Archive
-
Date
BB gunner damages 40 vehicles
Random drive-by shootings in which ball bearings are believed to used as bullets have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to cars. In just one night, 19 parked cars were hit in Witney, Carterton and Eynsham. Since May 13, about 40 vehicles
-
Date
Skaters wait for Marsh park decision
Tomorrow is D-Day for plans to provide a skate park in Oxford's Cowley Marsh park. Months of argument are set to come to a head at a meeting of Oxford City Council's strategic development control committee, when a final decision on whether to grant
-
Date
Murder update: Friends are shocked
A mother murdered in her Wheatley home was tonight described by her best friend as a "loving, caring person". Debbie Smith, 47, had her throat cut at her home in Bell Lane on Monday afternoon. Passers-by saw her involved in a heated argument and raised
-
Date
Morris sides shrug off rain
Hundreds of people lined the streets to watch morris dancers showing off their moves at an annual festival in Bampton. Persistent rain did not stop the dancers or the onlookers, some who had travelled for miles to witness the spectacle, enjoying the
-
Date
RUGBY LEAGUE: Cavaliers mauled by Coventry Bears
Oxford Cavaliers went down to a 50-10 defeat at Coventry Bears in Conference South West and Midlands League. Cavaliers, sponsored by Oxford & Cherwell Valley College, paid the price for defensive mistakes with the Bears taking advantage with four first-half
-
Date
AUNT SALLY: Sizzling Sun put rivals in shade
John Weller clanged off two sixes for Royal Sun as they beat Tiddington Cricket Club 3-0 in Section 2. Sun took all three legs 22-20, 19-15, 24-22, with Weller ending up with 14 dolls. Mick Dawson whipped off 15 dolls, but still ended up on the losing
-
Date
New quest for 'Indiana' of the deep
Mensun Bound, the Oxford archaeologist dubbed by colleagues 'Indiana Jones of the Deep, is gunning for the Tower of London on his latest sea-faring expedition. The Oxford researcher is returning to investigate an Elizabethan ship that sank off the Channel
-
Date
Nay-bourly
On a day in which death dominates the headlines, how refreshing to read about Ginger the pony. She likes nothing better than coming along when her mistress, Anita Collett, visits her bedridden grandmother, Violet Collett. The horse in the house may
-
Date
Paying the real price of bravery
We have regularly joined the Oxfordshire public in welcoming home our troops from the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of our servicemen and women, however, have not returned alive - and sadly, another is added to the list today. Royal Marine
-
Date
Tradition
HOW good to see the Red Lion called the Red Lion again. After spells as the Oxford Bakery and Brewhouse, the Fuggle and Firkin and the Goose, the popular pub in Gloucester Street, Oxford, has returned to its old name. It is perhaps too much to expect
-
Date
UNITED: QPR clash highlights need
Oxford United's need to buy the Kassam Stadium was highlighted by the booking clash which has forced them to cancel a potential pre-season clash with Queens Park Rangers. The U's had pencilled in July 19 to take on the Coca-Cola Championship outfit,
-
Date
Man arrested over drugs and stun gun
A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of dealing cocaine and possession of a stun gun and gas canisters after police searched pubs for drugs. Officers and a drugs dog were used at three pubs in Cowley and five in Headington on Friday. Police
-
Date
Update: Police appeal for witnesses
Police said passers-by saw an argument which could have led to a woman having her throat slashed in Wheatley yesterday. Mother-of-one Debbie Smith, 47, died after she was cut with what detectives described as a sharp object following a Bank Holiday
-
Date
New expedition for 'Indiana Jones of Deep'
MENSUN Bound, the Oxford archaeologist dubbed the 'Indiana Jones of the Deep', is gunning for the Tower of London on his latest expedition. The Oxford researcher is returning to investigate an Elizabethan ship that sank off the Channel Islands, which
-
Date
Shops and pubs sold alcohol to under 18s
FIVE pubs and shops have been caught selling alcohol to under 18s as part of an operation in the area covered by the Vale of White Horse District Council. Test purchases were made at nine licensed premises on Friday. The Eagle, in Watchfield, Southmoor
-
Date
Pubs and shops caught in 'sting'
Five pubs and shops have been caught selling alcohol to under 18s as part of an operation in the area covered by the Vale of White Horse District Council. Test purchases were made at nine licensed premises on Friday. The Eagle, in Watchfield, Southmoor
-
Date
CRICKET: Cup ban in the pipeline
Kidlington are likely to be banned from the ECB Cockspur Cup next season following their expulsion from this year's competition. The Stratfield Brake club were kicked out of the cup earlier this week after being found to have fielded a player under
-
Date
CRICKET: Arnie's still 199 not out . . .
Veteran seamer Keith Arnold looks ruefully towards the heavens as torrential rain denied him the chance to make his 200th Minor Counties Championship appearance for Oxfordshire in their clash against Devon. The third day's play at Banbury went the same
-
Date
CRICKET: Hector finds positives as Banbury blow it
Banbury captain Benji Hector refused to be downcast after his side failed to press home a winning position against Oxford. Hector's men had Oxford 127-9 and were later 74-1 in pursuit of 178 in Saturday's Home Counties Premier League Division 1 clash
-
Date
Fun For All The Family!
Sitting comfortably between Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Wiltshire, our county makes a great base to explore other parts of England. Here Geoff Hedge rounds up some of the top family attractions within
-
Date
CRICKET: Evans plays down bust-up with Haupt
Oxford veteran Rupert Evans this week played down his altercation with Banbury's Craig Haupt. The pair clashed after Evans felt he had Haupt caught at silly mid-off during Saturday's Home Counties Premier League match at Roman Way in which both played
-
Date
Join debate on school future
The future of Oxfordshire's education system is just one of the topics due for discussion at a special event next month. Oxford Brookes University has joined forces with the National Education Trust to hold an Education Question Time event on Tuesday
-
Date
CRICKET: Young Lloyd's proving a chip off the old block
Banbury teenager Lloyd Sabin is already showing that he may become a better player than his father, Andrew, the former Oxfordshire batsman. The 13-year-old made a brilliant start to the season, hitting a half-century for Banbury 2nd in their four-wicket
-
Date
Eagle eye on owls' future
Owl enthusiast Chris Ashwin hopes his success in breeding a female owl will mean the revival of an endangered species. Mr Ashwin from Didcot, has successfully reared Mackinder's Eagle Owls, but has bred only males - until now. He hopes that starting
-
Date
Dealing suspect arrested
A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of dealing cocaine and possession of a stun gun and gas canisters after police searched pubs for drugs. Officers and a drugs dog were used at three pubs in Cowley and five in Headington on Friday. Police
-
Date
Burning Off Some Energy
SPORT IN OXFORD Athletics: The Horspath Road Athletics track is a state-of-the-art facility available to everyone. The facility is designed to encourage both the beginner and expert to try their hand at any track and field discipline. There are facilities
-
Date
Aiming high
That was quite a feisty letter that Ian Hudspeth wrote in defence of the county council's transport strategy (Oxford Mail, May 19). So he thinks that they are making a pretty good fist of it, does he? Laying traps for the unsuspecting motorist all
-
Date
Labour greenwash
Bob Price, Labour leader of Oxford City Council, is wrong to dismiss the possibility of trams for Oxford (Oxford Mail, May 26). Of course, the massive Manchester-style tram systems that cost more than £250m are not practical or suitable for a constrained
-
Date
Basic economics
De-restriction or de-regulation of taxis (Hackney carriages) in Oxford would not just allow people to drive their own Hackney carriage instead of driving for an owner as you state (Oxford Mail, April 22). This is normal practice now. What it will
-
Date
All that effort - and no thanks
Leaving Abingdon, heading towards Ock Street, I passed the 'monk' on the roundabout, only to realise that there was something on the road. Some cars were driving over it, some were driving around it. It looked like a black folder, maybe containing
-
Date
Metal thieves strip rooftops
Police have been accused of letting metal thieves act with impunity after criminals struck four times on three consecutive nights in Chipping Norton. The thieves targeted the town on May 17, stripping about £1,000 worth of lead from the roof of the Manor
-
Date
Women boost fire service
Oxfordshire has the highest proportion of women retained firefighters in the country, new figures have revealed. The number of women working for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service as retained firefighters is more than double the national average of
-
Date
Getting Around
OXFORD PARK AND RIDE There are five park and ride car parks: Redbridge, off Abingdon Road, two miles south of the city centre. Pear Tree Roundabout, on the A44 Woodstock-Oxford road. Seacourt, on Botley Road, one and a half miles west of the
-
Date
oxford youth theatre members in comic launch
A new publishing phenomenon is to take the internet by storm at the end of May in the form of a brand new comic for young people. David Fickling Books, an imprint of publishers Random House, is creating a new comic for 8 to 12 year olds that will initially
-
Date
DIY injury
Just less than two weeks to go until Blenheim Tri and I have picked up an unusual injury. I can't claim it is down to anything interesting really but I tiled the bathroom floor at the weekend and two days of kneeling and squatting took it's toll on my
-
Date
Monks on the move
A community of Benedictine nuns and monks are to sell their historic home in Burford - and it's a steal at a guide price of £6.5m. Burford Priory is a Grade I listed building, sitting in 16 acres of gardens. The nuns and monks have lived there, only
-
Date
Oxford's Café Culture
Café culture is synonymous with city life and Oxford is no different - that heady mix of students, tourists and locals means the pavements are spilling over in the summer with tables full of town and gown al fresco café dwellers enjoying the sights, hopefully
-
Date
Chow Down In Summertown
Shops may come and go but, with the kind of locality and clientele that other restaurateurs and shopkeepers would kill for, Summertown continues to thrive. Shops like M&S Food and Gatineau point to the affluence of the area, yet, from a culinary point
-
Date
Pupils' diverse roots celebrated
One of Oxford's largest secondary schools transformed itself into a riot of swirling colour and cultural indulgence to celebrate its fifth annual Taste of Oxford event. Pupils, teachers and parents enjoyed food, music and fashion after classes at Oxford
-
Date
Tracking Down The City's Finest Fare
The Oxford Castle site has the most intense concentration of reliable restaurants, from Carluccio's to Tootsies and Pizza Express to the fabulous Malmaison and trendy Living Room. But venture out into the city itself and you will discover a coterie of
-
Date
Mummy moves
An ancient child mummy owned by the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has been carefully transported to London for a new art exhibition. The 3ft mummy of an infant boy has been housed by the museum in Beaumont Street since it was excavated in Egypt by a British
-
Date
FOOTBALL: Didcot duo agree new contracts
Didcot Town boss Stuart Peace has received a double pre-season boost after Jack King and Andy Williams agreed one-year contracts with the British Gas Business Southern League club. Keeper Michael Watkins alongside Matt Bicknell, skipper Jamie Heapy,
-
Date
FOOTBALL: Organ gets top gong
Defender James Organ won the player's player of the year award at Abingdon United's presentation night. Defender Julian McCalmon was manager's player, while Tom Franklin won the young player accolade. OTHER AWARDS Special club award: B Fletcher (programme
-
Date
Oxfordshire soldier killed in Afghanistan
An Oxfordshire soldier killed in action in Afghanistan has been named as Dale Gostick. The 22-year-old Royal Marine from Great Haseley near Thame died when the vehicle he was travelling in struck a suspected roadside mine in the southern Helmand province
-
Date
Not To Be Missed
Visitors to Oxford are spoilt for choice when it comes to things to see and do. It sometimes seems that on every corner there is a new experience to enjoy or famous landmark to see. This can put tourists and other visitors in a spin of indecision.
-
Date
Exploring The City On Foot
Official walking tours are packed with information and anecdotes about the city, the colleges, university life, historic buildings, famous people and odd traditions, and the expert guides will be delighted to answer any questions along the way. Tours
-
Date
A Centre For Learning
Most visitors to Oxford want to visit the university's many historic colleges, with their beautiful grounds and stunning architecture. One of the great strengths of Oxford is that each college is so different, and they all have their individual points
-
Date
Pub goes back to future
An Oxford city centre pub is hoping to freshen up its image - by returning to the name of the original inn that stood on its site. The Red Lion, in Gloucester Street, which was most recently known as the Goose, has reopened after refurbishment. Its
-
Date
Cabinets Of Curiosities
Ashmolean Museum Oxford's famous Ashmolean Museum was the world's first university museum. Located in Beaumont Street, it is currently undergoing a £49m redevelopment which, will give the museum a world-class building to match its world-class collections
-
Date
Wild In The City
Green spaces are the lungs of any city, and can change a place from chocked and congested to vibrant and peaceful. New York may have Central Park, but Oxford has a great number of different green spaces where visitors can relax, soak up the sun, enjoy
-
Date
Messing About On The Water
Punting on the Isis I thought I would start by hiring a punt from Oxford's famous Folly Bridge. Parking in the area wasn't easy but, after a short walk I soon found myself standing on the pavement atop Folly Bridge. I choose to hire my punt from
-
Date
Marine killed in Afghanistan
An Oxfordshire soldier killed in action in Afghanistan has been named as Dale Gostick. The 22-year-old Royal Marine, from Great Haseley, near Thame, died when the Viking armoured vehicle he was driving struck a suspected roadside mine in the southern
-
Date
After Dark
MUSIC VENUES The Jericho Tavern, Jericho After a major refurbishment two years ago, The Music Room, the upstairs venue where bands such as Radiohead and Supergrass cut their teeth, has reasserted itself as one of Oxford's most important music venues.On
-
Date
Update: Murder victim named
The woman whose throat was slashed in a Bank Holiday Monday incident in Wheatley has been named locally as Debbie Smith. Ms Smith, 47, a mother-of-one died after the incident in Bell Lane yesterday afternoon. Her partner, Russell Yeates, also suffered
-
Date
Diver escapes French blockade
French fishermen were no match for an Oxfordshire man who managed to break his way through an illegal blockade in something of a Crepe Escape. Rob Allen, 44, had stopped for the night in a harbour in Cherbourg, north west France, ahead of a diving expedition
-
Date
Update: Police launch witness appeal
Police have issued an appeal for witnesses this morning after a woman had her throat slashed and died in a Bank Holiday Monday murder in Wheatley. Officers were called to Bell Lane at about 4.15pm yesterday following reports of a dispute between a man
-
Date
Green candidate unveiled
Mark Stevenson, 49, has been unveiled as the Green Party candidate for Henley. Residents in the south Oxfordshire town are waiting for current MP and newly-elected London Mayor Boris Johnson to quit the seat. A by-election will then be held. The
-
Date
Cursing the weatherman
I hate complaining about the weather. It’s such an ‘English’ thing to do. But, let’s face it, when Brits experience such extremes it unsurprisingly becomes a topic of conversation. I am not sure a Nomad in the Sahara meets his neighbour while taking
-
Date
Stranded divers escape French blockade
Angry French fishermen were no match for an Oxfordshire man who managed to break his way through an illegal blockade. Rob Allen, 44, had stopped for the night in a harbour in Cherbourg, north west France, ahead of a diving expedition with friends.
-
Date
Child mummy at centre of art exhibition
AN ancient child mummy owned by the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has been carefully transported to London for a new art exhibition. The 3ft mummy of an infant boy has been housed by the museum in Beaumont Street since it was excavated in Egypt by a British
-
Date
Elder Stubbs festival wins cash lifeline
A FESTIVAL in a Cowley allotments site, which attracts up to 3,000 people has got the go-ahead for its 17th year. The Elder Stubbs Festival, which will take place on Saturday, August 16, in the Rymers Lane allotments site, has been awarded £2,500 from
-
Date
Update: Woman dead after throat slashed
People living close to a house in Wheatley where a woman had her throat slashed and died after a Bank Holiday Monday domestic dispute have spoken of their shock. A unnamed woman died and a man is in hospital in a critical condition after the incident
-
Date
Marcham upset over A34 diversion
VILLAGERS have hit out at plans to divert traffic off the A34 and through Marcham, which they claim could cause safety problems. The Highways Agency is set to close the A34 between Hinksey Hill and Marcham for 20 nights from Monday, June 9, for urgent
-
Date
Update: Rail worker "stable but critical"
A railway maintenance worker who lost his leg after he was struck by train is still in a stable but critical condition in Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital. The unnamed 55-year-old man was carrying out signal repair work when he was struck by a passenger
-
Date
Rain fails to dampen spirits for parade
It might have rained on her parade - but not even the terrible weather could dampen spirits during Susanna Pressel's Lord Mayor's march. Belly dancers, unicyclists, stiltwalkers in Victorian costumes and people dressed as orang-utans were just some
-
Date
Update: Grief over village killing
The woman whose throat was slashed in a Bank Holiday Monday incident in Wheatley has been named locally as Debbie Smith. Ms Smith, 47, a mother-of-one died after the incident in Bell Lane yesterday afternoon. Her partner, Russell Yeates, also suffered
-
Date
Schools offered knife arch
SCHOOLS across Oxfordshire are being offered airport-style metal detectors to screen pupils for blades after an increase in knife crime. Thames Valley Police has used knife arches at schools across the region - especially Reading and Milton Keynes -
-
Date
City plans waste collection shake-up
A RADICAL shake-up of Oxford's waste collection service could see households given one wheelie bin in which to throw all their recycled material. Some families currently have to find room for six rubbish receptacles, but under a "fundamental review"
-
Date
Woman dead after domestic incident
A woman has died and a man is critically wounded after a "domestic incident" in Wheatley yesterday. Officers were called to Bell Lane at 4.15pm after being alerted by a member of the public and found the man and woman, who have not been named, seriously
-
Date
CRICKET: Kidlington kicked out
Kidlington have been kicked out of English cricket's leading club competition after fielding a player under a false name. The Stratfield Brake club have been expelled from the ECB Cockspur Cup after being found to have breached the rules in their 28
-
Date
Recycling must be made easier
If there is one subject to have dominated the political agenda in Oxford over the past 18 months, it is surely waste collection. Indeed, the "recycling revolution", as it has been widely dubbed, has been no stranger to controversy. Oxford City Council
-
Date
Waste collections to get major shake up
A radical shake-up of Oxford's waste collection service could see households given one wheelie bin in which to throw all their recycled material. Some families currently have to find room for six rubbish receptacles, but under a "fundamental review"
-
Date
Fight to the end
AS A retired member of the Communication Workers' Union, I back the postal workers if they are forced to go on strike (Oxford Mail, May 19). I was a postman for 35 years and think what Royal Mail is doing, closing the Oxford Mail Centre and moving operations
-
Date
Schools 'need knife checks'
Schools in Oxfordshire have been urged to introduce airport-style metal detectors to screen pupils for knives after an increase in crime. Thames Valley Police has used knife arches at schools across the region - especially Reading and Milton Keynes
