Archive
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Asylum centre 'needs city site'
An asylum seekers' accommodation centre should be built in Oxford rather than a rural location outside Bicester, according to support groups. Asylum Welcome, based in Cowley Road, Oxford, and Bicester Refugee Support say an urban location would be better
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Key in baby's stomach starts car
A mother whose young son ate a vital security component from her car key managed to press the child against the steering wheel and start the engine. Amanda Webster, 34, of Summertown, Oxford, believed her Ford Focus had broken down during a shopping trip
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Rock theme for nativity
A rock nativity show is set to bring young and old together in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, near Wallingford. Pupils from Brightwell School are hard at work rehearsing their Christmas musical Hosannah Rock on December 13. For details, call 01491 837024.
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Bridge plans on show
An exhibition of plans for the proposed Keen Edge Footbridge over the Thames will be held in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Village Hall on December 7, between 10am-1pm. The Keen Edge Footbridge Development Trust is raising funds to build the bridge for ramblers
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Festive flowers
Jane Haas will give a Christmas floral demonstration at Wallingford Flower Club's annual general meeting on December 11, at 7.30pm. The event, in Centre 70, off Goldsmith's Lane, will include a raffle, refreshments, and plant and flower-arranging stalls
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Activity day marks end of the road for scout hut
Cholsey's Scouts, Cubs and Beavers got together for activities to mark the final days of their dilapidated hut. They hope to move to a £330,000 purpose-built hall, which will also have a meeting room, office, showers and a kitchen, next year. Some of
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Players' meeting
New Didcot RFC, who are in the process of being reborn, are holding a players' meeting at Didcot Leisure Centre, Merelands Road on Tuesday, December 17 (7.30pm). . For more information, telephone 07985 575163.
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Bicester are counted out
Bicester were surprised to see opponents High Wycombe have 16 players on the field while they scored a try in their Southern Counties North League clash on Saturday. Bicester coach Clive Davies said: "It appears that a player being substituted had not
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Harlequins prepare
Oxford Harlequins have a great chance of reaching the last 16 of the Powergen Intermediate Cup after being drawn at home to Keynsham in the fifth round on Saturday, December 21. The Bristol-based club play in South West 1 - one division above Quins, but
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Dec 2: Reckless drivers
It is no surprise that Oxfordshire County Council is having trouble filling vacancies for lollipop men and women. They not only have to work inconvenient hours for little pay, but face the daily danger of speeding drivers. It is appalling that drivers
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Nov 30: Time to talk - again
Ian Beesley's demolition of the road hump outside his home has whipped up an extraordinary amount of interest. The Oxford Mail's story last Monday about his antics with the JCB has been followed by media organisations in Britain and many parts of the
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Police name dead man
A man discovered dead in a stairwell in a block of flats in Chipping Norton has been named as Richard Honour, a 31-year-old glazier, who lived in Cotswold Crescent, Chipping Norton. Post mortem results are still being analysed, but the death is not being
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Lions Club take Santa on tour
Witney Lions Club will be taking Father Christmas on tour, starting on Monday in Cogges. The following evenings will see Santa on the Lions' float in the Woodstock Road area, Newland Mill, Blakes Avenue and Wood Green. On December 14, they will be in
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Bid to legalise path
Action is being taken to legalise a public footpath in the middle of Charlbury. It follows public uproar in the town last year when the path, between Playing Close and Sheep Street, was suddenly blocked off. Notices have been put up at both ends as the
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Wings appeal
The Wantage and District branch of the Royal Air Forces Association raised £238 from a bottle and tombola stall at Didcot Street Fair. Proceeds will go to the Wings Appeal Fund.
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Chamber promises Dickens of a night
Final preparations are under way to transform Wantage into a hub of festive family fun. Traditional entertainers, musicians and dancers will fill the town centre with Christmas cheer for the annual Dickensian Evening on December 6. Mr Waite Wantage Chamber
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Atkins settles cash dispute
Oxford United boss Ian Atkins and Northampton Town reached an 11th hour settlement in their dispute over a claim by Atkins that he was owed money from when he was sacked as Cobblers manager in October 1999. Ian AtkinsBoth parties alleged the other had
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Grant given
Langford Village Community Association is to receive a grant of £750 from Cherwell District Council.
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KEA crack a magnificent seven
RT Harris Oxford City FA round-up: KEA roared back from a goal down to crush Morris Motors 7-1 in the Premier Cup quarter-finals. Pete Allison and Michael Black notched doubles, while Liam Herbert, Mick O'Driscoll and Danny Bone completed the rout. In
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Sawyer shines
Dave Sawyer's 15-doll haul - including a six - helped Clare Car Hire storm back to the top of the Gladiator Beer Seller Friday Aunt Sally League with a 5-1 win over Pips. RESULTS Gladiator Beer Seller Friday League: Pips 1, Clare Car Hire 5; Ox 2, Garsington
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Oxford Mail Cross Country League report
Former champion Richard Bromley, of Headington, marked his arrival in this year's Oxford Mail Cross-Country League with a stunning victory on a new and challenging venue at Lambourn on Sunday. Jo Rhodes, of White Horse Harriers In the absence of last
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Oxford Mail Cross Country League results
Individual and team results and standings from the second round of the league . . . INDIVIDUAL RESULTS Senior men (top 50): 1 R Bromley (Hed) 30.03, 2 M Ashton (Wit) 30.14, 3 P Wilson (WHH V40) 31.21, 4 P Haarer (Hed) 31.50, 5 P George (Wds) 31.56, 6
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Early header sinks City
Arlesey Tn 1, Oxford City 0: Former Thame United striker Wayne Cort struck the decisive blow to send Oxford City slipping to defeat in their Ryman Division 1 game at Hitchin Road on Tuesday night. Cort scored the only goal of the game in the 11th minute
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Super Stanley's spot-on
North Berks League round-up: Dave Stanley's late penalty gave Saxton Rovers a double over Division 1 champions Kintbury Rangers with a 1-0 victory. Saxton made the breakthrough in the 83rd minute when Derek Palfrey was felled in the area and Stanley put
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Chaos as trio see red
Witney & District FA report: North Leigh A had three players sent off as they drew 1-1 with Freeland in a stormy Premier Division encounter. Daniel Smith, Lee McGuiness and Sean King were given their marching orders in the second half, but North Leigh's
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Firm agreement
Sarah Strong, of Church Lane, Beckley, has given an undertaking not to manage a company for five years, after the insolvency of her heather-growing business in Surrey.
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Hotels await upturn
Macdonald Hotels, which runs the Randolph and other hotels in Oxfordshire, said there were "clear signs" its sites around the M25 were beginning to recover from a challenging year. The firm -- which owns the Bear at Woodstock, Whately Hall, Banbury, and
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Board member comes in from the cold
Former arctic explorer Sue Stockdale is to join the board of Banbury business advice service Norbis. She had set up her own business giving motivational presentations and workshops, based on the lessons she learned during her exped- itions. Sue Stockdale
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Trade unionist invited
Paul Kenney, regional secretary of the General Municipal and Boilermakers' Union, who is a prospective candidate for general secretary of the union when John Edmonds retires next year, will be guest of honour at the Thames Valley branch Christmas disco
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Old trains brought back
Unexpected passenger demand and technical difficulties with Virgin's £1bn new fleet have meant the company has brought back trains built in the 1970s. The operator has re-introduced some InterCity 125 trains on its Cross Country line linking Oxford to
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£30,000 to stop arsonists burning cars
Oxfordshire is to receive £30,000 towards the removal of abandoned cars which may become a target for arsonists. The money was announced by HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services, Sir Graham Meldrum. It will be spent on extending a car clearance scheme,
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Fire crews not greedy
While on picket duty, there were a couple of occasions when passers-by shouted obscenities at firefighters, including references to being greedy. None of them stopped to explain why, but drove or cycled off at high speed. After four years of training,
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Architects develop mobile laboratory
Architects at an Oxford firm have teamed up with scientists working on a vaccine for Aids to design a mobile medical laboratory. The team from Berman Guedes Stretton The team at Berman Guedes Stretton produced the plans for the trailer, which can be towed
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Fire crews have strong support
After reading another unfair, inaccurate and unbalanced article on the firefighters' industrial action (Oxford Mail, November 30), we must educate you on the following points. You say the firefighters are losing public support. We presume you gauged the
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Patients urged to ease A&E crush
Patients are being warned to stay away from Oxford's casualty unit unless they need urgent treatment because it has moved into cramped temporary accommodation. Work to build the new £12m accident and emergency department at the John Radcliffe Hospital
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New school only half the size
The Rev James Cocke and other readers are wrong about the proposed size of Windmill Primary School at Headington, Oxford. I certainly would not send my children to a 900-pupil primary school. No doubt, many readers have the same feelings and will not
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Lottery cash pays for hall makeover
A hall has a new look, thanks to a £65,000 extension and improvement programme. The hall in Longworth, near Abingdon, received the makeover after winning £64,000 from the Lottery's community fund. Longworth Parish Council donated £500 towards the project
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An American in Oxford
One player will make history if Oxford beat Cambridge in the 121st Varsity Match at Twickenham next Tuesday - and he's an American, who could end up playing for Malta! Adam Russell, their 6ft 4ins lock forward, would become the first Dark Blue in the
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Dec 3: High price of living
Many of us are going to have to pay heavily for the privilege of living in Oxfordshire. That has become clear after the Government's decision to revalue homes and adjust and increase the number of council tax bands. The present bands, fixed nine years
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Concert arranged
Pianist Tom Poster will be giving a concert as part of the Witney Winter Concerts at the High Street Methodist Church on December 13.
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Third age party
Members of Witney's branch of the University of the Third Age will be holding a Christmas party in the Langdale Hall on December 19, starting at 2pm.
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Asda opts for site in centre of town
Supermarket giant Asda has ditched plans to build a superstore on the edge of Witney, opting instead for a town centre site. The company said it had changed its mind after West Oxfordshire District Council indicated it would only consider permission for
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Donors wanted
People who would like to give blood can visit the Football, Sport and Social Club, in Windmill Road, on December 11, between 10am and 12.25pm, and 2pm and 4.25pm.
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Chase 'led to lie request'
A disqualified driver accused of dangerous driving wrote a letter begging a friend to lie for him, a court heard. John Pitson, 23, of Van Dieman's, Stanford in the Vale, near Faringdon, denies common assault, dangerous driving and driving without a licence
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Welsh stay mum over Kassam
London Welsh RFC have refused to confirm or deny that they will be making Oxford United's Kassam Stadium their new home. The Exiles' chairman, David Hammond, would not comment on suggestions that the National League Division 1 club are in talks over a
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In the frame
Freelance photographer Lyndsay Miles Coxhill has an exhibition of his work at the Courtyard Youth and Arts Centre, Launton Road, until December 19. Mr Coxhill lives in Water Lane, Ardley with Fewcott, near Bicester, and has been a full-time photographer
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Hospital plan approved
Bicester's new 30-bed community hospital, costing between £6m and £7m, has been given planning approval and could be open by 2005. It will be built on about 4.5 acres of farmland, on the corner of Oxford Road and Middleton Stoney Road, for the North East
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Review: Die Another Day (12A)
James Bond has seldom had it so hard. Lambasted for being boring, and even past it, following The World Is Not Enough, 007 has been forced to watch over his shoulder as every major studio attempts to muscle in on the secret agent genre, with mixed results
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Wheel make loads of cash
A village pub has hit on a novel way of raising money for a children's hospital. Mr and Mrs Heath are on a roll Regulars at the Fox Inn, in Middle Barton, north Oxfordshire, and members of the village sports and social club will take part in a sponsored
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Mayor launches collection for toys
Banbury mayor Tony Mepham is on a mission to collect toys for Christmas. Tony Mepham Mr Mepham and his wife Lesley will give the toys to children who would otherwise not receive Christmas gifts. Mr Mepham said: "It's the time of year when I ask members
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Headington aces storm in
Headington won the women's race in convincing style at the Chiltern League cross-country meeting at an extremely wet and muddy Shotover. They had a clean sweep of the first four places in the women's race, with Jude Craft first in a time of 24.19, Allison
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Wallingford win
Leaders AFC Wallingford were made to struggle at Frimley Green in the Seagrave Haulage Combined Counties Premier Division last night. They won 1-0 with a second-half goal from Bradley Ward.
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Abingdon crash out
Abingdon Tn 0, Horsham 3: Abingdon Town's interest in the Bryco Cup came to an end as they crashed at home to Ryman League Division 1 South side Horsham in last night's first-round replay at Culham Road. When the sides met in the first game, only a late
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Wright denies scuffle claims
Former Oxford United manager Mark Wright has vigorously denied being involved in a scuffle at Chester's Nationwide Conference derby against Southport last Saturday, writes JON MURRAY. Mark WrightChester striker Daryl Clare was sent off at Haig Avenue
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Balls to talk on euro
Ed Balls, chief economic adviser to the Treasury, is to give the 12th Cairncross Lecture on December 4, at St Peter's College at 6pm. Mr Balls will talk about the five economic tests which the Government will use to decide whether the UK should join the
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Borders cuts the deficit
Bookstore chain Borders UK, which has a shop in Magdalen Street, Oxford, cut its losses by over £3m and is well on the route to profitability, according to managing director Phil Downer. Turnover increased from £109m to £131m and pre-tax losses decreased
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Chief executive dropped by Whatman
Pharmaceuticals company Whatman, which in October announced an expansion of its Banbury-based business, has unceremoniously ousted its chief executive. Chairman Bob Thian, who was appointed last month at the insistence of shareholders, announced the immediate
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Jack and the Beanstalk: The Theatre, Chipping Norton
"So you're Sluggit from the council," says Dame Trot. "Boo," goes the audience at The Theatre, Chipping Norton, taking the hint immediately. But to give him his due, Sluggit doesn't just hide behind his office desk -- he actually risks visiting the Dame
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Dec 4: Squabbling must stop
It is difficult to know what to make of the endless argument over social services spending in Oxfordshire. The Government claims that it has been generous in its cash handouts and the county council is responsible for any cuts. The council says it has
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Minister accused of ignoring crisis
A Government minister has been accused of betraying vulnerable people after he refused to accept responsibility for poor funding of services. Two Oxfordshire MPs criticised the Government following a debate in the House of Commons on December 3. The comments
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A hot offer
Following the offer from the Oxford Mail to health workers to make their predicament part of the debate on public sector pay, Jongleurs, the comedy club in Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford, has offered an evening's free entertainment to firefighters as well
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New council chief can take the heat
The new director of Oxfordshire's social Services department is having a baptism of fire. The department is £3m overspent, is struggling to make £8.9m of cuts and is ranked poorly in the Government's performance tables. Added to that, the department was
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Minister accused
of ignoring crisis A Government minister has been accused of betraying vulnerable people after he refused to accept responsibility for poor funding of services. Two Oxfordshire MPs criticised the Government following a debate in the House of Commons on
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Super Bromley gallops home
Former champion Richard Bromley, of Headington, marked his arrival in this year's Oxford Mail Cross-Country League with a stunning victory on a new and challenging venue at Lambourn on Sunday. Jo Rhodes, of White Horse Harriers In the absence of last
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United step up security
Oxford United and Thames Valley Police will have a series of new safety measures in place for Sunday's FA Cup second-round tie with Swindon. The police have asked the club to ensure that no alcohol will be on sale in the North Stand, to either Oxford
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Heart pump appeal
May I, through your excellent paper and website, thank everyone who has, and still is, supporting my appeal for 5p pieces to buy a Jarvik heart pump for the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Those who do not know about the Jarvik pump can log on to www.norgrove.co.uk
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Road hump tremors
I sympathise with Ian Beesley, who dug up the road hump outside his home. My house is also next to a ramp. When I'm in bed, the earth often moves, but for all the wrong reasons. The vibrations are comparable with the Richter scale. When the recent earth
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Ordinary Diana
So Diana Spencer is the third greatest Briton of all time. If that is the case, I am the greatest driver of a golf ball off the tee since Jack Nicklaus. We must be a very naive and shallow nation. What did she achieve in her admittedly short and tragic
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Always in the wrong
A motorist was outraged at cyclists going the wrong way down a one-way street (Oxford Mail, November 20). It is ironic that the motorist poses far more of a threat to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians by going the right way down the street than cyclists
