Archive
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Marine killed in Afghanistan named
A Royal Marine killed in an explosion in Afghanistan on Thursday has been named as Jason Mackie from west Oxfordshire. Mr Mackie, 21, was killed instantly when the vehicle he was travelling in was struck by an explosive device in the Basharan
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Doing a Lumley
As reported in the Oxford Mail, Oxford city councillor Ed Turner was able, by personal lobbying, to get the rate of rent increase reduced this year for council tenants. I wonder why the Government could not do the same for housing association tenants
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Home losses are down on 2008
The number of people threatened with the loss of their home after failing to keep up with their mortgage has fallen. Figures published today by the Ministry of Justice show the number of families served with a possession order — the final stage before
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Toasting the monarch
A TOAST to our new Queen. This was the scene in the mayor’s parlour at Oxford Town Hall on Saturday, February 9, 1952, the day Princess Elizabeth was proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony held at Carfax. The mayor, Alderman William Osborn King
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Traffic brainwashing
Remember the old days when common sense ruled on our roads? Remember when you could be done for parking opposite a junction; ‘double parking’ (parking on both sides of the road producing a single lane of traffic); car parking with two wheels on the pavement
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Daft objection
PERHAPS the daftest of the Mill Street mob’s objections to the proposed ‘mega’ probation centre earmarked for the area, is that some of those visiting the centre will have been found guilty of acts involving domestic violence. This may come as a bit
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MPs should realise public are furious over expenses
NO-ONE should ignore the fact that Olive McIntosh-Stedman committed a crime against the public purse, but that does not disbar her from holding a perfectly valid opinion about the MPs’ expenses scandal. Much of the squealing from MPs caught with their
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Rogue builder avoids jail term
A FRAUDSTER exposed on the BBC’s Rogue Traders programme showed no real remorse, a judge heard. Adam Bickford walked free from Oxford Crown Court yesterday after overcharging 72-year-old widower Leslie Evans by more than £4,000 for repairs to his Abingdon
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Say curtains to nets
SO you want to annoy the neighbours? Might I suggest net curtains, which are a pox on any residential landscape, yet still hang in their millions around Britain (and, tragically, Oxford). The question is, why would any half-intelligent individual who
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Councillor sorry over letter gaffe
A COUNCILLOR has apologised for breaking a code of conduct after lobbying a planning committee about a neighbour’s extension. Andrew Hodgson, South Oxfordshire’s Conservative district councillor for Wheatley and Horspath, said he acted naively when he
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'Make these MPs stand trial too'
A COUNTY councillor from Oxford expelled from the Labour Party after being found guilty of benefit fraud has called for MPs caught up in the parliamentary expenses scandal to be prosecuted and have to face a court as she had to. Former nurse
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Engine powers rebirth of biking legend
PRODUCTION of an engine to kickstart the rebirth of a legendary name in motorcycling history has started at a west Oxfordshire factory. Menard Competition Technologies has signed an agreement to produce the engine for the relaunched Norton motorcycle
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Cricketers take on partially-sighted team
A TEAM of visually impaired cricketers are to take on an Oxfordshire league side on Sunday in a game designed to raise the profile of the sport in the county. Oxford club side Cairns Fudge, which plays in the Oxfordshire Cricket Association
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ANGLING: Carp league's off to a flier
The Carp League 2009 Series kicked off at Rissington and it fished its head off for the 18 matchmen who turned out. In first place with a winning 145.12.0 was Predator’s Matt Ryman, who fished paste at eight metres and landed 50 carp. Fishing maggot
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ANGLING: Linear is the place for big tench too
Although the Linear Fis-heries complex at Stanton Harcourt is recognised as one of the best big carp waters in the country, the lakes also contain other fish reaching specimen size. Two members of the Tenchfishers, Paul Hawkins and Archie Pike
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ANGLING: Natalie wows 'em in Thailand
Ten-year-old Natalie Carter, from Oxford, caught a massive redtail catfish weighing nearly 50lb while on holiday in Thailand. The big fish took 45 minutes to land and she wasn’t finished there. She then caught a big snakeshead weighing around 7lb.
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Man took shower with young girl
A GRANDFATHER who admitted persuading a young girl to take a shower with him today walked free from court. Anthony Read admitted causing or inciting a teenage girl under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity in a shower in July last year
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Gran's game puts good manners on the cards
REMEMBER the good old days, when children said please and thank you, and respected their elders? Avril Lethbridge does, and she has launched a card game to ensure old-fashioned good manners are not forgotten by today’s children. The grandmother of four
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SPEEDWAY: Another star for Cheetahs
TOP Danish international Niels-Kristian Iversen will ride for Oxford Cheetahs in the four team tournament at Swindon on July 30, writes ROBERT PEASLEY. He is the second big name to agree to ride for the homeless Cheetahs, following in the tyre tracks
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GREYHOUNDS: Seventh heaven for flying Foxy
Firelikeafox continued her amazing run when claiming her seventh successive victory at Oxford Stadium. The Gilly Hepden-trained bitch has now won ten of her 16 races at Cowley, and has proved a real bargain for her owners Mr & Mrs John Hall. Gilly Hepden
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Final finish for Town & Gown race organiser
THOUSANDS of runners will pound the streets of Oxford city centre on Sunday at the 28th annual Town & Gown fun run. The popular event, which has this year attracted more than 3,000 entrants, is set to raise about £50,000 for the Muscular
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GREYHOUNDS: Saidso can let his feet do the talking
The Paul Clarke-trained Kilgraney Saidso can do all the talking in the A1 at Oxford Stadium tonight where his late flourish can land the nap. TONIGHT’S RUNNERS 7.35: Burbank Posh, Glenshesk Icy 3, KILLISHIN BIG, Nightfire Safire, All White Now, Raging
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Residents step up for Osney bridge opening
A NEW footbridge over the railway linking Osney Island with Oxford city centre has been officially opened. The structure, which cost £860,000 to build, connects Mill Street and Becket Street via Osney Lane, taking pedestrians over the railway
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Wounded man stumbles into probation centre
A man was tonight fighting for his life after stumbling into a probation centre with a stab wound to his stomach. Police are appealing for witnesses after the 50-year-old arrived bleeding at Oxford Probation Service, in Oxford Road, Cowley, at 1.40pm
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Foolish Things makes £35,000 for Helen House
ANY one of the comedians gracing Oxford’s New Theatre could have sold out the venue in their own right. But for many people at Childish Things 5 on Thursday, the attraction was not just Jo Brand, Sean Lock, or Patrick Kielty but the chance to raise money
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Oxford in Bloom launches 21st annual contest
%flash(, width='640',height='90') THE search is on for the city’s best gardens in this year’s Oxford in Bloom competition. The contest is open to all residents and businesses within the city boundary, with the closing date for entires
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New Leys WI has youngest president in county
A NEW Women’s Institute branch in Oxford may have appointed the youngest president in the county. The stereotypical image of the WI is of the more mature lady, but the Leys WI group, which is only two months old, has elected mother-of-two Rachel Fisher
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Kidlington skippers hope to win TV show
A QUARTET of child martial arts stars hope to demonstrate their skipping skills on a new TV programme. Team Taurus members Dan Casey, 13, Lewis Dark, 14, Nisha Hare, 12 and Yasmina O’Sullivan, 10, spent last weekend at BBC Television Centre in West London
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Man found in Oxford with serious stab wound
Police are appealing for help after a man turned up at Oxford Probation Service in Oxford Road, Cowley with a stab wound this afternoon. The man, aged 50, has been taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital where is in surgery. His injuries are described
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CRICKET: Battling county hold on for a draw
Oxfordshire Under 14s got their season up and running with a hard-fought draw against Dorset. Batting first, Dorset got off to a poor start as Musaleen Sadiqi cleaned out the openers. But a superb stand between Mike Porter and Rich Scott carried the
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CRICKET: Owen's magnificent seven leaves Shipton in a spin
Jack Owen returned extra-ordinary figures of 7-11 from four overs to help Great & Little Tew to a 14-run victory over Shipton-under-Wychwood in Group A of the Oxfordshire Under 15 Club Championship. Batting first, Tew rattled up 142-2, with Curtly Slatter
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CRICKET: Patey is on form
Daniel Patey top-scored with 26 as Oxfordshire Under 11s beat Summerfields School by seven wickets. Oxon put their hosts in to bat, and a tight bowling and fielding display saw them dismiss Summerfields for 86. Graham Beer (3-5) and Willy Routledge
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CRICKET: Oxon slide to a heavy defeat
Oxfordshire Under 15 girls fell to a 130-run defeat against a strong Hampshire outfit in their second ECB County Championship match of the season at Challow & Childrey. After back-to-back victories against Gloucestershire in a friendly and Wiltshire
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CRICKET: Deadly Davies is the star of the show
Alex Davies claimed four wickets as Oxfordshire Under 12s kicked off their season with a winning draw against Summerfields School. Summerfields fielded sup-erbly during Oxfordshire’s innings, picking up four run outs. But Oxon’s total of 159-7 was built
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SCHOOLS CRICKET: Cheney have a Lean time
Chris Leaney returned figures of 7-21 as Icknield School (Watlington) beat Cheney School by 31 runs in the Oxon Under 14 League. Icknield had hit 75-7, Jack Sears top-scoring with 24, before Cheney were shot out for just 44. Cherwell School beat Bicester
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SCHOOLS CRICKET: Records go at Magdalen
Magdalen College School’s under 11s broke a 25-year-old record when they scored 210-3 dec-lared against Abingdon Preparatory School. Magdalen’s openers put on 68 for the first wicket and 134 for the second – also a record. Bicester’s Freddie Burton
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Local share prices (PM)
AEA Technology 17 BMW 2173 Electrocomponents 149.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 92.5 Oxford Biomedica 9.8 Oxford Catalyst 34 Oxford Instruments 143.5 Reed Elsevier 514.75 RM 160 RPS Group 180.75v Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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SWIMMING: Bronze boost for Didcot ace Ripley
Olly Ripley, from Didcot Barramundi, brought home another two medals from City of Coventry’s Level 1 meet at the weekend. The ten-year-old struck bron-ze in both the 200m and 400m individual medley with times of 3mins 10.47secs and 6.47.39 respectively
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SNOOKER: Bough and Walker seal glory bids
Riley A’s Dave Bough and Fieldside’s Karl Walker lifted silverware as the season ended. Bough beat an out of sorts John Street to win the Walt Bradbury Trophy and Walker defeated clubmate Paul Robinson in the final of the Walt Bradbury Cup. Consistent
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TRIATHLON: Time to take the plunge
Competitors in this year’s Mazda Blenheim Triathlon who may never have experienced swimming in open water have the chance to take the plunge – ahead of the main events on the weekend of June 6/7 - thanks to Oxford Tri. The club are holding three more
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TRIATHLON: Trio bag spots in GB team
Three Oxford Tri members have qualified for the world sprint championships in Australia after impressing in a trial event. Adam Moore, Richard Dunbabin and Jane Bell all made the grade in their age groups following strong performances at the Grendon
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WEIGHTLIFTING: Green lifts national crown
Robert Green, from the St Birinus Weightlifting Club, Didcot, is a national champion. Green landed the 62kg class title in the British Youth Championships at Crystal Palace. It was a good day for the club, with four more members taking medals. Alex
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MOTORSPORT: Fennemore links up with big rival
Oxfordshire endurance driver Graham Fennemore has linked up with the UK's leading female driver, Sarah Reader, for the SPEED Racing Series, the first round of which is today in Anglesey. Fennemore, from Weston-on-the-Green, has joined Reader's TFL Racing
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Up Against The Wall
LONGWALL BEEFEATER, GARSINGTON ROAD, OXFORD 01865 779230. Paul Stammers quietly strikes a blow against the system, while enjoying a tasty dinner. EATING out can be a pain in the artichoke. Sometimes you want to have a pop at the people
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MOTORSPORT: Bratt ties-up new deal
Will Bratt will compete in the Euroseries 3000 Championship, after agreeing a deal with ex-Formula 1 driver Emilio de Villota’s Spanish-based team. The Adderbury racer (pictured) wanted a full race programme which didn’t impact too heavily on his final
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Police stop 27 drivers
Twenty-seven motorists were stopped for speeding during a speed enforcement operation today in Bledlow Ridge. The event, organised by roads policing officers, the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership and road safety officers from Bucks County Council
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BOXING: Lock on song
Berinsfield’s Josh Lock was in devastating form at Newbury as he saw off Jubilee ABC rival Henry Edmonds inside a round. Lock strung together solid clusters that swiftly eroded the Berkshire teenager’s resistance. A hook combination rocked Edmonds to
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BOXING: Evans secures dramatic title
Oxfordshire's Robert Evans was crowned ABA cruiserweight champion after a dramatic points win over Merseyside’s Wayne Adeniyi in Sheffield. And victory on amateur boxing’s big night completes a hat-trick of titles for the Banbury ace, who won back-to-back
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Cape Crusaders
IT’S May. It’s spring. The baby birds are hatching, flowers are blooming. This is the time of year I start to crave the sun. I want the heat, the big skies and the long sunsets. I want mountain views with vistas securely viewed from
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Marvellous Mimic
Jan Ravens was in the Cambridge Footlights when Imogen Stubbs was testing her mettle in the Oxford Revue. Both highly successful in their own right, these two went head to head at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival back in their day. And now both are appearing
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Cutting Remarks
IMOGEN Stubbs is howling with laughter as we recollect her days in The Oxford Revue. She recounts a hysterical story about turning up for a gig at the Oxford Playhouse without enough material and having to improvise with props. “Oh, it was so awful
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Four face stolen bike charges
Police have charged four men and recovered five stolen motorcycles in Witney. Overnight between Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 May, five motorcycles were stolen in Witney. Three mopeds were stolen from Eastfield Road, Quarry Road and Park View Lane. Two
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Family Loyalty
A wildlife cameraman who promised his grandmother he would see her Celtic folk tales published has finally achieved his goal. WHEN Julian Brooks was a teenager, he promised his gran that one day he would get her book published. Now, more than
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The High Life
Ross Noble’s gigs sell out instantly. But this larger-than-life stand-up comedian couldn’t give up comedy even if he wanted to. Here he talks about the addictions of being on stage, before appearing at Oxford’s New Theatre tonight. “I’M not a druggie
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Mightier Merc
There is a plentiful supply of vehicles that exude the macho butchness of a 4x4 but possess the off-road capability of a Nissan Micra – the M-Class is not one of them. This is no ‘crossover’ softie, but a meaty, mighty, seriously safe vehicle
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Crackin' Little Yarn
ANGELS & DEMONS (12A). Action/Drama/Thriller. Tom Hanks, Ayelet Zurer, Ewan McGregor, Armin Mueller Stahl, Stellan Skarsgard, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas. Director: Ron Howard. IN VARIOUS religious texts and works of art, angels
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Party's Jumpin'
TO MY unutterable sadness I’ve made an awful discovery, that one of my favourite new nights, Animal House at Po Na Na, has finished and been replaced. During the course of the night, however, I discovered that Animal House is being relaunched on May
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Councillor apologises over planning gaffe
A district councillor has apologised for breaking a local authority’s code of conduct after lobbying a planning committee over a neighbour’s extension. Andrew Hodgson, South Oxfordshire’s district councillor for Wheatley and Horspath, said he acted naively
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Teenager foils robbery bid
Police are appealing for witnesses after an attempted robbery in Marston Ferry Road. At about 12.30am on May 7, a 17-year-old boy was walking along the road when three boys came up to him and demanded that he hand over his phone and wallet.
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Update: Murder accused in court
A man accused of murdering a Witney couple 20 years ago hollered as he left court today: “Don’t judge me until the facts come out.” John Cooper, 64, was last night charged with murdering Peter and Gwenda Dixon in Pembrokeshire in 1989. He’s also been
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Burglars steal motocross bikes in Witney
Police today appealed for witnesses after burglars broke into a garage in Burwell Drive, Witney, and stole two motocross bikes worth £3,700. Burglars broke the padlock to the garage of the property using bolt croppers and the bikes yesterday
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1989 double murder suspect in court
A man accused of murdering a Witney couple 20 years ago shouted as he left court today: “Don’t judge me until the facts come out.” John Cooper, 64, was last night charged with murdering Peter and Gwenda Dixon in Pembrokeshire in 1989.
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Local share prices (AM)
AEA Technology 17 BMW 2199 Electrocomponents 148 Nationwide Accident Repair 92.5 Oxford Biomedica 10 Oxford Catalyst 31.5 Oxford Instruments 142.5 Reed Elsevier 509.25 RM 152.75 RPS Group 182.75 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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Police organise football contest
The Barton and Wood Farm neighbourhood policing teams are teaming up with young people on the estates for a football match tomorrow. The match, which has been funded by the Oxford Safer Communities Partnership, kicks off at 3pm at Oxford Brookes University
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Lisa Hannigan @ Oxford O2 Academy
If last Sunday you opted for a night in front of the box watching Antiques Roadshow or another re-run of the tiresome Clarkson cavalcade, then you missed a very sweet teatime treat. Irish singer Lisa Hannigan and her band of merry men came
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Polished Performance
A boutique showcase aims to put Poland on the musical map with a funky fusion of jazz, electronica and short films. THEY’VE given us feisty freedom fighters, great scientists, reliable plumbers, tasty sausages, smooth vodka, and even a pope.
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Hangin' Out
Gallows are back – bleaker, louder and angrier than ever. VISCERAL, urgent and nihilistic, Gallows are the barometer of a society on the edge of meltdown. Their strung-out hardcore punk sounds nasty and feral and, in something of a rarity in
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County drenched but no disasters
Drivers across Oxfordshire faced surface water on some roads this morning following heavy rainfall during the night. According to the Met Office weather station at RAF Benson, one-and-a-half inches of rain fell during a 90-minute spell last night leaving
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Drivers warned of downpours
A severe weather warning has been issued for Oxfordshire. The Met Office has advised motorists to take care on the roads as heavy downpours are expected to continue. Heavy rain hit overnight and further thunderstorms are expected today
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Credit due!
WHATEVER your opinion on John Kelly’s extraordinary outburst at the failings of Oxfordshire County Council and the emergency services’ handling of disaster situations in the county, it sparked a debate. Today it is the turn of Brian Langston, the assistant
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Sane ideas only please
AN ambitious — and dare we suggest expensive — idea to build a new bridge over the A40 to connect the Barton and Northway estates is inevitably going to raise many eyebrows. Planners are looking at ways to ease the impact of plonking 1,000 new homes
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No-car bridge plan to ease Barton bottleneck
A MASSIVE flyover over the A40 to link a new housing estate with the city is being planned for buses, cyclists and pedestrians – but not cars. The multi-million pound scheme would aim to help cope with the impact of about 1,000 new homes planned
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'Don't call our kids overweight'
PARENTS angry their healthy children have been branded overweight are to meet the health official overseeing the controversial scheme. Donna Husband, health improvement practitioner for Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust, has agreed to discuss
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Cabbages and Kings
IT should have come as no surprise that before the ink was dry on last Friday’s Oxford Mail there were answers to my inquiries about Edgar George Wilson, who drowned 120 years ago next month after rescuing a couple of lads from the Thames.
