Archive

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New pledge to homeless

IF you have slept on the streets of Oxford for one night, you won’t have to spend another sleeping rough. That is s the pledge from Oxford City Council, which plans to launch a No Second Night Out scheme in the next few months. It forms

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'Don't muck around on train tracks'

Children are being warned to stay away from train tracks this Easter, after reports of youngsters misbehaving on a crossing near Blackbird Leys and Littlemore. British Transport Police have had several calls in the last fortnight about young people on

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New route for half marathon

PLANS for the second Oxford Half Marathon are on track, with a completely redesigned route to take more runners. Last year, more than 2,000 people pounded the streets of the city and organisers are hoping this year’s event will be even bigger

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Who was Oxford United's man of the match against Morecambe?

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Oxford United 1 (Rendell 4) Morecambe 2 (Curran 3, Drummond 74)

A FLAT Oxford United lost at home for only the second time since November as Stewart Drummond’s header claimed all three points for Morecambe. The visitors took an early lead through Craig Curran, but Scott Rendell levelled within a minute

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Please Sir, we want... some more men

Depserately needed . . . more grown-ups. The Lime Walk Players are performing Oliver! at the Lime Walk Methodist Hall in New High Street, Headington this weekend. But while the group has no shortage of children – 17 to be precise – it is in urgent

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Oxford United make three changes for Morecambe

Top scorer James Constable drops to the bench in one of three changes to Oxford United’s starting line-up for the visit of Morecambe. Scott Rendell replaces the striker, who has just two goals in his last 14 games for the U’s. Dean

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Mechanic overdosed ‘63 times’

A CAR mechanic from Witney died after taking his 63rd overdose of tablets, a coroner was told. Neil Murrant, 44, of Bourton Close, ‘heard voices’ which made him feel worthless, an inquest in Oxford heard. Paramedics were called to his house and the

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Nursery pupils branch out

CHILDREN at an Oxfordshire nursery got to grips with nature this week, creating a living sculpture for their garden. Youngsters from Willow Cottage Nurseries in Farmoor learned to willow weave with parent Andy Goodwin, and built a giant willow whale

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Students fired up by Dragons

Youth unemployment may be a growing fear across the country, but students at one college are learning the skills to buck the trend. About 250 students from Abingdon and Witney College took part in a Dragon’s Den-style competition this week. Pitching

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LOOSE ENDS: Roud-up of the week's queries and corrections

Sometimes we wonder exactly what press officers are there to do. One key task should be to promote a positive image of your employer, particularly when rascally old journalists come knocking at the door? Not DIY giant B&Q, evidently. We published the

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Transplant patient's anniversary donation

Life improved dramatically for leukaemia sufferer Tony Reeves a year ago when a mystery donor offered his bone marrow for a transplant. The former RAF Benson postmaster is still suffering the blood cancer but his condition has improved.

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Home burglary

BANBURY: Burglars broke into a house in East Street and stole £24, an Xbox 360 with games, a Dell laptop, a Calloway Warbird golf club and Blu-Ray discs. It happened on Tuesday between 8.50am and 5.50pm but police only released details yesterday.

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Bookie robber

OXFORD: A man has admitted a robbery at an Oxford betting shop. Timothy Stern took £407.60 during a raid on Ladbrokes in Iffley Road, East Oxford, on March 13. The 30-year-old, of Peregrine Road, Blackbird Leys, admitted the offence at Oxford Crown

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Witness appeal after van crash

OXON: Police have made an appeal for witnesses to a crash on the M40 motorway, which left a man fighting for his life. At about 8.30pm on Monday, a white Vauxhall Astra van overturned on the northbound carriageway, between junctions 8A and 9, and ended

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Serial menace: ‘I’ve struck again’

A MAN who has repeatedly dropped bank notes to entice young girls has admitted another two offences. Stuart McGhie has been the subject of an Asbo antisocial behaviour order since 2002 prohibiting him from “seeking contact or communication” with under

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Portas cash to revive struggling shops

OXFORDSHIRE’S ailing high streets were given a boost yesterday with a £200,000 pot to help fill empty shops. Cherwell and Vale of White Horse district councils were both given a £100,000 slice of the Government’s £10m High Street Innovation

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MOTORSPORT: Plato relishing new challenge

OXFORD driver Jason Plato says he’s “incredibly excited” about leading MG back into the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, which gets under way at Brands Hatch tomorrow. The famous MG brand will return to the BTCC as a factory team for the

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Harrison ready for debut

NATHAN Harrison makes his first appearance in car racing at Brands Hatch this weekend. The 15-year-old Oxford ace has left karting behind him to join reigning champions Hillspeed to compete in the 2012 Ginetta Junior Championship. The one-make championship

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GREYHOUNDS: Top trainer quits Oxford

OXFORD Stadium has been rocked by the resignation of top trainer Michael Peterson. Peterson, 28, champion trainer in 2010, comes from a long family dynasty in the greyhound world where his father, John, mother, Glenda, brother, John and grandfather,

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RUGBY UNION: Burford School foiled

Burford School were pipped 35-22 by Richard Lander (Truro) in the England RFU South West Division Under 14 State Schools Championships final at the University of Bristol. Reiss Howard, Ollie Toner, Tom Renwick, Jake Edwards scored tries for

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SNOOKER: Fieldside clinch championship

FIELDSIDE clinched the Gentworks Oxford & District League Premier Division 1 title with a 5-1 victory away to Riley B. Mick Bennett, of Fieldside, shared the first two frames with Lewis Moss, before David Baker and Karl Walker, who had a break of 52,

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ANGLING: New deal gives Marston a lift

MARSTON AC have completed a sponsorship deal with new Oxford shop Fishing Tackle and Bait (FTB) at 43, Westlands Drive, Oxford. The deal, which is for an initial three years, has enabled them to rejoin the Oxford and District Anglers Association after

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SQUASH: Oxford's semi-final bid foiled

OXFORD’S hopes of reaching the Premier League semi-final play-offs were dashed when they lost 4-1 in their final Group A game away to Nottingham. With a place in the last four awaiting the winners, Emma Beddoes put the hosts into the lead with an 11-

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Fish suffering

OXON: Fish are suffering as streams in the county dry up, the Environment Agency has said. In a drought-management briefing issued yesterday the agency said: “Fish are beginning to show signs of distress in some of these areas. We are continuing to

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Best quality of life in the South

OXON: People living in rural areas in the county are among those enjoying the best quality of life in the UK, according to a new study. The South dominated the list in the Halifax Rural Area’s Quality of Life survey, which examined local authority districts

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Driver injured

BLOXHAM: Emergency crews were called to Tadmarton Road on Thursday night, after a car crashed off the road and overturned. The female driver was removed from the vehicle and treated by an ambulance crew at the scene shortly after 9.45pm.

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Men sought over club incident

THESE two men are being sought by police after a smoke grenade was thrown onto the dance floor of an Oxford nightclub. Thirst Nightclub in Park End Street was evacuated as a result of the incident at about 1am on Sunday, February 12. Pc Peter Ciechan

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‘We will be saving many more lives’

WHEN Joe Robinson was wheeled unconscious through the doors of the John Radcliffe Hospital, he had been given a three per cent chance of survival. The teenager was fighting for his life and had broken almost every bone in his body in a car

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Oxford developer appeals over homes refusal

PROPERTY developer Martin Young has lodged an appeal against Oxford City Council’s refusal to let him knock down a derelict house. Mr Young wants to build five three-storey houses in Old High Street, Headington, to replace a building that he has left

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TAE KWON DO: De Winton in gold strike

Ricky De Winton, RTA Didcot’s England captain, won four golds at the English Open Championships at the Guildford Spectrum. Paris Carbonari struck double golds, with Faye Miller, Alison Fisher, Ryan Wheatley and Tyrese Willett also claiming first

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TAE KWON-DO: Davis keeps up unbeaten run

Vale TKD instructor Carl Davis kept up his winning spree by striking gold at the English Open Championships at Guildford Spectrum. He triumphed in the 71kg adult black belt sparring to continue his unbeaten run after winning every national championships

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BASKETBALL: Larkmead net title

Larkmead School, Abingdon, were crowned champions at the Vale of White Horse Schools Under 13 basketball tournament at Faringdon Community College. They were unbeaten in their first three games, beating Faringdon B and Fitzharrys (Abingdon

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BOXING: McGuckin tops bill

Niamh McGuckin, Berinsfield ABC’s National Schoolgirl champion, tops the bill at the club’s dinner show at the Rover Sports & Social Club, Cowley, on Saturday, April 14. McGuckin is set to box in front of her home supporters for the first time since

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MP's vote is regretable

It is a matter of considerable regret that our MP, Ed Vaizey, voted to pass the Health and Social Care Bill in the House of Commons. The Bill did not feature in either governing party’s manifestoes, nor in the Coalition Agreement. In fact, the Prime

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A splashing time in Brittany

The last time I was at a beach-side caravan/camping site was probably about 1983 and on the North Island of New Zealand. There are of course golden memories of childhood, running around getting into various adventures, but also the recollection

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COMMENT: Saving more lives

THE care Joe Robinson received at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital after he was involved in a horrific car crash was exemplary. Joe has often praised the JR and has raised money as a thank-you, so it is heartwarming to see the hospital’s trauma

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COMMENT: Reviving struggling high streets

THE Government is quite rightly getting a shoeing over its mishandling of petrol and pasties but hopefully it is on the right lines with Mary Portas. There was a surprise announcement yesterday that the Government has adopted most of the retail

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Mayor celebrates his 100th birthday

BECOMING Lord Mayor of his home city of Oxford was one of Fred Ingram’s proudest moments. Yesterday, he had another memory to treasure, when he received a card from the Queen on his 100th birthday. He is the first former Lord Mayor of the city to become

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BOXING: Flynn opens ABA quest

Oxford teenager Jordan Flynn, the dual ABAE schools’ champion, fights in the National Junior ABA Championships first round in Dagenham today. The Cowley youngster, who was 16 on Thursday, will be representing the London-based Repton ABC, with

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LIT FEST DIARY: An infectious enthusiasm

Since realising my genes could be worth a bob or two – thanks to Donna Dickenson’s Thursday debate on science and finance – I thought it might be wily to attend a talk by financial guru and broadcaster Alvin Hall. Billed succinctly as ‘The Stock Market

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MOTORSPORT: Walkinshaw aiming to hit the heights

CHIPPING Norton racer Fergus Walkinshaw is ready for his first full season of competition in three years as the opening rounds of the Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup take place at Brands Hatch this weekend. Walkinshaw, who turns 21 on April 6, will make

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TABLE TENNIS: Vikings in prime position for title

VIKINGS A are hot favourites to land the Oxford & District League Division 1 title. A 9-1 victory over clubmates Vikings B means that they are now just two points behind leaders Holton A with a game in hand. In Division 2, Bicester B are promoted, but

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Police link 38 girls to sex abuse case

THIRTY-EIGHT girls may have been involved in a child prostitution ring, it emerged yesterday. Detectives had originally identified 24 girls, but Simon Heptonstall, prosecuting, told Amersham Court Court yesterday that police investigations

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Burglary charge

OXFORD: Jamie Worthington-Hale, 38, from Collinwood Close, and Gemma Boswell, 26, from Horseman Close, have been charged over three burglaries in Headington. They were arrested after a laptop was stolen from a house in Bickerton Road and a BlackBerry

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Free parking to mark Jubilee

OXON: Council car parks in the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire will be free over the Queen’s Jubilee weekend. The offer will be in place from Saturday, June 2, to Tuesday, June 5, so people can enjoy celebrations without worrying about parking

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Drivers scramble to get tanks filled up

PEOPLE tried to fill plastic water bottles with petrol as drivers yesterday continued to ignore appeals not to panic buy during the fuel crisis. Petrol stations across the county continued to run dry as motorists kept topping up despite Government

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FUELLING FURORE: Dishing out an unusual freebie for panic buyers

AMIDST panic at petrol stations across the county, one man in Thame appeared to have captured the sentiments of more rational members of society. Builder Dickon Johnstone, 36, stood outside the BP petrol station in Park Street on Thursday night, holding

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Tragedy of ‘Little John’

THE father of a 20-year-old man found dead in a Witney lake five days after going missing last night paid tribute to his much-loved son. John Godfrey went missing after a party on Friday night with friends at Tar Lakes, an open space off Tar Road on

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Rail death delay

N OXON: The name of the man killed by a train is now expected to be released on Monday. The 57-year-old man, from Banbury, was found on the track at Heyford Railway Station on Tuesday. British Transport Police said an inquest had been expected to open

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CRICKET: Croft in Glamorgan squad to face Oxford

Glamorgan include the old and the new for their three-day match Oxford MCC Universities, which starts in The Park today (11am). Former England spinner Robert Croft (pictured), now 41, is in Glamorgan’s strong squad of 13 for one of the first ever

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Davis urging United to hit the heights

Liam Davis is urging everyone at Oxford United to “reach for the stars” as the squad aim to make the most of their remaining home games – starting against Morecambe this afternoon. Results at the Kassam Stadium have provided the platform

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End is in sight for village roadworks

Villagers will be able to drive to their homes for the first time in a month next week as a rolling road block moves out. Access to North Hinksey Village has been closed since March 1 as part of Thames Water’s £7m sewer expansion works.