Archive
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MPs unite for Poppy Appeal
Oxfordshire's MPs tonight urged the county to unite behind this year's Poppy Appeal. Royal British Legion volunteers are hitting the streets over the coming fortnight to cover the county in red poppies. Backed by the Oxford Mail, they
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Musician jailed for 'grooming' girl online
An Oxford musician who groomed a teenage girl in an Internet chatroom was today jailed for nine months. Stephen Clapton, of Herschel Crescent, Littlemore, sent an indecent picture of himself to the teenager after chatting to her on MSN Messenger. Pxford
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Family's tribute to crash victim
The family of a young father killed in a motorcycle crash have paid tribute to their son, who "touched everyone's lives". Shane McGonagle, 23, died early on Wednesday when his Honda 125cc motorbike was involved in a collision with a lorry on the A4130
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Bleak outlook for film sequel
Oxford author Philip Pullman said he was disappointed a sequel to the multi-million dollar movie The Golden Compass appears to have been put on hold. A report on the Internet Movie Database website stated that the two film versions of the second two
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Pedestrian plans go on show
BANBURY residents will get the chance next week to see plans for a proposed £2.1m pedestrianisation scheme for the town centre. Cherwell District Council wants to pedestrianise Parsons Street and part of Market Place, but the proposal will
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England call for Constable
Oxford United striker James Constable (pictured) has been called into the England C squad for next month's international in Italy. Constable, who has struck five goals this season, has been selected by England C manager Paul Fairclough in a 16-man squad
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FOOTBALL: United fired up for Cup tester
Darren Patterson has warned his Oxford United side – and the fans – that Saturday's FA Cup clash with Hayes & Yeading will be no walk in the park. The U's are warm favourites to progress to the first round proper against their Blue Square
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FOOTBALL: Pond in at the deep end!
Oxford City have received a boost ahead of Saturday's FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie after Darren Pond made a quicker than expected recovery from an ankle injury. It was thought the former Banbury midfielder would have to miss out on City's big
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Drug dealer cut off part of ear
A drug dealer sliced off part of a woman's ear over a £10 drug debt. Patricia Amos, who was the first parent jailed for her child's truancy in Britain, was made to kneel in Teddy Bear Woods, near Banbury, by dealer Andre Singh. Singh, 29, from Wednesbury
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Helping gather minority votes
A council is reaching out to ethnic minorities across the district to ensure they are registered to vote. To try and make sure everyone eligible to vote is on the electoral register, Cherwell District Council's chief executive Mary Harpley met with
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Antique trove up for auction
A top auction house has put up for sale the private collection of an antiques dealer who had royalty and celebrities coming through his door. Roger Warner, who died earlier this year, numbered among his clients the Queen's grandmother, Queen
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ANGLING: Medley chub do the trick
Richard Norris (Sensas A4) caught 37.5.0 of chub to take the second round of the Winter League which was fished by 54 anglers on the Thames between Medley and Folly on Sunday. Norris was in the middle of the mudflats on Medley and fished a blockend
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Painting of uncles could win £15,000
An artist from Oxfordshire who painted a picture of himself as a boy in the 1940s with two uncles he never knew, has been shortlisted to win a £15,000 prize. Mick Rooney, 64, from Charlbury, is one of only seven painters in the country nominated to
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Name the 'guilty'
After publishing the list of benefit fraud cases, we now await in anticipation the Oxford Mail's definitive list of the councillors and police auditors responsible for 'losing' at least £3.5m of council taxpayers' money, stupidly invested in Iceland,
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Clash of intellects gets pulses racing
When it comes to intelligence, you would be hard pressed to find anyone smarter than Professor Richard Dawkins or Professor John Lennox — two Oxford guys whose brains are so big, women drool over their cerebral 'lunchboxes'. And I'm not kidding either
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Up the wall
The other evening I went to Cowley Road, Oxford, to buy a few things but ended up, as often happens, having two bagfuls which were quite heavy. Halfway down James Street on the way home, I felt my chest tighten and my asthma kicked in, so I sat on a
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GREYHOUNDS: Drink up can be toast of Oxford
TRAFALGAR Cup hero Drink Up Zorro can be the toast of punters in the £1,000 Blanchford Building Supplies Oxfordshire Gold Cup at Oxford Stadium tonight. The swashbuckling Zorro was the pick of the winners in the qualifiers on Tuesday as Paul Sallis's
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We deserve a ticket to ride
With reference to your article about OAPs' concessionary bus passes (Oxford Mail, October 15), I use the No 10 route regularly and only occasionally is it full. Yes, a lot of OAPs use this bus, as do a good number of students and people going to and
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Cricketing cop aims at high score
A policeman is swapping his beat for a bat, to vice-captain a team in a world record-breaking cricket match near Mount Everest. Pc Gareth Lewis, from Sunningwell, was appointed last week to play in an official Twenty20 game on the 5,165m-high Gorak
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Crash blocks A34
The A34 northbound between Abingdon and Oxford's Botley interchange is currently blocked following a four-vehicle collision. The collision involved a silver Vauxhall Astra, a silver VW Golf, a gold Honda CRV and a Mercedes van. Three people suffered
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County provides rocket power
Potentially the fastest piston engine in history has been created in Oxfordshire as part of a project to build a car capable of 1,000mph. The Bloodhound vehicle, which has just been unveiled, will feature a 4.2-litre V12 engine from Leafield-based MCT
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Sam goes wild
Bar worker Sam Thomas has been training for an epic solo 5,000-mile trek across Canada by tackling the jungle — and the snakes — of Guyana. Mr Thomas, 21, from Kidlington, intends to spend the whole of 2009 hiking the Trans-Canada trail to raise £10,000
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Firefighters tackle house blaze
Three fires crews tackled a house fire in Oxford today. Crews from Rewley Road and The Slade attended a two-storey detached dwelling in Oxford Road, Littlemore, shortly after 2.30pm. Four firefighters using specialist breathing equipment extinguished
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Talking turkey
Turkey troubles, sprout sagas and gravy grumbles — we have all been there. But to help us all cope, celebrity chefs Marco Pierre White and Antony Worrall Thompson have handed out some foil-wrapped kitchen tips. With turkeys, Marco says the
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Crackdown planned on cyclists
Cyclists riding around Oxford’s streets without lights will be the focus of a month-long road safety campaign. The crackdown will be launched on Monday with a three-hour check in High Street, Oxford, between 6.30pm and 9.30pm. During
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The perfect Christmas
Anthea Turner assures me that her new book, The Perfect Christmas, is not designed to make ordinary women feel inadequate. The title might sound ominously competitive, but the television presenter says her festive tips are firmly rooted in reality
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Cool Moves
Strictly Come Dancing may have prompted a surge in people taking up ballroom classes, but how are you going to fare on the dancefloor at Christmas? Women are often less self-conscious than their male counterparts, who tend to prop up the bar
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The baby awakes
Christmas with a newborn baby. Aaahh, those cute outfits (four changes by 4pm, to be diplomatic). Aaahh, those lovely photos (crouching painfully by the tree as screaming baby is held dangerously aloft by an elderly relative). Aaahh, the tender
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Shining Spa
It gives me a warm feeling to find a truly fabulous spa — because excellence can be hard to come by. Aquarias is the most indulgent and luxurious of spas, and hard to fault on any front. It does have the advantage of forming part of the five-star
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Surviving the Nativity
Have your offspring ever caught you saying — or doing — anything you and the other half shouldn’t have been saying — or doing — in front of them? If so, be afraid — be very afraid — if your little ones are going to be appearing in one of those
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Battle of the sexes
Will relations with the other half flourish at this time of year, or will perceived mutual shortcomings leave things as frosty as a December morning? She’ will be looking for perfection in everything she does — shopping early, planning parties,
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Get wrapped up for Christmas Markets
The history of Christmas markets dates back to the late middle ages and originates from the German-speaking part of Europe. The Dresden Christmas market, dating back to 1434, is often said to be the oldest Christmas market. It attracts up to two
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STOP PRESS: SAHARA, OXFORD
As a result of my musings about the fate of this forlorn restaurant/bar in Blue Boar Street, I've since learned that the place has been taken over - today, I believe - by the owner of the Duke of Cambridge, in Little Clarendon Street. And what do you
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TABLE TENNIS: Oxon off to a mixed start
Oxfordshire got off to a mixed start in the County Veterans League, losing 6-4 to Dorset and then coming from behind to draw 5-5 with Worcestershire. Karl Bushell claimed three victories against Dorset, but it was not enough as Andy Misseldine's singles
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TABLE TENNIS: St James are early leaders
ST James made it two wins from two in Division 1 of the Oxford & District League with another 9-1 victory. Vikings A were on the end of this week's hiding, with Andy Misseldine and Tony Stead victorious in all their matches. Rutherford are also enjoying
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TABLE TENNIS: Junior glory for Nicole
Nicole Hunt, from Didcot, won the Junior Girls County rankings event at Kidlington Forum. Clubmate Jessica Cheong was second, with Oxford's Kasey Butler third.
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BILLIARDS: Riley A slip to shock defeat
Division 1 leaders Riley A suffered their first defeat of the season when they went down 2-1 at Headington A in the Oxford & District League. It meant that Fieldside moved level on points at the top, but having played a game more. Peter Brookes (+
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Death-crash rider named
A motorcyclist who died after being involved in a crash with a lorry in Didcot earlier this week has been named. Shane McGonagle, 23, of Sutherland Beck, Ladygrove, Didcot, was travelling on the A4130 between Southmead Industrial Estate and the Milton
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ICE HOCKEY: Stars title hopes under the spotlight
Oxford City Stars' title ambitions in English National League Division 1 South face a crucial examination this weekend. Stars are away to leaders Bracknell Hornets on Saturday (5.30pm), before facing Cardiff ENL Devils at Oxpens Road on Sunday (6.15pm
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ICE HOCKEY: Stars title hopes under the spotlight
Oxford City Stars' title ambitions in English National League Division 1 South face a crucial examination this weekend. Stars are away to leaders Bracknell Hornets on Saturday (5.30pm), before facing Cardiff ENL Devils at Oxpens Road on Sunday
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BOXING: Tenerife training does the trick
A week of pre-season training in Tenerife proved highly beneficial for the Berinsfield quartet in action at Newbury, as all four boxers had their arms raised in triumph. Middleweight Ian Jenkins, now a member of the Welsh national squad, made
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MARTIAL ARTS: Two called up by England
Two members from the Oxford Sport & Traditional Martial Arts Schools have been selected to represent England at the forthcoming World Karate Federation (WKF) European Championships in Paris. Mitchell Roberts, 14, from Bicester will be competing in the
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GYMNASTICS: Youngsters in gold rush
Six Carterton gymnasts scooped 11 medals, including six golds, at the Oxfordshire Individual Apparatus competition in Maidenhead. They all performed on beam and floor, with Casey Duignan and Ella Frost taking gold on both. CARTERTON
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SPORTS AWARDS: Nichola bids to defend crown
Archer Nichola Simpson will bid to defend her Sportswoman of the Year crown at the Oxfordshire Sports Awards next month. Simpson is on the shortlist once more, and will go head-to-head with Claire Lasko (sailing) and Sophie Whitworth (triathlon).
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SWIMMING: Sam's the man for county
Cityof Oxford’s Sam van de Schootbrugge has been made Oxfordshire and North Buckinghamshire captain – at the age of just 15. He was selected for the honour from 15 clubs, and led the county to seventh place at the National County Team Championships
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A home with real potential
Buyers have an opportunity to give a new lease of life to a property, which nestles in the delightful Windrush Valley. Built in the 1930s in a secluded position on the edge of Minster Lovell, between Witney and Burford, Orchard House offers elegant
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Divine inspiration creates family home
Heavenly vision has helped create a stunning family home in the heart of Headington Quarry, Oxford. A perfect mix of ancient and modern. Number 3, Gladstone Road is the home of church minister Simon Walker, who teaches at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, his
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Today's local share prices (AM)
AEA Technology 34.5 BMW 1483 Electrocomponents 131.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 111.5 Oxford Biomedica 5.8 Oxford Catalyst 170.5 Oxford Instruments 185 Reed Elsevier 486.5 RM 151.25 RPS Group 157.25 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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FATAL MOTORBIKE CRASH: Rider named
A young motorcyclist who died after being involved in a crash with a lorry in Didcot earlier this week has been named. Shane McGonagle, 23, of Sutherland Beck, Ladygrove, Didcot, was travelling on the A4130 between Southmead Industrial Estate and
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New partner at Brethertons
BANBURY: Commercial property lawyer Geoffrey Cotterill has been promoted to partner at Brethertons Solicitors. Mr Cotterill qualified in 1985 and has acted for a variety of landlord organisations both in private practice and as an in-house lawyer.
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Against all odds, an author's epic journey
Michael Cox is suffering from cancer and going blind, yet this popular writer has just completed the second part of a trilogy, writes HELEN PEACOCKE Writing a trilogy of historical novels which takes the reader on a journey that embraces two
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Truant's mum attacked over drug debt
A drug dealer sliced off a woman's ear over a £10 drugs debt. Patricia Amos — who was the first parent jailed for truancy in Britain — was made to kneel in Teddy Bear Woods, near Banbury, by dealer Andre Singh who cut off the top of her ear. Singh,
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Rape crisis centre reaches out to more victims
Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre is expanding its vital services to women victims. It is extending its telephone Helpline and opening its doors every Friday between 11.30am and 2pm from November 7. This is in addition to its present three
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Wet weather helps this fruit crop
VAL BOURNE offers some ideas on how to get a good yield of juicy pears The very first thing I did when I moved to my new garden in 2005 was to rush down to Waterperry Gardens, near Wheatley, and choose some fruit trees. My two pears were Doyenné
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Revival of otter spreading
After initiatives to encourage the mammal on Thames, Windrush, Evenlode and Cherwell rivers, efforts turn to the Great Ouse, writes PETER BARRINGTON If Kenneth Grahame had written The Wind in the Willows in more recent times he might well have
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A soprano who likes to tell a dramatic story
NICOLA LISLE talks to singer Elaine McKrill ahead of her appearance with the Oxford Chamber Orchestra in the city One of the opera world’s rising dramatic sopranos, Elaine McKrill, is no stranger to Oxford. Just over 20 years ago, while still a student
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Hero air crew honoured
A helicopter crew based at RAF Benson near Wallingford yesterday received a gallantry award for rescuing a badly-injured serviceman under enemy fire in the Iraqi city of Basra. In a ceremony last night at London's Guildhall, the Guild Award
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Guitar man
NICK UTECH talks to Joe Brown ahead of his appearance at the New Theatre as part of his 50th anniversary tour 'It’s always been the guitar for me; I still don’t consider myself a singer. But I do play a variety of stringed instruments' Before
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Police body cameras go live
Police will be using a new crime-fighting tool in Bicester to clamp down on anti-social behaviour and domestic incidents. Officers will don special cameras so they can make visual recordings of possible offences. Four of the cameras will be used for
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Drink-driver killed friend
The driver of a car which was smashed in half after hitting a tree would have faced criminal charges had he survived, an inquest heard. Lee Parker, a 28-year-old builder from Moorland Road, Witney, was more than twice the drink-drive limit
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New Zealand's finest, £137
New Zealand wines are known for their wonderful purity of fruit which shines through beautifully in this selection of superbly crafted examples from both the southern and northern islands. At this level, the wines deliver superbly concentrated fruit
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‘I beat breast cancer at 84’
Great-grandmother Joyce Gascoigne sent out a message of hope to breast cancer patients last night, saying: "If I can't beat it, so can you." Mrs Gascoigne, 84, can count her blessings after beating the odds and conquering breast cancer.
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Burnell out of Cup clash
PROMISING teenager midfielder Sam Deering looks certain to be rewarded for his fine debut with an FA Cup start for Oxford United tomorrow – because skipper Joe Burnell is again ruled out with his calf muscle injury. And the U's have a worry at the back
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Computer tips on cutting costs
Fiat has just launched a new device that could change the way motorists drive their cars. The system gives drivers an accurate insight into how their driving style influences their fuel consumption, and actively helps them to drive more efficiently
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Roadtest: Ford roars back
At first glance, Ford’s formidable Kuga doesn’t appear to have much in common with either the Ford Focus or C-MAX. But holding together the macho alloy wheels and aggressively-styled sculpted, muscular bonnet with its distinctive power blisters, is
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Seeking sanctuary
Sir — John Tanner is quoted as saying that he 'is very pleased' that the council has declared its support for the City of Sanctuary Movement, (Report, October 17). All sounds very laudible and perhaps we are not in possession of all the facts, but
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Antiquated sewers
Sir — I write as chairman of New Marston (South) Residents' Association in response to your lead article about the city's emerging development plan (Report, October 17). The association recognises that more housing is needed in Oxford although we
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A taste of M. Blanc's life
Raymond Blanc still winces as he recalls the crack on the head that sent him stumbling into a life of exile in Oxfordshire. It apparently all came down to a pinch or two of salt, at a time when M Blanc's culinary advice was not in such great
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Silly resistance
Sir — With talk of the excessive cost of pensioners' bus passes, this might seem to be the wrong time to complain of the Vale's continuing refusal to allow their use before 9.30am. However, this measure saves no money at all, since it only means that
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Golden excuses
Sir — Whilst agreeing with Jake Backus (Letters, October 17) that a cycle way has been forgotten in the present Summertown splurge, one wonders what has not been forgotten. The development has forgotten the need to be reasonably economical in terms
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Engineering solutions
Sir — The county council is to be congratulated on its proposal to reduce speed limits in Oxford city to 20mph. Not only can this reduce emissions by getting people out of their cars, it can really improve accident statistics. According to
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Driver irritation
Sir — Roads are a shared space, shared between users who depend for their safety on the actions of others. Where traffic densities are low and roads narrow then the proposed 20mph speed limit areas are likely to make cyclists, pedestrians, other drivers
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Scant difference
Sir — Cycling is my favourite way around Oxford. I exercise, enjoy the birdsong and leave almost no carbon footprint. Our county council wants to encourage walking and cycling in Oxford. It claims 20mph limits would do this. But 20mph limits can also
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Making city uglier
Sir — Although lower speeds make a great deal of sense in built-up areas from a quality of life point of view, I don’t believe Oxfordshire County Council's proposed limits will bring them about. I also believe that, even despite the council's best efforts
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City may get bendy buses
Giant bendy-buses ferrying people through the city centre could hold the key to plans to pedestrianise central Oxford. Oxfordshire County Council transport officers say one way to reduce the number of buses entering the city centre would be to have
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All or nothing
Shipping people into the city centre on so-called 'super buses' is one of the dafter ideas to emanate from County Hall. Yet that is one idea on the table in a bid to slash the amount of traffic travelling along Oxford's historic High Street. Transport
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Monstrous sprawl
Sir — Which part of the term 'Green Belt' is so difficult to comprehend that Oxford's planning employees and elected councillors have so much difficulty with it? The term is 'Green Belt', not 'Green Belt until such time that the planners find it inconvenient
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Confusing practices
Sir — We are unlikely to escape nonsense like the Primary Care Trust's proposal to pay doctors to reduce the number of referrals (Report, October 10) until NHS executives in the PCTs and the Strategic Health Authorities have the courage to speak up
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Support needed
Sir — The responses to my original letter about the new pharmacy at the Bury Knowle Health Centre have been interesting. The range of facilities which Dr Amery and his colleagues have gradually provided are deeply appreciated by all patients. and,
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Untapped energy
Sir — How refreshing it was to read the article in the centre pages (October 17) with reference to the residents of Osney's hydro-electric scheme. Jolly good luck to them, when all the publicity goes to unsightly, probably inefficient, and, in many
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Why so much waste?
Sir — I am struggling to understand the debate about complaints regarding fortnightly waste collection. Why is there so much waste to be collected from the complainers? Perhaps there is an opportunity for them to take some responsibility for the amount
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City lacks coherent transport system
Sir — The photo of Queen Street accompanying the article Cities need good links (October 17), showing pedestrians battling with a variety of buses, reminds us that, despite a huge number of buses, Oxford still lacks an effective and coherent transport
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Hazardous clutter
Sir — The new waste collection scheme scheduled to start in October 2010 is introduced in the Vale of White Horse District Council's autumn Vale Views as "a more efficient service, which will reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill". For whom
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New Citroën system aims for 70mpg
Citroën is to launch a second generation of its pioneering Stop & Start technology. Previewed on a striking pearlescent white and orange C3 Picasso at the Paris Motor Show, the new micro-hybrid system will be introduced in 2010 and will
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Supercar off to flying start
Two of the UK's top motoring magazines have published their annual Car of the Year results and the Nissan GT-R has driven away with a top title. Firstly the GT-R, which is available to order now from West Way GT-R in Langford Lane, Kidlington
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John Lewis pledge to Westgate
John Lewis has moved to end speculation that it is preparing to pull out of Oxford's £330m Westgate redevelopment. With the scheme being put on hold, and the developers reviewing how the long-awaited new shopping centre would be financed, the withdrawal
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Take heart
John Lewis this week renewed its commitment to the new Westgate Centre in Oxford. It was a timely move as it appears that the Westgate Partnership is reviewing the development to ensure its financial viability. Quite what that means is anybody's
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‘I beat breast cancer at 84’
Great-grandmother Joyce Gascoigne sent out a message of hope to breat cancer sufferers last night, saying: "If I can beat it, so can you." Mrs Gascoigne, 84, can count her blessings after beating the odds and conquering breast cancer.
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Beating the odds
We should all heed the advice offered by Joyce Gascoigne today, the great-grandmother who overcame cancer at the ripe old age age of 84. The odds were stacked against her. One in 11 women over the age of 80 will develop breast cancer. The former
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A time for action
It has been a long time coming but, at long last, Oxfordshire County Council has unveiled its plans to fully transform the centre of Oxford into a pedestrian zone. In the mid 1990s we were promised great things of the Oxford Transport Strategy. Cars
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Spooky maze opens
Millets Farm Centre, at Frilford, is opening its 'Mass-acre Maze' on Saturday. The Halloween-themed maze maze will be open daily, from 6pm-9pm, till November 2. A spokesman for the centre said: "Ghosts will walk and spirits will talk, it is not for