Archive
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Suicide of paranoid preacher
A church minister took his own life just seven days after being given anti-depressants and being signed off work with stress, an inquest heard. David Spearing, a pastor at the Seventh-day Adventist Church was found hanged from a tree in Iffley Fields
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School tribute
As THE 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War approaches, pupils from Gosford Hill School in Kidlington have been learning about the sacrifices made for them all those years ago. The school, in Oxford Road, always takes part in the annual
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Libraries are a 'soft target'
Oxfordshire county council has dismissed suggestions it may have to close some rural libraries as it seeks more than £1m in cuts from its cultural services budget. Union chiefs voiced concerns that some of Oxfordshire’s 44 libraries may close as the
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Call to halt traffic noise
TRAFFIC noise from the A40, which passes by the outskirts of Wheatley, is becoming increasingly annoying for residents in the area, says the parish council. Council chairman Janet Carr wants the county council to resurface three miles of the road and
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A PC Winter's tale
The council wanted ‘Winter’ Lights along Oxford’s High Street But they couldn’t mention Christmas – it gave them all cold feet So busy being PC, ticking boxes was the task That they didn’t stop to think and they didn’t stop to ask. The reporter from
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Historic day for America
Barack Obama’s victory in the US presidential election has been hailed as an “historic day” by Oxford’s American community. Many US ex-pats living in Oxford stayed up into the early hours of yesterday morning to witness Senator Obama sweep
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Richard Hammond backs young writing award
RICHARD Hammond wishes he was young enough to enter a competition that¹s going to give a young writer £1,000 to spend on a fantastic holiday - and other great prizes. The BBC Top Gear presenter is backing the award that aims to get young people
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New premises for Christmas
A mental health charity made homeless in April is appealing for help to provide a safe haven for people this Christmas. Mind in Cowley, which was known as Acorn, was based at Cowley Community Centre in Barns Road for 23 years. But the charity, which
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Remember them
Remembrance Sunday this year falls on November 9. I hope many people will come to the ceremony in St Giles or, if you can’t, support the Poppy Appeal. At the Service of Remembrance during the two minutes’ silence we remember the dead of two World Wars
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Don't call time on BST
Pauline Mourier (Oxford Mail, November 3) implies that if we didn't put the clocks back in the autumn, we could enjoy Greenwich Mean Time all the year round. But in fact it is the other way round: in the winter we are always on GMT, and it
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Teachers union scraps strike plan
Strike action which could have caused dozens of schools across Oxfordshire to close has been narrowly averted. A slim majority of members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) voted in favour of going out on strike over pay later this month — but because
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Burrowing badgers cause road closure
Drivers are facing weeks of delays because badgers have left a busy west Oxford road at risk of collapsing. The badgers have caused so much damage burrowing under Cumnor Hill between Botley and Cumnor that it will be closed for about five weeks in January
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1,600 treated for poisoning
More than 1,600 people were admitted to hospital with drug poisoning in Oxfordshire last year, new figures show. Records released by the Department of Health revealed 1,652 people were treated in the county in 2006/7 – up slightly from the 1,632 who
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Village farm turbine plan
Turbines generating enough electricity to power more than 5,000 homes could be built on a wind farm near Bicester. Villagers are being asked for their thoughts on the plan which could see four turbines built on farm land in Fewcott.
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BOWLS: Super Oxon storm back with a bang
Oxfordshire's Premier side bounced back from their heavy defeat by Warwickshire to thrash Herefordshire 35-5 at Wallingford and strengthen their position at the top of Group 4. Oxon needed a victory to boost their hopes of securing a place
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BOWLS: County trio's England call
Three Oxfordshire bowlers have been selected to fly the flag for England in the Short Mat Bowls British Isles Championship in Northern Ireland next week. Didcot Conservative Club’s Trevor Brown will play in the singles, while Wootton duo David and Roger
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BOWLS: May falls in final
Oxford City & County’s Dean May missed out on the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire under 25 singles title as he went down to Foxhill’s John Richardson in the final at Oxford & District. May beat Foxhill’s Mark Ludlow in the semi-finals
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BOWLS: Results check
OXFORD & DISTRICT IBA Monday Morning League Beechboys 17, Joes 12; Pebbles 14, Tigers 16; Angels 18, CWG 13; Brookside 14, Maestro’s 15; Pirates 20, Insmore 12; Nomads 10, Hardnuts 23. Monday Evening Men’s League Wisemen
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AUNT SALLY: Anderson does the damage
Gavin Anderson hit 15 dolls, including a six, as Unknowns trounced Punch Bowl 6-0 in the Kidlington Indoor League. There was some good scoring in Oxford Cheetahs’ 3-3 draw with North Oxford CC. Phil Allen and Ray Townsend notched 12
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Radio station seeks full-time licence
A Blackbird Leys-based radio station is bidding to hit the airwaves full-time and is calling on its listeners to help secure a permanent licence. OX4 FM, based at Jubilee Hall in Sorrel Road, operates for one month a year on a Restricted Service
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Fundraisers enjoy celebrity lunch
A group of Witney fundraisers enjoyed a star-studded lunch date in London. They are all members of the Witney Fundraising Team of the Oxfordshire charity Against Breast Cancer and were invited to attend the charity's15th birthday celebration
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The Insider
IAN Hudspeth’s feathers were well and truly ruffled when we pointed out last week how it appeared a little odd that in literature pumped out to promote the long-term vision of pedestrianising Oxford, a picture of a bus appeared. Ultimately, Oxfordshire
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Children fighting cancer are praised
Children battling cancer in Oxfordshire are to have their courage recognised by a host of stars, including new Formula 1 motor racing world champion Lewis Hamilton. He is just one of the celebrities giving their backing to this year’s Cancer
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Motorists face new penalties
A new parking regime is going to hit Witney next year, with motorists facing a new scale of penalty charges for both on-street and off-street offences. It will all be handled by West Oxfordshire District Council as the police withdraw their traffic wardens
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Couple face eviction
A family faces eviction from their Magdalen College home after the husband spent almost 40 years working for the Oxford institution. Pensioner Alan Morris, his wife Sylvia and son Richard face becoming homeless at the start of the New Year after the
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Tributes paid to cat lover
Respects have been paid to animal lover Poppy Boore, who has died aged 92. Born Poppy Bowler in 1916, she was one of five children with her three sisters also named after flowers — Rose, Pansy and Lily. She spent her early years in Wingfield Street
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Rail cash shuffled
A council is going to juggle £880,000 in Government cash to safeguard the full £3m revamp planned for Didcot’s railway station, hit by months of delays. Oxfordshire County Council hoped to submit a planning application in October 2007 for the scheme,
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Bogus callers target pensioners
Bogus callers targeted pensioners in South Oxfordshire. Two men called at the home of a couple in their 80s in Didcot Road, Long Wittenham, sometime early yesterday afternoon and cut the phone line then looked around the house but did not steal anything
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Burglars steal motorcycle
Burglars forced their way into a house and stole the homeowner’s motorcycle. The house in Appleford Road, Sutton Courtenay, was broken into some time between 10.20pm and 11.05pm on Sunday. PC Stephen Knight said: “The burglars stole
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Bogus callers prey on OAPs
Bogus callers have again targeted pensioners in South Oxfordshire. Two men called at the home of a couple in their 80s in Didcot Road, Long Wittenham, early yesterday afternoon, and cut the phone line. They then looked around the house but did not steal
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RUGBY UNION: Hill hails best yet
Steve Hill hailed Oxford’s University’s 32-24 victory over a talented Saracens side as their best display of the season. But the Dark Blues’ director of rugby warned his players that competition was about to get tougher with only four matches remaining
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RUGBY UNION: Bicester top as Banbury walk!
Bicester 2nd went top of BB&O Division 1 North in unusual circumstances. They were handed a walkover in Saturday’s home fixture with previous leaders Banbury 2nd. The match was due to kick off at 2.15pm, but the referee didn’t reach Bicester until after
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RUGBY UNION: Brooks set for Grove
Nathan Brooks is coaching Grove this week with the view to join the club permanently. The former Chinnor back-row forward was coaching at Southern Counties North rivals Aylesbury earlier this season, and took charge of Gosford All Blacks last year.
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RUGBY UNION: Pupils wanted
Witney coach John Campbell is urging local schools not to abandon the oval ball. The majority of Witney’s squad are home-grown players, but Campbell is not taking this for granted. He said: “I would like to see the less academic schools
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ICE HOCKEY: Wojiack saves Stars
Oxford City Stars let slip a two-goal lead against Milton Keynes Thunder to drop another crucial point in South Division 1. Despite racing ahead, Stars were pegged back and in the end had to rely on a goal from Richard Wojiack to salvage a point.
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Crowes set the trend for barn conversions
In the late-1960s the idea of living in a converted barn had not really occurred to many people — and the notion of making a home out of a building designed for storing grain, machinery and even livestock still seemed faintly ludicrous. So when in 1968
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GOLF: Gainer shines
CARA Gainer won Frilford Heath’s White Horse Trophy after shooting five under her handicap on the Red Course. Frilford member Gainer, who plays off 28, triumphed in the event, which encourages young girls to play golf. Her nett 68 was one better than
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BAR BILLIARDS: Lyon roars for Berinsfield!
DAVE Lyon won the crucial match as Berinsfield registered their first win of the season in Section 1 of the Johnsons Buildbase Oxford & District League with a 3-2 victory at Nelson B. Tony Broadway put Berins-field in front after beating Tony Harvey
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GOLF:Burford storm to foursomes glory
BURFORD secured the Sect-ion 1 title in the Shaw Gibbs Oxfordshire Foursomes Lea-gue to complete a weekend of woe for Frilford Heath. A 3-0 home victory over Tadmarton Heath was more than enough to secure top spot. This meant Frilford finished in second
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Homes near the station
TWO three-bedroomed architect-designed homes for sale in the delightful village of Islip, north Oxfordshire have been built with the future in mind. The semi-detached homes, Saxon House and Wessex House, in Bletchingdon Road, are a short walk from the
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Today's local share prices (PM)
AEA Technology 35 BMW 1831 Electrocomponents 152 Nationwide Accident Repair 116.5 Oxford Biomedica 6.25 Oxford Catalyst 162.5 Oxford Instruments 190 Reed Elsevier 543.75 RM 154.5 RPS Group 171.25 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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Refurbishment at McDonald's
THE McDonald’s restaurant in Headington is closed for a fortnight while it is refurbished. Franchisees Carl Room and Mike Heapy say they are highlighting their commitment to their staff and customers across Oxfordshire with £1.1m of refurbishments.,
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ATHLETICS: Classy Melissa is star of the show
Melissa Hawtin cruised to an incredible victory in the senior women’s race as the Oxford Mail Cross Country League began at Ascott-under-Wychwood on Sunday. The 15-year-old, who was running as a guest, blitzed the field to win by a massive
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Tribute to Oxon entrepreneur
RETAILERS from across the UK are being invited to a special event in memory of the late Oxfordshire entrepreneur Alison Richards, pictured. A Christmas cocktail party is being staged to celebrate the life of Ms Richards, founder of furnishings
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Electrician is best apprentice
TRAINEE electrician Kirsty Dunsmuir has been voted best apprentice in the South East. Ms Dunsmuir, 22, who works for builders Lowe and Oliver at Wootton, near Abingdon, beat nine other hopefuls to pick up the award at a ceremony organised by
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Longer shutdown at Mini plant
BMW has announced that it will shut down its Cowley Mini plant for almost a month, thanks to the credit crunch. Car production lines at the German-owned factory will shut down on Sunday, December 7, and then not reopen until Monday, January 5. This is
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ATHLETICS: Cross Country League results
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS Men (top 30, senior men unless stated): 1 S Kimber (Headington RR) 30.41, 2 M Fallows (Cirencester) 31.34, 3 N Marley (Alchester) 31.37, 4 C Dettamr (Headington RR) 31.38, 5 P Hails (Witney RR) 31.51, 6 D Augustus (Oxford C) 31.52,
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Book events
TODAY Book signing: BBC Radio Oxford broadcaster Bill Heine signs copies of his memoir. Borders, Magdalen Street, Oxford, 11.30am-1pm. Also tomorrow at Bookhouse, Thame, noon-1pm and Saturday, Waterstones, Broad Street, Oxford, 11am onwards. Next week
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ATHLETICS: Andy is 50 not out!
Andy Phelps (pictured), of Headington Roadrunners ran his 50th OxfordMail cross country race at Ascott, and it has taken him 19 years to get to the landmark. He finished 84th, and made the B team. Phelps made his cross country league
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Food history with a difference
A HISTORY OF FOOD Maguelonne Toussain-Samat (Wiley-Blackwell, £22.99) Unlike many books written on food history, this takes the reader through each of the subjects separately, rather than beginning with general chapters on food enjoyed by the cavemen
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ATHLETICS: Gray leads way for City
Oxford City’s Pete Gray was third home in the vet 45 category at the Derwentwater 10-mile. He clocked an impressive time of 1hr 4mins 9 secs. Teammates Dave Parsons and Allan Matthews finished second and third respectively in the vet 60 class, recording
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Rendell's love affair with London
PORTOBELLO Ruth Rendell (Hutchinson, £18.99) Ruth Rendell has a split personality. As well as her detective novels, featuring Norfolk’s Inspector Wexford, which often hark back to the cosy, golden age of crime writing, she writes dark, disturbing psychological
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Paperback round-up
Who Runs Britain Robert Peston (Hodder & Stoughton, £8.99) This is a dense book, but one that repays careful reading. It describes the gradual acceptance, by the media and politicians, that no one pays if superrich people create bizarre money-making
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Book about schoolteacher who's writing a book
You know that time about four o’clock on a Sunday, when the clock is ticking down to the end of the weekend and all those jobs you’ve put off like the laundry or homework still have to be done? All you have to look forward to is Monday morning
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week 31
31 weeks This week for me has to have been the scariest!! It all started when i went out for a meal with mum and our friend Julie. I had a lovely meal (way too much) and then went to the local and had a few lemonade and limes. However i just
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Police issue bonfire alert
Police have urged people in Oxfordshire to lock their vehicles when they attend bonfire and fireworks displays tonight. Chief Insp Dennis Evernden, of Thames Valley Police, said: “Drivers should check to make sure that they haven’t left their coat, handbag
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Today's local share prices
AEA Technology 34 BMW 1843 Electrocomponents 145.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 116.5 Oxford Biomedica 6.3 Oxford Catalyst 162.5 Oxford Instruments 190 Reed Elsevier 549.25 RM 156 RPS Group 167.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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HORSE RACING: Balme blow hits Curran
Sean Curran’s Hatford stables, near Stanford-in-the-Vale, have suffered a major blow with Scottish Grand National hero Iris De Balme facing at least a year on the sidelines with a tendon injury. Curran was eyeing top prizes such as the Hennessy Gold
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GREYHOUNDS: Tuesday's Oxford results
LAST NIGHT’S RESULTS 7.35: 1 EGMONT KATHY 6-4 fav, 2 Springville Oak 7-1. (1x3x5). Trainer: Curtin. Time: 27.71. 7.50: 1 HEWITT ROSE 5-2 fav, 2 Soldier Girl 8-1. (4x2x5). Trainer: Bicknell. Time: 27.53. 8.05: 1 HONEST CHARLIE 5-2 fav, 2 Ballyneal Gayle
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Motorway clear after shunt
Drivers escaped serious injury after a multi-vehicle accident on the M40 in Oxfordshire this morning. The southbound carriageway near junction six at Lewknor has now been cleared following the crash, which is thought to have involved six vehicles.
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Shield woe for Patto
DARREN Patterson said he was bitterly disa- ppointed after his Oxford United side went down to a 2-1 extra-time defeat in the Setanta Shield third round at Forest Green Rovers last night. United had battled back from a goal down to level in the second
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Eco-town bid doomed to failure
THE controversial 15,000-home Weston Otmoor eco-town appeared dead in the water last night — but another ‘Green’ development emerged as a potential replacement, less than five miles away. The Weston project, which has been opposed by residents of nearby
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Shock lesson for teenagers
Teenagers had to be led out of the room in tears after being confronted with the horrific effects of failing to drive safely. Hundreds of schoolchildren from Oxfordshire, along with young soldiers stationed at Dalton Barracks, were shown graphic
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Teens get shock safety lesson
Teens had to be led out of the room in tears after being confronted with the horrific effects of failing to drive safely. Hundreds of schoolchildren from Oxfordshire, along with young soldiers stationed at Dalton Barracks, were shown graphic