Archive

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Sponsored sleepout helps the homeless

Volunteers who gave up their beds to spend a night under the stars in Oxford helped raise £15,750 for homeless projects in the city. Most of the money was raised through sponsorship by more than 100 people who took part in the annual Oxford Sleep Out

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Soldier finds Iraq is safer than Abingdon

A soldier back home from serving in Iraq says he was attacked by a gang of thugs after one of them threatened to rape his wife. Lee Edwards, with his son Callum and wife Kate Sgt Lee Edwards was hit over the head with a bottle after approaching youths

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Axeman's sentence reduced

An axeman jailed for threatening police and smashing up to thirty car windows during a drink and drug-fuelled rampage in Abingdon has had his sentence cut. Christopher McKeown, 24, of Saxton Road, Abingdon, was jailed for two-and-a-half years last November

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Doreen Townsend

Doreen Townsend, born in Leafield, who became a GI bride in the Second World War, has died, aged 79. Mrs Townsend married Earl Hellemn while he was serving in this country. She followed him to his family farm in Oregon, USA, in 1946 and worked at a woollen

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Edna Hadwin

Tributes have been paid to Edna Hadwin, the wife of a former Oxford Mail assistant editor. Mrs Hadwin, 74, was the wife of Arnold Hadwin, who worked for the Mail between 1955 and 1963. Mrs Hadwin, ne Spence, died in Lincoln County Hospital on February

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Clive Tulip

Oxford bike shop owner Clive Tulip, who was well-known in the cycling community, died suddenly while out on a bike ride. Mr Tulip, 50, owner of Beeline Bikes in Cowley Road, died of a heart attack on February 13. He had recently returned from watching

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Cricket: Kidlington sign up Kiwi all-rounder

Kidlington CC are set for a major boost as they prepare for their first season in the Oxford Times Cherwell League's top flight with the capture of former New Zealand Central Districts all-rounder Kris Howes. An opening bowler and middle order batsman

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Bowls: Oxford ease into national semis

The Oxford & District club have reached the semi-finals of the Egham Trophy - the nationwide mixed inter-club champ- ionship. They put North Walsham, from Norfolk, to the sword 81-68 in their quarter-final clash which was staged at the neutral venure

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Football: Hall's strike stalls Blackbird's title bid

Morrells of Oxford Sunday League: Mark Hall was on target for ten-man Oxford Exiles as they battled back to dent Blackbird Sunday's hopes of retaining the Premier Division title with a 1-1 draw. Exiles, reduced to ten men after having a man sent off on

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Cricket: SOA's Aussie tour a big hit

Although they enjoyed limited success on the field of play, the South Oxfordshire Amateurs' first tour of Australia was deemed an outstanding triumph. The SOA won only two of their nine matches, but such was the off-field generosity of their hosts that

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Blue and brown bin users hit by red tape

A council has rejected residents' calls for it to hand out free recycling bins, saying the move would cost £1m. Marie-Claire Haines is one of a number of people in north Oxfordshire who have complained that their small blue bins, for paper, tin and plastic

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Football: Hawthorn hammers double as Rovers battle back

Autotype UTV League: James Hawthorn notched a double as title-challengers Saxton Rovers fought back to draw 3-3 with Division 1 rivals Athletico Indaline. James Stockford gave Athletico an early lead before James Hawthorn levelled for Saxton. Chris Cording

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Golf: Oxon girls triumph after countback

Oxfordshire girls won the Berks Bucks & Oxon Stableford team event for the first time after a tight contest at the Sunningdale Ladies' course. Although missing a player from the competition squad due to injury, Oxon won on countback from Bucks with

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Pensioners suffer more vandalism

Victims of vandalism in Didcot are being urged to report the crimes. In one incident, a 6ft concrete wall on the corner of Haydon Road and Edinburgh Drive was demolished. Thames Valley Police claim they are frustrated by of the reluctance of victims to

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Pay offer puts college staff walk-out on hold

College teachers have postponed plans to strike today following an eleventh-hour pay offer from employers. Members of the NATFHE union at Oxford and Cherwell College voted earlier this month to take strike action over pay. They said the college had failed

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Ted Ogden

ONE of the organisers of the Otmoor Challenge half marathon, Ted Ogden, has died after an illness, aged 75. This year, the event, which starts and finishes in Horton-cum-Studley, will celebrate its 25th anniversary on June 5. Walkers as well as athletes

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BT box 'eyesore' angers council

A dark green BT junction box has angered town councillors. It has been placed outside the Methodist Church and Old Free Library in St Leonard's Square, Wallingford. Councillors say it is an eyesore, and want it moved somewhere less obtrusive where it

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Council rethinks increase

West Oxfordshire District Council is preparing to back down in the face of Government threats over its council tax rise of "little more than a packet of crisps a week". The council's cabinet voted unanimously not to go ahead with a planned 33 per cent

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Lacemakers will be showing their skills at St Mary's Church in Thame at the annual lace day on Sunda

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Table tennis: Town prove too powerful

The Town overcame the Gown in the annual match organised by Oxford Sports Council at the Forum Youth Centre in Kidlington. The Oxford men's A team of Karl Bushell (Forum), Andrew Flint (Forum), Clive Morris (St James) and Sven Mangels (Holton) proved

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Table tennis: Letcombe suffer double blow

Letcombe A's plight at the bottom of Division 1 of the Didcot & District League worsened as they suffered two 6-4 defeats. The first was at the hands of Rutherford Appleton Laboratory A, for whom Ian Heskins won three. The second loss came against

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Len Ralphs

West Oxford pensioner Len Ralphs, who became better known to his local community in the twilight of a long working career, has died. He was 77. A keen bowler with the South Oxford Bowling Club in the late 60s and 70s, he was an energetic critic of the

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Golf: Porter makes history

Young John Porter made history at Chipping Norton on Sunday, when he holed in one at the 15th hole on his way to victory in the Professional's Stableford. The 15-year-old, who used a sand wedge for the 138-yard shot, becomes the youngest member of the

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Community arts training sessions

Artists are being taught how to use their skills to inspire young and disadvantaged people. Oxfordshire's newly-formed Participatory Arts Network is holding a training day for new or experienced artists who want to put their talents to use in the community

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Gridlock feared if route created

Traffic could grind to a halt in Headington if a street is turned into a major bus route, Oxford city councillors fear. They believe buses would have such a problem turning right from and into Osler Road, that they would cause severe problems for traffic

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New cancer centre cuts treatment time

Patients with skin cancer are being treated quicker thanks to a new £720,000 dermatology clinic at Oxford's Churchill Hospital. Members of staff at the centre, from left, Sarah Pennington, Jo Boakes, Sophie Anaclet, Lizel Villasoto, Helen Hobbs, Katherine

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Lifebelts still being stolen from towpath

Vital lifesaving equipment is still being stolen along Oxford's waterways. Lifebelts, which could make the difference between life and death in an emergency, are going missing from safety points in the city centre despite monthly checks by council officers

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Football: Crozzer - I'm not a cheat

Oxford United captain Andy Crosby has hit back at suggestions by Bury's Jon Daly that he helped to get him sent off during Saturday's 1-1 draw at the Kassam Stadium. Daly, who was ordered off after his horror challenge left Crozzer writhing in agony,