Archive

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Tories and Lib Dems 'nearer deal'

The Conservatives are moving closer to a deal with the Liberal Democrats which could see David Cameron finally installed in No 10 as prime minister. After a marathon talks session lasting more than six and a half hours, the two parties' negotiating

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Kidlington Under 15's seal the treble

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Morris mob launches Kubrick festival

MEMBERS of Oxford’s Clockwork Morris dancing troupe helped launch the fourth Oxford Mail Film Festival, which started yesterday at the Phoenix Picturehouse in Walton Street, Jericho. The dancers were on hand to “persuade” cinemagoers to attend the week-long

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Dragon boat crews turn to paddle power

A COLD and choppy River Thames could not deter thousands of people from turning out for Abingdon’s annual dragon boat event. The popular competition attracted a record 32 teams and about 2,000 spectators to Ryegrass Meadow yesterday. Organised by the

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Didcot 0 Marston Saints 6 Blue League u10's

Marston Saints saved their best preformance of the season until the last game.From the first whistle Marston attacked with intent,Ethan Waite hitting the bar with a fine overhead kick before Cameron Homer volleyed in from the resulting corner.

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We expect a return on investment

COUNCIL bosses and big businesses in Oxfordshire are ploughing more than £1m into the county’s tourism industry. Their ambition is to create 4,000 new jobs and generate millions in extra income. Such a bold manifesto is to be welcomed. A unified, co-ordinated

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Field of dreams

MARK Johnson had a special reason to celebrate Oxford United reaching the play-off final at Wembley — it meant he could fulfil a promise to take his father to the famous stadium. Back in 1986, work commitments prevented Reg from going to see the U’s

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Stolen stone crusher ‘probably abroad’

THE owner of a stolen stone crushing machine worth more than £150,000 believes it has been taken to Europe. Thieves raided McKenna Plant Hire in Church Hanborough Road, Eynsham, and stole the mustard coloured 35-tonne, yellow C-10 Jaw Crusher machine

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Carnival day has military support

BICESTER residents are being urged to support this year’s carnival as it honours the town’s troops. For the first time Bicester Town Council and Bicester Garrison have teamed up to organise the annual fun day which attracts thousands of people. The

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£1m has its attractions for Oxfordshire tourism

MORE than £1m will be pumped into Oxfordshire to create 4,000 tourism jobs, it emerged last night. The county’s tourism bosses have said the area has punched below its weight when it comes to capitalising on holiday makers. Now a new

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Movies are just magic

Now you know how in chick flicks, women – and sometimes even men - talk wistfully about getting struck by a ‘thunderbolt’? Well, as far as I know, this emotional ‘orgasm’ has never been triggered in me. I tend to fall in love rather than explode in an

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Bins question

NOW that it has been decided that Oxford City Council’s recycling contract will stay in-house, we will all be issued by October with new blue wheelie-bins for everything recyclable, except food waste. Are the residents who purchased the blue wheelies

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Pump percentages

KEITH Brooks’s letter (Oxford Mail, May 4), blaming the oil companies for fleecing the public is totally wrong. The price paid at the pumps is mainly tax – a small percentage goes to the oil companies who pay for exploration, extraction, distribution

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Wembley muddle is fault of Conference

ON THURSDAY morning I managed after 30 minutes to order my tickets to watch Oxford United in the Blue Square Premier play-off final. I was informed by Seetickets that the area at Wembley Stadium I wanted was not available. Since I ordered, due to demand

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Lift in limbo

The lift at Cowley Centre has now been out of action for six months. The person responsible cannot have a conscience to let pensioners, the disabled and pushchairs go all that way round for six months. Cowley Centre used to be a great place to shop

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Word games

I am so fed up with political lies and broken promises, that I have invented a word which I think describes their rhetoric totally. Bollitics has a certain ring to it, don’t you think? John J Monaghan Cotman Close, Abingdon

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Poor treatment

I AM an enthusiastic 95-year-old pensioner who attends the Shotover Resource Centre in Oxford one day a week. This centre is very active and benefits about 60 members daily. Transport starts pick-ups at 9am and leaves for return journeys at 3pm. This

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Care concerns

I note that you regard variations in care charges across the country to be a “disgrace” (Oxford Mail, April 30). There are some dangers in this argument, which you may not have considered sufficiently. Firstly, unifying care charges may be equated with

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CRICKET: Oxon are back on course

Oxfordshire posted a crushing 109-run victory over Bedfordshire as they got their MCCA Trophy campaign back on track at Bedford Modern School. After an agonising defeat to Hertfordshire in their opening Group 3 match last weekend, victory was crucial

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CRICKET: Van Dyk stars in Oxford triumph

New signing Stefan van Dyk was the star for Oxford in their five-wicket victory over Radlett in their opening Division 1 clash of the season. Van Dyk took two wickets and then contributed a half-century on debut as Oxford posted an easy victory. With

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CRICKET: Banbury washed out

Rain ruined Banbury’s opening game as only ten overs were possible against Harpenden before the match was abandoned. Banbury had reached 40-2 when the rain came.

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CRICKET: Rowant show positive signs despite defeat

Aston Rowant took many positives from their opening Division 1 game, despite falling to a two-wicket defeat against Potters Bar. On a damp and green wicket, Potters Bar’s seamers made the most of the conditions to bowl Rowant out for 192.

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CRICKET: Unlucky Thame denied victory

Thame were denied victory by a stubborn Beaconsfield, who held on for an unlikely draw in Division 2 West. Thame were left to reflect on five overs being lost in Beaconsfield’s innings – which could have given them the time to get the crucial final wicket

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Under 10 Blue League Result... Barton Utd Youth 2 Kidlington Youth Rangers 1

This game proved a drmatic turnaround from the previous week's game with Barton providing a stronger opposition on home ground. Barton were quicker off the mark and took the lead some five minutes into the game. Barton doubled there lead with five

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Boy charged with Oxford murder

A 16-year-old from East Oxford has been charged with murdering Blayne Ridgway. The male youth is alleged to have stabbed Mr Ridgway, 22, outside the Que Pasa bar in the city centre during the early hours yesterday. He will appear before

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UPDATE: Youth charged with murder

A 16-year-old from East Oxford has been charged with murdering Blayne Ridgway. The youth will appear before Oxford magistrates tomorrow accused of stabbing Mr Ridgeway, 22, outside the Que Pasa bar in the city centre during the early hours

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Cyclists given fresh warniing

Cyclists who continue to pedal through a pedestrianised street in Bicester are being warned the police are about to get tough. Sheep Street has two no cycling signs — one at each end — but they are ignored by many riders, according to Thames Valley

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Stab victim, 22, named

A young father stabbed to death in Oxford city centre yesterday morning has been named as Blayne Ridgway. The 22-year-old was attacked with a knife near the Que Pasa bar at the junction of Castle Street and Queen Street at 3am. He had

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UPDATE: Stabbing victim named

A young father stabbed to death in Oxford city centre yesterday morning has been named as Blayne Ridgway. The 22-year-old was injured near the Que Pasa bar at the junction of Castle Street and Queen Street at 3am. He had a two-year-old

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Drug dealer caught as he tried to expand business

A drug dealer from Oxford who tried to expand his business by offering larger-than-usual £10 wraps of heroin has been jailed for five years. Rushane Grant, 43, left, was caught during a covert police operation in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

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Drug dealer caught as he tried to expand business

A DRUG dealer from Oxford who tried to expand his business by offering larger-than-usual £10 wraps of heroin has been jailed for five years. Rushane Grant, 43, left, was caught during a covert police operation in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, a year

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Cyclists warned again

CYCLISTS who continue to pedal through a pedestrianised street in Bicester are being warned the police are about to get tough. Sheep Street has two no cycling signs — one at each end — but they are ignored by many riders, according to Thames Valley Police

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Scales of Justice

OXFORD Neil Hutt, 40, of Colmore Lane, Kingwood, admitted drink driving in Henley Market Place on March 18. Namely having 84 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath, above the legal limit of 35 microgrammes. Fined £800, costs of £65 and a £15 victims

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Postman tackling football club's history

POSTMAN Wayne Tilling picks up a lot of interesting information as he pounds the streets – and it has fuelled his thirst for local history. With a passion for village football, Mr Tilling is piecing together the history of Kidlington Football Club and

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Police called in over yob fears in park

POLICE patrols have been stepped up after residents complained about drunken youths in Wantage. Police have received reports of between 30 and 35 teenagers intimidating people living around Manor Road Memorial Park on Friday nights. Some residents believe

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Youngest mayor for age-old office

ABINGDON’S new mayor Duncan Brown is thought to be the youngest in the town’s history. Abingdon Town Council believes that at just 33, Mr Brown is the youngest person to hold the ceremonial office in more than 450 years. The Liberal Democrat, who was

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Gliding in to help charity

A STAR-STUDDED skating gala is being staged at Oxford ice rink to raise funds for breast cancer research. Top UK ice skating stars and local skaters will perform at the rink in Oxpens Road on Saturday, May 22. The event is being staged by the Oxford

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Golden glow for rowing campaign

A CAMPAIGN to raise £1m for a new Oxford Brookes University rowing centre on the River Thames near Wallingford has been given a golden endorsement. Olympic gold medalists and Oxford Brookes alumni Rowley Douglas and Ben Hunt Davis, who were

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Town's business leaders hail bright future

DIDCOT’S business leaders have hailed the opening of three new businesses in the town as a sign that the local economy is recovering from the effects of the recession. A new Prezzo restaurant is due to open on Wednesday, May 26, and shopfitters

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Life begins at (just before) 40 for new head

JASON Clarke set himself a target of becoming a headteacher by the time he was 40 and with months to go he has achieved his goal. Mr Clarke, 39, took over the reins of Bicester Community College, Queens Avenue, last month. He has been getting to know

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Blooming good ideas needed at Leys garden

GARDENERS who know their perennials from their annuals are needed to inspire a project to restore a rundown garden in Greater Leys. The Senior Leys Independent Gardening Organisation (SLIGO) has taken over the running of the courtyard garden

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New base for growing tech company

THE former Alden Press building in Witney has been sold to an Oxfordshire manufacturer. Hydac Technology will move into the De Havilland Way site in September. Ninety staff will move from Hydac’s present base in Charlbury. Managing director George

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Churchill memorabilla up for auction

ONE of wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Church-ill’s unsmoked cigars is part of a huge collection of the wartime leader’s memorabilia up for auction next month in London. The 150 lots, expected to raise £1m on Thursday, June 3, includes wartime diaries

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Man airlifted to hospital following M40 smash

A man has been airlifted to hospital following a crash on the M40 this afternoon. The incident took place on the southbound carriageway between junction 10 for Ardley and junction 9 at Bicester at about 2.10pm. A police spokesman said

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Webber wins in Spain

Mark Webber became the first driver to win from pole this season as the Spanish Grand Prix lived up to its notoriously dull reputation until late catastrophe struck Lewis Hamilton. The past ten winners of the race at Barcelona's Circuit de

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U10 Red, Summertown Stars 2 - Horspath 15

Summertown Stars started off the first game with a quick goal by Otto Campbell but Horpspath came back quickly to score 8 goals overall by Thomas Lockyer (1), Corey Wheeler (1), Brad Dolton (1), Declan Clerkin (1) and Livi Jones (4). Horspath continued

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Ash cloud grounds flights again

Air passengers face further disruption as flights are cancelled as clouds of volcanic ash force airports to close. Ryanair said it expected airspace to be restricted over parts of Italy and Portugal and would cancel flights accordingly. It

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Missing man found safe

A 69-year-old man who went missing in Abingdon has been found. Michael Alison left his home in Caldecott Road at 4am on Friday morning, but he returned during the early hours of yesterday. Thames Valley Police spokesman Chris Kearney

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Missing man found safe and well

A 69-year-old man who went missing in Abingdon has been found. Michael Alison left his home in Caldecott Road at 4am on Friday morning, but he returned during the early hours of yesterday morning. Thames Valley Police spokesman Chris

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Driver killed in A40 crash

A man died this morning after the car he was driving crashed off the A40 near Minster Lovell. The 46-year-old’s silver Toyota Corolla left the westbound carriageway just after 1am. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene while two male

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Police continue to question Oxford murder suspect

A 16-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder was still being questioned by police today. The boy was arrested in the early hours yesterday after a 22-year-old Oxford man was stabbed outside the Que Pasa bar in the city centre. He was pronounced

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Village hall evacuated after fire breaks out

Forty firefighters tackled a blaze at an Oxfordshire village hall last night as fire broke out before the performance of a play. The alarm was raised just before 8pm at Nuneham Courtenay Village Hall as the Baldon Players were due to walk on stage

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Village hall evacuated after fire breaks out

Forty firefighters tackled a blaze at an Oxfordshire village hall last night as fire broke out before the performance of a play. The alarm was raised just before 8pm at Nuneham Courtenay Village Hall as the Baldon Players were due to walk on stage.

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UPDATE: Police continue to question murder suspect

A 16-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder was still being questioned by police this morning. The boy was arrested during the early hours of yesterday morning after a 22-year-old Oxford man was stabbed outside the Que Pasa bar in the city centre.

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Driver killed in early morning smash

A man was killed this morning after the car he was driving crashed off the A40. The 46-year-old’s silver Toyota Corolla left the westbound carriageway near Carterton just after 1am. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene while two male passengers

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ELECTION: Cameron should have taken up my offer, Farage claims

David Cameron's refusal to accept an offer of electoral co-operation from the UK Independence Party may have cost him the chance of leading a Conservative majority government, Nigel Farage said last night. Ukip said last year that its candidates

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Winds bring ash threat to flights

Air passengers could face further disruption as northerly winds bring volcanic ash back over Ireland and western Scotland. A number of flights from the UK and Ireland were grounded yesterday as several Spanish airports closed. They were expected

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Banbury's history goes on show

Residents interested in Banbury’s heritage can take advantage of two free history days. Experts from Oxfordshire County Council will be on hand to shed light on people’s own historical artefacts and documents or show residents how to find out more

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Police offer chance to make a difference in Banbury

Members of the Ruscote, Hardwick and Neithrop neighbourhood are being invited to attend a special community event this month. The event will be taking place in the Town Hall on Saturday, May 15, between 10.30am and 2.30pm. Police said