Archive
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Woman sexually assaulted while out walking with her baby
A 20-year-old woman has been sexually assaulted while out walking with her 15-month-old daughter. The attack happened at about 10.15am yesterday as the woman walked along Kings Road towards Park Road in Banbury. She felt someone touching her
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Spared jail to look after mother
A MAN has been given a suspended sentence for brandishing a knife and making threats. Shane Eele, of Rooks Lane, Thame, admitted having a bladed article in a public place and using threatening words or behaviour. The 48-year-old produced the
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Dance group petitions to stay at dog stadium
CALLS to save an Oxford Stadium youth dance group from the bulldozer have won the support of city councillors. Councillors this week backed a 1,552-signature petition from Dance Connection, for youngsters aged up to 18. Among those who signed
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Tradition revived to mark Bard's birthday
TOWN crier Anthony Church was proud to mark Shakespeare’s birthday in a tradition that was revived after more than 40 years. The Cowley 60-year-old led a procession of dignitaries and Pegasus School pupils from Oxford Town Hall in St Aldate’s to
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Minister decides free school’s fate
COMMUNITIES Secretary Eric Pickles’s intervention in an Oxford free school appeal has been described as “unprecedented” and “inexplicable”. Oxford City Council leader Bob Price has raised concerns about Mr Pickles’s power to override local decision-making
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Jury "cannot be sure enough" to convict, says barrister
AN OLD Bailey jury has been told it cannot be sure enough to convict a man of having sex with a child. Mohammed Hussain faces three charges of sexual activity with a child and is among nine men on trial accused of grooming and abusing underage
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Cash saved on energy
More than 1,300 people who signed up for a council-led gas and electricity saving scheme will save cash, bosses have said. Some 1,361 county residents registered for Cherwell and West Oxfordshire district councils’ ‘Better Together’ campaign to
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Supermarket future for empty stadium?
AN empty stadium in Witney could be demolished to build a new supermarket, a landowner has claimed. Witney Community Stadium has been vacant since the town’s football club left in February after failing to pay rates. A senior shareholder of
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School in bid for artificial sports pitch
STAFF and pupils at a boys’ school in Didcot may soon be able to play sports in all weathers. A campaign is being launched to raise £300,000 for an artificial pitch at St Birinus School in Mereland Road. And staff say they hope the 4,000 square
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Community newspapers train ‘citizen journalists’
A COMMUNITY newspaper for Littlemore will launch this summer and free training is being offered to those who want to get involved. Littlemore News will be produced by Oxford Community Media, the same not-for-profit organisation that produces the
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Boost for cadets as rowers stick their oar in
SEA Cadets in Abingdon gathered to watch 25 volunteers join a national row-the-world challenge. Twenty-five staff from the charity set off on their 100-mile trip from Abingdon Marina on Thursday at 7am, and arrived at 3.30pm on Sunday at Lambeth
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Governors are a 'driving force'
GOVERNORS of an Oxfordshire primary school have been praised as the “driving force” behind improvements. Ofsted has rated Fritwell Primary School, near Bicester, as “good” following its latest check. Inspectors visited last month and were happy
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Army cadets in battle to boost membership
A YOUTH group struggling to attract new recruits is hoping to boost its numbers. Blackbird Leys Army Cadets, based in Sandy Lane West, Littlemore, run a range of challenges for 12 to 18-year-olds, including map reading, tactical fieldcraft, drill
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Take rat for a new pet
SHE may not be the prettiest pet but Blossom the hairless rat certainly makes up for it in affection. Currently residing at the Blue Cross rehoming centre in Burford, the rodent is now looking for a new home after being found dumped in an alleyway
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Patients miss GP visits over parking chaos
PARKING at a Wallingford surgery has been described as ‘horrendous’ with patients having to re-book appointments. The town’s mayor Ros Lester, said the problem at Wallingford Medical Practice in Reading Road had worsened in the last six months and
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Homes & Gardens: Alice in Wonderland... the wonder stuff
Trippy, surreal and innovative, Lewis Carroll’s world offers escapism in spades. The 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland still has people the world over enchanted, well into adulthood. And it all started in Oxford. The story was reputedly
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RUGBY UNION: Jackson leaves London Welsh for Wasps
LONDON Welsh back-row forward Ed Jackson will leave the club in the summer to join London Wasps. Jackson, 24, joined the Exiles in 2011 from Doncaster Knights and was instrumental in the club’s Championship-winning season, scoring 11 tries in 29
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Pub lovers in fight to protect hostelry signs
CONSERVATIONISTS and real ale enthusiasts are campaigning to protect Abingdon’s traditional pub signs. Brewery bosses at Greene King want to remove pictorial signs from pubs and replace them with ones featuring different images and corporate logos
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Lying was "a way of life" for teen, Old Bailey hears
LYING was a "way of life" for a teen who claims she was raped and beaten by a man high on cocaine, the Old Bailey heard this morning. A defence lawyer told the Oxford child sex exploitation trial the witness, who made the rape allegation against
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Flower Power: cut-flower garden tips by Hendy Curzon
Adrienne Curzon has been integrating cut-flower gardens into clients’ designs for many years. This is an area of a garden designated purely for the purpose of growing flowers to cut and display. Adrienne explains: “Bringing a bit of outside
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Homes & Gardens: Alex Moss is forging ahead
As far as dream sequences go, Alex Moss found himself being asked to create a fairly nightmarish one. The brief came from movie-maker Tim Burton, concept-deep into the creation of the 1999 film Sleepy Hollow. Alex’s job was to create a torture
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Win tickets to Grand Designs Live, May 4-12
Grand Designs Live London (May 4-12, ExCel, Docklands) is the UK’s leading contemporary home show, and is hosted by Kevin McCloud. Grand Designs Live, is the perfect show for consumers who are seeking inspiration and expert advice for everything
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Man fighting for his life after fire at adult care home in Abingdon
ONE man is fighting for his life after being rescued by firefighters during a blaze at an adult care home today. The man was in a ground floor room at the Knowl care home in Stert Street in Abingdon and was rescued by firefighters. He is suffering
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Marsh recalled by Oxford United
TYRONE Marsh will be part of Oxford United's squad for the final game of the season this weekend after being recalled from a loan spell. The teenage striker has scored nine goals in 16 games to help steer Staines Town out of relegation trouble
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Mayor aims to solve clock riddle
THE Mayor of Wallingford is marking her time in office by reinstalling the town’s missing Post Office clock. The old timepiece in the round window of the Old Post Office in Wallingford’s Saint Martin’s Street hasn’t been seen for decades. But
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FOOTBALL: Paine's the late hero for George
Andy Paine scored a late winner as The George fought back twice to win the Oxford City FA County Junior League Cup with a 3-2 victory against AFC Blackbirds at Oxford City FC. Blackbirds took an early lead through Andy Samsom, only for Ricky Anderson
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Organisers hope for biggest festival ever
HEADINGTON’S biggest community event is set to make a return this year, and organisers hope it will be better than ever. The annual Headington Festival attracts thousands of people to Bury Knowle Park. Last year it wasn’t held because of the
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'Security threat' at Bullingdon Prison
POLICE were called to Bullingdon Prison this morning after a "potential security threat". Officers were called to the jail at Arncott near Bicester at 8.19am today. A police statement said: "Thames Valley Police was called at 8.19am today to
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Raid suspect funeral takes place
THE funeral of a robbery suspect who died during an armed raid on a jeweller’s in Oxford’s Covered Market will take place on Friday. Clint Townsend, 33, of Headington, stopped breathing after he was tackled by members of the public as he and an
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Asbestos killed ex-car worker
ASBESTOS exposure at Pressed Steel during the 1950s lead to the death of a grandfather, an inquest heard yesterday. Denis Barnes, 86, of Manor Road, Witney, died at Witney Community Hospital on January 18. He was diagnosed with a lung disease the
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Councillors join final farewell to colleague
ABOUT 70 friends, family and colleagues paid their last respects to town councillor Penny McDougall at her funeral service at St Helen’s Church in Abingdon yesterday. Her two sons, Kyle, 27, and Ross, 25, helped the pallbearers take the coffin
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Young women ‘made up stories’ of abuse
TWO women who accused the same man of sex abuse were both “making stories up”, the Old Bailey heard yesterday. Mohammed Karrar, 38, is accused of arranging for one girl to be raped for money and is charged with raping and prostituting another from
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FOOTBALL: Oakley shock OUP in cup
Oakley United upset the odds as they beat Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division leaders Oxford University Press 3-2 in the President’s Cup semi-final. A surprise was on the cards when Nick Gurney headed in Alex Woodfine’s cross to put Oakley
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Pasta and purple broccoli with anchovies and mushrooms (serves 4)
Because the earth is still cold this year, vegetables such as purple broccoli that normally begin coming towards the end of their season by now are still sprouting, which is why my friend Wendy arrived at my cottage carrying a bag of freshly picked
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Stick with rhubarb or risk missing out
I have just enjoyed a bowl of forced, home-grown, champagne-pink rhubarb, rushed from plot to plate in an hour, and it was sensational. If your garden doesn’t contain a clump you are missing out on an easy, culinary staple of spring and early summer
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Highlights for April 25
Drama ROPE Old Fire Station, Oxford April 25-27, 8pm Call 01865 305305 or oldfirestation.org.uk It’s autumn 1929 and two wealthy and privileged Oxford undergraduates contrive to commit the perfect murder. The victim’s body is concealed
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Sinister named bloom brings sense of exoticism
The snake’s head fritillary bears a sinister name for a bloom that is arguably Britain’s most beautiful wildflower. At first glance, the fritillary appears impossibly glamorous — amassed in purple ranks bowing delicately in the breeze. The flower brings
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FOOTBALL: Hastings hat-trick keeps Didcot on course
OXFORD MAIL GIRLS LEAGUE DIDCOT Casuals roared into the Under 12 League Cup final after a 3-1 home victory over title rivals Brackley Town. Bethany Hastings’s hat-trick proved decisive for Didcot, who had leapfrogged the visitors in the league
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FOOTBALL: George the Great wins it for Quarry
GEORGE Kincaid was the hero as Quarry Rovers pulled off an Oxford Mail Boys League Under 11 Knockout Cup giant-killing with a 4-3 win at Cumnor Minors. Unbeaten A League side Cumnor had led 1-0 and 2-1, but had no answer to the B League oufit, with Kincaid
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The Trench: The North Wall and touring
FIVE STARS There has been a lot of buzz about the company Les Enfants Terrible so I was pleased to get the chance to see them when their latest production arrived at the North Wall Arts Centre in North Oxford, and I was not disappointed as
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City has carried out 2,300 pothole repairs
OXFORD City Council has repaired 2,300 potholes inside Oxford since January 1. Unlike counterparts at the county council, the city team does keep a record of which repairs are temporary and which are permanent. The weather and location of the
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Still in a jam over potholes
OXFORDSHIRE County Council has admitted it does not record which of its pothole repairs are permanent and which are temporary. The county faces a huge task to repair thousands of holes in roads caused by poor weather. In 2008/09, the authority
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RACING: Waley-Cohen ready for Run's mission
Sam Waley-Cohen is hoping to make his first ride at Punchestown a winning one when Long Run contests the Bet Online With TheTote.com Punchestown Gold Cup (5.30) today. Long Run, owned by Sam’s father, Robert, who lives at Edgehill, near Banbury
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FOOTBALL: Freeland fly high to capture cup glory
Freeland Yeoman finished strongly to capture the Critchleys Upper Thames Valley League's Ridgeway Cup with a 3-1 win over Northway Boys & Girls Res in the final at Abingdon Town. With the Division 2 rivals locked together at 1-1 with ten minutes
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School reunion was nice
MAY I add my congratulations and thanks to the organisers of the Wheatley School reunion. Although I was never very good or interested in school and could not get out of the place quickly enough (in fact I probably hated every day I was there).
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Cyclists a real danger
I HAVE been campaigning for a long time to get prohibitory signs put up at the entrances to the subways that run underneath the Headington roundabout. There are currently blue signs in place asking cyclists to dismount. These, according to
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Attacks on wildlife
DAVID Cameron’s henchman, Owen Paterson, has been dubbed ‘the Squirrel killing Minister for Wildlife’, after he boasted of slaughtering grey squirrels on his land. A fellow Conservative has been quoted in the press as saying: ‘I’m not sure what
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Voting is like a shot in the dark without information
I have just received my postal vote pack for the Oxfordshire County Council elections for Burford and North Carterton. Please could somebody tell me whom I ought to vote for. The reason I ask is that I have had no information about any of the
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MAC THE KNIFE: It's not just about six-packs with the Dreamboys... or is it?
It’s the stuff dreams are made of, supposedly, and I could feel the wrath of thousands of avid female fans as The Dreamboys bounced into the office, ripping off their shirts as they entered. It was like trying to contain a box of escaped puppies
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COMMENT: Get permanent solution to pothole problem
THERE can be little doubt that potholes are a major problem in the county. The pictures in our story today represent just a fraction of the tens of thousands the local authorities have to deal with each year. There’s no denying it’s a mammoth
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COMMENT: Lower carbon powers
Congratulations to the West Oxford Community Renewables group which has successfully raised an impressive £320,000 for its hydro electric scheme. It’s a remarkable achievement in such a short space of time, and we wish them good luck. Throw in
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SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL: Didcot's final rivals decided
Didcot Girls’ School’s opponents in the ESFA Girls’ Under 13 Schools Cup final will be Thomas Estley Community College (South Leicestershire). The Broughton Astley school beat Ormskirk 2-1 in their semi-final. A date and venue for the final
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SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL: Vale on song for county crown
Vale of White Horse lifted the Oxfordshire Under 15 Cup with a 4-0 win over Mid Oxon in the final at Milton United. The hosts took the lead after ten minutes when Mid Oxon failed to clear Jack Powell’s corner, and Seth Humphries drove the loose
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FOOTBALL: Super Sutton shock Oxford
Sutton Wanderers sprang one of the biggest surprises in the history of the Critchleys Upper Thames Valley League's Devenney Cup with a penalty shoot-out win at home to Oxford Sports & Social Club in the semi-finals, writes TIM SIRET. The Division
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FOOTBALL: Four in a row for Oxford United Ladies
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL OXFORD United Ladies are celebrating a fourth successive Oxfordshire Cup triumph. The U’s defeated Oxford City 3-0 in the final at Thame United’s ASM Stadium. Charlotte Clarke put United ahead in the first half before Katie
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Black hole for taxpayers
THERE is, without a shadow of a doubt in my mind, a reason as to why the London Road in Headington between Green Road and Wharton Road is in such a poor state of disrepair. The hundreds and hundreds of buses and coaches which use the road day and
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Rally over parish issues
MY, there does seem to be a right old rally going on between Elaine Bennett and Councillor Roy Darke. Mr Darke does seem to take any opportunity to criticise Councillor Mick Haines. Surely, there is some code of conduct among councillors. With
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Planning on the agenda
MARY Clarkson (ViewPoints, April 18) responds to my “complaint” using perfect politician’s patter. There must be better solutions to resolve re-occurring problems. I attended a parish council meeting in December 2012. Councillors admitted to the
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Different perspective
DAVID Madden stopped me in my tracks with three simple words; crises are opportunities (ViewPoints, April 22). I really did stop, then applied those words to a situation. How easy when you just take the time to step back and apply a different
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THE DISABLED SPACE: I wept at fate of Boston victims
I like to think I’m a hard man – at least emotionally. But evidently not this week. It all began with a coffee over lunch and a browse of The Guardian. I was reading about the Boston bombs. We all saw the stories and the horrific pictures and footage
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The Miser, Watermill Theatre, Newbury
FOUR STARS "Don’t bury your cash in the garden.” As he writes in a programme note, that’s the message playwright Martin Sherman learnt while preparing a new version of Molière’s classic comedy The Miser. And indeed, someone does dig up miser
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Bullfinch Day 49: Wednesday, April 24
Crime reporter Ben Wilkinson is at the Old Bailey today Defence closing speeches in the #Oxford exploitation case could finish today on day 49 of the Old Bailey trial. — @Ben_Wilkinson_ 24 April 2013 Rape accused
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First new bridge in century part of £30m upgrade
A £30M development has opened at Oxford University’s Pembroke College, featuring the first new bridge over a city street for a century. The Duke of Kent officially opened the scheme yesterday, including a 170-seat theatre, an art gallery, a cafe
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‘Stabbing victim’ at gipsy funeral is accused of lying
A TRAVELLER family was accused of lying during the trial of a man charged with a stabbing at a funeral. Violence erupted at the service for 76-year-old gipsy matriarch Winnie Joyce on November 13 last year, because of a long-running feud between
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Pair steal money from security firm
ROBBERS attacked a security guard and stole the cash he was delivering to a bank in Oxford yesterday. The two men stole a “significant” amount of money at about 3pm in Cowley Road. It is believed one man pulled the guard to the ground near
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No meeting over pool campaign
MEETING campaigners trying to keep Temple Cowley Pools open, would be a “waste of time”, a council chief has proclaimed. Temple Cowley Pools campaigner Nigel Gibson urged Oxford City Council members to host meetings to “discuss, identify and clarify
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OED editor to retire
John Simpson, Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, announced yesterday that he is to retire. Mr Simpson will retire in October and on November 1, Michael Proffitt, the current Editorial Project Director, will take over. Mr Simpson
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Thief scared off
A would-be thief was scared off by a home owner in Botley last week. The man tried to break into a home in West Way through patio doors at 7.15pm last Wednesday. He was disturbed by the homeowner and left empty-handed.
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Murder charge woman in court
A woman accused of murdering her mother appeared in Oxford Crown Court yesterday. Kauthar Silvera denies the offence and was originally due to stand trial in February this year, but the case has been delayed. The 29-year-old, of Friars Wharf
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Driver injured as car smashes into Lower Heyford house
RESIDENTS had a lucky escape when a car smashed into the side of their house. A Renault Clio went sideways into the extension of a house in Freehold Street, Lower Heyford, near Bicester, pictured, at 4am on Sunday. The driver was trapped in
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Community owned hydro scheme is saved just in time
A WEST Oxford group has won a race against time to save its community hydro scheme. In just ten days the group managed to raise £320,000 by selling shares in a power generating scheme at Osney Lock. Osney Lock Hydro, formed by residents, faced
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Vote for your choice of Baby of the Year from your Smartphone
You can vote for your choice of winner for the Oxford Mail's Baby of Year competition 2013, including direct from this page on your smartphone. On Tuesday, April 23, we published a special supplement listing all 283 entrants in this year's competition
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FOOTBALL: Corbett seals shield
MARK Corbett scored an extra-time winner as Chipping Norton Town fought back to win the OFA John Fathers Junior Shield final against West Witney, writes ANTHONY BARLOW. Carl Austin put West Witney ahead from the penalty spot midway through the
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PCSO charged with drink driving
A Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) has been charged with drink driving while allegedly using a police car. Andrew Seston, 44, of Cuxham Road, Watlington, was arrested after calling Thames Valley Police to report a public order incident.
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FOOTBALL: Eudell hits five for leaders
JOHNNY Eudell struck five times as Ardington & Lockinge reached double figures in a thrashing of Drayton to stay clear in North Berks League Division 2, writes PHIL ANNETS. A brace from Chris Hunt, along with goals from Adam Hogan, Jamie Clark
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FOOTBALL: Coleshill claim cup glory
COLESHILL United won the first silverware of the season as they beat Westminter 3-1 to lift the War Memorial Cup. Richard Evans, Sam Rees and Shane Blake scored the Division 2 side’s goals, while Josh Bourton hit a late consolation for the Division
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FOOTBALL: Bolt dents Hanborough's title hopes
HANBOROUGH’S Witney & District FA Premier Division title ambitions were dealt a blow by a 2-1 defeat at home to Carterton A, writes ANTHONY BARLOW. David Craig and Mike Bolt did the damage, while Tom Lewis replied for the hosts, who are nine
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Sainsbury's offers to help make public toilets bloom
OXFORD’S toilets will soon be in bloom thanks to a supermarket. The Kidlington Sainsbury’s store has offered to brighten up the Market Street and Gloucester Green conveniences with a variety of fresh flowers every week. And manager Richard
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£34k boost for youth projects
GRANTS totalling almost £34,000 are to be handed out to seven projects that help Oxford’s youngsters. Oxford City Council set aside funding after a report, The Indices of Deprivation 2010, put the city in the top half of the most deprived areas
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Sholto Kynoch goes solo on his Steinway
It was a tough job but someone had to do it. When SJE Arts decided they needed a Steinway piano for their new concert venue, it involved a trip to Spain — and Sholto Kynoch who went out there to try it out. “It was probably the closest I’ve ever