Archive
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RUGBY UNION: Rosen is new skipper
Hooker Dan Rosen was last night elected Oxford University captain for the 2009 Nomura Varsity Match. Rosen succeeds Peter Clarke as Oxford bid to retain the trophy.
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Snow: Weekend train services update
On the rails, First Great Western, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry and Wrexham & Shropshire plan to run their advertised weekend services in Oxfordshire, but passengers are advised to check train times before setting out in case of weather-related
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Snow: Weekend bus services update
Bus operators are hoping to run near-normal services in Oxfordshire tomorrow and on Sunday, but they have warned that ice and snow blocking side roads may still lead to delays and alterations at short notice. Information on services is available
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Sat-nav glitch delays fire move
A controversial scheme to move Oxfordshire’s fire control room to a regional base in Hampshire has been delayed for nine months due to computer difficulties. A hold-up in the installation of satellite navigation software in Hampshire means the county
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Snow: Houses suffer damage
Heavy snow is suspected of causing damage to two homes in Oxfordshire today. A car port collapsed at a house in Hedgemead Avenue, off Radley Road, Abingdon, at about 10.20am. And 20 minutes later a chimney stack fell from the roof of
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Power cable catches fire
Fire crews were called to deal with an electrical blaze in an underground cable in Oxford today. The fire in Sandy Lane West, Littlemore, was reported at about 1.30pm. Scottish & Southern Electric engineers were called to the scene to carry out repairs
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Clarkson apologises for PM insults
Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has apologised after describing Prime Minister Gordon Brown as "a one-eyed Scottish idiot". The BBC presenter, who lives near Chipping Norton, also accused the Prime Minster of lying, in comments made in Australia
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Snow: Many roads 'will not be gritted'
More than 70 per cent of Oxfordshire’s roads will not be gritted this weekend despite freezing conditions, as the county council tries to conserve depleted salt supplies to treat key routes. The council, which is responsible for the upkeep
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Mini's worldwide sales fall
Global sales of the Cowley-built Mini fell sharply in January, according to the latest figures. A total of 10,120 cars were sold during the month compared to 15,457 in January 2007, a drop of 34.5 per cent. As well as the effects of
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Snow: Most roads in county will not be gritted
More than 70 per cent of Oxfordshire’s roads will not be gritted this weekend despite freezing conditions, as the county council tries to conserve depleted salt supplies to treat key routes. The council, which is responsible for the upkeep
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Snow: Headteacher pelted after opening
Headteacher Chris Crouch may have thought it was a bad idea to open his school after he was pelted by pupils, left. “I just kept saying to them, ‘not the face, not the face’,” said Mr Crouch. His school, St Aloysius RC Primary School
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Truth is out there
Did your correspondent B Goodwin, in his criticism of Mr Samson in last Tuesday’s Oxford Mail, (January 27), really infer that he was an armchair expert, who got his facts from books? This must rank as one of the most pathetic attempts to try
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Blitz spirit
During the London Blitz, the buses famously kept running. Fast forward 69 years, and a light snow shower brings the capital to a standstill. That’s progress for you. S MATTOS, Woodstock Road, Oxford
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COUNTY SPORT FACING WIPEOUT
OXFORDSHIRE’S weekend sporting action is likely to be completely wiped out. The heavy snow has forced almost every fixture to be called off – and at time of going to print last night, there were only around half a dozen fixtures that were still
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New owner vows to transform pub
A LANDMARK pub has been taken over — with its new owner pledging to transform its fortunes, despite the effects of the recession. Mark Greenwood is the new director of the Bear and Ragged Staff, at Cumnor, which he said had “massive potential”. He said
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Incinerator faces stiff checks
The Oxford Mail has published a number of letters which call for an independent health inquiry in connection with Waste Recycling Group’s planning application for an Energy from Waste incinerator at Sutton Courtenay. The Health Protection Agency
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Today's local shares (PM)
AEA Technology 17.5 BMW 1795 Electrocomponents 139 Nationwide Accident Repair 108 Oxford Biomedica 6.75 Oxford Catalysts 68.5 Oxford Instruments 159.75 Reed Elsevier 534.25 RM 171 RPS
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HOCKEY: Takara in England gold rush
WITNEY teenager Takara Haines helped Great Britain Under 21s strike gold in dramatic fashion at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival. The 18-year-old was in the starting line-up for Britain’s remarkable 3-2 win over Australia in the final in Sydney,
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SNOOKER: Eynsham spring shock
Eynsham A shocked Division 1 side House Club B in the quarter-finals of the Gentworks Oxford & District League Simonds Cup, writes DAVID WHITE. The Division 2 side fought back from 1-0 and 2-1 behind to win 4-2, thanks to wins from Richard Partlett
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BILLIARDS: Riley take step towards title
LEADERS Riley A beat second-placed Fieldside 2-1 to stay firm favourites to land the Division 1 title. Matthew Challen (+30) got Riley A off to a good start with victory over Norman Woodcock (+70) 200-161. Paul Robinson (-60) levelled when he beat Allan
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Children highly motivated
Schoolchildren scaled the highest mountain in Britain twice — without leaving Wallingford. Pupils from Fir Tree Junior School in Radnor Road, including nine-year-old Joshua Spindlow took it in turns to brave the climbing wall at the Castle Leisure Centre
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WEIGHTLIFTING: Watson handed 2012 boost
DIDCOT’S Ben Watson has received a massive boost to his dream of being in Great Britian’s team for the 2012 Olympics in London. The 18-year-old, from the St Birinus School Club at Didcot, has been invited to be part of the World Class Lifting programme
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Girl wins NHS drug battle
Little orphan Sabrena Afridi has won her fight with health officials for a new drug as she battles an incurable blood disease. The five-year-old, who has an disease called thalassaemia, has been forced to endure nights of pain being given a drug Desferal
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WI sets sights on the Leys
Women on an Oxford estate have been invited to join a new Women’s Institute group as the organisation celebrates its 90th birthday in Oxfordshire. The WI — traditionally known for making jam and singing Jerusalem — plans to create a new branch in Blackbird
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BASKETBALL: Eagles run ended by Sheffield
OXFORD Eagles Under 18s’ glorious run in the National Sureshot Cup came to a predictable end whern they lost 96-58 at Sheffield in the semi-finals. The hosts are second in the Northern Premier League, and this was always going to be a tough game
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CRICKET: Oxon set for African tour
OXFORDSHIRE Under 13s embark on a 15-day tour to Southern Africa and Bots-wana in April. They are looking for help to raise funds for the trip by means of sponsorship and raffle ticket sales. Anybody interested in helping should contact team manager
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ANGLING: Evenlode chub refuse to paly
The Coldstone Open was a disappointing affair with only nine anglers turning out and weights low from a stretch of the Evenlode which normally fishes well. The river looked in good winter trim, but the chub didn’t want to play. Steve Arthur tells
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CRICKET: Banbury and Kidlington reach final
BANBURY and Kidlington booked their places at finals night after the last round of group matches. They will join Sandford St Martin and Cumnor at Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre on Wednesday, the action starting at 7pm. Simon Launder led the way for Banbury
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GREYHOUNDS: Droopys draws in the punters
DROOPYS Quinta is likely to head the market as the 2009 Pattinson Construction Trafalgar Puppy Cup gets under way at Oxford Stadium tonight – providing the meeting survives an 11am inspection. Two meetings have already been lost this week to snow with
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CRICKET: Brothers in arms
BROTHERS Simon and Tom Boardman were the stars of the show as Westbury cruised to a six-wicket victory over Radway in Division 2 of the Banbury Indoor League. Batting first, Radway rattled up 103-5 from their ten overs, Sam Douthwaite top-scoring with
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ANGLING: Jacob lands perch cracker
Local lad Jacob Booty spent a day fishing the Tadpole Angling Club stretch of the Thames between Tadpole Bridge and Rushey Weir and landed a cracking 3.8.0 perch. The fish took a No 3 Mepps spinner attached to 20lb wire trace. You can fish the Tadpole
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BOXING: Flying Flynn in quarter-final
Berinsfield’S Jordan Flynn made it through to the last eight of this year’s National Schools Championships after a stunning victory over London champion Markamal Singh in front of his own supporters. He imposed his authority from the start of this Class
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MOTORSPORT: Sargeant hoping to earn his stripes
Didcot rally co-driver Jonathan Sargeant travels to the Forest of Dean, for the first round of the British Trials and Rally Drivers Association (BTRDA) today. It will be the first event for Sargeant with new driver, Rob Price, with whom he is aiming
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ICE HOCKEY: Duo sparkle for silver
PROMISING young Didcot skater Nikitia Aston has won a medal at the British Figure Skating Championships at the tender age of 13. Nikitia and her 18-year-old partner Aarron Watson, from Thame, collected a silver medal in the novice pairs at the Nottingham
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FATAL A420 CRASH: lorry driver named
A lorry driver killed in a smash on the A420 has been named. George Smith, 59, of Kempston, in Bedfordshire, died when his lorry and a BMW X5 collided near Kingston Bagpuize at 3.45pm on Monday. No-one else was seriously injured and police have not
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BOXING: Reid leads way
Chris Reid claimed the second victory of the night for the host gym with a determined points win over Marlow’s Riz Yasin as Blackbird Leys staged their dinner show at the Oxford Centre. But he had to come from behind after the more precise punching of
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Temperature to dip to -5C
Road temperatures in Oxfordshire are set to dip below freezing from sunset today, but the worst of the snowfall has passed, the Met Office said. It is predicting clear skies overnight with temperatures dropping to -5C. Tomorrow is set
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SWIMMING: Vale just too quick
Abingdon Vale came second in the first round of the Chiltern League Gala at the Aqua Vale pool in Aylesbury. But they were left to rue a number of speeding tickets – swimmers going too fast for the level of the meeting – which cost them victory. Nine
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CYCLE SPEEDWAY: Trio will fly flag
THREE Horspath Hammers compete in Australia on the British Lions Ashes & World Championship tour today. Lewis Osborne and Steve Harris are in the Lions senior team, while Geoff Gamage is in his UK International Competitions Managers role. HORSPATH have
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TABLE TENNIS: Forum forced to fight through
Defending champions Forum A were pushed all the way in the third round of the Oxford & District League Aubrey Hughes Handicap Shield. Division 2 leaders Gladiators B, who had a 95 point start missed out by just four points in a pulsating match. Xing
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SCHOOL SPORT: Headington are happy with third
Headington School acquitted themselves well to finish third in the South East of England’s netball tournament at East Grinstead. After winning five of their six group matches at the G4S centre, Headington lost 14-5 to national champions Beaconsfield
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BUS UPDATE: some improvement to services
The Oxford Bus Company is reporting a slight improvement in its services this afternoon. The City 4 services is now able to reach the Rose Hill estate and the Heathrow service has returned to half-hourly departures. Buses still cannot access Didcot
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Diners alarmed to see rat
Customers at an Italian restaurant were shocked to see a rat on the premises. A total of four complaints were made to food and safety officers after the rodent was spotted in the Ask restaurant, in The Square, Abingdon, on Saturday evening.
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Man About Town: All white is all right
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow... Because it just changes everything. One minute Oxford is, well...Oxford, and the next it’s something out of a fairy tale. And that’s no fanciful exaggeration. Yesterday and Thursday, the snow not only transformed
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Snow: Music schools cancelled
Due to the weather and the likelihood of poor driving conditions in the morning, Oxfordshire County Council has cancelled all its Saturday music schools. These are: Abingdon and Vale Music School Bicester Area Music School
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Free coffees on offer at the First Floor
Until February 8, the First Floor - a pan-Asian buffet in Cowley Road, Oxford which is aiming to become a coffee and cocktail hotspot - is offering a free tea or coffee to all customers. The free fairtrade drinks are available between 11am and 5pm. Perfect
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Children eat for free at the Lambert
The Lambert Arms, in, Aston Rowant, is serving up a half-term menu for the little ones - and it's free. Between Sunday, February 15, and Sunday, February 22. the gastropub and hotel is putting on what it calls ‘Proper Food for Small People’. The deal
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Power to the people
Strikes in France, demonstrations in Russia, and ‘Buy America’ campaigns in the United States. These protectionist moves seemed far away from Oxfordshire. Even the workers demonstrating at the French-owned Lindsey oil refinery in Immingham, Lincolnshire
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UPDATE: Snow situation in Oxford
Oxford’s infrastructure continues to be hit by the snow. The John Radcliffe Hospital and Churchill Hospital, both in Headington, and the Horton Hospital in Banbury have cancelled all outpatient appointments and non-urgent operations today.
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Looking Back
“THE end of your novel moved me to tears,” I confessed to the well-known author. Baron Bragg of Wigton, better known as plain Melvyn, the face of ITV’s South Bank Show, chuckled appreciatively and replied: “I hope you put that in the Oxford Mail.” I
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Floor Show
THE FIRST FLOOR, COWLEY ROAD, OXFORD 01865 200203. Kevin Coulson experiences pan-Asian dining on a whole new level. BUFFET meals remind me of my school dinners – vats of mystery meat floating on a viscid brown swamp, stagnating under
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Grim But Moving
A Guatemalan artists uses her body as a human canvas to portray suffering. “I LIVE in a violent country, and that is where my violent art comes from,” says Regina José Galindo. Fervent and frightening, aggressive, painful, courageous, determined
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UNITED GAME OFF
OXFORD United's game at Kettering on Saturday has been called off. The game is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, February 10 - weather permitting. Oxford City's Southern League game at home to Tiverton is also off.
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The Magic's Back
BOLT (U) Family/Action/Comedy. Featuring the voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Malcolm McDowell. Directors: Byron Howard, Chris Williams. MAN’S best friend learns to stand on his own four paws in this computer-animated
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Timely Marvel
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (12A) Drama/Romance. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jared Harris, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng. Director: David Fincher. Based on a short story by F Scott Fitzgerald, The Curious
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Today's local share prices (AM)
AEA Technology 17.5 BMW 1795 Electrocomponents 139 Nationwide Accident Repair 108 Oxford Biomedica 6.75 Oxford Catalyst 68.5 Oxford Instruments 159.75 Reed Elsevier 534.25 RM 171 RPS Group 150.25 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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Look At Me Now!
Jonathan Ansell is having the last laugh. Having been badly bullied at school for singing in the choir, his popularity is now soaring and his concerts selling out. Katherine MacAlister talks to the former G4 member about going solo and why he’s an incurable
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Not Your Average Mr Jones
TOBY Jones is big news. From Hollywood to The National Theatre, he is everywhere. But will he blow his own trumpet? Will he hell. Just getting the Oxfordshire born star to admit he’s made it is like pulling teeth. In the past three years alone the
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Sort of Kooky
Dull music, people gawping like guppy fish ... and yet RICHARD BELL had a great time at Kukui. TUESDAY nights never tend to be a success for clubs; for some reason everyone seems to like staying in. That’s why on a late January Tuesday night,
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Global Mini sales tumble
Global sales of the Cowley-built Mini fell sharply in January, latest figures released by parent company BMW have revealed. A total of 10,120 cars were sold during the month compared to 15,457 in January 2007, a drop of 34.5 per cent. As well as the
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Rock Of Ages
The legendary Richard Thompson riffs his way through the back catalogue – as far as St Godric, in fact... SINCE his early days with Fairport Convention guitarist, singer and songwriter Richard Thompson has been synonymous with lush folk-rock.
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GREYHOUNDS: Oxford BAGS abandoned
Oxford's BAGS meeting today has been abandoned following further heavy snow. An inspection will be held at 11am tomorrow for Saturday night's meeting.
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Open Fire!
Prepare for a groove-laden electro freakout when Friendly Fires roll into the Academy. FOR the past two years fresh-faced Home Counties disco-pop heads Friendly Fires have been waging a war of attrition on the indie-rock world. It is impossible
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Snow: Students sleep in igloo
Students at Kingham Hill School, near Chipping Norton, built igloos and slept in them overnight. When lessons were over yesterday, and with the help of one of the house masters, Paul Parmenter, they built an igloo village. Sixteen 11
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UPDATE: Weather outlook for Oxfordshire
The snow in Oxfordshire will keep on falling for the next few hours, according to Met Office weather experts. The forecast is bad news for drivers already experiencing treacherous driving conditions on the county’s roads. There have
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UPDATE: Snow situation in South Oxfordshire
Heavy snow is affecting roads and rubbish collections across southern Oxfordshire. Oxfordshire County Council spokesman said most roads in south Oxfordshire were only passable with care apart from the A417, which is closed both ways near
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UPDATE: Snow situation in West Oxfordshire
West Oxfordshire’s commuters have been hit by this morning’s snow fall. Stagecoach have suspended all their services from Chipping Norton and Charlbury to Witney and Oxford. Drivers are also experiencing severe delays on the A40 in both
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UPDATE: Snow situation in North Oxfordshire
Bin collections across Cherwell have been cancelled due to the snow and Banbury’s job club, at the Mill, Spiceball Park, has also been called off.
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UPDATE: Travel latest - A34 closed, rail services latest
For the latest traffic information see the Live Travel updates on the right hand side of the page. The Highways Agency is urging motorists to avoid areas of the A34 this morning. Heavy delays have been reported in both directions of the
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We will miss you, Wesley
An era comes to an end tonight with the departure of Wesley Smith, Thames Valley Tonight’s anchorman, after a shake-up at ITV. Since 1987, the fresh-faced, bespectacled presenter has been a ray of sunshine on our television screens in the early evening
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Make the most of it
Batten down the hatches: More snow may be on the way. The Met Office says sleet could turn into more of the white stuff today. Some will jump for joy, others curse their luck. But, on the whole, most agree it is all good fun — children are off school
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UPDATE: Rush-hour travel hit by snow (Friday)
Travel conditions for drivers are becoming increasingly difficult as heavy snow continues to fall across Oxfordshire. Six inches of snow is thought to have fallen overnight and the Met Office has issued a severe weather warning, with drivers
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UPDATE: Oxfordshire school closures (Friday)
Oxfordshire County Council’s list of school closures, as of 9.50am, is as follows: All Saints Church of England (Aided) Primary School (Didcot) Appleton Church of England (A) Primary School (Abingdon) Ashbury with Compton Beauchamp Church of England
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Snow: Travel trouble in Oxfordshire
Heavy snowfalls hit commuter routes around Oxfordshire today. Hazardous driving conditions were reported around the county. Snow is expected to fall throughout the rush hour. Many schools are expected to remain closed.
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Snow: Oxfordshire schools closed Friday
The weather has prompted the closure of the following schools across the county - please note this is a preliminary list and it will be updated throughout the morning: Botley Primary School Elms Road School and Childrens Centre, Botley
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Plea to save cash-strapped legion
A LAST-ditch appeal has been issued to save a Royal British Legion Club from closing after more than 50 years of service to the community. The Yarnton RBL Club could be making its final call for last orders on Sunday as the recession and a
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TV's Wesley says fond farewell
Long-serving newsreader Wesley Smith will tonight say an emotional farewell to ITV viewers across Oxfordshire. Mr Smith has been the face of local ITV news for more than 20 years, and will this evening present his last Thames Valley Tonight, broadcast
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U's game in 'serious jeopardy'
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
