Archive

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Scales of Justice: Cases at the magistrates' courts

Oxford Michael Edwards, 23, of Iffley Road, Oxford, admitted being drunk and disorderly in Cowley Road, East Oxford, on May 8; shoplifting a £9.99 bottle of wine from Marks and Spencer in Oxford on May 19; failing to surrender to police bail;

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Patient walks out of John Radcliffe over lengthy waits

THE John Radcliffe Hospital has defended its treatment of a patient who claimed he was left unattended with an open wound for hours on end. Stephen Hanger, 46, got so fed up with waiting for doctors to see him that he ended up leaving the hospital.

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Oxfam worker warns of crisis in Africa

THE eyes of the world may be focused on South Africa as the World Cup moves into its final stages. But elsewhere on the continent, more than 10 million people are battling one of the worst famines in recent history. People living in West Africa are

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Walkers explore city's green zones

SOME of Oxford’s most popular green spaces were the focus of a nine-mile sponsored walk. The first Oxford Green Spaces Circular Walk saw about 100 people making the most of yesterday's hot weather during a hike around the city. The walk was jointly

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Desmond Elliott prize for novel goes to former Bodleian employee

AN author who dreamed up “an extraordinary first novel” during breaks from his job at the Bodleian Library has scooped a prestigious literary award. Ali Shaw, who has now given up his administrative job at the library to become a full-time writer, won

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RIDGWAY DEATH: Boy denies murder

A teenager has appeared in court to deny murdering a father of one outside an Oxford bar. The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, entered his plea at Oxford Crown Court today and will stand trial later this year. In the early hours of

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Clowns give charity riders a cool reception

CYCLISTS were greeted with sprays of water from clowns after completing a 62-mile charity bicycle ride from London to Oxford. The event, in aid of cancer charity Clic Sargent, saw about 1,200 riders completing the course from Ealing in London to Oxpens

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Elvis Costello: The New Theatre, Oxford

Six guitars are placed on the empty stage: either Elvis Costello had revised his plan to play a solo show or it was going to be quite a night. Two hours later we had our answer as Elvis left the building, acoustic guitar held aloft, his suit still unbuttoned

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Paul McCartney: Hard Rock Calling, Hyde Park

For Oxford audiences the bus services to Marble Arch make the annual Hard Rock Calling concerts as easy to reach as the Cornbury and Cropredy Festivals. And with Paul McCartney, Crowded House, Elvis Costello and Crosby, Stills and Nash making up

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Local share prices (PM)

AEA Technology 18 BMW 3374 Electrocomponents 224.1 Nationwide Accident Repair 82 Oxford Biomedica 11.4 Oxford Catalysts 75.75 Oxford Instruments 284.25 Reed Elsevier 504.75 RM 156 RPS Group 185 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

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House prices hit the buffers

House prices in Oxfordshire have virtually stopped rising after 11 months of consecutive growth. Latest official figures for May from the Government’s Land Registry show the average price of a property in the county is £237,584, just £41 more

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Prime Minister treats Obama to a Witney brew

THE Prime Minister has delivered a beer brewed in his Witney constituency to Barack Obama after the two made a football World Cup bet. David Cameron and the US President exchanged beers from their native countries after a wager on the outcome

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WORLD CUP POLL: Should Capello go?

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Change of command for Scouts

THIS was the scene at Youlbury Scout camp at Boards Hill, Oxford, in 1961 when there was a change of command. Scouts and Scout leaders gathered to say farewell to county commissioner Kenneth Anderson, right, who was emigrating to New Zealand, and welcome

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CAPELLO: Decision in two weeks' time

FABIO CAPELLO has said he wants to stay as England manager but the FA will make a decision on his future within the next two weeks. Capello stated he has met the FA and told them he wants to stay, despite England's shambolic loss to Germany

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Prostate Cancer: Unmasking a silent killer

WHEN doctors told Malcolm Potter he had prostate cancer, he thought it was the end. “It was the Big C”, said the 62-year-old grandfather. “I thought I was a goner.” He had good reason to think that. A quarter of all male cancer

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Veteran cycles flock to Benson

THE chance rescue of a penny farthing cycle from a scrapheap over 50 years ago has turned the village of Benson into a Mecca for bicycling enthusiasts. On Sunday, 245 cyclists from across the world will bring all manner of pre-1926 bikes to take part

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Medics take to bikes to fund operation

TWO consultants and other staff at Oxford’s Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre are to cycle the equivalent distance of travelling from the city to Romania to help pay for an operation for an abandoned teenager. It is thought that Nicoletta Vizi

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Man arrested over unexplained death in Benson

A 21-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following an unexplained death in Benson. Paramedics were called to the Crown in High Street at 10.50pm yesterday following reports a 42-year-old man had collapsed following an altercation

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Boarding can be best for service families

If ever there were families which need boarding, it is the families where one or both parents serve in Britain’s Armed Forces. Now more than ever, perhaps, the Forces themselves are likely to be mobile, and if mum or dad is posted at regular intervals

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Who wants to be in Leys Millionaire film?

A GRITTY Trainspotting-style film is being shot on Oxford’s largest estate. Dozens of local extras are being used on the set of Scum Dog Millionaire, which is being filmed in Blackbird Leys and near Folly Bridge. Styled on gritty British gangster movies

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Now the National Trust opens its doors to children

The National Guardianship scheme has been running since 1989 and is a mutually beneficial partnership between schools and National Trust Properties. There are currently more than 100 running in England and Wales based mainly at countryside

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iPads in the classroom?

The hype which surrounds the launch of Apple’s products is extraordinary. Through a combination of refusing to talk about new products until their actual launch, an uncontrollable online rumour mill, and a loyal following of ‘non-geek geeks’ who

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Lessons with bells on

Fancy footwork, bells and ribbons are not words normally associated with ten-year-old boys, but the Wheatley Boys’ Morris dancers are a refreshing exception to the rule. With national Morris organisation The Ring warning that this ancient tradition

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RESULTS: June 26/27

SERIOUS CRICKET HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE Division 1 Harpenden 137 (41 ovs, B Frazer 69, T Lambert 7-34), Henley 141-3 (29 ovs, J McLean 67). Harpenden 4pts, Henley 25. High Wycombe 205 (56.1 ovs (W Morrick 7-74), Aston Rowant 206-4 (53.2 ovs,

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Local share prices (AM)

AEA Technology 18 BMW 3407 Electrocomponents 224.75 Nationwide Accident Repair 82 Oxford Biomedica 11.6 Oxford Catalyst 77.25 Oxford Instruments 284.5 Reed Elsevier 503.25 RM 161 RPS Group 186.6 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

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Meeting the needs of pupils

Gifted and Talented’ is an oft-used but seldom fully understood term in education. Generally ‘gifted’ refers to those pupils who have strong intellectual or academic abilities, whereas ‘talented’ refers to pupils who excel in the other areas such

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Right recipe to help teach social skills

Celebrity cook Sophie Grigson believes Oxford-based charity TRAX has the right recipe when it comes to working with young people. She rolled up her sleeves and helped prepare lunch for visitors at an open day to celebrate the launch of a new project covering

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Oxfordshire's missing persons count highest in Thames Valley police area

POLICE attempt to locate 20 missing people a day in Oxfordshire. So far this year, 1,181 missing person reports have been received in the county, the equivalent of seven per day, although this includes repeat reports and people who disappear

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Setting standards for prep schools

Parents’ expectations for prep school teaching are naturally high but do the requirements for senior school entry result in too narrow a curriculum? Nick Oulton of education publishers Galore Park investigates. “In searching for educational

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League tables — for or against?

Mark Turner, headmaster of Abingdon School, discusses the pros and cons statistical scrutiny Over the last 20 years, since John Clare, then educational correspondent of The Daily Telegraph, first introduced a rudimentary league table to compare the

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Getting to grips with maths can be fun!

The thought of trying to explain long division is enough to make the keenest parents quake in their boots. Fortunately, help is at hand in the form of a new book created by TV presenter and number-cruncher Carol Vorderman. Help Your Kids

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Pupils stepping up to ‘walk around world’

Olympic champion Colin Jackson is at the forefront of an initiative to encourage children to become more active. As part of the scheme, primary schools in Oxfordshire are being urged to sign up to the Global Children’s Challenge, a walking initiative

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How independent is independent?

Many working in the maintained sector believe that independent schools provide some sort of utopia — freedom from red tape, a prescribed curriculum, government bureaucracy and interference — and therefore the ability to concentrate on the quality

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Council finances are in mess

AT LAST the cat is out of the bag over Oxford City Council’s determination to close Temple Cowley Pool and the closing of public toilets, etc. For those who did not know, the reason is to sell the land to a developer for (in Temple Cowley

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CRICKET: Hole is hero of Oxford triumph

A six-wicket haul from seamer Stuart Hole saw Oxford record a thrilling one-run victory against Tring Park at Rover Cowley on Saturday in the Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League - Division 1. Hole finished with 6-43, but it was

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CRICKET: Sabin century is key to Banbury success

A Magnificent century from Lloyd Sabin helped Banbury to a 170-run thrashing of Potters Bar in the Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League. The home side must have been regretting asking the visitors to bat as they declared on 346-7 from 62 overs

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Man About Town: Making my mark on art world

HERE'S a thing – the school I went to had an Art Day and yes, there were prizes – I even won one. I was 12 years old and in the abstract section of the show, I entered a small marrow, with cocktail-sticked cucumber eyes, an orange peel mouth

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Club ready to make splash

MEMBERS of the Oxford Sub Aqua Club were clearly ready for action. Armed with fins and snorkels, they were preparing for an evening of underwater activity at Temple Cowley pool in Oxford. The picture dates from October 1957. Was this a special occasion

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The changing face of Great Tew

Organist Eanswythe Hunter played the first verses of all 636 hymns in the Hymns Ancient and Modern book in 1979 almost non-stop and raised £200 from sponsors to help repair the roof of St Michael’s Church. She is pictured with church clerk Mr T Clifton

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Walkers flocked to explore 'Secret Forest' at Wychwood

VISITORS to a famous Oxfordshire forest often enjoyed a special tipple, Spanish Liquor. They would bring with them chopped pieces of black liquorice, crushed peppermint sweets and brown sugar. Then they would mix the ingredients with the sparkling spring

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Alderman opened Headington skittle alley

SKITTLES was a favourite pastime for members of Headington Conservative Club in Oxford. Members celebrated in 1969 when a new alley was opened. The official opening was performed by Norman Chester, the then Warden of Nuffield College

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Pupils took on battle of bulge

THE battle of the bulge was about to begin. These two paunchy sportsmen were going to fight the flab as part of a health and fitness week at Harlow School, in Old Marston, Oxford. Pupils were allowed to dress up as their sporting heroes

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Council leader should quit over pay increases

SCANDALOUS and disgraceful are the only adequate descriptions for the huge salary increases awarded to some of Oxford City Council’s senior managers. When the rest of the country is accepting the need for restraint over spending, Bob Price should resign

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Time to tackle troublesome junctions

AS PRIVATE hire drivers in Oxford, I and my colleagues have become increasingly concerned about problems at certain junctions in Oxford, where we feel action is needed. These are: 1. The zebra crossing at the corner of New Road and Castle

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Thatcher left bitter legacy

ANDREW Coles rightly recalls Margaret Thatcher’s mismanagement of Britain (Oxford Mail ViewPoints, June 14). She wrecked heavy industries because they had unionised workers. Unions were not greedy but managers failed to lead and invest for the future

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CRICKET: Thame in final over victory

A fine 66 from veteran Manoj Parmar set Thame up for a thrilling two-wicket wicket victory in the final over at Gerrards Cross in Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League - Division 2 West. Batting first, Gerrards Cross lost wickets at regular intervals

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Irresponsible rowers ploughed through geese

EACH year I have looked forward to enjoying the Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race on television. Alas, on holiday in Oxford last week, I had the misfortune to witness the Oxford ladies team at their practice. Children were swimming in the river, which was

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Minority view on street scene

SO HIGHFIELD residents wish to have bollards across All Saints Road in Headington to provide a play space for children. Children in urban streets in northern towns with back-to-back houses used to play in the street and washing was strung across the

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Supermarket should match surroundings

AS SUPERMARKET buildings, because of their function, are always unattractive, could Tesco please hide their expected carbuncles in Abingdon Road (Oxford Mail, June 23) behind some decent homes, which match the surrounding area in their design? MIKE HAMBLETT

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Oxford firemen and women ready for duty on Home Front

IF ANYONE in Oxford had a fire during the Second World War, these were the men who came to their rescue. Members of the National Fire Service are pictured outside the fire station looking out on to Gloucester Green in 1943 or 1944. The picture comes

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Dental visits were real pain

A VISIT to the school dentist was enough to put many children off having treatment for life. Ask Bob Hounslow. He put off going back for so long that when he finally plucked up courage, half his teeth needed filling! Thousands of children trooped down

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Getting to the art of the matter . . .

An old tennis racket with no strings becomes a puppet, a broken church organ is reinvented as a puppet theatre and a battered violin crafted into a colourful work of art. Taking the most unlikely objects and turning them into something special

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Four arrested over Rose Hill death

NEIGHBOURS last night expressed their shock after a man died following an altercation yards from his home in Oxford. Four people were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after the 56-year-old man was found unconscious on a grassy area off

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TENNIS: Brown so buoyant despite defeat

Oxford's Lucy Brown gave a good performance despite going down 6-3, 6-4 to Serbia’s Jovana Jaksic in the first round of the girls’ singles at Wimbledon on Saturday. The 17-year-old, from Elsfield, near Oxford, was making her singles debut at Wimbledon

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TENNIS: Murray eyeing up last eight

Andy Murray will take on big-serving Sam Querrey today as the big names begin to go head-to-head in search of quarter-final places. The second Monday has a tantalising order of play as the fourth round is completed for both men and women. Murray and

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Bonfire spreads to house

A BONFIRE spread out of control and threatened the lives of residents in a street in Banbury last night. Fire crews were called to McKeevor Place, off Middleton Road, at about 6.30pm. They found a large fire at the back of a house with flames reaching

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ATHLETICS: Tears of joy

Hannah England was struggling to fight back the tears after securing her place in Great Britain’s team for next month’s European Championships by winning the 1,500m national title in Birmingham. The Oxford City athlete has suffered disappointments at

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Emerging artistic talents to be showcased in Oxford

THE brightest emerging artistic talent of Oxfordshire is set to be showcased at a special exhibition in the city centre. Art school graduate Emma Diffey has set up Bright Young Things to help new and emerging creative talent from across the county, putting

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Schools contest: Special garden could stimulate pupils

STAFF at the Kingfisher School in Abingdon are hoping to give some of the most vulnerable children in our community a boost if they win the Oxford Mail Save Our Schools competition. The school provides education for children aged two to 19

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Get snapping in the Cotswolds

CAPTURE the charm of the Cotswolds on your camera and you could win prizes and see your work exhibited at a top Oxford gallery. Amateur snappers are being invited to enter the competition ‘A Cotswold Scene’ launched by Oxfordshire landscape photographer