Archive

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Driver thought Spanish police were chasing him

A MAN drove at twice the speed limit and forced cars to swerve off the road because he thought the Spanish police were chasing him, a court heard yesterday. Darren Keats, 38, of Colne Drive, Didcot, believed he was being pursued by the Spanish authorities

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Off-licences pass test on underage alcohol sales

EVERY off-licence visited during an undercover police operation refused to serve alcohol to underage children, the Oxford Mail can reveal. Police hailed Wednesday night’s operation in Headington, Marston, and East Oxford a success, claiming the 100 per

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Oxford United lose 2-1 to Bury

Oxford United were beaten 2-1 by Bury in their first home game back in the Football League. They fell behind in the League Two clash at the Kassam Stadium, in front of a 7,552 crowd, when centre half Tom Lees headed in a free-kick on 26 minutes. However

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Oxford Utd 1, Bury 2 (14/08)

Oxford United slipped to defeat in their first home match back in the Football League. In an incredibly open match at the Kassam Stadium, Bury beat them 2-1 although the U's again created a huige number of chances. Tom Lees gave the

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Cancer survivor on marks to raise money

AFTER years of running races for cancer charities for fun, driving instructor Bryan Mitchell is now tackling the Blenheim 10k race as a survivor – after colon cancer almost stopped him dead in his tracks. Mr Mitchell, 65, from Stonesfield, near Woodstock

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Top chefs lined up for Oxfordshire's foodie fest

FOOD fans in Oxfordshire are getting ready for this year’s fast-approaching Foodies Festival. The three-day event, supported by the Oxford Mail, will be held over the August Bank Holiday weekend and thousands of food lovers are set to descend on Oxford

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Children’s centre praised by Ofsted

PARENTS have praised their “lifeline” children’s centre after it was given the seal of approval by Ofsted inspectors. The Leys Children’s Centre, in Cuddesdon Way, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, was the first children’s centre in the county to be inspected

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GREYHOUNDS: High hopes for Fantasy

Trainer Gilly Hebden, who has guided Ring the Chief to six wins from nine starts, is excited about the mating of her Katies Ocky with top Irish dog Premier Fantasy. Fantasy broke a hock in last year’s Derby heats when well fancied. The pups are due

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MP Howell in fight for community post office

A VILLAGE could lose its post office forever because plans for a community-led venture are being blocked, an MP has claimed. John Howell, who represents the Henley constituency, has demanded Post Office bosses stop their “obstructionist behaviour” over

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Another trophy for Beauchamp family

FORMER U’s player Joey Beauchamp was celebrating this week – but his joy had nothing to do with football. The ex-Oxford United, Swindon Town and West Ham winger and his wife Millie were enjoying their success off the pitch, as proud parents

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GREYHOUNDS: Gold can cash in

Tictac Gold can line punters’ pocket if he can overcome the comeback kid Tipp Are Back in the A1 over 450 metres at Oxford Stadium tonight. TONIGHT’S RUNNERS 7.45: Absinthe 3, Nightfire Beryl, TERRYDRUM TERRY, Snazzy Sky, Kilmore Amey, Slaneyside Bonzo

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Life goes on

WIDOW – just the word sounds ominous. Death, mourning, black clothes. For women who find themselves widowed, these things are just the start, as they come to terms with life without the person who has literally become their ‘other half’. Financial matters

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ANGLING: Match diary

Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday Oakfield: Tel 01296 770899. Panshill: Tel 07740 619991. Tomorrow Super League: Practice open, Medley, Channel, Folly, Donnington. Draw 8am. Oxford Waltonian: A&J Cup/Pairs, Sandford. Draw 12.30pm. Littlemore: Aggregate

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GREYHOUNDS: He Went Whoosh eyes showdown

He Went Whoosh and Kinda Easy are the leading contenders for the Tech Shop UK Cesar-ewitch after they set this year’s event alight in the qualifiers on Thursday. The Claud Gardiner-trained Hove Runner He Went Whoosh (4-7), a previous winner of the Cesarewitch

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MP discovers problems for cyclists

MP Tony Baldry got on his bike to find out for himself the pitfalls of trying to cycle around Bicester, which is in his Banbury constituency. Tory Mr Baldry cycled from his home in Bloxham to meet Simon Pratt, regional director of sustainable transport

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ANGLING: Results round-up

Oakfield: (Saturday, Brook-Swallow, 31 fished) 1 L Ripper (GOT Baits) 85.15.0, 2 S Page (Drennan GOT Baits) 64.4.8, 3 S Johnson (Acorn Anglers) 59.2.8. Oakfield: (Thursday, Swallow, 9 fished) 1 M Talbot (GOT Oakfield) 58.14.0, 2 N Bryan (The Matchmen

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Thousands of households join free green waste scheme

THOUSANDS of West Oxfordshire residents have signed up for a free green waste collection. A quarter of the district’s 45,500 households are signed up to receive the garden waste collections, with others urged to follow in their footsteps. More than

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Postman Pat

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SWIMMING: Murphy breaks record

Didcot Barramundi’s Alex Murphy broke a regional record when competing in the 15/16yrs age group at the British Gas ASA National Youth Championships in Pond’s Forge, Sheffield. In the 100m breaststroke, the 15-year-old made it through to the semi-finals

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Schoolfriends’ cycle effort in memory of pal

SIX former students from an Abingdon school are cycling 215 miles along canal towpaths in memory of their friend who died in a crash. Dale Paterson died in a car crash in Italy, aged 13, in August 2005. He was not wearing his seatbelt correctly. His

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ANGLING: Personal best smashed

Stephen Harris smashed his previous top carp of 17.8.0 with this mirror of 29.4.0 from State’s Lagoon at Stanton Harcourt while fishing for bream.

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Oxford United drawn away to Aldershot

Oxford United have been drawn away to Aldershot Town in the first round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. The match is scheduled for Tuesday August 31.

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FOOTBALL: Haynes seeking career boost

A promising England international is seeking more funds to boost her career, writes Josh Kaye. Lauren Haynes, 14, from Bicester, had her dream revitalised when she was spotted by Arsenal Ladies Centre of Excellence a year ago. Since then, she has leapt

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CYCLE SPEEDWAY: Hammers go close to upset

Horspath Hammers narrowly missed out on upsetting Leicester in the British Women’s Team Championship at Poole. With debutant Letitia Collins scoring a maximum 20 points, Horspath finished just three points behind five-time champions Leicester. Horspath

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KARATE: Siblings selected for Euro Cup

Bicester brother and sister Mitchell and Hollie Roberts will be heading off to Cluj in Romania next month where they will represent England in the European Cup. It follows their success at the World Union of Karate Federations (WUKF) 3rd Cadet and junior

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ANGLING: Coates lands 50.5.0 French carp

Many moons ago, I used to fish the TC pit alongside the A34 at Peartree, targeting the large bream and tench. I met several anglers there, including Pete Coates who in those days lived over at Cassington, but now resides in Eynsham. I have not spoken

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ANGLING: Ault is streets ahead

The fifth round of the Oxford Super League was fished by eight teams of six on the Thames at Radcot and Clanfield, and it proved a red letter day for winner Graham Ault (Fox Match Isis). On a sunny day with little flow in the river, a hard match was

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ANGLING: Daddys are deadly at Lechlade

Lechlade Fishery has been producing plenty of sport in the last month. On the main lake, Lechlade, 116 anglers had 337 fish, of which 42 were doubles. Best fish weighed 13.4.0 and fell to an olive buzzer. On Bushyleaze Lake, 406

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Mosques rally to raise funds for Pakistan relief effort

MUSLIMS in Oxford raised almost £5,000 yesterday to help victims of the floods in Pakistan. On the third day of Ramadan, appeals for money were made at mosques around Oxford before and after their afternoon prayers. Collection buckets were positioned

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Catholics take to road to meet Pope

THE Pope may not be visiting Oxford when he comes to Britain next month but Catholics from the county will be visiting him, it was confirmed last night. Pope Benedict XVI will arrive in the the UK on September 16 to visit Edinburgh, Glasgow and London

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Villagers can't afford speed camera

COMMUNITIES eager to stop drivers racing past their homes will have to wait until next year before they can adopt any of Oxfordshire’s redundant speed cameras, it emerged last night. And villagers in Nuneham Courtenay decided at a meeting on Thursday

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KARTING: Chasing the dream

A young karting driver, who overcame a motor accident to excel at his sport, says he wants to be the next Michael Schumacher. Jordan Montgomery, 12, from Wallingford Road, North Moreton, has been beating drivers much older and more experienced than him

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Two arrested in lunchtime drug raid

POLICE raided an Oxford house in a hunt for drugs – and arrested two people. Twelve officers forced open the door of the home in Botley Road, above, at 1.35pm yesterday, and discovered suspected cannabis and cocaine. A man in his 50s has been arrested

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MOTORSPORT: Top of the pile

Oxford's Jason Plato went top of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship standings after winning two out of three races at Snetterton, Norfolk. Plato won races one and two, and with chief rival Matt Neal experiencing mixed fortunes, it meant

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Child molester trapped by forensic evidence 28 years later

A MAN who subjected an 11-year-old girl to a horrific sexual attack in the 1980s has been jailed 28 years later thanks to DNA evidence. Adrian de Havilland, formerly Adrian Goodenough, leapt from a bush holding a dagger and wearing a balaclava

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Fears for health of factory burglars

BURGLARS who stole nickel rods from a factory may have poisoned themselves. The thieves broke into a chemical engineering factory in Wedgewood Road, Bicester, through a roll-down shutter door on Thursday night, and took 5kg of nickel rods. Last night

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YOUTH CRICKET: County are denied in bore draw

OXFORDSHIRE Under 17s were denied the ECB County Championship Division 3B title by a stubborn Buckingham-shire side in their final league match of the season at Campbell Park, Milton Keynes. The result means Oxon go into next week’s play-off match against

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YOUTH CRICKET: Palmer is the star

A fine half-century from James Palmer helped Oxfordshire to a six-wicket win away to Herefordshire. The home side opted to bat first and extras were the order of the day. They reached 37 in seven overs, with only six runs coming from the bat! Captain

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YOUTH CRICKET: Mixed fortunes in final clashes

OXFORDSHIRE Under 15s wrapped up their ECB Championship season with a win and a defeat against Isle of Wight and Cornwall. In a rain-affected match against the Islanders, Oxon posted a competitive total of 174 in 28 overs with 50 for Joe Barrett, 37

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YOUTH CRICKET: Anderson's haul in vain

Club cricket HARRY Anderson returned magnificent figures of 6-7, but finished on the losing side as Oxford Downs lost a low-scoring game against Buscot Park in Group B of the Oxfordshire Under 13 League. Anderson’s haul reduced Park to 42 all out,

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Graffiti vandal strikes again

MORE ‘Soak’ graffiti tags have appeared across Oxford, but last night police insisted the net is closing on the culprit. The graffiti vandal has defaced dozens of buildings across the city scrawling the word ‘Soak’ on doors, garages, shop fronts

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Sex-ban Asbo for prolific prostitute

OXFORD’S “most prolific” prostitute has been banned from selling sex on the streets and in her home for five years. Drug addict Nicola Harris worked seven days a week along Cowley Road, East Oxford, and Oxford Road, Cowley, as well as seeing

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Different approaches to problem

THE people of East Oxford deserve to be protected from street prostitute Nicola Harris, but this cannot be the end of the authorities’ work with her. Harris is described as the most prolific of the prostitutes working in the area and this cannot

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A price to pay

SOAK, the graffiti artist plaguing the city, may be seen as a sort of Robin Hood figure evading the law. He (or she) is getting increasingly brazen. However, it must be kept in mind that while some may see artistic merit in the output

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Brothers mourn death of Toby, 44

“HE was everybody’s mate...a diamond geez- er.” That is how Toby Wain, Oxford United fan and community stalwart, was remembered by friends and family last night. Mr Wain, son of the late poet, author and Oxford University professor John

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SWIMMING: Burnett sunk by 'shocking' finish

Oxfordshire's Simon Burnett will look to put put his 100m freestyle disappointment behind him today when he competes in the 50m event in Budapest. The 27-year-old, from Tet-sworth, could not add to Britain’s impressive medal haul after a “shocking” finishmeant

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RAF charity pays for extra therapy for twins

TWINS James and Edward Coombes were born with a condition that, if left untreated, could leave their heads permanently deformed. Luckily for the one-year-olds, an RAF charity has agreed to pay for treatment not funded by the NHS in Oxfordshire. The

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Service families get set to enjoy a wild outing

THE families of servicemen and women fighting in Afghanistan will be treated to a fun day out. About 160 wives, husbands and children will be visiting Cotswold Wildlife Park, near Burford, on Monday. The visit has been organised by Oxfordshire County

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Truncheon heirloom restored to Town Hall

IN 1902, the great and the good in Oxford celebrated the coronation of Edward VII. During one civic ceremony, a commemorative truncheon was handed to a special constable by city councillor Thomas Taphouse, as part of the celebrations. Mr Taphouse went

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Twins head for a healthy future

TWINS James and Edward Coombes were born with a condition that, if left untreated, could leave their heads permanently deformed. Luckily for the one-year-olds, an RAF charity has agreed to pay for treatment not funded by the NHS in Oxfordshire

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Service families get ready for a wild outing

THE families of servicemen and women fighting in Afghanistan will be treated to a fun day out. About 160 wives, husbands and children will be visiting Cotswold Wildlife Park, near Burford, on Monday. The visit has been organised by Oxfordshire