Archive
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Gunman still on loose
A GUNMAN was on the loose tonight after threatening a police officer in Didcot. Two schools were 'locked down' after the man brandished the weapon when he was stopped by police in Kynaston Road this afternoon. The man then fled towards a cemetery
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SPEEDWAY: Cheetahs fans fight on
Oxford Cheetahs' supporters are rallying in an attempt to save their club from going to the wall, writes ROBERT PEASLEY. The deadline for promoter Allen Trump to hold Premier League racing at Sandy Lane next season expired at 5pm yesterday. Talks
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GREYHOUNDS: Wills poised to claim top title
Champion trainer elect Ian Wills is ready to pop the bubbly after stretching his lead over title holder and nearest rival Paddy Curtin last month. With a 50 plus lead and only a couple of weeks to go, Wills, who already has over 300 winners, is riding
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SWIMMING: City trio bid a fond farewell in finale
City of Oxford waved goodbye to three stalwarts as they finished their Speedo League campaign. Pippa Canlan-Shaw, Allanor Jenkins-Strong and Carla Prince, who have all represented the club at the national championships, made their last appearance in
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MARTIAL ARTS: Shayler scoops titles
Witney black belt Imogen Shayler, 14, is on cloud nine after landing four titles in quick succession. She began her trophy haul with a victory in the under 16 light continuous category at the European Championships, before adding two British titles
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SCHOOL SPORT: St Edwards eye national glory
St Edward's, Oxford, are through to the girls' national hockey finals for the second successive year. The under 18s booked their place among the top five schools in the country by retaining their divisional title. And they did it in style by winning
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BILLIARDS: Ashton rattle off shock win
All three first-round matches in the Oxford & District League's Atox Cup finished in resounding wins. Fieldside beat CCC B 6-0, CCC A defeated HCC A 5-1, and Ashton surprised in-form New Club 6-0. Paul Robinson (50+) led the way for Fieldside in their
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SNOOKER: Witney wait on Fieldside finish
Most of the promotion and relegation issues in the Oxford & District League have now been resolved. However, there are 12 matches outstanding and these could still have a bearing on the Premier Division and Divisions 1, 4 and 5 titles. The Premier
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ICE HOCKEY: Morvan calls on Stars to sparkle
Oxford City Stars are determined to get back to winning ways when they take on basement boys Vectis Tiger in the Isle of Wight tonight (6pm). Last week's narrow 2-1 defeat to Peterborough was only Stars' second defeat of the South Division A season.
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BOXING: Buchta ready for big night
Oxford Boxing Academy's Peter Buchta (pictured) carries the hopes of the entire Home Counties in the National Novice Class B Finals (under 20 bouts) at the home of boxing, York Hall, Bethnal Green tomorrow. The 20-year-old Polish heavyweight, the region's
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Striker Twigg to branch out?
The likelihood of striker Gary Twigg leaving Oxford United in the January transfer window has increased with widespread speculation that he is looking to move back to his native Scotland. Manager Darren Patterson declined to comment on the rumours,
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Man stabbed in face
A man was stabbed in the face in a brutal late-night attack in Oxford city centre. The 23-year-old man suffered a broken nose and a wound needing 20 stitches after being punched in the face by his attacker who had a blade between his fingers. The attack
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Gunman on run from police
A gunman was on the loose tonight after threatening a police officer in Didcot. Two schools were 'locked down' after the man brandished the weapon when he was stopped by police in Kynaston Road this afternoon. The man then fled towards a cemetery which
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Activist faces fire bomb and blackmail charges
A prominent animal rights campaigner is in custody accused of waging an arson and blackmail campaign against Oxford University - believed to be in protest against the university's half-built animal testing laboratory. If so, Mel Broughton, 47, of protest
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Controversial house wins reprieve
A house that broke planning rules has been saved from demolition - but the owner of the almost-finished property has been told to make alterations. Cherwell District Council's north area planning committee considered several breaches of planning rules
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Fake water workers steal cash
A pensioner aged 86 was the victim of distraction burglars who claimed to be checking the water at his home in Uffington. He discovered two men in his back garden in the village at about 1pm on Wednesday. They claimed to be dealing with a water valve
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HORSE RACING: Knight hails 'next champ'
Henrietta Knight, who trains at West Lockinge, near Wantage, hailed Calgary Bay as her 'next champion' after the gelding opened his account at Cheltenham yesterday. The four-year-old held off Snap Tie and I'msingingtheblues to capture the EBF/Boylesports.com
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Cinema tricks help disabled
Technology used to animate characters in Hollywood movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings has been adapted by an Oxford hospital to help people with walking abnormalities. The Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, in Headington, uses motion
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Young and not-so-Foolish......
A patient recently asked a doctor friend of mine if she should have a baby after 35. The doctor answered, quite rightly, no, thirty-five children was enough. I use these words to link the fact that on club night last Tuesday I thought I had gone into
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Somewhere to park
Roger Sammons complained that there was nowhere to park at the Thornhill park-and-ride at Headington, Oxford (Oxford Mail, November 29). There are lots and lots of parking spaces on Headington pavements - and they're free! John Wilson, Headington,
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Laid, then dug up
Paving slabs were laid and seats provided at Abingdon recently and they improved the town centre. It was lovely to sit and rest awhile. Last Saturday, when I visited Abingdon, huge vehicles were moving lots of the stones and making huge holes in the
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Help with Christmas debt
Many families will worry how they are going to make ends meet at Christmas. Extra expenses could break the bank for those already struggling with debt. A family on an average income spends £564 on food, drink, decorations and the like on Christmas Day
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Give it a rest
It's time you gave us a rest from the letters about smoking in pubs. We stopped smoking in shops, cinemas, theatres, hospitals, buses, aeroplanes, libraries and certain restaurants. We never had a lot of fuss then, what is so special about a pub? Mick
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People power reaps reward
Warneford Meadow at Headington, Oxford, should never have been considered as a site for a student village, Meadow safe (Oxford Mail, December 7). The meadow is a place of beauty and has been there for centuries. We, the Churchill Community Tenants
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Fitness fans face price hike
Swimmers, skaters and fitness fanatics are all in line to pay inflation-busting increases as part of a shake-up of leisure charges in Oxford. The strapped-for-cash city council is looking at leisure users in a bid to recoup more than £160,000 over three
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Hopes rise over Parkinson's
Scientists at an Oxford biotech firm are hoping they have made a breakthrough in the search for an effective Parkinson's Disease treatment. Trials on the ProSavin gene therapy product, which has been developed by Oxford Biomedica based at the Oxford
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Charity appeals for gift help
The Salvation Army is calling on the people of Oxford to help make Christmas better for the most vulnerable people in the county. It is asking for a "final push" to reach the target in its "Operation Christmas" appeal. It says more good quality gifts
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Carmen's adventures aid school
A children's book written by a grandfather for his disabled granddaughter is raising money for a special school. Ten-year-old Carmen Parker, the daughter of former Leicester City, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest midfielder Garry Parker, was born at
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Street pitch proves a Big Issue
Managers of The Big Issue magazine, which is sold by the homeless, are investigating claims of a clash between vendors outside Sainsbury's in Oxford. The alleged dispute prompted a security guard to put a notice up at the store in Magdalen Street earlier
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Stay safe using taxis
Revellers in Oxfordshire are being warned not to take unlicensed taxis after nights out. It follows a threat from taxi drivers in the north of the county to strike on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, with fears unscrupulous drivers will hit the streets
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Pupils get buzz from charity drive
When 10-year-old Jack Constant was told by his mother Lesley that she was seriously ill with cancer he decided something should be done to help find a cure for the disease. With the help of his friends in year six at Harwell Primary School, he set about
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Commuter pressures force rail victory
Passengers using one of the worst rail services in the country have forced a climbdown from their train operator over delays. Just three days after commuters set up their own website petition, First Great Western has bowed to customer pressure on High-Speed
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A wizard tale from the Temple
I had a very interesting call this morning from Ian Barnes at Temple Bookbinders in Headington. According to Mr Barnes, he was at Sotheby's earlier this week to bid for JK Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a 160-page Harry Potter spin-off of five
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Local share prices
14/12/2007 PM AEA Technology 76.5 BMW 2925 Electrocomponents 210 Nationwide Accident Repair 124 Oxford Biomedica 21.5 Oxford Catalyst 148.5 Oxford Instruments 194.5 REED 640.25 RM 201.75 RPS Group 293
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Wines for Christmas £67
So what are you going to drink this Christmas? There's an awful lot of wine to choose from out there and so many places to buy them from. Why not let The Oxford Times Wine Club take the strain out of all the deciding and let us suggest some great value
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Schools put on alert as gunman at large
A manhunt has been launched after a gunman threatened a policeman outside a school. Schools in Didcot were locked down at about 2pm today after the gunman confronted an officer in Kynaston Road. The man hid in a cemetery behind St Birinus School, Mereland
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Manhunt launched for gunman
A MANHUNT was launched today after a gunman threatened a policeman outside a school in Didcot. Schools in Didcot were locked down at about 2pm today after the gunman confronted an officer in Kynaston Road. The man hid in a cemetery behind St Birinus
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Animal protester held on arson charges
A PROMINENT animal rights campaigner is in custody accused of waging an arson and blackmail campaign against the University of Oxford. Mel Broughton, 47, of protest group Speak, is the first person to be charged with attacks over the university's controversial
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Update: Animal rights activist held in custody
A prominent animal rights campaigner is in custody accused of waging an arson and blackmail campaign against Oxford University. Mel Broughton, 47, of protest group Speak, is the first person to be charged with attacks on the university over its controversial
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'No one to blame' for pool death
A JURY has ruled there was adequate supervision during the school swimming lesson where young Nathan Matthews drowned. Nathan, 11, died after getting into trouble in the water during an end-of-term relay race at a leisure centre. A swimming instructor
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Swim lesson was 'adequately supervised'
An inquest jury has ruled there was adequate supervision during the school swimming lesson where Nathan Matthews drowned. Nathan, 11, died after getting into trouble in the water during a relay race at Thame Leisure Centre. A swimming instructor pulled
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Rossi leads way at Boddington
Last Sunday, there were Environment Agency Flood Watches on the Thames, Thame, Evenlode, Windrush and Ray, so the majority of angling matches were cancelled and will be fished another day. RS Baits held their latest Boddington Cup match on a windswept
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Maddy rises up rankings
Carterton gymnast Maddy Crossley finished a creditable 20th in the National Challenge Cup in Aldershot. She qualified for the competition having won the Southern Region Championships. Crossley was 13th on the bars and 17th on the floor to improve
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Karting star Lewis signs off on high
Young karting star Lewis Williams produced a superb performance in his final race of 2007. The Chipping Norton ace stormed to the runners-up spot at his local circuit from a lowly grid position and in only his second competitive outing with his new
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Lebutt effort can't save Bicester
Forum A strengthened their hold on top spot in Division 1 of the Oxford & District Table Tennis League with an 8-2 victory over Bicester A. Andy Lebutt had a tough debut for Bicester, losing out to Karl Bushell, but had the consolation of beating Greg
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Joy for Oxford's table tennis juniors
Oxford's junior table tennis team of Ross Henderson, Chris Smith, Jake East and Matthew Simmons recorded their second victory of the season with a 6-4 win over Leamington. Henderson is proving to be quite a force this season with eight wins out of nine
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Lloyd's six seals Tew's victory
Lloyd Brock was the hero for Great Tew A as his six off the last ball of the match secured a thrilling one-wicket victory over Westbury in Division 2. Batting first, Westbury had rattled up 80 all out, Michael Loggin scoring 33. Tew were always up
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Conmen target 86-year-old
AN 86-YEAR-OLD man was the victim of distraction burglars who claimed to be checking the water at his home. The pensioner discovered two men in his back garden in Uffington at about 1pm on Wednesday, who claimed to be dealing with a water valve problem
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Thieves stage £40,000 raid
BURGLARS stole £40,000 worth of power tools from an industrial estate in Brize Norton. The gang used a white Mercedes Box van, stolen from nearby, to pull security window bars from a first floor window at 5 A's Tool Hire, Viscount Industrial Estate.
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Small business award
Green issues are topping the news agenda and Oxfordshire business awards is helping many firms to receive recognition for their environmental ethos, while proving they can compete on a level playing field. A good example is rapidly developing alternative
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Young Business Person of the Year
Young Business Person of the Year Winning this prestigious title has been a key to raising the profile of Oliver McGovern's company, MD Construction. He said: "It has created awareness of who we are in the market place. There have also been occasions
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Customer and Staff Care award
The secret of winning a business award is using it to your advantage, according to Jackie Bradshaw (pictured right) of Oxford-based Champion Recruitment. She said: "One of the most important things that we value is customer service. This is official
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Business of the Year
It has been a year of success and expansion for Crompton Technology Group. The Banbury-based firm, which develops carbon fibre composites for the motorsport, aerospace and medical industries, has recruited 30 new staff since picking up the honour in
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Business Person of the Year
Nigel Harris, managing director of Bicester-based fruit and vegetable wholesaler Fresh Direct, has picked up a grand total of five Oxfordshire business awards in the past four years. So convinced is he of the benefits of winning that he has now agreed
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Launch date
Past winners, sponsors and those keen to enter gathered at a special Oxfordshire Business Awards celebration. The event at the newly-opened High Table restaurant, part of the Eastgate Hotel in Oxford, was attended by scores of movers and shakers looking
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Why enter?
So why should you enter the Oxfordshire Business Awards? The advantages are clear. The winners receive a wave of positive publicity through these pages and in our sister papers, as well as on the air through the contribution of fellow sponsor Fox FM
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Search for stars
Bigger and better than ever before - that is the key message from the organisers of the Oxfordshire Business Awards 2008. New sponsors and a new chairman are looking to make this year's competition even more dynamic than before, with fresh ideas and
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Sex nurse risks work ban
A male nurse who had sex with a 16-year-old patient in a toilet at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital faces being stopped from working again. Oliver Balicao, 34, was cleared at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday of raping the girl but admitted a charge of
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Job threat faces sex charge nurse
A MALE nurse who had sex with a 16-year-old patient in a toilet at the John Radcliffe Hospital faces being stopped from working again. Oliver Balicao, 34, was cleared at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday of raping the girl but admitted a charge of sexual
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Man stabbed in face in street attack
POLICE today appealed for witnesses after a fight in which a 23-year-old man was stabbed in the face. The incident happened at the junction of Park End Street and Hollybush Row, Oxford, at about 2.30am on Saturday, December 8. Police only released
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Audi launches compact cabriolet
A NEW soft-top model is to join the Audi A3 line-up in the UK next spring. The first compact cabriolet from the German firm will come with a choice of four engines. Deliveries of the third soft-top in Audi's model range in the UK are anticipated
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Land Rover celebrates in style
LAND Rover will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a new special edition of the iconic Defender - the SVX. The Land Rover Defender SVX was unveiled for the first time by Zara Phillips at the British Red Cross Ball in London. The world's first SVX was
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Volvo unveils new models
VOLVO Car UK has released the prices for the new entry-level 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines in the all-new Volvo V70 premium estate and S80 executive saloon. Prices for the petrol derivative will start from £24,995 in the Volvo V70 and £23,495
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Roadtest: Born in the USA
Any car maker planning to square up against the Ford Mondeo, the big beast of the medium-sized car market jungle, must make sure its model ticks quite a few boxes if it is to have any chance of survival. It must be well-equipped, economical and, above
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December to February
To have your event featured in this column, send brief details and a contact name and telephone number to Diary, In Business, Newsquest, Newspaper House, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0EJ or e-mail business@nqo.com. To be included in the Business Link event
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Movers and shakers
HARWELL: AEA Technology has been voted the Best Consultancy for Climate Change and Renewables at the 2007 EDIE Awards. Dr Garry Felgate, managing director of AEA's consulting business, said: "We are delighted that customers across the country have recognised
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Futuristic office
Fletcher House is the latest building to be completed at The Oxford Science Park. It comprises 22,773 sq ft of office/laboratory accommodation which could be let to a single company, or as self-contained floors from 6,986 sq ft. Features include column-free
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Depot plan for Didcot
Supermarket giant Asda has unveiled plans to build a new depot in Didcot. The Vale of the White Horse District Council has received a planning application from Asda to build a 450,000 sq ft warehouse on land east of Sutton Courtenay Lane. The move has
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Seven-acre site makes £8m
A major development site in Oxford has been sold for £8m. The seven-acre site is at Sandy Lane near the Oxford ring road and was put on the market by Exel Logistics. It has been bought by developer Naus Albion, a joint venture between Albion Land and
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Victorian refurb ready
Littlemore House, the first phase of the RO Developments office scheme at Littlemore Park has now been completed. The Victorian building, formerly part of Littlemore Hospital, has been fully refurbished by RO Developments over the last year to provide
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Why protection pays
Managing a company can be hard work. And starting a new company is very exciting, as well as very demanding on the time and energy of those involved. Equally, spinning off a company to form a new group can involve radical change in ways of working, as
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House given a reprieve
A house in Banbury that contravened planning conditions has been saved from demolition but the owner of the almost-finished property has been ordered to make alterations. Cherwell District Council's north area planning committee last night considered
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Best of both worlds
Many people would be surprised to hear that a leafy back street in Chipping Norton hides the head office of a successful firm that counts many familiar retail names among its customers. Underneath the spreading horse chestnut trees, Danny Turner heads
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Premium metal
There's a quiet revolution going on in the mid-size family car sector. Otherwise known as the default company car market by the reps pounding the motorways - quality, refinement and style have all been ramped up a notch in recent years. The reason is
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Easing an epidemic
The evolution of mankind dates back to when we were all hunter-gatherers. That is the assertion of Dr Anker Lundemose, president of Cowley-based Prosidion, which focuses on treatments for Type 2 diabetes and obesity. He explained: "Thousands of years
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Upmarket burger
There has been something of a revival in the fortunes of the humble beefburger. No longer are they the preserve of the purely fast food outlets, which always leave me feeling more hungry when I come out than when I went in. What with mad cow disease
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History lesson
When Samuel Coleridge famously declared that "If men could learn from history, what lessons it might teach us", I suspect he had little idea his words would resonate almost two centuries later. Forget Henry Ford's equally quotable line about history
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Life in old computers
Our love affair with gadgetry is stronger than ever, with Britons owning more than £74bn worth - and the figure is predicted to grow massively at Christmas. Computers and laptops, with £10bn spent on them, are in second place behind TVs. But what happens
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Great outdoors
Fresh air is all very well in its proper place - out of doors.' A bookish sort of academic reportedly said that as she closed a window, cigarette in place between clenched teeth. Such stuffiness would be anathema to United States-reared Englishman James
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Joining family firm
With a business degree from Oxford Brookes University under his belt, Andrew Elias was tempted to join his fellow graduates, many of whom were taking the corporate shilling and applying for management schemes in big companies. Instead, he joined the
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Building from zero
Name: Stewart Dalgarno Age: 41 Job: Product development director, Stewart Milne Group, Witney Time in job: Four months, but 24 years with company Contact: 01865 303900 Web: www.stewartmilne.com What was your first job and what did your responsibilities
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Set fair for enterprise
Kerry Li is doing something hardly anyone has attempted before. She has set up a small business called Fair East Trading to import crafts from China on a fair trade basis. As far as she knows, there are just two other ventures like hers, one producing
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Bagging the good life
The fact that the genial, softly-spoken proprietor of the Plain Leather shop in Oxford's Covered Market has worked in the city for 35 years does not disguise his enthusiasm for his business and his approach to it. That is no doubt because it has developed
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Art of being invisible
Dusty old museum cabinets are increasingly themselves becoming museum pieces. Streamlined, easy-on-the-eye display techniques made of acrylic are fast taking over from wood and glass - and a specialist Oxfordshire company stands to gain. Dauphin was
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House escapes demolition threat
A HOUSE in Banbury that contravened planning conditions has been saved from demolition but the owner of the almost-finished property has been ordered to make alterations. Cherwell District Council's north area planning committee last night considered
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Brush with success
Some businesses begin because they were simply meant to be, it seems. One such came into being a couple of years ago by mistake - or by happy chance, whichever way you look at it. Maite Alegre, originally from the Rioja wine-growing region of Spain,
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Earning a crust
Most people over 40 find their mouth watering when they remember the back-street bakeries of their childhood - a granary loaf made by Berry's of Headington, or lardy cake from Kingston Road. A long-gone bakery in Shotteswell, near Banbury, was the inspiration
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Local share prices
14/12/2007 AEA Technology 77.75 BMW 2934 Electrocomponents 209.75 Nationwide Accident Repair 124 Oxford Biomedica 22 Oxford Catalyst 148.5 Oxford Instruments 197.5 REED 629.75 RM 202 RPS Group 302
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Ekström defends Race of Champions title
TWO months ago Mattias Ekström clinched the DTM title (German Touring Car Masters) to celebrate one of his biggest exploits. This weekend the Audi driver has the great opportunity to make 2007 a "dream year". At the new London Wembley Stadium, the
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Speak campaigner charged with arson
An animal rights campaigner is due in court today charged with waging an arson campaign against Oxford University. Mel Broughton, 47, of protest group Speak, will appear at Banbury Magistrates' Court accused of conspiracy to blackmail, two counts of
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Hülkenberg signs with WilliamsF1
THE Grove-based AT&T Williams team today confirmed that German driver Nico Hülkenberg, 20, has been contracted as the team's official test driver for the 2008 season. The team said Hülkenberg, who tested for the team last week in Jerez, made a positive
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Patient death still unsolved
A POST-MORTEM examination on a man who died at Littlemore Hospital in Oxford has proved inconclusive, police said. A man was arrested on suspicion of murder after the 34-year-old patient, who has not been named, was found dead at 7am on Saturday.
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New taxi strike threat
TAXI drivers in Bicester, Banbury and Kidlington have threatened to strike on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. The warning comes after two recent strikes sparked by a Cherwell District Council decision to delimit the number of hackney cab licences.
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Judge attacks road changes
A JUDGE has criticised the layout of Oxford's Cowley Road after a cyclist was injured avoiding a collision with a bus. Judge Charles Harris awarded David Simms, of Pegasus Road, Blackbird Leys, damages of nearly £9,000 after he fell from his cycle
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U's offer deal to ace Clarke
James Clarke is set to be rewarded for his meteoric progress at Oxford United with the offer of a pro contract. The 18-year-old youth-team player, who hails from Aylesbury, was given his chance in the first team four matches ago - and grabbed it with
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Councillor expelled from Labour Party
BENEFIT cheat and Oxfordshire county councillor Olive McIntosh-Stedman has been expelled from the Labour Party. Last month, McIntosh-Stedman, 65, who represents Cowley and Littlemore, was convicted of dishonestly claiming council tax benefit and immediately
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Cameron backs Cogges museum
CONSERVATIVE Party leader David Cameron was due to visit Cogges Manor Farm Museum, Witney, today to reassure the under-threat attraction he would do all he could to save it from closure. Last month, we revealed the Oxfordshire County Council-run attraction
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Bus service for shoppers
A CHRISTMAS park-and-ride bus service in Banbury, sponsored by Cherwell District Council, is being laid on to provide shoppers with an easier route into the town centre this Saturday and on Saturday, December 22. Buses will take passengers to the
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County eyes £115m flood relief
A LARGE slice of a £115m flooding relief grant from Europe should come to Oxfordshire, it is claimed today. The European money will be shared by areas of Britain worst hit by the summer floods. But with the European Commission ready to distribute
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Trust unveils five-year health plan
OXFORDSHIRE health chiefs have announced a drive to cut obesity and diabetes and reduce the number of smokers. NHS managers have drawn up a five-year strategy, with the aim of making major improvements in public health by 2013. Oxfordshire NHS Primary
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MP on gargoyle duty
SHADOW Arts Minister and Wantage MP Ed Vaizey will present certificates to winners of a Millennium Myths and Monsters competition today. The competition was launched by Oxford University to find a design to replace original gargoyles at the world
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Sorry episode
Sir - I was saddened but not surprised to read the article of November 30, concerning the state of high tension among detainees in Campsfield House. The recent suspension, and now sacking of the Chaplain, Father Seraphim Vanttinen-Newton, will not
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Too intrusive
Sir - Re the East Oxford Central Mosque call to prayer broadcast (Report, November 30). As a moderate Christian, I agree that moderate Muslims have the right to practise their religion freely. However the 'call to prayer' would, in my view, be too
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Uncivilised service
Sir - It has finally been clearly stated (Letters, December 7) that city council policy is now decided by an "ecological imperative", and not by the electorate at all. I do wonder, though, why they chose a Green county councillor as their spokesman,
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Car parking needed
Sir - The city council has rejected the application to build 519 temporary car parking spaces for the period of the rebuilding of the Westgate car park out of 881 applied for. This has been rejected quite understandably because it would be on much used
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Selling family silver
Sir - I have just learned of the risk of closure of Cogges Farm Museum as an economy measure, with the additional possibility of the historic site being sold. The very idea has the uncomfortable feeling about it of disposal of the family silver and
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Festive tunes
A CONCERT of traditional Christmas carols takes place in Headington today. Headington Singers will be performing in All Saints Church in Lime Walk from 8pm. Tickets cost £8 and will be available on the door.
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Rampant greed
Sir - I read that Oxford United's secretary and general manager Mick Brown said that the club were bound by the FA's minimum price of £15 for third round ties to increase ticket prices for those sitting in the Oxford Mail stand should Oxford get through
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Insane bureaucracy is alive and well
Sir - There should be a special jobsworth' prize for insane petty bureaucracy, for which I nominate Royal Mail. Yesterday I got a card through the door saying the local delivery office was holding a letter underpaid by 6p for which they wanted to charge
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Ending programme would be loss
Sir - I write to alert readers to the Government's decision to cease funding Equivalent and Lower Level Qualifications (ELQs) - see www.hefce.ac.uk/ news/hefce/2007/HEFCE_ letterELQ.pdf Many readers are probably aware of the excellent opportunities
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The perfect platform
As platforms for his work go, Martin Jennings knows he is going to be hard pushed to improve on the Eurostar arrival point at the St Pancras international station. The Oxford sculptor's bronzes adorn prestigious sites in the Houses of Parliament, St
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Show must go on
The policy of the New Theatre to allow the carers of disabled people free tickets to shows was a good one. It is hard enough for people with disabilities to access services and facilities. For many, it is impossible without a carer to help and guide
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More 'will' please
We are not sure what to make of the words of senior county councillors on the future of Cogges Manor Farm Museum. There are plenty of words of praise for the museum and a recognition that there has been a huge demonstration of public support for keeping
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Traders fight rent demands
TRADERS in the Covered Market, Oxford, claim their businesses are under threat at the prospect of a major rent increase. Businesses in the historic market are complaining the number of shoppers has fallen because of the economic slowdown, competition
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Apathy? No a sign of it here
We KNEW the people of Abingdon wouldn't disappoint us. They turned out in their hundreds to welcome home troops from Dalton Barracks after their gruelling six-month tour of duty in Iraq. When the first batch of soldiers to return marched through the
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Local history gets animated
AMATEUR animators will be in the spotlight tomorrow, when an oscar-style awards ceremony takes place at Banbury's Odeon Cinema. The event will be hosted by Cherwell District Council's Animation Station and will recognise young people who have made cartoons
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Eating it up
FOOD and entertainment from around the world was on offer at an event on an Oxford estate to introduce different sections of the community to each other, and let them know what resources were available to them. People in Barton gathered for the international
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Judge attacks road changes
A judge has criticised the layout of Oxford's Cowley Road after a cyclist was injured avoiding a collision with a bus. Judge Charles Harris awarded David Simms, of Pegasus Road, Blackbird Leys, damages of nearly £9,000 after he fell from his bike and
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Dead simple
Sir - I have noticed that a small minority of bus-drivers carefully check the expiry date on senior bus passes. Are they afraid that people will grow younger and so become ineligible, or are they afraid that people will try to use them after they are
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Tablet trouble
Sir - Waste takes up a good deal of space in your paper, week after week. Excessive packaging is rightly blamed for the huge amount sent to landfill. One of the worst examples of all the unnecessary packaging must be the bubble packs for pills. They
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Public preaching
Sir - We are puzzled to read that an application has been made by the Central Mosque, Manzil Way, Cowley Road, to have planning laws changed to enable Muslims to broadcast the Islamic prayer call at least three times a day from the minaret. For surely
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Who has 'greedy eyes?'
Sir - I have read about the proposed development of Warneford Meadow in your newspaper over the last few months. I confess to some dismay that the development seems to be reduced in scale due to the pressure of 1,000 people. We have a son who has
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Welcome gesture
Sir - The ancient right of way through the BMW plant is now to close. BMW and the county council won their case and it is likely that there are no grounds for appeal. The Ramblers Association and the British Horse Society objected to the planned closure
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Irreplaceable resource
Sir - I was horrified to learn of the threatened closure of Cogges Farm. People who have not visited Cogges cannot begin to imagine what a magically enriching experience it provides for young children, bringing their rural heritage alive for them as
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Get out more
Sir - Michael Tyce (Letters, November 30) has developed a cynical and extraordinarily myopic view of people who are concerned about climate change and its impacts. If he had a child who was 'likely' or 'very likely' to be affected by a fatal disease
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Clap-trap theories
Sir - Michael Tyce (Letters, November 30) deserves support for his stand against the notion that global warming is man-made. There has, and always will be, climate change, hence global warming or cooling, caused by the variation of ever-dynamic solar
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Climate doubts
Sir - Your correspondent Michael Tyce (Letters, November 30) has demonstrated his doubts about the ability of human activity to change the atmosphere. It seems so vast and endless from our perspective down here on the Earth's surface. Here are some
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Postal disarray
Sir - Not an original topic, but do we now have to accept that the postal service is in disarray? Today (I live within the Wallingford postal area) I received two letters, both correctly addressed with the postcode and both sent first class. One, from
