Archive
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Rail station move 'is still on track'
Plans to relocate Oxford railway station are still on the table, despite cuts in Government funding to the railways. Richard Bowker, chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority, which oversees the railways, has warned that money earmarked for the rail system
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Masons help fund
Freemasons have boosted a village church's restoration fund. Goring Gap Lodge presented £500 to the parish church of St John Baptist at Moulsford, near Wallingford. Parochial church council treasurer Tony Jago said: "It was a very generous gift and much
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Good news for leisure group
The partnership between West Oxfordshire District Council and Wycombe Leisure to run local leisure facilities is being extended until November 2006. Earlier this year, Wycombe Leisure took over the running of the facilities, which include the Windrush
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Grumpy attends meeting
West Oxfordshire District Council cabinet member Louise Chapman fitted three performances of Snow White and the Seven Drawfs and a council meeting into one day. Louise Chapman The hectic schedule left Mrs Chapman, with no time to change, so she went straight
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Dons suffer for Israel stance
Two Oxford dons say they have suffered vitriolic abuse because their stance on Israel's actions in Palestine has been misrepresented. In April, Prof Richard Dawkins and Prof Colin Blakemore signed a letter published in The Guardian suggesting the EU should
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Badminton: Oxfordshire are finding it tough at the top
OXFORDSHIRE once again found the opposition too hot to handle when they travelled to Stoke for their second weeekend of competition in the Premier Division of the Inter-Counties Championship. They went down 8-2 to both Leicestershire and Sussex, and managed
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Rugby: Quins face big test
Oxford Harlequins will be aiming to reach the last 16 of the Powergen Intermediate Cup for the second successive season when they visit Keynsham in a fifth-round tie tomorrow (1.45pm). Quins will be without lock Rob Dow and flanker Jim Anderson, both
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Football: Savin steps into breach at Bicester
Cherry Red Records Hellenic League Bicester Town groundsman Graham Savin has answered an SOS from the Premier Division's basement boys to play in goal at Fairford Town tomorrow. The veteran goalkeeper, who has been playing for Oxford University Press
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Space for improvement
Abingdon firm Crowcon Detection Instruments, which makes gas detection equipment, expects to increase production by 20 per cent, after Storage Solutions, of Standford in the Vale, helped it create extra office and storage space.
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Allders chain set for takeover
Directors at department store chain Allders have accepted a £158m takeover bid from retail veteran Terry Green. The group, which has a flagship store in Oxford, has agreed a cash offer from Scarlett Retail, which is owned by property group Minerva, City
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Pupils ride new route
Pupils got on their bikes to celebrate the opening of a cycle path through the grounds of a Didcot school. The 170m-long path, costing £32,500, aims to reduce the danger of road accidents outside St Birinus Boys' School and neighbouring Greenmere Primary
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Westgate centre evacuated in false alert
Shoppers at Oxford's Westgate shopping centre were evacuated yesterday (December 19) during a false security alarm. The centre was briefly evacuated and shut down at about 11am, forcing dozens of Christmas shoppers to leave filled supermarket trolleys
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Jenny cut out for success
An Oxford hairdresser has won the chance to work with the top names in hairdressing in a national competition. Jenny East, 21, who works at Brothers Hair Salon, High Street, was chosen for the Clynol Protege Team. She will spend 12 months on a hairdressing
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Raider escapes with shop takings
A robber escaped with cash after walking into an Oxford store and ordering staff to hand over the takings. The robbery happened at 5.40pm yesterday at The Select Shop in Pound Way, Cowley. Police are appealing for witnesses after the man walked into the
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Fringe theatre bid agreed
Fringe theatre is to be staged at east Oxford nightclub and pole-dancing venue Bar Baby. Despite objections from nearby residents and some councillors, Oxford City Council's east Oxford area committee backed plans to stage theatre at the venue. But Mena
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Man, 61, drowned in canal
A man drowned after falling into the Oxford canal following a night out drinking with friends, an inquest heard. The body of Colin Bennett, 61, was found in the canal, near Kidlington, close to where he lived alone on a barge, on the morning of August
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Market plan for prison site
A plan for a new market at the Oxford Castle site is being considered by city councillors. Work is under way to transform Oxford Prison into an 87-bedroom hotel and heritage centre by late 2004. Now, the county council and the Osborne Group, who are transforming
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Football: Howard is the way forward, says Lee
Oxford City boss Paul Lee is hoping the return of Howard Forinton to Court Place Farm will provide the firepower his side needs to climb the Ryman League Division 1 North table, starting with Tilbury at home tomorrow. Forinton signed for City on Wednesday
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Cost of property spirals
House prices in Oxfordshire are up to nine times local salaries, a new report has revealed. South Oxfordshire has the ninth highest prices/ earnings ratio outside London, while Oxford is 14th in the league table compiled by Barclays Private Clients, the
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Everyone's a winner in hospital visit
Oxford United footballers had a special fixture yesterday -- and everyone was a winner. Striker Jefferson Louis, above, with Adam York, 10, left, and Sebastian Gates, eight. The 26-strong squad visited young patients at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital
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Hospital debt up to £13m
Independent troubleshooters have been drafted in to help solve a £13.6m deficit problem at Oxfordshire's major hospitals. David Highton The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, including Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill and Radcliffe Infirmary
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Woman had drink problem
A woman who had suffered from a drink problem for many years was found dead in her bed by a friend, an inquest in Oxford heard. The body of Mary Drew, 48, of Cherry Tree Road, Chinnor, was discovered by Geoffrey Clarke at just after 7.30am on February
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Cottages scheme rejected
Plans to build houses in a south Oxfordshire village have been rejected, after fears it would threaten the livelihood of a neighbouring garage. Fairwood Developments Ltd wanted to demolish a dilapidated cottage on the High Street in Tetsworth, near Thame
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Council cuts tax demand
Wantage Town Council has reduced its precept by more than £4,000 due to healthy reserves. Councillors have also pledged £5,000 to Wantage Silver Band to help it build new premises at Wantage Football Club, and an extra £500 towards a war memorial in the
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Mother issues plea to drivers
A mother whose son was killed by a drink-driver has urged motorists not to even have one drink before getting behind the wheel this Christmas and New Year. Jane Evason Jane Evason said she still found it hard to talk about the death of 19-year-old Gareth
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Soldier chef celebrates
A Bicester soldier won two medals at an international catering competition last month. Warrant officer Mark Roberts, 37, was part of a six-man team representing Great Britain at the Culinary World Cup, in Luxembourg. The best chefs from the Army, Navy
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Over-50s try new sports
People over 50 were encouraged to try out sports facilities at a Bicester sports centre. Audrey Flint, 57, in the gym About 50 people attended an open day for over-50s at Bicester and Ploughley Sports Centre, Queens Avenue. People were able to try out
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Cricket: Oxford on tour to SA
OXFORD & Horspath CC jet off on a five-match tour of South Africa next week. The Home Counties Premier League club fly out from Heathrow on Boxing Day. Based in Cape Town, they have games against Groot Drakenstein, Bellville, Hermanus, Oudtshoorn
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Rev-ed up minister fulfils taxi dream
A Bicester vicar has bought himself something he has always wanted for Christmas -- a black London taxi cab. Rev David Bouskill The Rev David Bouskill will drive it round his patch in the cold, wet weather and ride his Triumph 900cc motorbike in the warm
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Disabled man hopes to inspire with round-the-world trip
Adventurer Mike Mackenzie is safely back home after completing an extraordinary journey around the world in more than 80 ways, despite severe disabilities. Mike Mackenzie He went scuba diving in the Red Sea, navigated a racing car with a partially sighted
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Fixtures: All the festive sporting fixtures
SATURDAY FOOTBALL NATIONWIDE LEAGUE Div 3: Oxford Utd v Exeter City. RYMAN LEAGUE Div 1 North: Oxford C v Tilbury, Thame Utd v Arlesey Tn. Div 2: Abingdon Tn DR MARTENS LEAGUE Eastern Div: Bashley v Banbury Utd. CHERRY RED RECORDS HELLENIC LEAGUE Premier
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Speedway: Cheetahs in swap deal?
Nigek Wagstaffe, the King's Lynn promoter, and his Oxford Cheetahs counterpart Steve Purchase, could do a swap deal which would ensure speedway at Cowley next season. Wagstaffe has been widely tipped to take over at Oxford - and he has admitted he can't
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MP backs rural post offices
Banbury MP Tony Baldry is supporting a House of Commons motion to keep village post offices open. The move could prevent the payment of benefits and pensions being taken away from rural post offices. Mr Baldry said: "Government ministers are insisting
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Traders say Christmas is ruined
A county councillor has sparked outrage among Banbury shopkeepers by sending them Christmas good wishes. The greetings came after town centre businesses suffered three-months of poor trade caused by roadworks in South Bar, Horsefair and North Bar. David
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Baldry hits out over pensions
North Oxfordshire MP Tony Baldry has accused Oxford East MP Andrew Smith of failing to safeguard people's pensions. Mr Baldry, who represents people in Banbury and Bicester, dismissed a Green Paper, published by Work and Pensions Secretary Mr Smith on
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Grant lights up football facilities
Students in Banbury will soon have access to some of the best football facilities in the county. The Football Foundation, the UK's largest sports charity, has awarded a £34,000 grant to Banbury School. The cash is part of a joint venture involving the
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Football: Gee stokes up North Leigh for crunch test
Cherry Red Record Hellenic League NORTH Leigh player-manager Mark Gee has urged his players to be positive as they put their Premier Division title ambitions on the line over the next six days. Gee's table-toppers - who are on an eight-match winning streak
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Reuniting families by phone
Friends and family all over the world will be able to chat together this Christmas thanks to an Oxford telecommunications firm. MeetingZone has thrown open its international conference call service to anyone registering with the company by lunchtime on
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Europe locks on to security device
A firm which designs locks to protect lorry drivers is going from strength to strength. John Jones with Banbury MP Tony Baldry, who was given a tour of the site Husband-and-wife team John and Debbie Jones, who run Protekdor, based in Shennington, near
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Pupils celebrate a sign of the times
One of the busiest thoroughfares in Oxford -- Frideswide Square -- has received its popular new name. Bob Price with pupils from Frideswide Middle School. Pupil Billy Young holds the new sign aloft The headteacher, pupils and governors of Frideswide Middle
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Hospital go-ahead has 'no effect on housing'
Town councillors have dismissed claims that the decision to build Bicester's new hospital would re-open the debate on the location of future housing. After the plan was called in by the Government, permission has been given for the 30-bed hospital to
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Children enjoy early treat
Children at Helen House hospice received a pre-Christmas treat this week. Alison Wilkins, from Adecco, with Frankie Smith, 13 Recruitment consultants from Adecco, in High Street, Oxford, wore Santa hats as they handed over sweets and toys donated by the
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Oxford toilets commended by national judges
Two Oxford City Council public toilets have won national recognition for high levels of hygiene. Toilet attendants Linda Baker, left, and Ingred Fathers outside the Diamond Place toilets in Summertown, Oxford, which received a four-star rating The toilets
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Festive crime warning
Oxfordshire residents have been advised to take simple precautions to avoid being victims of crime over Christmas. The Home Office crime reduction director for the South East, Hugh Marriage, said it was a time when thieves were on the look-out for new
