Archive

Date

Toll bridge closed for road repairs

Resurfacing work on the B4044 between Eynsham and the Swinford toll bridge will see the road closed for a day, followed by overnight closures to complete the work. The road will be shut all day today followed by overnight closures after 9pm from Monday

Date

RUGBY UNION: The numbers game

Witney ran in seven tries to record a comprehensive derby victory. Here is the numbers' game. See Tuesday’s paper for full report. Competition: South West 1 East Score: Witney 41, Wallingford 5 Witney player ratings: 15. Jake Thomas 7 (quietly

Date

East Oxford: Student numbers are the core issue

EAST Oxford say more students are living in their neighbourhoods than previously thought – but fear they will not get a chance to put it to a crunch inquiry next week. They say their figures for the number of students in privately rented homes

Date

Alonso on pole at Monza

Fernando Alonso secured Ferrari's first pole position for 31 races as the team firmly put behind them the team orders controversy. It was Brazil in 2008 when one of the team's scarlet cars last led away the field, with Alonso securing this

Date

Oxford United win 2-0 at Hereford

James Constable and Tom Craddock struck a goal in each half to give Oxford United an excellent 2-0 win against Hereford United at Edgar Street. Full details in Match Reports.

Date

Who was Oxford United's Man of the Match at Hereford?

Date

Hereford Utd 0, Oxford Utd 2 (11/09)

Tom Craddock showed exactly why Oxford United splashed out for him on deadline day with a brilliantly-taken goal at Edgar Street today. The former Middlesbrough and Luton striker had had a quiet game, and some were wondering whether he might

Date

‘Sex-change op rescued my life’ says Oxford woman

FOR her first 39 years transsexual Gina Ravens ‘hid away from the world’ in the body of Graham Dennis Day. She endured a ‘horrific’ childhood in Essex and struggled further after moving to Oxford in the early 1990s. Ms Ravens, 56, said

Date

Constable puts Oxford United ahead at Hereford

James Constable turned in Matt Green's right-wing cross after 35 minutes to give Oxford United the lead at Hereford today. Simon Heslop began the move, and Constable finished it at the second attempt for his sixth goal of the season.

Date

Kennington Athletic Regret Missed Chances

The points looked to be going to Kennington Athletic in this first fixture of the season as the home side stormed to an early 3-0 lead with goals from Oliver Webb, Matthew Kent and Archie Mountain. Goring Robins Edward Gilbert-Blay pulled one back in

Date

ANGLING: Perseverance pays off for Colin

Colin Howes, from Botley, has been fishing on a stretch of the Kennet controlled by Reading & District AC and it has been a struggle for much of the season. However, his perseverance was rewarded with a double-figure barbel of 10.1.0. The fish came

Date

Creighton starts for Oxford United

MARK Creighton came in for his first start of the season at Hereford today. The centre half was given the nod to play alongside Harry Worley because of Jake Wright's back problem. Oxford United were looking for their first away win of the season, and

Date

MARTIAL ARTS: Brilliant Birnie is bronze winner

Carterton's Jim Birnie won a bronze medal at the British Grand Masters Open in Cardiff. In his first fight, Birnie beat Peter Hoar on the golden score rule after the fight went the distance. This is where the clock is re-started and the players fight

Date

ANGLING: Stewart's ruddy fine catch

Local angler Stewart Moss was tipped off by a friend about a Surrey estate lake which holds a good head of rudd and with fewer waters holding them these days, he decided to pay a visit. Fishing with a friend, they both caught over 100lb of rudd each,

Date

SCHOOL GAMES: Mixed bag for Oxon athletes

There were mixed fortunes for Oxfordshire’s representatives at the UK School Games in Gateshead. In the athletics, Cosima Berry (Tudor Hall, Banbury), representing Birmingham, cleared 1.66m to share second place in the under 17 girls. In the under 17

Date

Campaign to bring back Benson post office

VILLAGERS have joined forces to bring back their post office, a month after it closed. The Benson Post Office Action Group has met for the first time after the High Street branch shut after trading for more than a century. Those wanting

Date

ATHLETICS: Talbot's on a high

Abingdon Ambler Duncan Talbot retained his M55 high jump title at the Civil Service Masters track and field championships at Woodside Stadium, Watford. Talbot produced a leap of 1.55m, and the UK’s No 1 high jumper for his age group has therefore retained

Date

GLOBETROTTER: Fjord Focus in Bergen, Norway

I WAS standing at the top of a mountain, genuinely excited but more than a little nervous. Somewhere in the distance was the reason I had come to Norway, the fjords. I had dreamed of this moment ever since I read about the majesty of the fjords as

Date

MOTORSPORT: Plato clear after final victory

Oxford's Jason Plato is taking nothing for granted, despite stretching his lead in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship meeting at the Knockhill circuit in Fife. Driving his Silverline Chev-rolet Cruze, Plato took the spoils in race three

Date

Clothing store first winner of Macmillan draw

A CLOTHING store is the first to scoop a pack of delicious goodies from a weekly prize draw by the Oxford Mail and charity Macmillan Cancer Support. Bonmarche, in Market Place, Didcot, will use the pack to host a coffee morning for the research

Date

GREYHOUNDS: Peterson turns up heat

Trainers champion Michael Peterson has cut the lead on Paddy Curtin to eight in the race to retain his title. The Aylesbury-based handler had six winners, one ahead of Ron Bicknell (5) and Curtin (4). Richard Yeates’s top bitch Freedom Emma simply sparkled

Date

MOTORSPORT: Kids pedal to Euro crown

Four youngsters from an Oxfordshire-based team stole the under 16 European Pedal Car title from their rivals in the final race of the European Championships. Team Atom’s team of Guy North, of Brill, Callum Nicoll, of Bicester, Max Felton, of Goring

Date

Ex-bank manager stole from family

A FORMER bank manager stole thousands of pounds from his family by defrauding his dead uncle’s will, a court heard. Timothy Smith, 39, from Abingdon, was acting as co-executor of the will and told his relatives there was a large unpaid tax bill that

Date

The Perch looks back at floods, fire and ice

FRENCH restaurateur Johnny Mignon has battled fire, floods and ice to keep one of Oxford’s best-known pubs open for customers. Now, to mark the second anniversary of the reopening of The Perch in Binsey, he is staging a special photographic

Date

CRICKET: Bull shines for Downs

William Bull produced a superb bowling performance to help Oxford Downs to a five-wicket victory over Abingdon Vale in the Oxfordshire Under 13 Plate final at Standlake. Bull’s 4-5 restricted Vale to 95-6, Thomas Stubley (22no) and Graham Beer (20no

Date

MOTORSPORT: Lay still on course for title

Bampton's Patrick Lay still has hopes of lifting the UK Easykart Championship, des-pite mixed results in rounds five, six and seven. In round five at Daventry, Lay qualified in sixth place for the final. It had to be restarted following an accident

Date

SPORTS AWARDS: Nominations wanted for local heroes

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2010 Oxfordshire Sports Awards, which has the Oxford Mail as its official media partner. This year’s event, at the Kassam Stadium on Friday, Nov-ember 26, promises to be the biggest and best yet. There are

Date

GREYHOUNDS: Oxford Stadium is beating odds

Oxford Stadium, still bereft of Tuesday racing and Friday night speedway, is still bucking the national trend with improved returns on last year. According to the stadium’s general manager, Maureen Ridley, figures for the year up to July showed a staggering

Date

Man bit off tip of girlfriend’s finger

A 30-YEAR-OLD man, with an 11-pint-a-day alcohol addiction, bit off the top of his partner’s finger at a party. Richard Grindle, of Poplars Road, Chacombe, near Banbury, bit off and spat out the tip of Nada Mansell’s right little finger in an argument

Date

Cash runs out for community grants

A TRUST that handed out more than £5m to fund community projects has closed down because of dwindling funds. The Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment (TOE) was set up in 1995 to plough money raised through the landfill tax back into communities. And

Date

Jail for Oxford sex gang who filmed rape on mobile phone

THREE men who filmed themselves sexually assaulting an unconscious woman in what was labelled a “truly sickening incident” have been jailed for a total of 15 years. The 23-year-old victim was raped and suffered a serious sexual assault in a flat in Bullingdon

Date

COMMENT: Recycling casualty

OF course it’s sad when something comes to an end – but especially so when it’s so effective. TOE (Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment) was set up in 1995 to plough money from landfill tax back into the community. And guess what? That’s precisely

Date

ANGLING: Clarke's haul seals victory

Pete Clarke emerged victorious in Marston AC’s W Smith Cup, held at Panshill, where 11 matchmen fished. Clarke landed an all-carp catch of 34lb 8oz to maggot and caster on the long pole. Also with a full net of carp going 26.4.0, was Jim Foster who

Date

Oxford parking zones: Anger at permit hike

MOTORISTS in Oxford are facing a 25 per cent hike in the cost of their parking permits. Oxfordshire County Council is looking at raising the charge for a single permit from £40 to £50 but denied it was just revenue raising. It said the

Date

Style police

I HAVE seen the new uniform for Thames Valley Police, and find it a bit austere. I can also foresee it becoming being quite scruffy if not properly looked after. I understand that modern requirements involve the wearing of stab vests and all sorts of

Date

CRICKET: Sabin is star in Banbury glory

Captain Lloyd Sabin led Banbury to a four-wicket victory over Oxford in the Oxfordshire Under 17 Club final at Horspath. Sabin scored an excellent half-century in tricky conditions to earn the man-of-the-match award. On a wet day, both teams took great

Date

Missed point

Unfortunately, it is Peter Laidler (Oxford Mail, September 8) who has missed the point with regard to the speed camera statistics. The Safer Roads Partnership produced statistics for the Woodstock speed camera, comparing the incidence of speeding immediately

Date

COMMENT: Are permits a back door cash cow?

ONE could be forgiven for being cynical, but with residents in Oxford now facing a 25 per cent hike in the cost of their parking permits, it’s tempting isn’t it to - 1. add the word ‘massive’ before the word ‘hike’ and 2. imagine that somewhere, somehow

Date

Top honour for animal ethical theologian

THE RSPCA is presenting one of its highest awards to an Oxford theologian in honour of his work on animal issues. Reverend Prof Andrew Linzey will receive the Lord Erskine award at a ceremony to be held at the RSPCA headquarters in Horsham today. Prof

Date

MOTORSPORT: Anxious Bratt drops to sixth

Banbury driver Will Bratt slipped down the FIA Formula 2 Championship standings following a frustrating day at the Oschersleben Grand Prix in Germany. Bratt started the penultimate two-race weekend in a high-flying third position. But after two disappointing

Date

GREYHOUNDS: Pride gets in tune

Pawseys Pride, who just failed to land the nap last Saturday, gets another chance to do us a favour by landing the Singers and Wannabees Charity trophy at Oxford Stadium tonight. TONIGHT’S RUNNERS 7.35: Landene Rocket, Farran Fantasy, Dublinyourmoney

Date

Prolific Cowley flasher is spared prison

A SERIAL flasher who drunkenly exposed himself to two teenagers has been spared prison. John Bustin, who has 23 previous sexual offences stretching back 25 years, was spotted wearing just a T-shirt by a 16-year-old girl and her friend in Oxford on June

Date

Star leads trek in footsteps of superspy

FORMER Olympic gymnast Suzanne Dando is following in the footsteps of a World War Two superspy to raise £100,000 for injured servicemen. An eight-women team will make a four-day trek across the Pyrenees, starting in Saint-Girons, France, on Thursday,

Date

Oxfordshire leader admits 1,000 council jobs may now face axe

OXFORDSHIRE County Council has doubled its original estimate of the number of potential job losses. Last year, the council estimated 500 staff would lose their jobs over the next five years as the coalition seeks to cut public spending. The local authority

Date

Haines ASBO extended

Persistent trouble-maker Byron Haines has been hit with a two-year Antisocial Behaviour Order (Asbo) extension after breaching his order seven times in the past 12 months. His current Asbo was due to expire today, but will now run until September 2012

Date

New Oxford film: Cheggers plays dead

KEITH ‘Cheggers’ Chegwin is perhaps not the most popular TV presenter in the world. But killing him – and fellow presenter Vanessa Feltz – is surely a bit extreme. That’s the scenario in a new low-budget film by Summertown director Andy Thompson. Mr

Date

FOOTBALL: Witney go down to derby defeat

Witney United went down to a 2-1 defeat as Kidlington took over at the top of the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division at the UK Polythene Stadium last night. The game was preceded by a minute’s applause for former Witney player Callum

Date

HOCKEY: Big guns eye cup

For the first time for several years, all the major Oxford clubs will be competing in the women’s Oxon Cup, at Cokethorpe School, today. Rover Oxford, Hawks and City of Oxford are joined by Banbury, Henley, Wallingford and Witney, with the round-robin

Date

Oxford United wait on Wright

Jake Wright is Oxford United’s only doubt for today’s npower League Two clash at Hereford as the U’s bid for their first away goal, and first away win, of the season. The former Brighton defender has been having treatment on his back after coming off

Date

Police to give freshers a warning

STUDENTS will be warned how to keep safe from burglars when local bobbies take to the streets in fresher’s week. The Headington neighbourhood team will target the latest influx of students when they unpack their bags at Oxford Brookes University in Headington

Date

Unlucky U's fan presented with hardhat

LIGHTNING may never strike twice, but it seems footballers’ wayward shots can. Unlucky Oxford United fan Val Kemish was struck on the head by a flying ball at the Kassam Stadium for the second time in two seasons in exactly the same seat. The disabled

Date

Hundreds to attend charity day for Banbury hospice

TEN years ago, five mothers decided to hold a coffee morning at one of their homes near Banbury to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Care. Now a decade later the event has grown into a shopping extravaganza attracting about 700 customers. So far the

Date

Sleep on streets to help homeless

ORGANISERS are hoping more people than ever will brave the cold and sleep under the stars for a night to raise cash for Oxford’s homeless. The annual Oxford Sleep Out, which has been launched by the Lord Mayor John Goddard, will take place

Date

Should the city council try to attract more motorists to park in city centre car parks?