Archive
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River Thames taken off flood watch
The River Thames throughout Oxfordshire was today taken off flood watch. The only waterways in the county left on flood watch - the lowest level of flood alert - tonight were the River Ray, the River Thame and Chalgrove Brook. They have been
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Alonso cautious over title hopes
Fernando Alonso may be pocketing an eye-popping £20m a year to drive for Ferrari, but the double world champion has refused to bet even one euro on himself adding a third title this year. Alonso's caution, on the day Ferrari unveiled their
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County launches Olympic torch bid
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to bring the Olympic torch to Oxfordshire in 2012. Organisers of the London games are starting to think about where the iconic symbol of the Olympics will travel en route to the capital, and preparations have been made locally
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Bouncer error club in trouble
An Oxford bar could be prosecuted after government investigators found an unlicensed bouncer working the door. Police and the government’s Security Industry Authority (SIA) carried out spot-checks on 14 bars, pubs and clubs in Oxford on Friday night.
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Hospital unit ‘not at risk’
The Silver Star Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital is not under immediate threat, as was suggested by a social network campaign. A misunderstanding arose from a request by the Silver Star Society to promote fundraising for the unit, which helps women
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OAP bus pass cash will keep tax in check
OXFORD will get its promised £2.28m extra to cover pensioners’ bus travel in a move that will help other areas of the city’s finances. The Department for Transport confirmed the city council’s grant to cover the free bus travel scheme will increase from
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Man stabbed in gay hate crime
TWO people were in custody last night after a man was stabbed in what police believe was a homophobic attack. The 26-year-old suffered a single stab wound to his stomach after a scuffle in Summertown on Wednesday night. Yesterday he was in a stable
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Teenager held over pub knife attack
A TEENAGER was today being questioned by police about the stabbing of a doorman outside an Oxford city centre pub. The 18-year-old walked into St Aldate’s police station at about 1pm and was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily
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Road chaos for learners
DRIVING instructors say the explosion in potholes on Oxfordshire’s ice ravaged roads are causing chaos for learners. Bev Warner, an independent instructor from Witney, said West Oxfordshire’s roads are in the worst condition she has known in the 44
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Death fall man ‘thought he had killed Diana’
A SCHIZOPHRENIC who leapt to his death from a car park believed he had killed Princess Diana, an inquest heard yesterday. Mark Hapgood, from Blackbird Leys, was 25 when he jumped from the multi-storey at Templars Square, Cowley, Oxford, on April 7 last
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Costs crunch forces closure
FEARS about the future of independent retailers in Oxford’s Cowley Road are growing after two shops fell victim to the recession. The owners of Videosyncratic and Galeria Brasil blamed rising overheads and a fall in customer numbers as the reasons behind
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Round-the-clock job to repair Oxfordshire's potholes
TWO hundred potholes a day are being repaired in Oxfordshire as the county council battles against the damaging effects of the recent snow. Motorists have described damage on the county’s roads as the worst in living memory, and the council
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Motorist trapped after crash on A4260
POLICE and firefighters are trying to free a person trapped in a car after a crash near Tackley. A red Toyota Carina and a white Mercedes Sprinter van collided on the A4260 Oxford Road, outside the Sturdy's Castle Inn, shortly before 4.30pm
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Raise the roof for charity concert
AMATEUR singers are being offered the chance to take part in a massed concert in one of Oxford’s most famous buildings. The fifth annual Come and Sing event takes place at the Sheldonian Theatre, in Broad Street, on February 13. This year’s concert
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FOOTBALL: Boss Geary wants a repeat show
Kidlington boss Gordon Geary believes his side’s heroics against Oxford United will act as a spur when they host Shrivenham in the Premier Division on Saturday. Although they lost 3-2 in extra time, he was delighted with his team’s display. “You really
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Chelmsford won sixties FA Cup epic
Oxford United’s FA Trophy tie against Chelmsford City on Saturday will bring back memories for some older supporters of the epic three-match FA Cup clashes between the clubs in 1967. That season was to be a fantastic one for United, as they went on to
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Fans face waiting game
Fans will know at around 5pm tomorrow whether Oxford United’s Conference fixture against Cambridge United at the Kassam Stadium next Tuesday can go ahead. It will be on if Oxford’s FA Trophy clash with Chelmsford does not go to a replay, and Salisbury
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FOOTBALL: Faulkner gets his last chance
Oxford City boss Mike Ford is looking for James Faulkner to repay his faith in the striker after snapping him up from Abingdon United. The hitman was expected to sign for the Premier Division side for the third time last night. He was
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Murray forced to sit out Trophy tie
Adam Murray has been ruled out of Oxford United’s FA Carlsberg Trophy third-round tie at Chelmsford City on Saturday. The midfielder and skipper has been troubled by a back problem, and manager Chris Wilder says they don’t want to make it worse. “The
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Grays routs enter record books
The nine-goal aggregate from the 5-0 and 4-0 wins over Grays this season, completed last Saturday, represents the biggest two-match aggregate in league fixtures against the same club since Oxford United’s final season in the Southern League, back in
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United eyeing up Trophy prize-money
Chris Wilder is not one of those who derides the FA Trophy. “It’s a competition I want to do well in, the prize at the end is massive – financially as well as the prestige of playing at Wembley,” he said. Oxford United have already earned £11,000
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Luton match tickets go on sale
Tickets for Oxford United’s Blue Square Premier game at Luton on Tuesday, February 9 have now gone on general sale. The game is all-ticket for home and away fans. United supporters without a valid ticket for this match should not travel. Oxford have
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RUGBY UNION: Bowers expects 'humdinger'
Chinnor head coach Jason Bowers is warning his side face a real test at home to basement boys Maidenhead in National 3 South West on Saturday. Maidenhead may be bottom of the league, but finally secured their first win last week – a 23-21 home victory
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Pinky leads a 'purrfect' life
PINKY was in the pink – covered with a blanket and nestling on a hot water bottle, a Thermos flask at the ready for a top up. The city might have been struggling with sub-zero temperatures, but not him. Pinky is a 10-year-old ginger tom
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Cut collections
I WROTE recently with regard to the amount of recycling receptacles which many households in the city now have – five to date – only to discover that this is to change from October. A large blue wheelie bin will replace the green and blue boxes which
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Silly speed plan
l REGARDING plans to create a 20mph speed limit zone in the centre of Abingdon (Oxford Mail, January 21), do the people from Oxfordshire County Council ever have to drive in the town? If they did, they would know that you can barely move at the moment
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Trams are perfect for our city centre
Stephen Roberts (Oxford Mail, letters, January 27) claims trams for the Oxford area would destroy our bus network. Actually Nottingham, Sheffield, Croydon, Manchester and many European cities benefit from integration between trams and buses. He claims
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RUGBY UNION: All change for Wallingford
Wallingford have had to reshuffle their pack for the visit of Walcot in South West 1 East on Saturday. Anthony Marris comes in at tight-head prop, with Ed Jenkins moving to loose-head and Kris Blaszko, who has a shoulder injury, dropping to
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Don't ignore right
SEEING Bob Price ignore right wing extremism on our council estates (Oxford Mail, December 29), reminded me of how the German government denied the rise of the Nazis before the Second World War. Well, Mr Price, extremism won’t go away for as long as
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Use oil cash wisely
THE UK has given permission for test drilling for oil in the Falkland Islands. If the tests prove promising and rewarding, what will the UK’s profits be spent on? Maggie Thatcher spent the profits of North Sea oil on keeping three million people unemployed
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Library success
YOUR coverage of the opening of the new library at Rose Hill was excellent, and I am pleased that councillor Ruth Wilkinson received the praise she richly deserved for the time and effort she put in to make the oft-discussed project a reality for the
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Local shares (PM)
AEA Technology 24 BMW 2609 Electrocomponents 177 Gladstone 27.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 92 Oxford Biomedica 11.3 Oxford Catalysts 46 Oxford Instruments 244.5 Reed Elsevier 495 RM 174.5 RPS Group 198.4 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley
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Man stabbed in North Oxford
Two people have been arrested after a man was stabbed in North Oxford. Police were called at 10.54pm last night to a report that someone had been stabbed in Banbury Road. Police said a 26-year-old man was walking with his partner and when he was
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Plenty to cheer
The news this week that we have barely come out of recesssion was not a surprise to most of us. While we no longer feel that we are in a downward spiral, the move upwards has yet to gain any momentum. Nevertheless, there is still much to be optimistic
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Crowned
It is hard to know what to make of Capital Shopping Centres’ proposal to sell the Westgate Shopping Centre to Crown Estates. At the very least, it signifies that the stalemate over the redevelopment of the site would continue if CSC were to retain ownership
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Man stabbed in homophobic attack
A MAN has been stabbed in the stomach in what police believe is a homophobic attack. The 26-year-old man was walking with his partner along Banbury Road, close to the junction with Portland Road, in Summertown, Oxford, at 10.45pm yesterday.
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Burglars target Wood Farm homes
Police today appealed for information after a series of burglaries in Wood Farm, Oxford. There have been four burglaries between January 4 and January 26, where burglars gained entry by forcing open a rear ground-floor window. There were two offences
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Teenager arrested over Four Candles stabbing
A TEENAGER is being held by police today over the stabbing of an Oxford doorman. The 18-year-old walked into St Aldate's Police Station, in Oxford, at 1pm today and was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. He is being
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Families move into new Kidlington homes
FAMILIES are settling into new homes near Kidlington built to meet a shortage of affordable properties in the district. The 36 homes have been built by Charter Community Housing, a member of housing provider Sanctuary Group, in partnership
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Could it be magic for county trio?
THREE young Oxfordshire friends are hoping a blockbuster performance of illusions and tricks will kick start an interest in magic shows. Magicians Richard Young, 25, of Blackbird Leys, in Oxford, and Sam Strange, 25, and James Bryan, 26, from Witney,
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Brize airman plan epic tour round every RAF base in UK
THEY are more at home in an aeroplane than a 39-year-old Austin 1100, but for three Brize Norton airmen that is part of the fun. Corporal Alan Lea, Senior Aircraftman Wayne Brinkley and Corporal Jamie Rosbotham will squeeze into the veteran motor to
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City honours green trailblazers
OXFORD folk who have made efforts to travel in a green and eco-friendly way have been recognised under a new awards scheme. Oxford City Council awarded its first Green Travel Awards to four individuals and two organisations for their work encouraging
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MEP demands action on county's poor mobile phone reception
MOBILE phone reception in parts of Oxfordshire is so poor that the competitiveness of businesses is being put at risk, claims Euro-MP James Elles. South East of England Conservative MEP Mr Elles says he is being ‘inundated’ with calls for action from
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Modern Art Oxford to get new St Ebbe's entrance
THE city centre home of Modern Art Oxford is to have a £250,000 facelift. Work is shortly to start on a project that will create a dramatic new entrance into the gallery from St Ebbe’s Street. The scheme will see the yard turned into a new art and social
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Crash closes lane of M40
A crash this afternoon closed one lane of the northbound M40 in north Oxfordshire. The collision happened between junction nine at Wendlebury and junction ten at the Cherwell Valley Services.
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Hitting all the right notes
PUPILS got the chance to perform alongside musicians from an elite orchestra. Children at St Mary’s Primary School, Bicester, got tips from professionals who have played with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Five musicians spent the morning answering
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Rail firm claims new link will cut traffic by 550 cars a day
A NEW rail link between Oxford and London will see 550 cars taken off the roads as drivers switch to the train, it has been claimed. Train operator Chiltern Railways has submitted plans to the Government to create a new route between Oxford
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'Cervical smear test saved my life'
A YOUNG mother whose life was saved by the early detection of cancer is urging women not to skip their smear tests. Julie Walker, 32, decided to speak out during Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, after it was revealed a third of young women
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Didcot after-school youth club needs new members
AN AFTER-SCHOOL youth club launched a year ago to give younger children in Didcot somewhere to meet is facing closure, because of low attendances. Didcot’s Under-13 Youth Club opened in January last year, after parents complained there was
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VW dealerships change hands
TWO Volkswagen dealerships in Oxford have been sold — after just a few weeks in the hands of a new owner. Motorworld Volkswagen at Iffley Road and Kidlington were bought by Johnson Cars in December from the Co-op, along with six other dealerships
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Free spirited
Kia has always been an attention-grabbing brand. But up to now it has been competitive prices and long warranties that have enticed buyers – not styling. With the funky, chunky Soul the emphasis on value for money remains, but now it is the car
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Bratt ready for GP2 return
Banbury racing driver Will Bratt returns to track action just over a week from now when rounds three and four of the 2009/2010 GP2 Asia Series take place at the Yas Marina facility in Abu Dhabi. Almost 13 weeks have passed since the championship-opening
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DRUGS RAIDS: Four men released
Four of the men held by police after a series of cannabis raids yesterday have been released without charge. Police found 147 cannabis plants after smashing their way into a warehouse at Warren Barn Farm, in Little Milton, near Thame, shortly
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FIXTURES: January 29
SATURDAY. FOOTBALL. FA CARLSBERG TROPHY. 3rd round: Chelmsford City v Oxford Utd. ZAMARETTO SOUTHERN LEAGUE. Premier Div: Brackley Tn v Didcot Tn, Oxford City v Leamington, Truro City v Banbury Utd. Div 1 South & West: Abingdon Utd v AFC Totton,
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POINT-TO-POINT: Irilut is up for the cup
Irilut could bid to regain the Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup at the Heythrop Hunt point-to-point meeting at Dunthrop, near Chipping Norton, on Sunday. The 14-year-old fulfilled an ambition for owner-trainer Robert Waley-Cohen, who is based at Edge Hill,
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Families make the move into rented homes
AN Oxford-based letting agent has seen an upsurge of interest in rental properties during the last two weeks of January. Rebecca Priestley, lettings man-ager at John D Wood, said bad weather In January had delayed potential tenants from seeking properties
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RACING: Rising star Buick gets dream job
Opoortunity has knocked very early in 2010 for William Buick after he landed a dream job as stable jockey to top Newmarket trainer John Gosden. The 21-year-old rider, who lives at Letcombe Regis, near Wantage, is continuing his meteoric rise
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CRICKET: Oxon hopeful over Tudor signing
Oxfordshire Cricket Board chairman Chris Clements says they are hopeful of signing former England Test paceman Alex Tudor as player-coach. The board have agreed a package they hope will entice the ex-Surrey man, but Clements stressed they would not be
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Vicky (and her sister?) ready to ride again
An invitation to a dinner at Gee’s is hardly to be resisted, especially when it comes from a young lady as delightful as Vicky Jewson (above). She is the enterprising filmmaker who, aged just 18, decided she was going to direct a full-length feature
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When finding cash proved very costly
Ihad the singular good fortune earlier in the week to find a £5 note as I cycled up the Cowley Road. Having picked it up, and with no obvious claimant in sight – what I first took to be one turned out to be a butcher’s shop mannekin – I put it
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Why I'm Still Dubious about the Michelin Man
The Michelin Guide awarded its highly coveted two-star restaurant rating to Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in 1984 before it had served a single meal – a remarkable lapse from its much-vaunted standards that I noticed and at once exposed.
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Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons....
Drama news from all directions this week. General meeting of the group on Tuesday night, Unicorn Theatre last night and the stop press item is that Chuffer’s back from his escapades in Malta. More of that later. Well Tuesday’s meeting kicked
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Biggest spring clean yet
THE 2010 OxClean Spring Clean is on course to be the biggest litter-pick the city has seen. Organisers say that so far 60 community groups and businesses have signed up and 55 sites have been picked for the annual clean-up of the city, which is to take
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Gallery plans major facelift
Modern Art Oxford is to have a £250,000 facelift. Work is shortly to start on a project that will create a dramatic new entrance to the gallery in St Ebbe’s Street. And the scheme will see the existing yard turned into a new art and
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Westgate centre 'to be sold'
The sale of Oxford’s Westgate Centre is close to completion, giving fresh hope to the proposed £330m redevelopment of the shopping centre. Capital Shopping Centres is believed to be ready to sell its stake in the Westgate to the Crown Estate. The news
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Constable fired up for more Oxford United goals
Oxford United’s top scorer James Constable is fired up to go on another goal-scoring run after ending his brief barren spell. The centre forward got his first goal in five games – and his first since December 8 – with the third in United’s resounding
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Stone me
FIRE AND STONE It was, I’ll be honest, a Eureka moment. I’ve had others, to be sure, but not in recent years (the last was five years ago when, suffering from chicken pox, I realised how the virus helped me fit – once more – into 32” waist trousers).
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Drama queen
She’s had more drama in her life than most of the heroines in her books – early years in an orphanage, life as a bunny girl, three marriages, a close shave in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami to name but a few. It’s safe to say that best-selling author Lesley
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On edge
EDGE OF DARKNESS (15) Award-winning, meaty British television dramas are providing plentiful food for thought across the pond in Hollywood. Last year, Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams headlined an accomplished distillation of the
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Tell All Your Friends at the James Street Tavern
Growing up, my descent into the rebellious years of teenagehood came late. Very late... And unfortunately these years coincided with my A-Levels, which I of course messed up through a lack of effort and a general feeling of apathy towards my studies.
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Singer-songwriter Jenna is Devon-sent
TWO albums, national tours and a show at the Royal Albert Hall. At just 21, Jenna seems a little young to have achieved all she has. But then that’s what happens when you get ‘discovered’ by one of the biggest names in modern folk. The
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Rocks Off
SO how did your January turn out? If you’re anything like us at Guide Towers, you’ll have broken the last of your new year’s resolutions and spectacularly fallen off the wagon – wisely ignoring all those rash promises to detox, spend less and generally
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Off the wall
In January 1966 an important conference took place in Havana, Cuba, attended by more than 80 representatives of governments and organisations from Africa, Asia and Latin America. The conference was held against a complex political background including
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Pulling no punches
PRECIOUS (15) ACCORDING to figures released this week by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, an average of 60 children are sexually abused in Britain every single day. It’s a shocking statistic, even more so when
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Film-maker Vicky Jewson returns with Born of War
When Vicky Jewson was 19 she wrote a screenplay. One year later, she secured a loan to wine and dine potential investors to stump up the £1.4m needed to finance her first cinematic endeavour. Just two years after that she released –
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Win tickets to Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love
NEXT month University of Oxford Student Company Old Street Productions presents Tom Stoppard’s poignant masterpiece, The Invention of Love, which explores the life, loves and scholarship of A.E. Housman. Led on a journey of recollection
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In brief
HELL hath no fury like a woman scorned. Medea unleashes a horrific vengeance on her enemies at the Oxford Playhouse. Featuring one of the most powerful female roles in the history of drama, Medea is an intense story fuelled by passion, hatred
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Snow White on Ice a real blade stunner
Julian Deplidge’s multi-tasking skills would have most mums dribbling in envy. Not only is he responsible for moving an entire award-winning show all over the world, but he has to make sure the 25 skaters and 14 crew are at the top of their game, oh
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Ocean Colour Scene as passionate as ever
WHEN Birmingham mod-revivalists Ocean Colour Scene knocked Oasis off the top of the album charts, even the cocksure Mancunians were forced to acknowledge they were up against a truly great band. Noel Gallagher famously went as far as to send
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Police road safety operations
POLICE detected 40 motoring offences during two road safety operations yesterday. A two hour check on Buckland Road, Bampton, saw 25 drivers exceed the 30mph speed limit. Sixteen of the drivers were offered the opportunity to attend a speed awareness
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Chris Hargreaves joy at rejoining Oxford United
CHRIS Hargreaves says he is excited by the challenge of re-joining Oxford United, and will do whatever he can to get the club promoted back to the Football League – just as he did at Torquay. Speaking to the Oxford Mail last night, Hargreaves
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Moving forward
NEWS that Capital Shopping Centres is likely to sell its majority stake in the Westgate Centre must be good news for the stalled West End regeneration. Momentum towards redeveloping this eyesore has been lost and, every day, Oxford falls further behind
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Bring them all into line
FOR the sake of hundreds of tenants across the city, we hope that new measures designed to bring rogue landlords into line actually deliver on what they promise. Cynics will no doubt question the timing and apparent lack of detail behind the plans to
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Bursting into life
Isuspect most of us are fed up with the white stuff and winter in general. But by the time you read this we will be a few days short of Candlemas – a Christian ceremony held on February 2. The significance of this day reaches back long before Christianity
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Get out and go wild
A white Christmas: Living and working at the remote Warburg Nature Reserve, high up in a frost pocket in the Chilterns, I’m used to the cold. But the past few weeks have felt like a battle with the elements. Like many others, I had to bail out of my
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Making trees work
A long-term experiment in growing ash, walnut, oak and beech trees is being carried out at a specially planted wood in Oxfordshire. Paradise Wood, on 135 acres of former farmland below Wittenham Clumps, is the centre for forestry research and training
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The Real Van Gogh: Royal Acadaemy
Vincent Van Gogh was as vivid a writer as he was a painter. That’s the premise of the wonderful exhibition of original letters and related paintings and drawings now at the Royal Academy in London. With over 35 original letters, rarely exhibited in
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Medea: Oxford Playhouse
Any tabloid crime reporter would lick their lips at the story. Jason has abandoned his wife Medea, and their two children. He hopes to acquire fame and fortune by marrying Glauce, daughter of the King of Corinth, instead. It’s a disastrous move: Medea
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Spanish Specials, £75
Wines from the new world of Spanish winemaking — these are wines with ultra-fresh fruit and crisp, clean flavours that really sing. Modern wines like this are far removed from the old tired and semi-oxidised styles that were around ten or more years ago
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Healthy attitude to wine is the best way forward
Cadbury’s has been taken over by Kraft and I feel a little sad. I had a tour of Cadbury’s World a few years ago and two things have remained firmly etched in my mind: the smell that I could not shift for days and the origins of the business. A Quaker
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Westgate goes on the market
THE majority stake in the Westgate shopping centre looks set to be sold — sparking hopes of fresh progress in the stalled regeneration of Oxford’s West End. Capital Shopping Centres (CSC) is said to be on the verge of selling its 85 per cent stake in
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Lighten up a little
Sir – David Bradnack (Letters, January 7) complains that Oxford’s Christmas lights were a waste of resources. Come on, it’s been a hard year and we’re celebrating the birth of the Saviour. I think Mr Bradnack needs to lighten up a little himself.
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Otters appeal for help
The Oxford Otters Swimming Club was formed in 1966 by two physiotherapists. They approached Westminster College in Oxford to ask if the club could use their pool, and college staff members Alan Asquith and Leo Daltrey became involved. The subs were set
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Tantalizing teaser
Sir – So Olive didn’t have much meat in her ‘large-size steak, onion and real ale pie . . . three pieces to be exact.’ But at last she ‘very much liked her gravy.’ Your Arts Editor’s visit to Thame’s James Figg (Weekend, January 14) left us breathless
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Storytelling first
Sir – You recently reported the acquisition of a lease on Rochester House for the Story Museum, and last week you had a two-page feature on the project. On both occasions, you (and presumably your informants) have represented this as “the first children
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'Clive Owen is me on big screen'
Exposing the follies and childish foibles of our rulers takes up much of Simon Carr’s time these days. As a political columnist with the Independent he earned the ultimate badge of honour: being described as “the most vicious sketch writer working in
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Tipping point on waste
Sir – May I point out that Mr Ryan from Viridor (Report, January 7) is basing his argument on policies which were put forward ten years ago. This year, 2010, the council is reviewing its waste strategy and its present thinking puts incineration as
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QED, OED
Sir – John Wright, of Cumnor Hill, (Letters, January 21), commenting on your earlier item about certain persons being “summonsed” to appear in court, complains of “that sneaky non-verb to summonse”. However, according to the OED, the verb “to summons
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Field full of fun
Sir – On the day that policemen went sledging on their riot shields, two highway workers parked their yellow lorry and went off to have fun in the same field, using their ‘road closed’ signs as toboggans. All we needed to complete the picture was a
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No sense of humour
Sir – I was surprised to read (January 14) that Supt Andy Murray had admonished the policemen for joining in sledging on Boars Hill for a short time. I thought the present idea was for police to engage more with the public in order to foster better
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Sensible use of taxes
Sir – May I make a suggestion for next year when inevitably the snow falls again? Coming originally from Massachusetts, a common sight in a snowfall was a rubbish truck with a snowplough attached to the front and a gritter to the back. These heavy
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Ramsbottom was right
Sir – John Wright’s erstwhile sub-editors in Harrogate are the ones who should have had their ears boxed (Summon up courage, Letters, January 21). As your newspaper’s estimable Mr Gray has, I believe, recently pointed out, summons (not summonse, Mr
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Park-and-ride shuttle
Sir – The planned expansion of Thornhill park-and-ride, together with the legitimate concerns of ‘High Priority’ expressed last week (that the deal brokered by the county council should have addressed the issue of buses to London and the airports),
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Flood strategy needed
Sir – I agree with Dr Peter Rawcliffe of the Oxford Flood Alliance (Letters, January 14) of the need for a flood strategy for Oxford. At the Examination in Public of the Oxford City Core Strategy for the period up to 2026 the Oxfordshire Green
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Metric muddling
Sir – Your correspondent Martin Murphy (Letters, January 14) who was offered a “venti” coffee at the Radcliffe Eye Hospital should have realised that “venti” is Italian for 20, and so he was being offered 20 fluid ounces, or what we would call a pint
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One of few amenities
Sir – I am appalled by the city council’s proposal to close Temple Cowley Pool. We all know it is not a great building, but closing to relocate to Blackbird Leys creates as many problems as it solves. The swimming pool is one of the few community
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Encouraging laziness
Sir – The simplification of the waste recycling system which Oxford City Council intends to implement, as announced in The Oxford Times (January 14), apparently without any consultation, appears to this correspondent a very dubious improvement. Essentially
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Hospital helpers
Sir – I am writing on behalf of the patients and staff of Chipping Norton Community Hospital to extend our grateful thanks to all the members of the community who assisted the team to keep the hospital running in the recent inclement weather. We are
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Ray showed sheer grit
Sir – It’s weeks since we woke up to the heavy snowfall in Oxford, and the one person who has never failed to deliver since (and even on the night of the big snow) has been our wonderful Dairy Crest milkman, Ray Mears. It’s hard to imagine how he has
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Forgotten department
Sir – Having recently had reason to visit the radiology and X-ray department at the John Radcliffe Hospital, I would like to say thank you for the care, consideration and patience shown to me, as I am 86 years old and disabled. This is often the forgotten
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Empty NHS advice
Sir – The NHS are running a campaign entitled ‘Choose Well’, encouraging people to make a more informed utilisation of health and medical services, so as to save time and inconvenience (presumably for patients and staff alike). The guidelines
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Distorted impression
Sir – Reg Little (Report, January 21) quotes city councillor Colin Cook saying in response to a survey that found Oxford to be a place of least disparity between rich and poor: “. . . . parts of the city — namely Barton, Blackbird Leys, Littlemore and
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County mobile signal ‘so bad’
MOBILE phone reception in parts of Oxfordshire has become so bad that the competitiveness of local businesses is in danger of being hit. The claim is made to The Oxford Times today by local MEP James Elles, who says he is being inundated with
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'Farewell to a brave fighter'
A COURAGEOUS woman who battled severe disabilities all her life, “fought to the end” before her death at the age of 23 yesterday. Sarah Swanborough was not expected to make it to her first birthday when she was born with brain damage, curvature
