Archive
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Ambulance service rated weak
HEALTH services across Oxfordshire were given their annual check-up yesterday – and not all of them got a clean bill of health. The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust was rated excellent in terms of quality of service for the second year running
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University unveils £200m redevelopment
THE £200m buildings that will form the centrepieces of a new city centre quarter are unveiled by Oxford University today. A landmark humanities building with an underground library and a five-storey Mathematical Institute will be the main structures
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Donington chase the money
Donington Park chiefs have effectively issued a last-ditch plea to potential investors to help raise the money required to stage the British Grand Prix. Donington Holdings PLC, the parent company of Donington Ventures Leisure Limited run by
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Man tried to rob teenager in Oxford
Police tonight appealed for information after an attempted robbery on a teenage girl in Oxford. At about 7.55am yesterday, a 16-year-old girl got off a bus in St Aldates and was walking towards another bus stop when she felt someone pull her handbag
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Oxford councillors approve toilet closures
OXFORD city councillors tonight agreed to shut seven of the city’s public toilets, to save £57,000 a year. The sites that will shut are: Castle Street; Littlemore; Woodstock Road; South Parade; Barns Road; Knight’s Road; and Headington Hill
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Final farewell to cancer drug campaigner Andy
HE DID everything he could to make the ordeal of watching him fight cancer as easy to bear for his family as possible. Today, kidney cancer drug campaigner Andy Crabb made his final journey as his father paid tribute to the son who had shown “amazing
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September 24th 2009
Present Alan Wilkins, Lakis Christodoulou, Steve Simmonds, Mary Simmonds, Paul Lyon, Neil Smith Tracey Haslam, Claire Newell Apologies Chris Madden, Kenny Moore, Leighton Greenslade, Anita Greenslade 1. Minutes of last meeting Agreed as
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GOLF: Chippy closing in on double
Chipping Norton had a double reason to celebrate in the Shaw Gibbs Oxfordshire Foursomes League – despite losing their unbeaten record. A 2-1 defeat at Shrivenham Park was enough to hand Chippy the Section 2 title and an immediate return to the top flight
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Supermarket booze ban irks Didcot couple
A 41-YEAR-OLD man was refused a bottle of liqueur at a supermarket because his wife had no ID. Terry Almond, who works at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, was left speechless when cashiers at Sainsbury’s in Didcot said that although he could prove
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GOLF: Oxon on song at Temple
Oxfordshire's girls claimed the handicap title in the Midlands South team finals at Temple. Their team of Anna Kirk, Imogen Vessey (both Chipping Norton), and Sunny Ricketts (Burford) won all three matches, defeating Warwickshire in the final. Oxon
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GOLF: Phillips leads home team to victory
There was home success as Five Star Events held their fifth tournament of the year at The Oxfordshire. Rob Phillips’s team, from the host club, scooped first place on 88 points, with Jimmy Tompkins’s North Oxford side second on 86. Alastair Thomson’
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GOLF: Results round-up
FRILFORD HEATH Ladies’ October Medal – Saturday: 1 A Tyreman 76-5=71, 2 C Pearce 92-10=82, 3 J Stringer 112-20=92. Tuesday: 1 J Docherty 79-10=69, 2 K Evans 75-5=70, 3 A Hudson 88-17=71. KIRTLINGTON Medal – Div 1: 1 R Cowley 76-11=65, 2 A Cawte
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GOLF: Frilford shine at Carswell
Frilford Heath were the leading performers in the Oxfordshire Ladies’ Autumn Three-ball Alliance meeting at Carswell. They provided the first and third placed teams off the first tee, the third-ranked side off the tenth tee and the best 18-hole score
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GOLF: Gillett named Heythrop director
STUART Gillett has been appointed as Heythrop Park’s director of golf. The 35-year-old (pictured) is the former general manager at Mill Ride in Berkshire and is said to bring “a wealth of experience in the golf and hospitality industry” to the new club
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Didcot school labs 'best in country'
A TV scientist hailed a Didcot school’s new science labs as the best in the country. University of Oxford naturalist Dr George McGavin cut the ribbon yesterday to open St Birinus School’s £4.8m science block, which houses 13 state-of-the-art laboratories
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RUGBY UNION: Wallingford will bounce back says coach
After four seasons of progress, Wallingford appear to have hit the buffers in 2009-10. Winning the Oxfordshire Shield in 2006 was followed by two straight promotions and a highly creditable mid-table finish in South West 2 last year. Now after four
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RUGBY UNION: Holmes warns against complacency
Banbury Bulls coach Grant Holmes has urged his players to guard against complacency after making a strong start to the Midlands 2 East South season. Bulls lie second on points difference after three wins and a draw from four matches. Holmes said: “Things
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RUGBY UNION: Gillotts shine at open day
Sixty-five youngsters from four local schools line up for a photo at Wallingford RFC’s girls’ open day. The girls from Icknield, Gillotts, Wallingford and Langtree took part in six different skill sessions and then played a tag rugby tournament. Gillotts
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RUGBY UNION: Light Blues hammered
While Oxford University beat London Scottish on Monday night, their Cambridge counterparts received a ‘wake-up call’ against Northampton Saints. That was how the Light Blues’ own website billed their 73-14 defeat to a strong Saints side at Grange Road
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RUGBY UNION: Oxon dent Devon hopes
Oxfordshire Under 18s humbled Devon 29-3 in their opening South West Division clash at Bristol Grammar School. With the wind behind them, Devon dominated the first half, but could manage only a Rob Avery-Wright penalty. Oxon’s fly half
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RUGBY UNION: Quins in Venice tour
Oxford Harlequins Under 9s fly to Venice on Friday for an international tour. The squad of nine boys and one girl will be hosted by Vicenza RFC and play a series of matches against them and Padova. Quins’ youngsters will be greeted by dignitaries from
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Mugged man and passer-by get back belongings
A passer-by came to the aid of a man who had just been mugged and helped him retrieve his belongings. A 23-year-old man got off a bus in Marsh Road, Cowley, Oxford, in the early hours of Monday and noticed two people walking behind him. As a man grabbed
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Burglars steal computer kit
Burglars stole a laptop and computer after breaking into a house in Westland Road, Faringdon, sometime between 4.30pm on Friday and 9.30am on Sunday. Police are appealing for witnesses. Anyone with information should call police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers
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Work can begin on 300-home Didcot scheme
WORK will finally start on Didcot’s 3,340-home Great Western Park development in the spring, South Oxfordshire District Council says. Housing association Sovereign has agreed to fund the first 100 social homes, allowing developer Taylor Wimpey to kickstart
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Alert issued after series of house break-ins
Police are appealing for information and urging people to be vigilant after a recent spate of burglaries in the south Oxfordshire area. Between 6pm and 8pm on Monday, burglars broke into a property in Northfield Avenue in Lower Shiplake. They broke
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Burglars steal laptop in Faringdon break-in
Police are appealing for information after a house was burgled in Faringdon. Between 4.30pm on Friday and 9.30am on Sunday burglars broke into a house in Westland Road and stole items including a laptop and a computer. Det Con Chris
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Sights of Didcot made into Christmas card
A PRIZE-WINNING montage of the sights of Didcot has been made into a Christmas card. East Hagbourne artist and illustrator Linda Benton’s two-and-half-foot wide watercolour was the public’s favourite exhibit at the Didcot Open Art exhibition at the Civic
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Animal activist tells of catalogue of vandalism
THE manager of a wildlife sanctuary and animal rights activist has blamed hunt supporters for a string of attacks on her property. Hunt monitor Penny Little said that the latest incident, when her car tyres were slashed, was the 19th time in
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Man robbed by couple in Oxford
Police are appealing for witnesses after a robbery in Marsh Road, Cowley, in the early hours of Monday. At about midnight, a 23-year-old man had just got off a bus and was walking home when he noticed that two people were behind him. A man grabbed
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Three deported after immigration raid
THREE workers arrested during a raid at a Bicester food processing firm have been deported. Immigration officers raided the Just Prepared factory, in Bainton Close, off Charbridge Way, at 10.30am a week ago, after a tip-off. A total of 10 men were arrested
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Green lung wins back eyesore site
A PLOT of land described as an eyesore four years ago has won an award after being transformed into a thriving nature reserve. The North Hinksey Nature Reserve in Botley landed the Oxford Preservation Trust’s highest environmental accolade in recognition
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So glad I can be nice about Simon's novel
It is a profound relief when reading a book by a friend to find, first, that you can finish it and, second, that having finished it you can tell the author – and your thousands of readers, if you happen to be placed as I am – that you like it. I was in
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Like Clarkson I am a sad Monty Python fan
Jeremy Clarkson admitted in his Sunday Times column this week to an “encyclopaedic knowledge” of Monty Python sketches which was regarded, he admitted, as “a bit sad”. We can be sad together, then, for I share Jeremy’s failing. It must be an age thing
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Gately's Joseph was another first for Oxford
Andrew Lloyd Webber was among those paying generous tribute this week to the Boyzone singing star Stephen Gately following his sudden death at his Majorcan holiday home. The world of the musical had suffered a sad loss, he said. It happens that audiences
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Bill Croker, man of mercy moved by war
AID worker Bill Croker, who repeatedly visited Bosnia to help war victims in the early 1990s, has died aged 77. Mr Croker, who was born in Gateshead, lived in Oxford for 38 years. Following a spell in the Army, the father-of-two divorced
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Rebecca Joy's recipe for pheasant with apples and Calvados
Pheasant is available from September to the end of January, but is at its best between November and December. Rebecca Joy included this recipe on her game menu as she feels that pheasant is probably the best-known British game bird and a very healthy
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Finest game dishes at super village pub
grouse, which is widely considered the best game bird in the world, is shot for the table. Most other game birds are shot from September until February, though birds such as pheasant and woodcock are not available until October 1. Because the game season
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The Longwall, Oxford Business Park, Cowley
This year sees the 35th anniversary of the Beefeater chain, which some might think to be more a cause for commiseration than celebration. Myself, I have always considered Beefeaters to be restaurants for people who don’t like restaurants, or at
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OX4 Festival: Venues in Cowley Road, Oxford
Making its debut this year, OX4 Festival aims to be Oxford’s answer to the Camden Crawl. Founded by local upstarts, You! Me! Dancing! and OX festival kings, Truck, it works in much the same way as London’s Camden Crawl. Ten venues, all on the Cowley
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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
‘A Film From Heath Ledger & Friends,” sombrely proclaims the end credits of Terry Gilliam’s fantasy The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. There is no escaping the uncomfortable truth that audiences will flock to witness the final performance
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Oxford Philomusica's season previewed in conversation with Marios Papadopoulos
It’s a bit like a novelist starting a new book with a blank sheet of paper. Where to start? As the Oxford Philomusica orchestra begins a new season, and enters its second decade playing to local audiences, I asked music director Marios Papadopoulos
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Rambert Dance Company: Wycombe Swan
The company arrived at the Wycombe Swan last week with three new works, the first, Tread Softly, by Henri Oguike, receiving its premiere there. Music has always been at the heart of Oguike’s work, and here he has chosen Schubert’s Death and the Maiden
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Letters of a Love Betrayed: Music Theatre Wales, Oxford Playhouse
I was sorry to see the Playhouse rather less than half full for Music Theatre Wales’s production – hotfoot from its premiere at Covent Garden’s Linbury Studio – of Letters of a Love Betrayed, an opera by composer Eleanor Alberga and librettist Donald
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Turandot: English National Opera: London Coliseum
Rupert Goold is the man every company wants to direct for them these days. Two of the biggest stage hits of the moment, Oliver! and Enron, are both his. Now he has turned his attention to opera – not for the first time, since Garsingon’s Le Comte
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Hot Mikado: Oxford Playhouse
Craig Revel Horwood’s Kabuki-style Hot Mikado, first produced for Newbury’s Watermill Theatre in 2006, is back – and it certainly is hot. In fact, this Mikado is so hot it positively sizzles, with Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1885 hit injected with an irresistible
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Giulio Cesare: St Michael at the Northgate
After years in the musical wilderness, Handel’s operatic retelling of the story of Caesar and Cleopatra has been enjoying something of a renaissance, most notably in Glyndebourne’s recent revival. The Oxford Singers’ concert version at St Michael at the
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Andrew Forkner: West Ox Art Gallery
Andrew Forkner, a self-taught artist, uses graphite pencils, acrylics, watercolour, chromacolour and pastel for his depiction of domestic animals, especially dogs and horses. But it must be said that his heart is in those creatures that live in
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Educating Rita: The Watermill Theatre, Newbury
Since the first staging of Willy Russell’s hilarious two-hander Educating Rita by the RSC almost 30 years ago, the play has never been out of production somewhere in the world. I learned this from the programme at the Watermill Theatre, near Newbury,
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Days of Significance preview: Royal Shakespeare Company, Oxford Playhouse
The night before they depart for active service, two young soldiers embark on a drunken night out in an English market town. Their bravado is soon crushed by their tour of duty, and when they return home, civilian life is as alien as the desert they left
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ATHLETICS: England cooks up plans for future
OXFORD City athlete Hannah England admits her Olympic dream will be on the line when she attempts to do the European Championships and Commonwealth Games double in 2010. The 22-year-old UK Indoor 1500m silver medallist was denied her first taste of major
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Tommaso Starace Quintet: Sheldonian Theatre
The audience at the Spin were jogged into attention as soon as the Tommaso Starace Quintet opened their first set. The compelling mix of upbeat funk grounded by Laurence Cottle on electric bass and John Nichols on drums underpinning John Turville
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ATHLETICS: Seventh for City in league opener
Oxford City finished a creditable seventh out of 32 teams as they hosted the first round of the 2009-10 Chiltern League at Shotover Park. The combined men’s and women’s teams scored 1,767 points, beating their City rivals, Headington Roadrunners, who
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Radu Lupu: Sheldonian Theatre
Radu Lupu has been a commanding presence on the concert platform since the late 1960s. His recordings are few as he is uncomfortable in front of a microphone. So an opportunity to hear the maestro perform in Oxford was not to be missed. Lupu’s trademarks
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Bury Knowle Art Group: North Wall
For more than 60 years, members of the Headington-based Oxford Bury Knowle Art Group have been staging exhibitions. They once added their special touch of colour to the railings of the University Park during the summer. Now they show their work
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Julian Clary: New Theatre, Oxford
‘I first came here in 1985, when I did Two Gentlemen of Verona”, announced Julian Clary, roller-blading onstage in a sparkly orange suit. The ‘Lord of the Mince’ had arrived (the title of his one-man show) and an evening of benign campery got under
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ATHLETICS: Ace Male leads clean sweep at Hanney
Oxford City’s men claimed a clean sweep at the Hanney 5 road race, taking the first three places and the team prize. Veteran Steve Male, warming up for this weekend’s Babyrunner.com Abingdon Marathon, crossed the line in 26mins 24secs – just 11 seconds
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A Christmas Carol: Northern Ballet Theatre, Milton Keynes Theatre
This is the time of year when dance reviewers start psyching themselves up for another Nutcracker marathon, and, despite the excellence of that work, audiences too may be wondering whether there exists any other suitable Christmas ballet. The answer is
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ATHLETICS RESULTS
HENLEY HALF MARATHON Abingdon Amblers: 83 S Convers-Reignier 1.31.09secs, 155 J Cheung 1.35.48, 509 G Robinson 1.47.14, 709 A Gilmour 1.52.33, 780 J Wiblin 1.54.52, 963 P Loke 1.59.28. Eynsham RR: R Storey 1.22.02, G Bridges 1.34.11, L Poole (2nd V60
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BOWLS: Latest results
OXFORD & DISTRICT IBA Monday Morning League Hardnuts 9, Joes 21; Tigers 36, Pirates 4; Brookside 29, Insmoor 7; Maestros 10, CGW 16; Pebbles 10, Rug Rats 12. Monday Evening Men’s League Fearless 35, Abingdon 7; Solo Boys 34, All Blacks 13; Oh Eck
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AUNT SALLY: Tickets on sale
TICKETS for the Greene King Oxford & District League finals night at Rover Sports & Social Club on Friday, October 23 are available from Keith Alder on 01865 767107 or Andy Beal on 01865 453666.
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ICE-HOCKEY: Punch-up mars Stars victory
OXFORD City Stars’ 5-2 win at home to Haringey Greyhounds in Division 1 South was overshadowed by a series of fights in the closing stages. Players from both sides were involved in running battles across the ice after the referee called Stars’ Dean Francis
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ICE-HOCKEY: Hat-trick sinks Telford
OXFORD City Midnight Stars Ladies boasted three hat-trick heroines as they avenged last season’s defeat by Telford with an emphatic 9-3 victory in Shropshire. Sarah Poulter, Amy Hadden and Maria Weiss all fired trebles for Oxford as they made a flying
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BAR BILLIARDS: Florey shines to claim singles crown
JENNY Florey was crowned Oxfordshire ladies champion after beating Pauline Withey in the final, writes PETE EWINS. Florey saw off Mel Stanbridge 2-0 in the semi-finals to set up a clash against Withey, who defeated Sue Atkins 2-0. Florey (12,530) then
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A message from the boys in bluetooth
TECHNOLOGY used to help solve the high-profile murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones will be piloted in Witney. The trial – due to begin on Monday – will be the first time Thames Valley Police has used Bluetooth mobile phone messages to communicate with the
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ATTEMPTED MURDER TRIAL: Jury considers verdict
A jury in the trial of a man accused of trying to stab his ex-partner to death has retired to begin its deliberations. Benjamin Thompson, 26, has been on trial at Oxford Crown Court for the past 10 days after denying attempting to murder Harriet de Raeve
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Decision due on city's lavatories
City councillors will tonight decide whether seven of Oxford’s public lavatories should be closed as part of a city-wide review. Council officers have recommended that seven of the city’s 27 public toilets are shut permanently and two are closed
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Local share prices (AM)
AEA Technology 32 BMW 3094 Electrocomponents 156.9 Gladstone 26.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 79.5 Oxford Biomedica 11.25 Oxford Catalyst 58 Oxford Instruments 197.5 Reed Elsevier 467.3 RM 163.5 RPS Group 227 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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County's jobless figure falls slightly
The number of Oxfordshire people out of work and claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance has fallen slightly. Latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics show 9,240 people claimed benefit in September, 68 fewer than in August. But there are
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Williams' Toyota engine deal ends
The Grove-based Williams F1 team today confirmed that its engine partnership with Toyota would end at the end of this season. Frank Williams, Team Principal, said: “At a time of great difficulty for us as a team, Toyota stepped forward and
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Down the pan? D-Day for city's loos
City councillors will tonight decide whether seven of Oxford’s public loos should be closed as part of a city-wide review. Council officers have recommended that seven of the city’s 27 public loos are shut permanently and two toilets are closed for seven
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Caterer challenges £415,000 awarded to Oxford widow
A caterer was ordered to pay £415,000 damages to the widow of a man who died from anaphylactic shock after eating a dessert at a Sikh wedding, Court of Appeal judges were told today. Kuldip Singh Bhamra was allergic to eggs, but believed he was safe
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Caterer challenges 'egg' desert damages awarded to Oxford widow
A caterer was ordered to pay £415,000 damages to the widow of a man who died from anaphylactic shock after eating a dessert at a Sikh wedding, Court of Appeal judges were told today. Kuldip Singh Bhamra was allergic to eggs, but believed he
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Barrichello reveals Williams talks
Rubens Barrichello has revealed he is in talks over a possible switch to the Williams team at Grove for the 2010 Formula One season. The veteran Brazilian is out of contract at Brawn GP at the end of this year and has been linked with a move
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Oxfordshire leads way in waste fight
Oxfordshire is among six new ‘Zero Waste Places’ for England to move towards becoming a zero waste nation. The venues, announced by environment secretary Hilary Benn, were chosen to demonstrate how to reduce waste at home, work, school and in the
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MPs' claims under fresh scrutiny
OXFORDSHIRE MPs face fresh scrutiny over their expenses claims after the findings of an independent audit was released. Former civil servant Sir Thomas Legg has written to all 645 MPs following his inquiry into allowances during the past five
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Oxford United lads in dream trip to Wembley
Six youngsters from Oxford United’s Centre of Excellence will be flying the flag on a dream trip to Wembley. The lads, from United’s Under 10 team, have been chosen to carry FIFA’s ‘fair play’ flag on to the field before England’s World Cup qualifier
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M40 delays south of Banbury after lorries collide
Drivers are being forced to go slow on the M40 this morning following an accident involving two lorries near Banbury. The crash happened at 4.20am on the southbound carriageway, between junction 11 at Banbury and junction 10 at Ardley, causing
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FOOTBALL: North Leigh flying high
Two cracking strikes saw North Leigh dispose of Hungerford Town 2-0 in a pulsating Zamaretto Southern League Division 1 South & West game at Eynsham Park last night. The first came on 21 minutes when Matty Taylor’s ball found Andy McCabe, who netted
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Boy awarded £7.1m after hospital blunder
A YOUNG boy left brain-damaged at birth following a medical blunder at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital was yesterday awarded £7.1m in compensation. Harry Snowdon, 10, from, Witney, who has a “great zest for life”, was left with no appreciation
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County gears up for Mini E test drive
MORE electric Minis will appear on Oxfordshire’s roads than anywhere else in Britain. Both Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council have joined a consortium led by Mini’s parent firm BMW to test five prototype models each from
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Abingdon is moving forward
It will take more than cosmetic surgery to make Abingdon an attractive place for shoppers, traders and tourists. But the £450,000 scheme to refurbish the town’s High Street, which starts on Monday, is a start. In some quarters, Abingdon
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Swiss link signals air ambitions
Many people decried the decision to rebrand Oxford Airport as London Oxford but the proof of the pudding, as they say, is in the eating. Today we are pleased to report that Swiss airline Baboo has announced it will be offering a weekly service
