Archive
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FOOTBALL: Wantage puts skids under Bracknell
Wantage Town eased their Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division worries with a comfortable 4-0 victory at home to bottom club Bracknell Town on Saturday. A torrential downpour just before the start made it a slippery surface, and the game did not
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SCALES OF JUSTICE
People convicted of offences at magistrates' courts around the county recently. OXFORD * Joshua Bayley, 19, of Youens Drive, Thame, convicted of receiving stolen goods, namely an Xbox 360 and six games valued at £350, between July 3
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Bus firm jumps onboard book capital bid
Oxford Bus Company is backing the city’s bid to become World Book Capital in 2014. Each year UNESCO nominates a World Book Capital to acknowledge the best year-long programme to encourage reading and promote books. Supporters so far
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Cooking advice for OAPs put on the menu
Elderly residents on an Oxford estate will be served up recipe inspiration and budgeting tips to help them manage money and mealtimes. A successful community cookery class is being rolled out to the elderly residents of Alice and Margaret House in Rose
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All change for gym-goers
THAME Leisure Centre is getting a £360,000 revamp including work to improve the gym. Work begins on Monday and will last for 13 weeks to create a new studio, changing facilities and toilets at the leisure centre at Lord Williams’s School in Towersey
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Chain stores named in Didcot plan
MARKS & Spencer and Debenhams have been named in a report preparing for the £125m second phase of Didcot’s Orchard shopping centre. Neither High Street favourite has confirmed it is definitely opening in the town but the report is the clearest indication
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Street spirit to beat burglars
Police are urging residents in Burns Crescent and Byron Way, Bicester, to start Neighbourhood Watch after a spate of burglaries. Officers want people to join the scheme, including community messaging, so they could be warned about criminal activity in
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Kids get a bird’s eye view
PUPILS from a primary school in Oxford have been making their local park much more homely for their feathered friends. The youngsters from St Andrew’s Primary School, Headington, have been spending their Saturdays making nest boxes to provide birds with
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Radio rethink
Rejected plans for a radio HAM mast at 168 Bloxham Road, Banbury, have been resubmitted. Cherwell District Council threw out the plan in November, saying it was “unsympathetic to the character and appearance of the area”. It will now make a decision
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Advance on twinning grant
Bicester and District Twinning Association has won a 23,000 euro grant to stage 30th anniversary celebrations. But because the grant will not be paid until after the May event, the association wants Bicester Town Council to lend it £15,000. A report
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Flood prevention work welcomed
COMMUNITY and military leaders have welcomed flood alleviation work to protect Bampton, Brize Norton and RAF Brize Norton. The existing drainage in the area is unable to cope with storm water running off from north-east Carterton and has caused flooding
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Local share prices (PM)
AEA Technology 0.31 BMW 6013 Electrocomponents 245.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 64.5 Oxford Biomedica 3 Oxford Catalysts 54 Oxford Instruments 1096 Reed Elsevier 558.25 RM 80.5 RPS Group
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Extension plan
A plan has been submitted for a two-storey extension at 22 Spring Hill Road, Begbroke. Cherwell District Council will decide.
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Bicester can be 'heart of MoD'
BICESTER’S MP has called for the Ministry of Defence to consolidate its UK logistic operations in Bicester. The town is already home to the defence supply chain which sends out supplies to troops, such as tents, boots and ration packs, based around the
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Woman campaigns to get botox on NHS
A former migraine sufferer is on a one-woman campaign to get botox paid for by the NHS after going to extreme lengths to tackle her own 30-year plight. It comes after a Government drug rationing body rejected an application for the treatment to be free
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Wildlife park is home to 1,279 creatures
COUNTING the different species at Cotswold Wildlife Park can be a mammoth task – especially when the animals keep on breeding. According to the latest animal count conducted at the wildlife park near Burford, it was home to 1,279 animals from
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Memory of Justine still burns brightly
A massive day of celebration is planned in memory of a popular mother and hairdresser who lost her battle against cancer months before her milestone 40th birthday. Mother-of-two Justine Silvester was 37 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and died
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Mother is humbled by efforts to help Tiago
Kind-hearted Banbury residents have raised thousands to help little Tiago Dos Santos get the specialist help he needs. Now another fun-filled barn dance will fund vital therapy for the youngster, who has cerebral palsy. The events have helped send the
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Josh's ten extra miles for Nichola
An appeal for a specialist wheelchair for a mum who has been unconscious for more than a year has been given a boost. Cooper School pupil Josh Green ran 10 miles and raised £162 to help a woman he has never met. Nichola Southey suffered a massive asthma
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Brother's cycle offers a ray of hope
When his younger brother was diagnosed with cancer at just 16, Ryan Leach feared the worst. In March last year, Witney teenager Charlie noticed a lump in his leg which weeks later was diagnosed as a lipsarcoma tumour – a rare condition that only affects
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Pooch parade for hospice
Dog walkers are urged to boost donations to Helen & Douglas House in an event supported by celebrity vet Joe Inglis. The Oxford charity hopes hundreds of pet owners will turn out with their dogs to support its first ever sponsored dog walk. The TV vet
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Film festival puts human rights back in focus
FOR a decade students at Oxford Brookes University have shone a light on human rights issues across the globe. This month the university will hold its tenth annual Human Rights Film Festival. Over the course of five days, starting Monday
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Healthy walk
A health walk will be held in Headington on Friday, February 24. Walkers should meet at the library at 10am. The walk is also wheelchair accessible.
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Tell police what is on your mind
A police "Have Your Say" meeting will be held at the West Oxford School in Ferry Hinksey Road, Oxford, tomorrow. Officers will be on hand between 2.30pm and 3.30pm to hear about issues in the Jericho and West Oxford area.
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'We'll boycott Tesco store'
RESIDENTS in Marston have vowed to boycott a new Tesco store set to open in a former pub. Hundreds of people in the area, led by a local vicar, pledged to support the protest at a public meeting chaired by Oxford East MP Andrew Smith. Residents are
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Cookers ablaze
A home filled with smoke on Saturday after a cooker caught fire. Two fire engines were called to the blaze in Longleat Close at noon and crews using breathing apparatus put the fire out. No one was injured thanks to the timing of the fire and firefighters
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Air crash verdict
A verdict is expected today in the inquest of two people killed in a mid-air collision. Flying instructor Mike Blee, from Abingdon, and teenage air cadet Nicholas Rice, from Reading, lost their lives when their plane was involved in a crash with a glider
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Car in flames on M40
Firefighters put out a car blaze on the M40 between Junction 9 and 10 on Friday evening. Two fire engines were called to help extinguish the engine fire at about 8pm.
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Masked man's knife raid
A shopkeeper last night told of his ordeal after he was threatened at knife-point in a robbery. A masked man wearing sunglasses entered the VCR Food and Wine store in Oxford Road, Littlemore, at about 9pm on Saturday and demanded cash after threatening
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Excitement over Kate's visit
Last-minute preparations will be carried out today ahead of the Duchess of Cambridge’s visit to the city tomorrow. Kate will visit Rose Hill Primary School and Oxford Spires Academy in her role as patron of children’s charity The Art Room. Hundreds of
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Flood victims: 'We are shocked and shaken by it'
Families hit by a burst water main face a three-month wait before they can return to their homes. Eight homes in South Hinksey were swamped early on Friday after a pipe in Manor Road burst, gushing out millions of litres of water. Thames
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Name change bid
Abingdon's name could be officially changed back to Abingdon-on-Thames if councillors back the move on Wednesday. Abingdon Town Council hopes the Vale of White Horse District Council will support the bid, which it believes will help attract more tourists
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Oliver turns table on rare condition
TALENTED Oliver Mulford is often underestimated by his opponents. But the 17-year-old is refusing to let his rare growth condition stop his sporting dream and is using it to his advantage. The Steventon teenager has chronic juvenile arthritis (CJA),
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Expert warns of HS2 danger
An expert in the geo-engineering of railways has reportedly warned that the Government’s controversial HS2 rail scheme could have major safety issues. Prof Peter Woodward said the high speeds planned for the railway – 225mph – could cause vibration problems
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FOOTBALL: Clanfield break home duck
Clanfield secured their first Uhlsport Hellenic League Division 1 West home win of the season with a 3-0 success over basement club Trowbridge Town. They took the lead in the fifth minute when Adam Little forced the ball back across goal for Robbie Harrington
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‘Don’t treat OAPs just as statistics’
TOO many elderly Oxfordshire patients are being sent to community hospitals away from their family and friends, it has been claimed. A county patient group says the move to send ill pensioners to convalesce miles from their homes has been taken in a
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Weir replacement plan a waste of our money
WE ARE strongly opposed to the Environment Agency decision to replace Northmoor Weir (last Monday’s Oxford Mail. Replacement is proposed on health and safety grounds – that manually lifting the weir paddles involves using excessive force. Ergonomic
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Thought-provoking week ahead
AFTER a week when the Queen, in a meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury and representatives of eight other UK faiths, talked happily about faith playing “a key role in the identity of many millions of people”, it is perhaps salutary to remember
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Fines question laid bare
YOUR report (Thursday’s Oxford Mail), about a naked man rambling through a popular Yorkshire beauty spot and being fined is hootworthy. Apparently the woman had a “disgusted frown” on her face. I found this story quite amusing. A fine of £315 – I would
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Reasons to reform planning process
THE application to demolish 21/23 Wallingford Street, Wantage (Oxford Mail, February 13), was passed by the Vale of White Horse District Council despite overwhelming opposition from the town council, a petition, articles and letters in the local press
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Care system is in crisis
THE social care system is in deep crisis and this will continue to worsen unless the Government acts now. We need the people of Oxford to help to get this message to the country’s decision makers. On Tuesday, March 6, hundreds of older
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Common sense required
LET those who wish to pray before local council meetings do so — most of them need all the help they can muster. Let those who wish to attempt a few press-ups do so, and let those who wish to sing Rule Britannia or The Red Flag do that, as long as no-one
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MAN ABOUT TIME: I'm ready to become toilets tsar
GOT to say, I’m delighted at the initiative shown by South Oxford District Council toward its public conveniences. Investing £65,000 in order to give Thame’s public toilets a facelift shows a genuine commitment to improving the town’s quality of life.
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MOTHERING SUNDAE: The joy of life on the open road
I WORK from home. This has the magnificent benefit of a one-second commute from duvet to desk. It also means I could be answering the phone to high-level executives in my dressing gown with Weetabix on my chin (I don’t). Over half term
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Celebrities pitched in for hospitals' charity
THE charity football match starring Tommy Steele was one of number featuring a showbiz team in Oxford. As we recalled (Memory Lane, January 9), the star of the recent production of Scrooge at the New Theatre played in a game in aid of the British
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Elegant scene remains mystery
THESE women and children posed in elegant surroundings. But where and when was it taken, and can anyone tell us the occasion? Those are the questions that Amanda Pratley, of Garsington, would like Memory Lane readers to answer. She found the photograph
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The changing face of Woodstock
THE town’s new swimming pool opened in 1971 and after performing the official opening, Lord Blandford, now the Duke of Marlborough, was presented with the first season ticket. He is seen in the first picture receiving the the ticket from the pool’s
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Disabled veterans determined to earn living
MEN badly injured in the First World War were determined not to give up on life. They set to work on painted fabrics, producing a wide range of goods for people to buy. They included gowns for day and evening wear, cloaks, scarves, shawls, lingerie,
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Help put names to faces in school photos
HOW many of these children can we recognise? The photographs were taken at East Oxford School in May and July 1953 and come from former pupil Valerie Sturgess, of Browning Drive, Bicester. Mrs Sturgess, whose maiden name was Stockford, writes: “We were
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FOOTBALL: Thomas seals Ardley comeback
Ben Thomas scored a brace as Ardley United twice came from behind to consolidate their position at the top of the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division with a 5-3 win at home to Wokingham & Emmbrook. on Saturday. Matt Jones and Luke Lee twice put
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Dancing in the streets - and in the air
AN OXFORD dance festival spun into action on Saturday with performances in front of shoppers across the city centre. More than 50 dancers put on short shows in the Westgate, at Bonn Square and through Cornmarket Street, to launch the Dancin’ Oxford 2012
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FOOTBALLL Benjamin double gets City on track
Declan Benjamin str-uck twice in the first nine minutes as Oxford City strengthened their Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division play-off bid with a 4-2 win at Swindon Supermarine on Saturday. Benjamin’s brace helped City build up a 4-0
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Blaze at Eynsham Cricket Club
A BUILDING at Eynsham Cricket Club was destroyed by fire in the early hours of this morning. Fire crews were called to the club in Cassington Road at 3.51am and found it alight. The fire is being treated as suspected arson. No one was injured
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FOOTBALL: Abingdon hold runaway leaders
Abingdon United gave a superb rearguard display to earn a 0-0 draw against runaway Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West leaders Bidford on Saturday. In their first home game of 2012, Abingdon held a team who were unbeaten in 19 games. Although
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FOOTBALL: Deadly Hole's stunning double
DEAD-BALL specialist Stuart Hole scored twice as North Leigh moved to within a point of the play-off positions in Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West with a 3-0 win at Clevedon. Both sides struggled early on on a pitch drenched
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FOOTBALL: Didcot gain rare home win
Didcot Town took a big step towards preserving their Division 1 South & West status in the Evo-Stik Southern League with a 1-0 win against mid-table Mangotsfield UnitedIt was not pretty to watch, but that hardly mattered, as the Railwaymen picked up only
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FOOTBALL: Banbury beaten in injury time
Banbury United were beaten 2-1 by an injury-time goal as their Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division game at Weymouth came to life in the last 15 minutes. The visitors had the best chance of the first half when Josh Cole’s header from Ben Polk’s
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Littlemore sex attack update
A TEENAGE girl was grabbed by a man who tried to rape her as she walked along an Oxford street. The 17-year-old was walking along Sandy Lane West, Littlemore, and was grabbed by the man as she passed Bampton Close. Detectives last night said the victim
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Boss Wilder shows sympathy to Oxford United forwards
CHRIS Wilder said he felt for Oxford United’s forward players at Bristol Rovers on Saturday. Although the U’s boss has been critical in the past of the amount of goals his strikers have scored this season, Wilder did not feel he could be too harsh on
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Answers sought over animal centre
PROTESTERS were yesterday demanding answers over what happened at an animal rescue centre near Abingdon after 78 pets were seized. About 20 people gathered with placards outside Crunchy’s Animal Rescue Centre in Longworth. Officers from the Royal Society
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Loo revamp to cost £420,000
A makeover of Oxford’s toilets worth nearly half-a-million pounds will make them loos “worth coming to the city for”. That’s the view of a city council chief who claims the £420,000 revamp of the city’s public toilets will attract international
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COMMENT: Public loos to return – but at a price
IT seems the phrase “spending a penny” has been dramatically overtaken by inflation in Oxford. Many people will welcome the news that a long-awaited revamp of Oxford’s public toilets is back on the cards – even if it does cost a whopping £420,000
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COMMENT: Pool’s big hitter
WE ARE often quick to judge other people’s abilities from their outward appearance. So the story of how pool whizz Oliver Mulford is beating his opponents, by using his rare condition to his advantage, is a lesson to us all. The 4ft
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Clarke happy with Oxford United's shut-out
GOALKEEPER Ryan Clarke praised the Oxford United defence after another away-day clean sheet at Bristol Rovers on Saturday. But the U’s No 1 admitted the team were slighty frustrated they didn’t pick up another three points on their travels after the
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Wilder admits he thought game would be off
CHRIS Wilder admitted he did not think Saturday’s game would go ahead when he stood pitchside 90 minutes before kick-off. As shown by David Fleming’s picture, a sodden pitch looked like it would stop a true roll of the ball, but referee Phillip Gibbs
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£190,000 waste centre is on way
A NEW recycling centre near Chipping Norton could open in the summer to tackle potential fly-tipping caused by the closure of the nearby Dean Pit site. Oxfordshire County Council shut Dean Pit, near Chadlington, last September as part of a programme
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Award honours 40 years of lifesaving
DESPITE the tough job faced by firefighters every day, Pat Rosum insists it is the best job in the world as he marks 40 years in the service. The 61-year-old has been told he is to receive the Oxfordshire High Sheriff’s Award for his years of dedication
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New garden to mark jubilee
Didcot Town Council is planning to create a new garden at the rear of the civic hall to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Town council spokesman Karen Dodd said the new garden at the Britwell Road venue is one of a number of ways the local authority