Archive

Date

More heavy snow on way

A flash warning of outbreaks of snow across Oxfordshire overnight and tomorrow morning was issued by the Met Office tonight. Forecasters said there was a 80 per cent chance of further widespread snowfall, with between 2cm and 5cm (0.75in-2in

Date

Snow: Train services update

Train operator First Great Western is making a number of changes to its services in Oxfordshire tomorrow, due to the threat of more heavy snow overnight. The 5.16am train from London Paddington to Oxford, the 7.10am from Oxford to London and the 10am

Date

U's match in doubt

OXFORD United’s match at Kettering tomorrow is in ‘serious jeopardy’, according to the host club. The Poppies’ pitch is covered with between five and six inches of snow. The club admit that the game is looking very doubtful about whether it can go ahead

Date

Snow: Schools plan to close

A number of schools have already announced they plan to close tomorrow (Friday) because of the weather: They are: Elms Road Nursery School,Oxford Frank Wise School, Banbury Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Oxford The Warriner School, Bloxham

Date

Snow: Battling to keep moving

Oxfordshire highways officials tonight said they were running low on salt to tackle snow and ice on roads – but were hopeful stocks would last through the current cold snap. Today, the Local Government Association warned that several councils

Date

BIG FREEZE: All white for some

Our Oxford Mail photographers were out and about yesterday to capture the best pictures following the biggest snowfall since 2007. And our readers also got their cameras out and sent in their most striking images to our picture desk.

Date

Snow: 68,000 off school

School was out for 68,000 pupils at more than 250 schools in Oxfordshire today after the county was blanketed in snow. About six inches of snow fell in places overnight, prompting the majority of schools in the county to take the decision to

Date

BIG FREEZE: Battling to keep moving

Oxfordshire highways officials last night said they were running low on salt to tackle snow and ice on roads – but were hopeful stocks would last through the current cold snap. Yesterday, the Local Government Association warn-ed that several

Date

BIG FREEZE: In the UK

Britain descended into wintry chaos again yesterday as snow caused hundreds more school closures and mayhem on the roads. Snow settled in south Wales, western England, the Midlands, counties to the north of London, Northern Ireland and Scotland. In

Date

BIG FREEZE: Public transport keeps going

Commuters were warned there could be further delays on buses and trains tomorrow following some disruption yesterday, if more snow fell overnight. Stagecoach services in Witney and Banbury were badly affected, with several routes suspended. Most other

Date

Attackers 'didn't care', jury is told

Two teenagers accused of attacking a Japanese student on an Oxford cycle path “did not care” about how seriously hurt he was, a jury heard today. Thomas Mack and Craig Knowles, both 18, “bragged” about attacking St Edmund Hall student Kentaro Ikeda,

Date

BIG FREEZE: 68,000 off school

School was out for 68,000 pupils at more than 250 schools in Oxfordshire yesterday after the county was blanketed in snow. About six inches of snow fell in places overnight, prompting the majority of schools in the county to take the decision

Date

Delays after crash on A44

Motorists face delays after a three-car pile-up on the A44 near Oxford Airport. The collision happened at the junction of the A44 and Langford Lane, between Begbroke and Woodstock, at about 5pm. Drivers have been warned to expect delays

Date

Saved for wildlife

Sir – We read with interest the article of January 15 about Trap Grounds in North Oxford, and subsequent letters. We think it worth putting on record the earlier history of the defence of this area against the threat of housing development, to inform

Date

FOOTBALL: Wantage boss Bourne laments tough times

FTL Futbol Hellenic League Wantage Town are beset with a host of problems ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Wokingham & Emmbrook in the first round of the Soccer Kits Plus Supplementary Cup. Ellis Langford is away, while Andy Wallbridge

Date

FOOTBALL: City boss Merritt warms to Tiverton test

Oxford City manager Justin Merritt is praying for a let-up in the wintry conditions ahead of their home clash with Tiverton at Court Place Farm, which he believes will be one of the toughest tests of the season so far. City beat runaway leaders Farnborough

Date

Snow: Fashion show postponed

Wood Green School, Witney's annual fashion show has been postponed from this Friday night until Friday, February 27. All tickets already purchased will still be valid. Should you be unable to attend the new event time the school says you will

Date

Heroin found following brawl

Police seized a stash of heroin after splitting up a brawl in Oxford city centre. Officers were called to Queen Street at 11.30pm yesterday after three men were seen fighting. One man was searched and drugs, believed to be heroin, were

Date

Burglars steal laptops

Burglars stole three laptops, a mobile phone and a wallet during a break in at a home in Old Barn Garden, in Cowley, Oxford, sometime between 2am and 8am yesterday. Anyone with information should call police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

Date

Today's local share prices (PM)

AEA Technology 16 BMW 1675 Electrocomponents 131.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 105 Oxford Biomedica 6.75 Oxford Catalyst 68.5 Oxford Instruments 159.5 Reed Elsevier 529.25 RM 170.5 RPS Group 138.25 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

Date

Let it snow

I've spent quite a bit of time monitoring the white stuff (snow) this week, but I have still managed to pick up some great books during the odd spare moment. The one that really caught my eye was Mr Toppit by Charles Elton, which is one of Penguin's

Date

Snow: More on the way

More snow is expected across Oxfordshire overnight and tomorrow, the Met Office has warned. Forecasters said there was a 60 per cent chance of further snowfall, with between 5cm and 10cm (2in-4in)generally and 15cm to 20cm (6in-7.5in) on higher

Date

Ton-up for Dempster?

Ex-Oxford United player John Dempster is set to make his 100th appearance for Kettering in Saturday's game against the U's. The former Scotland Under 21 international, who was outstanding in Kettering's Blue Square North title-winning season

Date

United on the march

Oxford United are likely to have a massive following at Kettering on Saturday – if the game goes ahead. Kettering's Rockingham Road ground had a thick blanket of snow on it yesterday, putting the match in serious doubt. But at this time

Date

Craig's trained with the greats

United's new striker Craig Farrell has trained with and against the best in the land. He began as a trainee at Leeds, and signed pro for them in 2002, regularly playing for the reserves in their heyday, the 2001-2 and 2002-3 seasons, and training with

Date

Hinchliffe waits for a chance

Chris Wilder admits he's not normally one who has a goalkeeper on the bench. But he may stick with Ben Hinchliffe as one of his subs for the moment. This is because Billy Turley still suffers from a shoulder problem, following an operation last summer

Date

FIXTURES February 6

SATURDAY. FOOTBALL. BLUE SQUARE PREMIER. Kettering v Oxford Utd. PUMA YOUTH ALLIANCE. Under 18 South West Conference: Swindon Tn Youth v Oxford Utd. BRITISH GAS BUSINESS SOUTHERN LEAGUE. Premier Div: Bedford

Date

Jobs fair brings new opportunities

More than 100 jobs are on offer at a special jobs fair being held in Oxford. The Jobcentre Plus event at Oxford Town Hall next Wednesday will feature employers including Oxfordshire County Council offering a wide variety of jobs from retail to social

Date

Snow: Bus services update

All Oxford Bus Company services are running normally this afternoon after earlier disruption, and a spokesman said the firm hopes to maintain a full service throughout the afternoon peak and this evening. Stagecoach services continue to be disrupted

Date

RUGBY UNION: Concussion claims Chinnor duo

Angus Neilson and Alex Wallace have both been ruled out of Chinnor’s National 3 clash at home to Richmond tomorrow with concussion. Flanker Neilson and utility back Wallace sustained blows to the head in last week’s defeat at Worthing, so must sit out

Date

Opportunities must be equal

Even the heavy snow did not deter determined British workers from protesting against the employment of a few hundred foreign workers instead of British ones. It is true that if you are an EU national then you are entitled to work in any EU country.

Date

Yearning for peace

I sympathise with your correspondent David Youd (Oxford Mail, January 29) regarding the noise he experiences from the A40 in Wheatley. I might comment that having regard to his own position in the village he is lucky to enjoy such exceptional

Date

Where's the justice?

It is about time some sort of standard was applied to the justice system with regard to prison sentences. Now, before I start, any case of abduction, death or stabbing is awful, and change lives for all involved. Shannon Matthews’ mother

Date

Shameless publicity

Children aged as young as five are said to be protesting at plans for an incinerator (Oxford Mail, February 4). Or should that be children as young as five are being used shamelessly as publicity material by their parents? KEITH PROSSER, Wantage

Date

BADMINTON: Bicester storm back

Leaders Bicester had to come from behind to beat Windrush B 223-202 in Division 2 of the Oxon Five Disciplines League. Bicester won the last three rubbers as Dave Bone secured two 25-19 singles games, Bea Foster partnered Tania Keeble to a 25-21, 25-

Date

Author to get honorary degree

Award-winning Cumnor author Philip Pullman is to receive an honorary degree from Oxford University,it has been confirmed. Mr Pullman, who will become a Doctor of Letters, will be one of seven people to receive honorary degrees at the university’s annual

Date

Think small

As the recession-hit economy counts the cost of this week’s snow we should turn our attention to a successful part of the financial industry: microfinance. This initiative involves giving tiny loans to poor people, which are used to fund microbusinesses

Date

Mini talks continue as sales tumble

Union leaders and bosses at the Cowley Mini plant are still locked in talks over shift patterns as the latest slump in sales was unveiled. UK sales of the Mini fell by almost 35 per cent last month, figures released by the by the Society of Motor Manufacturers

Date

Nursery replaces skate park

A nursery is to be built on the site of a popular, but run-down, skate park in Blackbird Leys, Oxford. Imagine Co-operative Childcare will begin construction at the site in Cuddesdon Way next month. It plans to create a single-storey 60-place nursery

Date

Plans go in for Garth

Bicester Town Council is to submit three planning applications to help decide what to do about the vexed question of Garth House, currently home to the town council, Citizens’ Advice and register office. The options will have scale models

Date

Bands take festival test

Music stars of the future rocked their way into the limelight as they battled it out for a place at an Oxfordshire music festival. Performers under 18 gave it their all at Bayards Hill School in Oxford, hoping to wow judges for a place at the

Date

Cabbages and Kings

Less than 24 hours before my hospital debut, the show was cancelled. It wasn’t a question of no bed being available or that my appointment with the surgeon’s knife was less urgent than those of others. It was to do with the said surgeon not

Date

Fears mount over Westgate

Doubts about the future of the plans to redevelop Oxford’s Westgate Centre have intensified. Capital Shopping Centres, the company behind the Westgate Partnership, will shortly be announcing its end of year figures. And the financial position of CSC

Date

Boy, 14, drove stolen car

A 14-year-old boy was caught driving a stolen car during a nine-day police crackdown in Oxford. Police put extra officers on the streets of Headington, carried out test-purchase operations at off-licences, ran an automatic number plate recognition

Date

Eco-town plan threatens farm

A landowner fears she could be forced to sell the farm that has been in her family for three generations to make way for an ‘eco-town’. Rosemary Henson, 68, said she had not been consulted despite her land being earmarked to accommodate 5,000

Date

Group to research faiths

A research group aiming to tackle the relationship between Islam and Christianity has opened its doors in Oxford. The inauguration of the Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies was held at Greyfriars Church, in Iffley Road, on Tuesday. The research organisation

Date

Snow: 999 crews hire 4x4s

Paramedics are using four-wheel-drive vehicles to help them reach patients amid today's heavy snow. The hired 4x4s are being used by South Central Ambulance Service in rural areas of Oxfordshire. They are also being used to pick up call

Date

Snow: Ambulance service hires 4x4s

Paramedics are using four-wheel-drive vehicles to help them reach patients amid today's heavy snow. The hired 4x4s are being used by South Central Ambulance Service in rural areas of Oxfordshire. They are also being used to pick up call

Date

Village pub gets £90k refit

The owners of a popular pub have given it a £90,000 refit — including sprucing up one of Blewbury’s historic cob walls. The Red Lion, in Nottingham Fee, has undergone a facelift, paid for by owner Brakspear, since new tenants, Bob Hurst, 59

Date

Snow: 100 help clear paths

More than 100 staff from Oxford City Council have been out working to clear the snow in Oxford today. Staff from the city works department started working at 4.30am and have been clearing snow on footpaths and roads in hilly areas like Barton

Date

Snow: Council diverts staff to clear streets

More than 100 staff from Oxford City Council have been out working to clear the snow in Oxford today. Staff from the City Works department started working at 4.30am and have been clearing snow on footpaths and roads in areas including Barton

Date

New buyers lift homes market

A property expert says first-time buyers in Oxfordshire are coming back to the market — but only those with a massive 25 per cent deposit stored away. A combination of lower interest rates and falling property prices have sparked renewed interest, especially

Date

Robbers burst into houses

Masked men burst into two houses in Oxfordshire and left an elderly man with head wounds during violent burglaries yesterday. Detectives are linking the incidents and appealing for information. Two men wearing balaclavas burst into a

Date

Hydro-power plan for homes

Oxford is set to get one of the first hydro-electricity generating stations on the River Thames. The power of the river could be harnessed to generate electricity for 12 new flats to be built at Osney Mill, near Osney Lock. The site contains the remains

Date

Rail link designs move ahead

Work to pave the way for the proposed East West Rail Link between Oxford, Bicester and Milton Keynes has taken a step forward. Vegetation is being cleared between Claydon Junction, east of Bicester, and Bletchley, in the south of Milton Keynes, as part

Date

Snow: Bus links reinstated

The Oxford Bus Company has now restored services to all routes and destinations. Services have been reinstated to Elms Rise on the No 4 and Dean Court on No 4c services. The Barton estate is again being served by the No 8, while the

Date

Snow: Oxford Bus Company routes restored

Oxford Bus Company has now restored services to all routes and destinations. Services have been reinstated to Elms Rise on the City 4 service and Dean Court with the City 4c service. The Barton estate is being served by the City 8 service

Date

Snow: Train services update

First Great Western has resumed train services between Oxford and Bicester Town, which had been suspended due to this morning’s heavy snow. Other FGW services are running to a near-normal timetable, although they are subject to delays. Passengers are

Date

Salsa-ing to a record

Salsa dancers in Oxford are hoping to spin, twist and twirl their way into the record books — and raise money for a good cause at the same time. A group of dancers at Oxford University called Rueda Komrades, are planning to dance a form of salsa called

Date

Snow: A420 running again

Traffic is now running smoothly on the A420 between Oxford and Swindon after an earlier accident was cleared. The driver of a lorry was taken to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon after the vehicle jack-knifed at the Pusey turn, near Southmoor, shortly

Date

Show brings Broadway glamour

A touch of old-school Broadway glamour has come to an Oxfordshire school this week for a special production of Guys and Dolls. Wheatley Park School in Holton is among the last schools granted a licence to put on the popular show as the official production

Date

TRAVEL UPDATE: A420 back to normal

Traffic is now running smoothly on the A420 between Oxford and Swindon after an earlier accident was cleared. The driver of a lorry was taken to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon after the vehicle jack-knifed at the Pusey turn, near Southmoor

Date

Snow: Bus services update

A number of bus services in Oxfordshire have been cancelled as a result of the heavy snowfall. All Oxford Bus Company Espress services to London and Airline coaches to Heathrow and Gatwick airports are running, but there is disruption to local

Date

Snow: Bus services hit

A number of bus services in Oxfordshire have been cancelled as a result of the heavy snowfall. All Oxford Bus Company espress services to London are running on time, but there is disruption to local services including the following:

Date

Hooded robbers raid homes

Hooded robbers threatened people in raids on homes in Oxford and Beckley. At about 5.50pm yesterday, two men wearing balaclavas burst into a house in Ambleside Drive, Headington, and demanded money from the occupants. The men threatened them with

Date

GREYHOUNDS: Oxford abandoned

Thursday night's meeting at Oxford Stadium has been abandoned following heavy overnight snow. Officials called the meeting off to save the public travelling and in an attempt to get Friday's BAGS meeting on. Racing manager Gary Baiden said: "We have

Date

Conversion is clevely designed

A mill house in the beautiful Glyme Valley is on the market at a guide price of £1.1m. Cleveley Mill, near Chipping Norton, which is believed to date from 1789, stands within the woodland slopes of the Ditchley Estate. The mill has three reception

Date

A dream home for all seasons

A delightful period farmhouse which has been painstakingly renovated, extended and improved is the perfect home for all seasons Cox’s Farm, Freeland, is believed to date from the 18th century. Owners Richard and Diane Dennis bought the property, which

Date

Engineering firm powers classic bike deal

A West Oxfordshire engineering firm has won a contract to design a new engine for an iconic British motorcycle. Meynard Competition Technolgies (MCT), based at Leafield, near Witney, has won the contract to design the power plant for the first motorbike

Date

Snow: Waste collections suspended

Waste collection services have been suspended in West Oxfordshire because of the snow. A district council spokesman said: "We will be reviewing the situation tomorrow morning. If conditions improve we will do today's collections tomorrow.

Date

New face at local pub

A landmark Oxfordshire pub has been taken over with the new owner pledging to transform its fortunes, despite the crippling effects of the recession on the industry. Mark Greenwood is the new director of the Bear and Ragged Staff at Cumnor

Date

Today's local share prices (AM)

AEA Technology 18.25 BMW 1691 Electrocomponents 135 Nationwide Accident Repair 104 Oxford Biomedica 7.2 Oxford Catalyst 68.5 Oxford Instruments 159.75 Reed Elsevier 541.25 RM 170 RPS Group 139.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

Date

Snow: Oxford bin collections suspended

Household rubbish bins will not be emptied today in Oxford due to the heavy snowfall overnight. Oxford City Council has cancelled its rounds and transferred all rubbish collection staff to clearing snow in the city centre and gritting the roads

Date

Snow: Oxford bin collections stopped

Household rubbish bins will not be emptied today due to the heavy snowfall overnight. Oxford City Council has cancelled its rounds and transferred all rubbish collection staff to clearing snow in the city centre and gritting the roads instead

Date

Pictures taken Thursday throughout Oxfordshire by Professional and Amateur Photographers

Date

Brookes to stage postgraduate fair

Who knows what the year ahead has in store? With gloomy financial news hitting the papers every day and 2009 predicted to be tough across many sectors, this is probably a good time to do more than just hunker down behind your desk. Studying for extra

Date

ROWING: Mementoes for Oxford competitors after successful year

David Tanner, an old boy of Abingdon School and the Great Britain team manager, was clearly at the Olympic team’s dinner at Twickenham, writes Mike Rosewell. A total of 67 medallists from Olympians to GB junior representatives received keepsakes of a

Date

RACING: Songe's train set for Chipping Norton move

CHARLIE Longsdon, who saddles the strongly-fancied Songe in the totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday, is moving to a new yard near Chipping Norton later this year, writes Russell Smith. Now in his third season at the Cotswold Stud stables at Sezincote

Date

County council website down

Oxfordshire County Council's website has crashed this morning. Parents and motorists looking for updates on the roads and schools should continue to check oxfordmail.co.uk

Date

Brief Histories of Almost Everything by Chris Brazier

It is not often that you meet someone who seems completely content with their career choices. Chris Brazier, an editor at publishing company New Internationalist, is one. For the past 24 years, he has worked for this workers’ co-operative, based in East

Date

Preview: The Convict's Opera, Oxford Playhouse

Stephen Jeffreys is perhaps best known for The Libertine, his 1994 play about the debauched life of poet John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester, which was made into a film filmed at Blenheim Palace and starring Johnny Depp. But his latest project has seen

Date

Beautiful begonias

Young plants are big business and you can buy plugs, mini plugs and young plants – lumped under the banner of bedding. I’m thankful to see ‘plug’ antirrhinums: raising these from seed was constantly hampered by damping off and the seedlings frequently

Date

New man at Corn Exchange

Nick Giles confesses to having been a terrible pupil. “I was a really bad student but I had a fantastic music teacher called Penny Mark at Larkmead. I was vile to her, really unpleasant. But she was gentle, and kind. Penny was taking a lesson one day,

Date

Snow: Oxfordshire school closures latest

This is the latest list of schools in Oxfordshire that are closed as a result of heavy snowfall overnight. More than 200 schools are now thought to be closed across the county. The county schools closed today are: Abingdon and Witney

Date

Snow: Crashes cause delays

The heavy snowfall is causing dangerous conditions for drivers this morning with a series of accidents affecting Oxfordshire’s roads. About five inches of snow fell overnight in Oxfordshire, which left many drivers facing a difficult journey

Date

MOTOR CYCLING: Bradley's back in action

OXFORDSHIRE motorcycling starlet Bradley Smith got his new 125cc season under way with five days of testing in Spain. He emerged from three days of riding at Jerez followed by a two-day test at Valencia and declared himself well

Date

BOXING: Varsity fighters lose Town v Gown clash

Oxford University lost 7-4 in their annual Town v Gown challenge match at a packed Oxford Union last night. Full report and pictures in Friday's Oxford Mail

Date

Snow causes accidents on Oxfordshire's roads

The heavy snowfall is causing dangerous conditions for drivers this morning with a series of accidents affecting Oxfordshire’s roads. About five inches of snow fell overnight in Oxfordshire, which left many drivers facing a difficult journey

Date

Schools face criticism over closures

PARENTS have criticised headteachers’ decisions to shut more than 30 Oxfordshire schools because of the weather this week. Thousands of the county’s pupils were told not to attend lessons because of ice and heating problems, forcing parents

Date

New kit for Car of the Year

The inspiring lines and standard features of the new Vauxhall Insignia will need little enhancement for most owners, but a range of styling and lifestyle accessories has already been launched for the Car of the Year. Insignia buyers can

Date

TRAVEL UPDATE: Rail services affected by snow

First Great Western has told passengers to expect delays on services in the Didcot area. This will affect services between: London Paddington and Worcester, Great Malvern and Hereford in both directions, including Oxford. For the latest

Date

Snow: Oxfordshire schools closed

Here is a preliminary list of Oxfordshire schools so far reported as being closed after today's snow. Ashbury with Compton Beauchamp Primary Aston Rowant Primary Abingdon and Witney College, all sites Beckley CoE Primary

Date

TRAVEL UPDATE: Bus services affected by snow

The following Oxford Bus Company services have been affected by the snow in Oxford: City 4A - Buses are not serving Elms Rise Estate, buses are terminating at Elms Parade, Botley. City 4C - Buses are not serving the Dean Court Estate

Date

Snow: Travel hit

Traffic was hit around the county as motorists struggled to cope with the conditions. A jack-knifed lorry on the A420 led to stationary traffic near the Botley interchange. Other problems on the A420 included a jack-knifed lorry and

Date

Underage drinkers' pub shut

A pub has been shut down after police spotted teenagers bragging about drinking in the bar on an Internet site. Police launched an investigation into the Black Bull, in Kidlington, after being handed photographs showing youngsters posing with

Date

Underage boozers pub shut

A pub has been shut down after police spotted teenagers bragging about boozing in the bar on an Internet site. Police launched an investigation into the Black Bull, in Kidlington, after being handed photographs showing youngsters posing with

Date

Snow: Oxfordshire schools closed

Here is a list of Oxfordshire schools so far reported as being closed after today's snow. Abingdon and Witney College Aston Rowan Primary Aston & Cotes Primary School Ace Centre, Chipping Norton Appleton CoE

Date

Snow hits Oxfordshire again

Snow has hit Oxfordshire again with more than 200 schools shut today. The county had missed the worst of the near-arctic conditions which had crippled certain parts of the country earlier this week. But overnight up to six inches of

Date

Patient pressure

Sir – At the present moment if parents with children who have mental health problems need to complain they have to go through the PALS office at the Warneford. There is no pressure group available to put any pressure on the Warneford or the Crisis

Date

Forest of signs

Sir – Basing an entire road safety argument on one’s own experience — as Susan Heeks does in her support of 20mph limits (Letters, January 22) — is quite understandable. At the same time, it does not always make for sound policy. Drivers match their

Date

Damp directory

Sir – Following on from Swagbag’s letter to you re delivery of new telephone directories (January 22): I was appalled to arrive home the other day and find our new directory lying on a wet path, when all the deliverer had to do was open our porch door

Date

Snow joke

Most of us in Oxfordshire must have felt left out this week with all the stories about the worst snowfalls in decades — we hardly saw any. Of course, the truth of the matter was that it snowed significantly in London for the first time in years and the

Date

A wry smile

We do hope Oxford councillors are not going to get into a pickle over Exeter College’s plan to erect an Antony Gormley statue on the roof of its building on the corner of Broad Street. The college was advised that the matter could be delegated to planning

Date

High price to pay

Sir – While Corpus Christi builds a new auditorium ‘in one of Oxford's most beautiful and historic settings’ (Report, January 22), I can only mourn the loss of the jewel in its crown. The college gardens, considered by many garden historians to be

Date

Riverside debris

Sir – On a recent walk with a friend along the beautiful stretch of the River Thame from Drayton bridge to Drayton St Leonard village, we were shocked to discover not only the usual plastic debris on the bank by the bridge, but seven large propane gas

Date

Museum ‘saved’

Sir – You report that the Museum of Oxford is saved from Labour’s cuts. Is that saved in the same way that Peers was ‘saved’? Labour claimed the pool was safe in their hands, and now announce it is being closed. In the museum’s case, the truth is that

Date

Snow hits Oxfordshire schools

Snow has hit Oxfordshire again with about 40 schools so far who have declared they will be shut today. The county had missed the worst of the near-arctic conditions which had crippled certain parts of the country earlier this week. But

Date

Extremely worrying

Sir – While it is necessary to reduce the waste sent to landfill, the proposal to build an incinerator in Oxfordshire is extremely worrying in view of the concerns raised by medical and scientific experts about the possible health risks. An independent

Date

Grave disservice

Sir – I am bemused by councillor Mitchell and Belson’s letter criticizing The Oxford Times (January 22). Are they trying to whip the media in, as well as the ruling party councillors? Their faith in the Health Protection Agency(HPA) and the Environment

Date

No local health studies

Sir – Oxfordshire County Council leader Keith Mitchell (Report, January 15) is quoted as having actually said: “It is quite clear the Environment Agency and Health Protection Agency are the appropriate legal organisations to carry out independent assessments

Date

Inspirational figure

Sir – May I add to your obituary of Vivian Ridler by recognising him as an Oxford man of great, even international stature, as the national newspapers are now doing. His leadership of Oxford University Press is acknowledged to have been outstanding

Date

The nation's new Trauma Tsar

As Keith Willett was completing his higher surgical training 18 years ago he made himself a solemn promise. “I vowed never to let my trainees learn trauma surgery the way I had and that injured patients should receive far better care than I had witnessed

Date

Denounce advertising

Sir – The Bishop of Oxford’s call for a less materialistic society (Business, January 29) is well made, but his exhortation for us to question our spending comes at an inappropriate time. Perhaps through the limitations of an interview, he also fails

Date

Conserving art

Sir – I wonder if I could use your letters page to let people know that a NADFAS (National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies) group is going to be launched in Oxford, with the first meeting being planned for October. The ‘other place

Date

Grim monument

Sir – Oxford’s Broad Street is beautiful as it is — but another grim monument to Gormley’s tiny talent and huge ego could spoil it a bit. If Exeter College have £250,000 to spend on art then there is a huge range of imaginative possibilities. They

Date

Naked honour

Sir – How delighted I am to see that Exeter College has at last decided to honour my old tutor John Percy Vyvian Dacre Balsdon, by a life-size statue on top of the building for which he was responsible (Report, January 29). He was indeed inordinately

Date

Persistent chemicals

Sir – Councillors Mitchell and Belson (Letters, January 22) respond to the accusation that the council rejected an independent assessment of the health risks of waste incineration by asking whether The Oxford Times believes the Environment Agency and

Date

Acceptable risks?

Sir – Councillors Mitchell and Belson complain about The Oxford Times’ use of the word ‘independent’ (Letters, January 22) when reporting that the county council had refused to commission a health risk assessment of their incinerator plans in response

Date

Quinta de la Rosa case, £110

As an introduction to the upcoming Dinner Tasting at The Corner Club on March 5, we are offering a mixed tasting case from Quinta de la Rosa, not all of which will be shown at the tasting. Quinta de la Rosa was one of the pioneers of table wine (as opposed

Date

A generous taste of Portugal

On the morning of my meeting with Quinta de la Rosa’s co-owner and manager, Sophia Berqvist, I am a bit grumpy. It’s a dreech old morning and the cold, damp air has inexplicably penetrated four layers of winter woollies, leaving me feeling pretty

Date

'Don't make us wait for drug'

Pressure is mounting on Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust to make the kidney cancer drug Sunitinib available to patients immediately. Campaigners have written to the PCT’s chief executive Andrea Young demanding that the life-extending drug — which it had

Date

City waterways restoration starts

A SCHEME to restore Oxford’s reputation as a city of waterways has been launched with work under way to transform the “gateway to Oxford Canal”. Proposals to clean up the city’s streams, with the creation of waterside parks and wildlife corridors, form

Date

Hydro-electric plan for flats

ONE OF the first hydro-electricy stations on the Thames is set to be built at an historic riverside site in Oxford. The power of the Thames looks like being harnessed to generate electricity for 12 new flats to be built at Osney Mill. The site contains

Date

Maureen Christian: Former Lord Mayor of Oxford

Former Oxford Lord Mayor Maureen Christian has died at the age of 82. Maureen Lena Smith was born in 1926 in Seaham, County Durham, the only daughter of William and Hilda Smith. During the Second World War her family was bombed out and moved to Scarborough

Date

OxVox want fans to sign petition

OXVOX, Oxford United’s supporters’ trust, has called on fans from all non-League clubs to unite and urge the Football Conference to overturn its decision to dock points from four clubs for player registration errors. Oxford, Crawley, Mansfield and

Date

Value for Money mixed case, £63

Modern winemaking techniques have revolutionised the quality of everyday wine to the extent that it is now possible to enjoy wine at very affordable prices. Try this recession-beating mixed case and save money on some mouth-watering examples from

Date

We will put eco-town questions to minister

THE BATTLE over whether an eco-town should be built in Oxfordshire is set to continue into the spring. There are two separate proposals to build eco-settlements near Bicester. But with the consultation period due to end on March 6, The Oxford Times is

Date

Ironman statue runs into row

Plans to erect a nude statue on the roof of an Oxford shop have run into trouble 10 days before an eagerly awaited unveiling ceremony. Councillors have pointed out the 7ft sculpture by Angel of the North creator Antony Gormley does not have

Date

Councillor wants to 'call in' statue

PLANS to erect a nude statue looking down on Broad Street have run into trouble, just ten days before the unveiling ceremony. With sculptor Antony Gormley due to come to Oxford on February 15 to see his iron statue lifted on to the top of the