Village Automotive in a Lola. It is expected that Renault will soon
-
Date
Homes plan to include revamp of sports club
Major plans are under way to demolish and rebuild a popular sports and social club in Cowley, Oxford. Watlington-based Chesside Homes Ltd is being asked by club owners to demolish the Morris Motors Athletic and Social Club in Crescent Road as part of
-
Date
Oxford United accused of stealing young players
Oxford United has come under fire from youth football clubs which say it takes their most talented players but does not do enough to support them. Children as young as nine are regularly signed up by the professional club, but local league clubs who trained
-
Date
Magical theme for festive lights
Taking its cue from Harry Potter, the theme of this year's Abingdon Extravaganza will be witches and wizards. Mayor Audrey Tamplin will turn on the town's Christmas lights on November 26, at 6.45pm. The event is a joint venture between the town council
-
Date
Gwen Hicks
A service of celebration for Gwen Hicks has been held at Didcot Methodist Church. Mrs Hicks, who was 83, died at Ladygrove Home, Didcot, where she had lived for three years. She was born in Reading and lived in Swindon, before moving to Didcot. She and
-
Date
Charlie Siret
A campaigner against charges levied on drivers using the Swinford toll bridge, near Eynsham, has died. Charlie Siret Charlie Siret, a lifelong socialist and former night shift shop steward at the Cowley car works, died at his home in Oxford Road, Farmoor
-
Date
Skip move opposed
Plans to move a well-used rubbish skip from Wallingford have been condemned by the town council. The skip supplied by South Oxfordshire District Council is on the Station Road industrial estate on Saturday mornings. But as the site is to be redeveloped
-
Date
Endangered Ratty returns home
Ratty has returned to the Ewelme watercress beds. The endangered creature has been seen for the first time since marauding mink wiped out the previous population there three years ago. Now the Friends of Ewelme Watercress Beds are anxious to see the new
-
Date
National League 2 report
Henley suffered another defeat at the hands of bogey side Bracknell as they went down 46-26 at Lilly Park. When Henley built a 19-10 lead after 35 minutes, it looked as if they were on course for victory. But then acting skipper Steve Barnes was given
-
Date
Berks, Bucks & Oxon Divisions report
Chipping Norton could not dent Henley Wanderers' 100 per cent record at the top of Division 1, when they went down to a 14-10 defeat at the Greystones. After a keenly-fought first half, Wanderers led 11-3, thanks to two penalties and a try against one
-
Date
Midlands Division 2 East
Banbury belied their lowly league position when they produced a gutsy display to go down only 12-0 at home to leaders Kettering. The Bulls welcomed back winger James Taylor and centre Graeme Cartmell from injury, while flanker Sean Bannister was pressed
-
Date
South West Division 1 report
Chinnor were literally not at the races for the first five minutes of their match at Cheltenham. The Oxfordshire side had been delayed in a traffic jam caused by the Cheltenham National Hunt meeting, which curtailed their warm-up. The host club took advantage
-
Date
Southern Counties North reports
Bicester may have lost their first ever competitive match against Aylesbury, but they can hold their heads up high after a gutsy display in a 10-7 defeat at Oxford Road. Aylesbury scored a well-worked try after two minutes through left wing Aaron Bloxham's
-
Date
South West Division 2 reports
Oxford Harlequins went four points clear at the top of the table when they beat second-placed Swanage and Wareham in a fiercely- contested match at Stratfield Brake on Saturday. Matt Sims touches down for Oxford Harlequins The game was switched at the
-
Date
One-boot wonder sets up first win
Oxford University 40, New Zealand Under 21s 17: Ben Durham became a one-boot wonder as Oxford broke their duck on home soil with a convincing victory over New Zealand Under 21s at Iffley Road last night. Oxford's Charlie Edwards wins a line-out ball against
-
Date
MP unveils wall hangings
A SET of wall hangings created to mark the Millennium was unveiled in Finstock by Witney MP David Cameron. David Cameron unveils the wall hangings The large embroidery, made of four panels, hangs in the village hall and includes a map of the village and
-
Date
Pupils to speak out
Secondary school pupils vie for the title of top gift of the gab in the annual public speaking competition run by Witney Rotary Club. Teams from West Oxfordshire schools line up at the town's Corn Exchange on November 26, with the winners from the two
-
Date
Archie lights up town
A seven-year-old schoolboy is being given the big chance to light up his home town. Archie Morgan-Hutt follows in the footsteps of MPs and town mayors when he switches on Witney's Christmas lights on November 27. He was chosen for the celebrity spot by
-
Date
Arrows submits F1 racing entry
Struggling F1 racing team Arrows, based in Leafield, near Witney, has said it met the November 15 deadline to submit its application to take part in next year's championship. A spokesman said: "The application went in." However she would not comment on
-
Date
Inspecting team notes marked improvements
A village school which provides good all-round teaching is on an upward path, according to the latest inspection report. An Ofsted team which spent three days at Bampton Primary School in April has just released its findings -- and governors are delighted
-
Date
Not enough concern for the aged
The Wantage branch of Age Concern looks set to merge with the charity's county office, despite pleas for extra volunteers. At a meeting to save the group, just one new person turned up to offer help. There are just six Wantage volunteers left. Vice-chairman
-
Date
Students to face the consumer challenge
Pupils from across the country will put their knowledge to the test on November 20. Wantage Civic Hall is to host the national finals of the Consumer Challenge Quiz for special schools at noon. Finalists include Woodeaton Manor School, which will be representing
-
Date
Teenagers start own enterprises
Groups of teenagers from Oxfordshire are forming companies as part of this year's Young Enterprise scheme. Young Enterprise allows school pupils to gain valuable experience of working on a commercial project. So far this year, 43 companies involving about
-
Date
Match abandoned
South League: City of Oxford's Regional League match at home to Newbury was abandoned after 35 minutes because of a serious injury to City's ex-Wales international defender Matt Benyon. The match was goalless when Benyon was hit in the chest by the ball
-
Date
Derby rivals draw
South League: Witney and Wallingford drew their Division 2 derby 1-1 - Wallingford's first draw in more than two seasons. Wallingford opened the scoring from a counter-attack with Matt Armitage lifting the ball over the oncoming keeper. Matt Armitage
-
Date
Rover run is over
South League: Rover Oxford's amazing run of 27 league games without defeat came to an end when they went down 1-0 at Gerrards Cross in Division 1. Rover's remarkable unbea- ten run stretched back to October 2001. Despite dominating much of the game, Rover
-
Date
Women make last 32
Rover Oxford progressed to the last 32 of the Women's HA Cup with a comfortable 2-0 victory away to Richmond, of the Surrey Premier Division, on Sunday. After a poor first-half performance, Rover increased their pace in the second half with some crisp
-
Date
Hayden's opener proves false dawn
Women's English League: Rover Oxford Ladies lost a half-time lead as they were outplayed after the break by a physical and determined Poynton, who ran out 3-1 winners in their Division 2 encounter. Kim Cook fired over the bar from an early short corner
-
Date
Oxon men roar back
A thumping win by the men's A team saw Oxfordshire beat Breconshire 22-17 at Cowley Community Social Club in their third Inter-County Darts Championship Division 4 match of the campaign. After Saturday's two matches, Oxon were struggling 12-6 in arrears
-
Date
Young Steffan sparkles for Hawks
English League: Oxford Hawks bounced back from the disappointment of their defeat by Havant with a convincing 3-0 win at home to Peterborough in Division 2. Hawks dominated the game and their first goal came in the tenth minute when a move down the left
-
Date
Sharp Shears fire warning
Defending Ladies Premier darts champions Shears, Wantage, handed out a warning to other title aspirants in the Greene King ODDA by crushing Shelley Arms A 9-0 for the second week running. Newly-promoted Cherwell Club pipped fellow Premier side Blackbird
-
Date
Footprint shocks runners
A running group got the surprise of its life when following a trail -- a huge footprint covered their path. Members of Bicester Hash House Harriers were on a run at Kirtlington Quarry, which is now a nature reserve, when they came across the 12m x 4m
-
Date
Teacher receives medal
A Bicester teacher has won a silver medal for her work outside the classroom. Linda Ellard Linda Ellard, acting head of science at Cooper School, in Churchill Road, was presented with the Teaching Awards prize for South East of England community teacher
-
Date
Witney ban bad boy Lawrence
Witney United chairman Philip Webb has acted firmly in an attempt to bring an end to the club's poor disciplinary record, by suspending Steven Lawrence. Youngster Lawrence has been sent off four times already this season, including three times in his
-
Date
Villagers say no to storage
Villagers are campaigning against plans to store 6,500 new cars on an old airfield. They fear that many car transporters will be driven in and out of the 30-acre site at the former Second World War airfield at Finmere, on the Oxfordshire/ Buckinghamshire
-
Date
Dr Henry Drucker
Dr Henry Drucker, who has died aged 60, will be remembered as a man who transformed Oxford University's finances in the early 1990s. Dr Henry Drucker The Campaign for Oxford, of which he was Director, raised £340m for the university, and helped secure
-
Date
Vicar takes on murder victim role
The vicar of Bloxham the Rev John Stroyen is to make his local stage debut -- as a murder victim. Mr Stroyan will play Becket with the Bloxham Amateur Theatrical Society in Murder in the Cathedral -- the story of Thomas Becket. The T S Eliot play will
-
Date
Revamped store opens
Young bookworms visiting the children's department of an Oxford bookshop were given a pleasant surprise when they received 20 per cent off everything. Waterstone's managing director Steve Knott celebrated the £100,000 refurbishment of the Broad Street
-
Date
Review: Donnie Darko
Imagine. You've just had dinner with the family, and instead of heading back upstairs to the retreat of your room, you decide to go for a walk. Seconds later, a jet engine falls out of the sky, obliterating your bedroom. You'd probably count yourself
-
Date
Police seek pensioner
Police are continuing their search for an Oxford pensioner who went missing more than two weeks ago. Greta Verdin, 67, was last seen at her home in Bardwell Road, north Oxford, on Friday, November 1, at 6.30pm. Ms Verdin is white, about 5ft 4ins, frail
-
Date
Pledge to build new centre
Councillors have pledged £100,000 towards the cost of a new community centre in Jericho, Oxford. The new centre will be built in Dawson Place. The building will replace city council-owned garages and link up with a proposed housing development next to
-
Date
Hamilton glams up in horror
Christine Hamilton donned suspenders and a fluffy feather boa at Oxford's Apollo Theatre for the opening night of the Rocky Horror Picture Show on November 18. Neil Couperthwaite as Riff-Raff, actor and singer Jonathon Wilkes, Christine and Neil Hamilton
-
Date
Sweet Sixteen stays 18
City councillors in Oxford have refused to lower the age limit for the film Sweet Sixteen, which focuses on teenagers living on a Scottish council estate. Film-makers had applied to the city council's licensing committee for a reduction in the classification
-
Date
Protest halts lecturer's Harvard poetry reading
Oxford University tutor Tom Paulin's outspoken views on Israel have got him into more trouble after he was prevented from giving a poetry reading at Harvard in the USA. Mr Paulin, an English lecturer and member of Hertford College, was due to give the
-
Date
Scouts flock to join the gang
Young singers, dancers and actors from Scout troops and Guide companies across Oxfordshire have auditioned for next year's Oxford Gang Show. Gang Show hopefuls show they are prepared Boys and girls, aged eight to 12, strutted their stuff at the 10th Oxford
-
Date
Vow to end homes' flooding woes
Oxford City Council said it will prevent flooding which has plagued a block of elderly people's flats. A second resident was moved out of Knights House, an Oxford City Council home for the elderly in Harold White Close, Risinghurst, which was damaged
-
Date
Concert airs rare musical piece
A musical rarity was performed in a concert in a church in Kidlington at the weekend. Violinist Oliver Jacobs Conductor Christopher Fletcher-Campbell believes An Overture for a Comedy by Henry Balfour Gardiner has only been performed publically a few
-
Date
Council discontent highlighted by poll
A survey conducted after Oxford City Council recorded England's worst sickness record has revealed that only 42 per cent of staff are satisfied with their jobs. The survey questioned 1,200 full-time staff about pay, promotion prospects, job security and
-
Date
Jan's the mystery man!
Financial consultant Jan Dybalski has emerged as the mystery man who passed on four racing tips to punter John Fedrick, netting him a cool £11,000 in an accumulator bet. Jan Dybalski and John Fedrick toast the big winJohn, of Thames Street, Oxford, was
-
Date
Pupils move in to new home
An extension costing more than £100,000 has been officially opened at The Blake Primary School in Cogges, in Witney. The extension houses the school's Early Years Unit and provides purpose-built accommodation for 46 reception class children. Headteacher
-
Date
Merger brings better facilities
Children have benefited from funding for new facilities at their school as a result of the re-organisation of education in Oxford. Teacher Dianne Carbon and her class at work in one of the new classrooms Barton Village First School is to be merged with
-
Date
Top duo take title
Banbury's Jamie Derbyshire, teamed up with Oxford's Tim Graves and Californian Brad Pearce to win the Sports Car Club of America four-hour endurance crown at Thunderhill, California. Earlier, the 25-year-old sports science graduate had set the team up
-
Date
Mitchell cruises home to victory
Eynsham's Mark Mitchell continued his excellent season as he cruised to victory in the under 1400cc banger racing meeting at Standlake Arena. Mitchell, who has already secured the 2002 points championship, will now represent the track at the Champion
-
Date
Gang terrorises estate residents
Householders are living in fear of a gang of young men who are drinking, taking drugs and vandalising their estate. People living in Grovelands, Kidlington, say the anti-social behaviour is making their lives a misery. Residents of Belgrove Close said
-
Date
Ace Solberg salutes Subaru after first win
Petter Solberg paid tribute to the work of Banbury's Subaru World Rally Team as he celebrated his first World Rally Championship victory on the Network Q Rally of Great Britain. Co-driven by Welshman Phil Mills, the Norwegian finished 24.4 seconds ahead
-
Date
County ruled out as site for London's 5th airport
Abingdon has been ruled out as a possible location for a fifth airport for London, it has emerged. The Department for Transport ranked the town 11th in a list of 30 sites considered for a two-runway airport to handle millions of passengers a year. The
-
Date
Sir John Habakkuk
A former vice-chancellor of Oxford University and principal of Jesus College, Sir John Habakkuk, has died at the age of 87. Born in Barry, South Glamorgan, in 1915, Sir John won a history scholarship to St John's College, Cambridge. He went on to become
-
Date
Len Knapp
The funeral of former railwayman and postman Len Knapp has taken place at St Peter's Church, Didcot. Mr Knapp, of St Andrews Road, Didcot, died at the age of 76 at Didcot Hospital. He had been diagnosed with lung cancer in February. He was born in Cholsey
-
Date
Edith Webb
The first female chairman of the Vale of White Horse District Council, Edith Webb, has died after a battle against cancer. She was 82. Mrs Webb represented Kingston Bagpuize and Southmoor for the Conservatives on the district council, which she helped
-
Date
Action plan will protect environment
A five-year plan to protect the Chiltern Hills has been produced. The framework for action has been welcomed by Robin Peirce, a cabinet member of South Oxfordshire District Council and a member of the Chilterns Conservation Board. He said: "The Chilterns
-
Date
Festive bonus for animals
Animals lovers were able to do their Christmas shopping and help raise funds for animals in need at the same time. Shoppers make the most of the Christmas bazaar The Burford Blue Cross animal welfare centre opened its gates for its Christmas bazaar. Visitors
-
Date
Pupils move in to new home
An extension costing more than £100,000 has been officially opened at The Blake Primary School in Cogges, in Witney. The extension houses the school's Early Years Unit and provides purpose-built accommodation for 46 reception class children. Headteacher
-
Date
Otter numbers increase during seven-year plan
A scheme to boost the numbers of otters in Witney has been hailed a success. Conservationists are delighted that sightings of the endangered species are on the rise. The otter's return to the River Windrush through Witney is the result of joint effort
-
Date
Charity's delight as laws change
Campaigners are celebrating after winning a ten year battle to change adoption laws. The House of Lords has passed the Adoption and Children Bill after previously throwing it out because of proposals to allow unmarried and gay couples to adopt. The Wheatley-based
-
Date
Children willing to help those in need
Young fundraisers from East Hanney, near Wantage, remembered generations past and present. During a special service, pupils at St James School presented £68 from the sale of their harvest festival produce to the October Club in Wantage, which cares for
-
Date
Garnett blasts hat-trick
Trysports 3 Counties Women's League: A hat-trick from Emma Garnett helped City of Oxford record a 4-1 victory at Amersham to keep pace with the leaders in Division 1. Garnett's trio all came from short corners, with Suzie Harrison completing their tally
-
Date
Derby rivals draw
Witney and Wallingford drew their Division 2 derby 1-1 - Wallingford's first draw in more than two seasons. Wallingford opened the scoring from a counter-attack with Matt Armitage lifting the ball over the oncoming keeper. Matt Armitage scores for WallingfordWitney
-
Date
Brace for Gray and Trigg
Carl Gray and Will Trigg both hit a brace as Abingdon cruised to a 5-1 victory away to Southgate Adelaide at Cockfosters in London in South League Division 2. Abingdon took the lead after ten minutes when Will Trigg's quickly-taken free hit on the edge
-
Date
Harbord signs off in fine style
Oxon & North Bucks finished fourth in an Inter-county swimming gala for the Ron Hooper Trophy at Wolverhampton, despite some late withdrawals from the team. Former City of Oxford swimmer, Nick Harbord, in his final swim for the team having moved to
-
Date
Businesses want better vehicle access to square
Bicester Chamber of Commerce has submitted a series of proposals for the Market Square. Members want to ensure any changes do not affect retailers' ability to receive deliveries. The chamber has proposed there should be a vehicle access on the northern
-
Date
New route for transport company
A transport company is launching a new service to add to its portfolio. Interoute, of Thame, has taken delivery of six vehicles for its recently-announced pallet delivery service. It has joined Pall-Ex, one of the biggest distributors in the UK, with
-
Date
Magnet makers attracted to China
Chinese researchers could be using magnets made in Oxford, thanks to a new collaboration. Oxford Instruments Superconductivity, based in Tubney Woods, near Abingdon, will oversee sales and distribution for US company Quantum Design's products in China
-
Date
Doors thrown open
Nearly 2,000 people turned up for an open day at Didcot's £2m new leisure centre on November 16. Rachel Cusack, 12, throws Angie Cross during a judo session Visitors got the chance to try a variety of free activities at the Willowbrook Centre, including
-
Date
A close shave for Children in Need
A retired policeman has raised nearly £200 for Children in Need by shaving off his beard. Gareth Clark shaves Liam Hillis at Campus Barbers in Broad Street, Oxford. It is the first time in 20 years that the retired Thames Valley traffic officer has been
-
Date
Bereaved invited to meeting
Bereaved families whose relatives' organs were removed without permission are being invited to a meeting on November 19 to talk to hospital staff. Support group Legacy Faborio is holding the event so people can meet the Retained Organs Office team, from
-
Date
£120,000 grant to research diseases
Researchers in Oxford have been awarded a £120,000 grant to start looking for a cure for a group of often fatal diseases. Action Research has awarded the money to scientists at the Glycobiology Institute at Oxford University's department of biochemistry
-
Date
Drug problems 'need fresh approach'
Peter Neyroud, Chief Constable of Thames Valley, has called for a fresh approach to tackling drug problems. Mr Neyroud and Oxford West and Abingdon MP Evan Harris attacked recent drugs policy during a debate at Oxford Town Hall organised by the Cowley-Road
-
Date
Musical bridges divide
A ground-breaking 'town and gown' production of Leonard Bernstein's musical West Side Story opens at Wolvercote village hall, Oxford, on November 19. Robin McDiarmid, as Tony, and Madeleine Woolgar, as Maria North Oxford Youth Theatre has teamed up with
-
Date
Rowers strip for calendar
Rowers braved the autumn cold and stripped off to raise money. City of Oxford Rowing Club members posed naked for the club's 2003 calendar, with only strategically placed rowing equipment to protect their modesty. It is hoped the black and white calendar
-
Date
Straw defies father over student top-up fees
Oxford University Student Union President William Straw has embarrassed his Cabinet Minister father by publicly opposing Government plans for top-up fees for elite institutions. William Straw In a letter to a national newspaper he said moves towards extra
-
Date
Angry parent in 'attack' on referee
Mid Oxon Under 15s' ESFA Wizards Trophy tie against Reading was abandoned deep into extra time when an angry parent came on to the pitch and allegedly attempted to attack the referee. Mid Oxon were leading 3-2 with a minute to go of extra time in the
-
Date
Demand slows, but agents still upbeat
A two-speed market is developing on the Oxfordshire commercial property scene. While investment companies and pension firms are ploughing millions of pounds into buying prime developments, demand from tenants has slowed dramatically in the last year.
