Archive
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Feathers fly over peacock art
Feathers are flying at Modern Art Oxford over a new exhibit featuring a pair of live peacocks in a large gilded cage. Some visitors to the Pembroke Street gallery have complained about birds being caged for the sake of art. The peacocks feature in the
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RAF base to grow
RAF Benson is set to expand to become the home of the RAF's entire fleet of Puma helicopters. The Government announced today that 230 Squadron's Pumas will move from RAF Aldergrove, in Northern Ireland, to join 33 Squadron at Benson. Armed Forces
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RAF helicopter base to grow
RAF Benson is set to expand to become the home of the RAF's entire fleet of Puma helicopters. The Government announced today that 230 Squadron's Pumas will move from RAF Aldergrove, in Northern Ireland, to join 33 Squadron at Benson. Armed Forces Minister
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20,000 children affected by strike
TWENTY thousand children across Oxfordshire had to stay at home today as teachers went on strike over pay for the first time in more than 20 years. The strike shut 32 schools and closed lessons at 26 others as hundreds of teachers took to the streets
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Strike shuts down schools
Twenty thousand children across Oxfordshire had to stay at home today as teachers went on strike over pay for the first time in more than 20 years. The strike shut 32 schools and closed lessons at 26 others as hundreds of teachers took to Oxford's streets
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Road treated as 'racetrack'
PEOPLE living in a street dubbed a "racetrack" want traffic calming measures installed before someone is hurt. About 20 residents claim motorists using Bucknell Road, Bicester, which runs past Brookside Primary School, have been breaking the 30mph
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Police praised after crime falls
A MEMBER of the Thames Valley Police Authority has praised the force after new figures showed crime in the region fell by 9.4 per cent. The reduction means there were 11,408 fewer victims of crime across the Thames Valley in 2007-08 than in 2006-07
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Murder trial jury retires
A JURY will resume its deliberations tomorrow into whether a homeless man killed his lover and a friend in a house fire. James Cox, 63, is accused of murdering Sian Sanchez, 36, and Howard Blake, 51, by torching Redbridge Cottage in Old Abingdon Road
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FOOTBALL: Hard work pays off for Yemi
In-form Yemi Odubade looks to have won the race to finish as United's leading scorer this season. His superb winning goal against Rushden took his tally to 11, which is three clear of Matt Green and Phil Trainer, who are in joint second place with eight
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FOOTBALL: Keane back Deano for England
Roy Keane says that if former Oxford United midfielder Dean Whitehead can get more goals like the one against Manchester City last week, he could force his way into the England reckoning. Whitehead scored his first of the season in Sunderland's 2-1
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FOOTBALL: Fancy that – season drags to a close!
There are quite a few Oxford United fans going in fancy dress to tomorrow's final game of the season at Ebbsfleet. This is a tradition that dates back years, and which many clubs' fans take part in, but it hasn't been seen much recently at Oxford.
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FOOTBALL: Sampson is young player of the year
Full back Ian Sampson (pictured) was presented with Oxford United's young player of the year award on Tuesday night. He has been a model of consistency, say the club's coaching staff
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FOOTBALL: Let's keep run going – Patterson
And so the curtain comes down on another Oxford United season of ups and downs, and trials and tribulations. Quite why tomorrow's final game at Ebbsfleet kicks off at 5.15pm when there's nothing riding on it is a bit beyond me. There's virtually nothing
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ROWING: Happy families for City
IT proved to be a successful family affair for City of Oxford Rowing Club's juniors when they competed in the Abingdon Head of the River meeting. The Taylor siblings scored a hat-trick with Lewis winning junior men's singles, Connie Taylor the junior
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Skills project teens face 'Dragons'
Budding entrepreneurs will tomorrow meet businessman Levi Roots - two days after undergoing their own Dragon's Den style grilling. Nine unemployed young people spent the last three weeks honing their business skills as part of a Learning and Skills
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Sad farewell as centre closes
A community mental health service bade a sombre farewell today to its home for the past 23 years. The Acorn Centre, based at Cowley Community Centre in Barns Road, was forced to leave after the building was condemned by the city council's fire safety
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Murder trial jury to resume
A jury will resume its deliberations tomorrow into whether a homeless man killed his lover and a friend in a house fire. James Cox, 63, is accused of murdering Sian Sanchez, 36, and Howard Blake, 51, by torching Redbridge Cottage in Old Abingdon Road
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Dealer gets suspended sentence
A man caught with £218 worth of skunk cannabis was today given a six-month suspended jail sentence. Michael Bottley, 44, of Lambton Close, Cowley, was convicted of possessing the drugs with intent to supply after an Oxford Crown Court trial last month
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FIXTURES: April 15
SATURDAY. FOOTBALL. BLUE SQUARE PREMIER. Ebbsfleet Utd v Oxford Utd. (5.15). BRITISH GAS BUSINESS SOUTHERN LEAGUE. Premier Div: Banbury Utd v Swindon Supermarine. Div 1 South & West: Abingdon Utd v Gosport Borough, Burnham v Didcot Tn, Marlow v
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FOOTBALL: City duo face fitness battle
Oxford City duo Steve Smith and Michael Lyon are facing a race against time to be fit for their Division 1 South & West finale. Goalkeeper Smith is struggling with a hamstring injury, while striker Lyon (pictured) injured his back after falling heavily
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Bridge to close again for May Morning
BARRIERS will again be in place to prevent people jumping off Magdalen Bridge during annual May Day celebrations in Oxford next Thursday. It will be the third year that police and councils have closed the bridge after 100 revellers leapt into the River
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'Kids being let down'
YOUNGSTERS in Oxfordshire are being let down by Oxfordshire County Council's failures to improve schools and prepare them for work. A damning Ofsted review has identified numerous weaknesses in the county's services for children, as today's teacher's
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RUGBY UNION: Wally want to step up
Southern Counties play-off Wallingford coach Chris Norrington says victory at home to Wootton Bassett tomorrow (3) would be a far greater achievement than last year's romp to the title. Norrington's side may have won the BB&O Premier Division in
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Jams build up on A34
A LANE on the A34 is blocked after a collision between a lorry and a car. The collision happened on the southbound carriageway at the Botley interchange, near Oxford, at about 4.20pm. A police spokesman said paramedics and police were at the scene
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Why am I doing this?
I have hit one of those periods of self doubt that I remember from last year but thought would not recur in 2008. Basically I am knackered. After my training efforts in the last week, I cycled into work and back yesterday and then headed to the University
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TENNIS: North Oxford off to flier
Wilson OLTA Inter-Club League North Oxford are up and running in Ladies Division 1, recording a 6-3 win over Cholsey with their top pair starring. Kate Calnan and Louise Purton claimed all three rubbers to lead last season's runners-up to an emphatic
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Collision on A34
A lane on the A34 is blocked after a collision between a lorry and a car. The collision happened on the southbound carriageway at the Botley interchange, near Oxford, at about 4.20pm. A police spokesman said paramedics and police were at the scene
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Teenager stabbed in phone robbery
A TEENAGER was stabbed in the leg as he fought back against a man who tried to steal his mobile phone in Oxford. The 16-year-old was approached by a man on a patch of wasteland near the Kassam Stadium. The man threatened him with a knife then
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Chainsaw rage was 'madness'
A VILLAGER who ran at two motorists with a chainsaw in a moment of "sheer madness" has avoided jail. Roland Yeates, 46, smashed the windows of two cars with a petrol-driven chainsaw - while the drivers were inside - after a road-rage incident in
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Teen stabbed in phone robbery
A teenage boy was stabbed in the leg as he fought back against a man who tried to steal his mobile phone. The 16-year-old was approached by a man on a patch of wasteland near Kassam Stadium. The man threatened him with a knife then tried to steal
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Today's local share prices (PM)
AEA Technology 70 BMW 2715 Electrocomponents 187 Nationwide Accident Repair 126.5 Oxford Biomedica 24 Oxford Catalyst 168.5 Oxford Instruments 214 REED 634.75 RM 199 RPS Group 310 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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Missing pair 'on plane to Canada'
A MOTHER and daughter reported missing earlier this week have turned up safe - on a flight to Canada. Police in Oxford appealed for information on Wednesday about the whereabouts of Maria Baltierra, 57, and her 15-year-old daughter Dominique after
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Chainsaw rage was 'madness'
A villager who ran at two motorists with a chainsaw in a moment of "sheer madness" has avoided jail. Roland Yeates, 46, smashed the windows of two cars with a petrol-driven chainsaw - while the drivers were inside - after a road-rage incident in Wheatley
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The Oxford Murders
If it wasn't for Morse and it's brilliant upstart Lewis, The Oxford Murders would be far more novel and exciting. Because with Hollywood's clout behind it, the big names have been brought in to bring this thriller to life and the millions of dollars
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Missing mum and daughter 'on plane to Canada'
A mother and daughter reported missing earlier this week have turned up safe - on a flight to Canada. Police in Oxford appealed for information on Wednesday about the whereabouts of Maria Baltierra, 57, and her 15-year-old daughter Dominique after fearing
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THREE AND OUT (15)
Comedy/Drama/Romance. Mackenzie Crook, Colm Meaney, Imelda Staunton, Gemma Arterton, Mark Benton, Rhashan Stone. Director: Jonathan Gershfield. Suicide is no laughing matter. Screenwriters Steve Lewis and Tony Owen, however, evidently disagree, contriving
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'Hope for NHS beds'
Plans to build an eco town at Weston-on-the-Green have been backed by a Bicester councillor who said it could help boost the town's ailing community hospital. Town and district councillor Les Sibley said people should not dismiss the scheme - which
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THE EYE (15)
Horror/Thriller. Jessica Alba, Alessandro Nivola, Parker Posey. French filmmakers David Moreau and Xavier Palud (Them) co-direct this English language remake of Oxide & Danny Pang's 2002 horror-thriller about a woman plagued by nightmarish visions
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Taking the plunge for charity swim
A disabled mother and her eight-year-old son teamed up for a charity swimathon. Lynne and James Keen, of Fair Close, Bicester, swam 1,500 metres in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Mrs Keen was involved in a car accident in 1993, leaving her with pelvic
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Female touch
Portrait artist Tess Barnes is bringing a colourful exhibition of 50 well-known British women to Oxford. The 50 Women of Substance show is at Wolfson College until May 9. It showcases portraits of some of the UK's most well-known and highest achieving
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Parade marks TA's centenary
Hundreds of people are expected to line the route as soldiers take part in a parade on Saturday to celebrate 100 years of the Territorial Army. About 150 men and women from the Territorial Army, Oxford University's Officer Training Corps and Oxfordshire
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Fit as a fiddle
Joe McGann says that when the current production of Fiddler On The Roof ends he's going to shave off his beard and burn it, such is his hatred of the facial hair required for the part of Tevye. "It's become a real soup-catcher now," he adds in disgust
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Neglected market
It is disgusting what Oxford City Council is doing to the Oxford Covered Market, Rental crisis grips market (Oxford Mail, April 16). What is it trying to do by increasing some of the traders' rents by between 50 per cent and more than 100 per cent?
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Road is treated as racetrack’
People living in a street dubbed a "racetrack" want traffic calming measures installed before someone is hurt. About 20 residents claim motorists using Bucknell Road, Bicester, which runs past Brookside Primary School, have been breaking the 30mph speed
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Food to fuel
At a recent meeting of the justice and peace group of my local church, I was shocked to hear of the plight of many African farmers. A sister from a local nunnery handed out information entitled 'Africans unite in calling for an immediate moratorium
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All for mum
Jacquie Davison still has a mountain to climb in her breast cancer treatment, but that has not stopped the 64-year-old Eynsham mum signing up for Race for Life in June. Mrs Davison today started a gruelling course of chemotherapy. Soon, she begins
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Blame the EU
I notice that the Lib Dem local election leaflet blames the Labour Government for post office closures. It is curious that the Lib Dem MEPs have not kept their party members informed about the EU's responsibility for this. Or could it be that the
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Family memoir
Pamela Morris had an extraordinary life. Sent from Paris, where she was a classmate of Simone de Beauvoir, to ebullient Greek relatives in Corfu in 1918 after the death of her mother, she married into a stiff English family and found her way to Oxford
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Resident calls for traffic calming measures
A father whose son was killed in a car crash 18 years ago is leading calls for traffic calming measures along the street where he lives. Steve Chandler, 64, said problems with littering and speeding vehicles along Sandford Lane in Kennington were getting
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Portuguese mixed favourites case, £92
The new breed of Portuguese wines have wonderful freshness and minerality with very clean fresh fruit. These are the product of dedicated winemakers who are working with excellent fruit grown in the harsh conditions that are so perfect for the grape
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Clever crows aid intelligence research
Forget Mensa tests, one Oxford scientist is looking to crows to get an insight into the nature of human intelligence. Jo Wimpenny, a zoologist from Oxford University, will be looking at how animal behaviour can inform research into human intelligence
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Tiny charge to appear in show
I write in response to the story, Wanabee stars must pay £120 (Oxford Mail, April 18). As a performer, due to appear in the 10th Anniversary of Star Efx's Sunday Night Live at Her Majesty's next month, I cannot understand what Becki Miller is complaining
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Scouts honour long service
A woman who has dedicated more than three decades of her life to Oxford's Scouts has been awarded a top honour. Alison Parkinson, 76, has been given the Silver Wolf - the highest award made by the Scouting Movement - in recognition of her work over
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Baggins of charm
Tracking down Elijah Wood is harder than gaining an interview with the Queen. He's in London, then he's disappeared to Italy and before you can blink he's back home in Hollywood, making the next instalment in what is now a veteran stable of Elijah Wood
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CRICKET: Veteran Arnold celebrates in Oxon's opener
Veteran seamer Keith Arnold will celebrate his 48th birthday as Oxfordshire take on Shropshire at Wem in Sunday's opening MCCA Trophy clash. And the Banbury Twenty man will look to be just as miserly as he was in Oxon's friendly five-wicket victory
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Get ready for cuts
In a desperate attempt to hide the hole in his budget plans which could lead to service cuts, Charles Shouler, county council cabinet member for finance, has resorted to irrelevant arguments and petty point scoring (Oxford Mail, April 16). Mr Shouler
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Pupils' art goes under the hammer
Hundreds of pupils at an Abingdon school have produced a series of artworks which are being auctioned off tonight. Pupils at St Nicolas Primary School, Boxhill Walk, Abingdon, spent a week working with parents and teachers to come up with the artwork
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Pub goes East
Builders are about to start transforming a former West Oxford pub plastered with flyposters into a restaurant. The White House, in Botley Road, has been boarded up since it closed last year and is being turned into Zaytoon, offering Middle Eastern cuisine
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CRICKET: Oxford sign up Sharma as Holes depart
Oxford have signed New Zealander Raj Sharma as they prepare to open the defence of their Home Counties Premier League crown. But they will be without the services of the Hole brothers, Stuart and Simon, who have joined Stratford and Banbury respectively
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Give Portuguese wine a chance
There is no denying that some wine producing countries have got it easier than others when it comes to making their presence felt in the UK. The English-speaking nations such as US, Australia and New Zealand have a head start, while Bordeaux, Rioja
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Cabbages & Kings
The ability of children to turn figments of imagination into irrefutable fact never ceases to surprise and delight. Take, for example, the four-year-old girl called Sam, in Oxford from Charlbury with parents and grandfather and enjoying a mid-morning
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CYCLING: City slickers Thomas and Adey speed in
Oxford City's Clive Thomas continued his good early-season good form by winning the Burford-Lechlade two-up team time trial. Thomas and teammate Asa Adey completed the ten miles in a fast 22min 20secs to beat the Oxonian duo of Chris Edginton and Neil
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PIGEON RACING RESULTS
Shotover & District FC (Kingsdown, 10 sent 112): 1, 2, 7 D S & R Wiggins 1152.9, 1152.8, 1121; 3 M&M P Perks 1146; 4, 5, 10 L Wheeler 1145, 1140, 1102; 6, 8, 9 R Jenkins, son & daughter 1133, 1104, 1103; 11, 15 16 Sherman & Wells 1095, 1052, 1032.6; 12
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Oxfam ‘Sherlocks’ spot treasures
Spotting valuable books to raise thousands of pounds for Oxfam was an elementary task for volunteers who discovered a rare printing of a Sherlock Holmes story. A Study in Scarlet, donated to a Harrogate branch of Oxfam, is being auctioned by Bonhams
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Skat’s the way
A year ago musical history was made in Oxford, when one of the world's longest-serving bands walked on to the stage at the city's Zodiac club. The band were Jamaican ska masters The Skatalites - pioneers of Caribbean music since the 1960s. While the
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May we tempt ypu
May Morning in Oxford is synonymous with tankard-waving Morris dancers, prim choristers and leaping students, giddy on champagne, snapping their ankles under Magdalen Bridge. But time was when it had an altogether cooler edge. Throughout the late
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Smash Disco at the Carling Academy
The overwhelming urge to call every single person in my phone book and get them to come down to Smash Disco at the Carling Academy last Thursday night was frustratingly countered by the fact that my phone has been barred by my dear friends; the over-zealous
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The bottom line
The Pegasus, one of Oxford's most stalwart and adventurous theatres, has one year to find £1.7m or it loses the £4.6m already raised for its Building The Future redevelopment campaign. So to get the fundraising ball rolling, a gala with a fantastic
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Activists target plumbers
ANIMAL rights activists have targeted a plumbers' firm in a dispute over Oxford University's animal testing laboratory. The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) claimed responsibility for spraying "Drop Oxford Uni" on shutters at Steve Rusk Plumbers, Wootton
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UPDATE: No offer made for Foster
Oxford United today said that no formal offer had been received for their defender Luke Foster. The Daily Star reported that FA Cup finalists Cardiff are competing with Coventry to secure the signing of United's player of the year.
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Hundreds march over pay
HUNDREDS of protesters are marching through Oxford city centre supporting the teachers' and civil servants' pay strike. Fifty-eight schools have been closed or affected by today's strike and at least 300 people are currently marching from Oxford Town
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Striking teachers march through city
Hundreds of protesters are marching through Oxford city centre supporting the teachers' and civil servants' pay strike. Fifty-eight schools have been closed or affected by today's strike and at least 300 people are currently marching from Oxford Town
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Paperback choice
The Book of Murder Guillermo Martinez (Abacus, £10.99) It's not often that cinemagoers get to ponder Wittgenstein's theory that mathematics is the only thing we can be truly certain about. Martinez's previous book, The Oxford Murders, has been made
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Young adult novels
The Bloodline Cipher by Stephen Cole (Bloomsbury, £6.99) is not exactly the teenage answer to the Da Vinci Code. Nevertheless, it does concern the tracking down of an ancient manuscript - in this case, a grimoire, which is believed to be a magical book
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Reminder of railway age
The removal of Oxford's historic London Midland & Scottish rail station, and rebuilding as a railway visitor centre at Quainton, near Aylesbury, was a labour of love. The station was constructed in 1851 by the builders of Crystal Palace, the great cast-iron
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Info boards given go-ahead
ELECTRONIC information boards - similar to those seen on motorways - will be installed on A-roads leading in to Oxford, it was confirmed today. Six signs were today given the go-ahead by Oxfordshire County Council, which said they would provide information
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Wartime memories
OUR LONGEST DAYS: A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR Mass Observation, ed Sandra Koa Wing (Profile Books, £8.99)Grim years in Britain of nightly blackouts and air-raids, food and petrol rationing, poor wages, frequently worse living conditions
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Victim of fraud
A cyber-fraudster in France this week cheated a Burford businessman out of nearly £10,000 - despite his having signed up to a fraud protection scheme recommended to him by his bank. Thames Valley Police say they cannot help him, since the fraudster was
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Innovation helps police
A COMPANY which started in the founder's garage is now supplying video recorders to all the UK's police forces. Ovation Systems, of Milton Common, near Thame, won a Queen's Award for Innovation for its DVD recorder AfterBurner, which allows police to
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Blood kit spears export drive
A BLOOD-sampling device to help diabetics, and a global export drive, helped Oxfordshire company Owen Mumford to win two Queen's Awards. The company, which employs 450 people in Woodstock and Chipping Norton, won an International Trade award for its
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Activists target plumbers
Animal rights activists have targeted a plumbers' firm in a dispute over Oxford University's animal testing laboratory. The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) claimed responsibility for spraying "Drop Oxford Uni" on shutters at Steve Rusk Plumbers, Wootton
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Adviser honoured by Queen
BUSINESSES from across Oxfordshire have been recognised as among the best in the world after scooping top enterprise awards.o Businessman-turned-adviser John Jennens, 82, and companies Owen Mumford and Ovation Systems have all won prestigious Queen's
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Info boards get go-ahead
Electronic information boards - similar to those seen on motorways - will be installed on A roads leading in to Oxford, it was confirmed today. Six signs were today given the go ahead by Oxfordshire County Council, which said they provide information
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Take a stroll through the city with Sobell House
Sobell House Hospice, based in the grounds of the Churchill Hospital, provides palliative care for people with life-limiting illnesses in Oxfordshire. The hospice receives partial funding from the NHS, but relies very much on the help of the local community
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A farewell to Arms and other hostelries
The imminent closure of the Gloucester Arms prompts CHRIS KOENIG to reflect on Oxford's oldest pubs There is nothing deader than a closed pub, I used to think; unless it was the last remains of that vanished bird, the dodo, displayed in the University
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Time for clematis
VAL BOURNE urges planting the hardy flowers of the Atragene Group If you have visited a nursery or garden centre that sells climbers in the last few weeks you can't fail to have noticed the wispy flowers of several spring-flowering clematis.
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'Aprilblossom' has arrived
The Woodland Trust's Nature's Calendar has already recorded the appearance of that early signal of summer - the hawthorn, writes PETER CANN April is the new May, as this year's bizarre weather continues to bring sightings of species normally flowering
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The May morning songsters want new recruits
Magdalen College Choir is holding an open day to encourage boys to join its famous choir, reports GILES WOODFORDE As debate ebbs to and fro about the need to close Magdalen Bridge on May Morning, and how much policing is required to stop sozzled
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A floating art gallery display
Designs for Suzanne O'Driscoll sculptures for a new cruise ship can be seen during Artweeks, writes THERESA THOMPSON I have to agree with Suzanne. "Wow! It looks fantastic! It's picked up on the colour of the wall and now with the lighting and
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Photography in the frame
HELEN PEACOCKE previews the very popular celebration of Oxfordshire artists - Artweeks The studios and homes of more than 400 artists from all over Oxfordshire are busily being prepared for the most important festival of its kind during the year
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'Living library' for the public
BEN EARL says the Northmoor Trust's newly opened Broad Arboretum is a site for learning On the first day of spring, Hugo Brunner, the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, officially opened the Broad Arboretum, a collection of Oxfordshire trees and shrubs
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Back to the Golden Age of rail travel
Relaxing amid the sumptuous splendours of a 1920s Pullman car at Bath Spa station last week, I was surprised to encounter a potent reminder of home. This was the InterCity 125 locomotive that I have good reason to claim as 'mine'. I was among a small
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Talking food with the Tory leader
I thought it wise not to mention our mutual interest in cycling. And, of course, one should never discuss politics in the pub - even with the Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition. In the end, at David Cameron's invitation, I talked about restaurants.
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Landmarks on the path to peace
I hold these truths to be self-evident: love is better than hate; jaw-jaw is better than war-war; reconciliation is preferable to hostility; compromise is better than pig-headedness. So I am puzzled that so many people still resort to guns and violence
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The Swan at Streatley
It was a couple of years since I had last eaten at the Swan in Streatley, which boasts an up-market restaurant featuring dishes produced from impeccably sourced ingredients. The arrival of a new chef, Andrew West-Letford, formerly of Danesfield House,
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Foodie Feast in Christ Church
They promised us a banquet and what a banquet it proved to be! Inspired by recipes Anna Del Conte collected on gastronomic journey through Piedmont and Liguria, two of the six regions featured in her recent publication The Painter, The Cook and L'Arte
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58 schools hit by strike
MORE than one in four of the county's state schools have been affected by the teachers' strike today. In total 58 schools have been affected, according to Oxfordshire County Council, with 32 in total closed as about 600 members of the National Union
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STRIKE LATEST: One in four schools affected
More than one in four of the county's state schools have been affected by the teachers' strike today. In total 58 schools have been affected, according to Oxfordshire County Council, with 32 in total closed as about 600 members of the National Union
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Brasato al Dolcetto recipe
This is the delicious recipe that the Christ Church chefs cooked as the main course at the Italian banquet. It can be found in The Painter, the Cook and L'Arte di Sacla' by Anna Del Conte and Val Archer (Conran Octupus £25), which inspired the banquet
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"Two clubs chase Foster"
The Daily Star has reported this morning that FA Cup finalists Cardiff are competing with Coventry to secure the signing of Luke Foster. More to follow ....
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Persepolis and Death Note
Ollie Johnston died last week. He was one of the 'Nine Old Men' who helped Walt Disney establish an animation empire. Starting out on Mickey Mouse shorts, he was a member of the team that produced the studio's first feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
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Three and Out
Screenwriters Steve Lewis and Tony Owen evidently disagree, contriving a comedy of errors about a beleaguered London Tube driver who can earn a sizeable compensation package if he can persuade someone to leap in front of his train. Even the most skilled
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Stephen Fox: Sewell Gallery, Radley College
A thoughtful and creative artist, Stephen Fox explores the abstract and the figurative in his latest exhibition. With no formal training he began his early work in Oxford with the simple but powerful figure made of cedar wood suggesting the beauty of
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Havana Rakatan: Milton Keynes Theatre
Many companies claiming a particular nationality turn out to be composed of artists from all over the world, (look at English National Ballet, for example), but here every one of the dancers, singers and musicians is from Cuba, and it shows in the energy
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Tastes Like Paint: Lolapoloza Gallery, Oxford
The exquisite haven that is the tiny Lolapoloza Gallery, in Blue Boar Street, has an intriguing selection of paintings on show by four emerging artists. Tastes Like Paint is the sensual title of their exhibition and reflects the passionate involvement
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Preview of Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara at the Carling Academy
Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara are winners of a coveted Radio 3 World Music Award. Their CD Soul Science is a union between Gambian Juldeh Camara's West African singing and playing of the one-string fiddle, the riti, and Adams, an English rock guitarist
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An Evening with Blowers: The Oxford Playhouse
The setting for Henry Blofeld's one-man-show was disconcerting: satin curtains, flowers, a golden bedspread, no less. Can an 18-carat toff like Blowers' really have demanded this kitsch? Of course not: this was the set for Plaza Suite, which was running
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Humble Boy, Royal Theatre, Northampton
Lesley Joseph certainly hasn't chosen a comfortable, cosy return ride into town. Arriving on stage in a huge, aggressively styled hat and enormous sunglasses, she begins by snapping: "I am not angry, Felix, I am incandescent. And why are you stammering
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The Oxford Revue and Friends, the Oxford Playhouse
Had I left at the interval, as a less dedicated critic might easily have done, I would have missed much the best part of the show. Worse, though, I would have departed in the erroneous belief that the home side had been soundly beaten by the Cambridge
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Fears over inedible meat
POACHERS who killed and butchered four rare-breed rams have made of with a large quantity of inedible meat. All four animals had been treated with chemicals and their meat is not fit for human consumption, according to owner Angela Reid. Mrs Reid,
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Oxford Contemporary Music: Fraud and Orphy Robinson with Corey Mwamba, Wesley Memorial Church, Oxford
From the first arhythmic introduction from James Allsopp on tenor sax, quintet Fraud delightfully defied categorisation. Despite long passages of improvisation that felt like free jazz at its best, extended melody rose to the surface at times and organised
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Preview of Possessed, the Oxford Playhouse
It's not often that members of the public are offered the chance to see a work in progress at the Oxford Playhouse, especially when it's a musical. At 6pm on Sunday, playwright Teresa Howard aims to rectify this by staging a 75-minute workshop performance
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Blackbird, the Oxford Playhouse
Three years after its sensational debut at the Edinburgh Festival, David Harrower's controversial play Blackbird is out on a national tour which this week brings it to the Oxford Playhouse. Considering the plaudits it gathered during its West End run,
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Birmingham International Dance Festival Preview
This is a really ambitious programme. One of the two artistic directors is Stuart Griffiths, chief executive of the Birmingham Hippodrome and an Oxfordshire man, hailing from Eynsham. I asked him how this impressive month of dance came about. "There
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Police thwart protest stunt
POLICE patrolled the grounds of Blenheim Palace and neighbouring streets yesterday to thwart a planned Fathers 4 Justice protest. Officers descended on the 18th-century stately home and its 2,000 acres of parkland after a tip-off the campaign group
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Caffeine level 'posed danger'
A SUPERMARKET shelf-stacker's heart attack could have been caused by drinking too many energy drinks. Forty-year-old Alfredo Duran - believed to have drunk up to four cans of Red Bull a night - died from a heart attack after collapsing in the soft
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Red Bull link to worker's death
A supermarket shelf-stacker's heart attack could have been caused by drinking too many energy drinks. Forty-year-old Alfredo Duran - believed to have drunk up to four cans of Red Bull a night - died from a heart attack after collapsing in the soft
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Hospital 'safe for two years'
CHILDREN'S and maternity services at Banbury's Horton Hospital have been safeguarded for the next two years, according to a report from health bosses. Last month, the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) rejected proposals put forward by Oxford
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'Angry' music video portrays estate
HOODED youngsters patrol a derelict estate, strolling down a maze of alleyways before greeting each other with street-style handshakes. Suddenly, one of the gang flares up and the scene erupts in violence. Fists, feet and weapons are used as the
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Hurt will be at premiere
HOLLYWOOD actor John Hurt will be the star guest at the charity premiere of The Oxford Murders at the Odeon cinema in Magdalen Street today. The film, which stars Hurt alongside Elijah Wood, was partly filmed in the city. The film starts at 7.45pm
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Open day to recruit fire crews
THE call has gone out again for more retained firefighters to cover west Oxfordshire. While there is a general shortage across the county, there is a particular need for day cover at Witney, Bampton and Burford stations. Nick Bateman, Witney station
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School given cash boost
A £489,000 building programme is under way to improve facilities at a primary school in Radley. The building work at Radley C of E Primary School is creating an extension to the side of the existing building. It will include: A purpose-built foundation
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Nightmare neighbour faces jail
A WOMAN is facing jail after admitting two breaches of an antisocial behaviour order (Asbo). Didcot magistrates told mother-of-four Shannon Ryan, of Abingdon, her behaviour had been unacceptable and the breaches could lead to a prison sentence
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Racism on the agenda
AN EVENT exploring racism, immigration and multiculturalism in the UK will be held in the Town Hall, in St Aldate's, today. The End of Tolerance: Racism in 21st Century Britain, will be taking place from 5.30pm. Arun Kundnani, deputy editor of Race
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Fund fears
AN EAST Oxford church may be forced to cancel plans to help raise money for Christian Aid Week in May. SS Mary and John, in Cowley Road, is seeking someone to act as an administrator for the collections - but as yet no-one has come forward. Last
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Car parade
MORE than 150 classic cars and other vehicles will be on the Kinecroft in High Street, Wallingford, on Sunday, May 11, after a parade through the town centre. The event, between 11am and 5pm, will raise funds for the Wallingford Coach for the Disabled
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54 schools face closure due to strike
Fifty-four schools in Oxfordshire will be closed today because of a row over pay. The schools were last night listed as expected to be closed or partly closed as hundreds of National Union of Teachers members in the county strike over the Government's
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Police thwart Blenheim protest stunt
Police patrolled the grounds of Blenheim Palace and neighbouring streets yesterday to thwart a planned Fathers 4 Justice protest. Officers descended on the 18th century stately home and its 2,000 acres of parkland after a tip-off the campaign group
