Archive
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Parky at the Pictures (In Cinemas 17/10/2013)
Quebec leads off the World Cinema slate at the 57th BFI London Film Festival, with the inimitable Xavier Dolan reinforcing his reputation for melodramatic intensity and visual bravura with Tom at the Farm, an adaptation of a play by Michel Marc Bouchard
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Michael Duberry Column: Why English football must rebuild
When the Premier League started in 1992, the opening day fixtures contained 177 English players in the clubs’ starting line-ups, which was 73.1 per cent of the league. On the opening day of this season, that figure was down to only 77, a measly
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How volunteer heroes keep society together
THE hard work of volunteers from towns and villages across Oxfordshire makes a big difference to communities all year round. At this year’s Oxfordshire Charity and Volunteer Awards, 38 people who have dedicated their lives to helping others were
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Postal strike in Oxfordshire
Postal workers in Oxfordshire are to hold a one-day strike. Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will stage a walkout on November 4 after backing industrial action by 78 per cent over concerns about the privatisation of the service.
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University staff in Oxford announce strike date
Staff at Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University are set to strike on Thursday, October 31, it has been announced. The University and College Union (UCU), Unison and Unite trade unions announced today that their members working in higher
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Nine-year-old girl involved in a collision
A NINE-year-old cyclist has been taken to hospital after being involved in a collision with a car near her school. The St Nicolas CofE Primary School pupil was involved in the collision on Lenthall Road in Abingdon at about 8.40am. The girl
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Rain fails to dilute the fun at village’s Apple Day
A RETIRED fruit farmer collected 72 different types of apples grown in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell for the village’s Apple Day celebrations. The bumper harvest was on show at the Red Lion pub, in Main Street, where residents were working the village
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Post Office reveals plan to move services in Witney to WH Smith
CAMPAIGNERS against the closure of Witney’s post office say they are sceptical about plans to move it to the town's WH Smith branch. The Post Office has said it is considering relocating from its Market Square premises to the shop in the Woolgate
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Oxford University student dies in hospital
An Oxford University student died in hospital yesterday seven days after he was found with head injuries following a fall at his college. Conor Robinson, 21, was found at Magdalen College in High Street last Tuesday night and taken to the John
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CLUB FOCUS: Chadlington
BOASTING more than 150 players in ten junior teams, in recent years Chadlington have become one of the biggest centres of football in west Oxfordshire, writes MATT BRUCE. It’s been a remarkable success story for the club, as just six years ago
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Fearsome Haka challenge for rugby club visitors
BROTHERS Morgan, 13, and Jacob Russell, 10, got into the Kiwi spirit at a rugby club’s open day. They were among Gosford All Blacks’ players performing the traditional New Zealand Haka war dance Ka Mate at half-time during the first team’s match
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Extras would be Mad to miss Crowd film chance
BUSHY-FACED residents are among those being sought to feature in a Hollywood adaption of Thomas Hardy’s classic Far from the Madding Crowd. The Fox Searchlight Pictures production will come to Oxfordshire next month and the team wants to find extras
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Pam Ayres to read her poems at Woodstock festival
WOODSTOCK Poetry Festival, which returns to the town from November 14 to 17, will feature a reading by South Oxfordshire poet Pam Ayres. Ms Ayres will be reading from her new poetry collection You Made Me Late Again, at St Mary Magdalene Church
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FOOTBALL: Dean dazzles for slick Eagles
COWLEY Marsh Eagles put their Critchleys UTV Premier Division title credentials on show when they cruised to a 6-1 win over Zubry, writes DARYL RIDGLEY. Andrzej Krason got on the scoresheet for Zubry, but he was put in the shade by a treble from
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End of an era at parts manufacturer
THE Oxford firm which supplied thousands of radiators, heaters and other parts for Cowley-built cars, didn’t start life too promisingly. The cooling elements of the early radiators were made of brass, steel and cooper, soldered together. But when
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The Changing Face of Standlake
The village church fair in 1970 in aid of church funds attracted a large group of parishioners. One of the skills on show at the 1970 church fair was the gentle art of lacemaking. Dorothy Linehar and Peggy King attracted plenty of interest as they
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Balancing act at Osney Island carnival
SIMON Baker hadn’t quite mastered the technique of riding his bike and eating candyfloss at the same time. He was one of many revellers who attended the second annual carnival on the streets of Osney Island in Oxford in 1985. Attractions included
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Bits and pieces music made here
PUPILS at Marlborough School, Woodstock, built instruments for an orchestra entirely from scrap metal, drain pipes and other waste materials. They were tackling a project set by Craig McConnel, the school’s art co-ordinator, to explore the creation
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Who's in charge here then?
Pupils and students seem to have taken over for the day in these three pictures. Police dog K9 went on the beat to give 4,000 very excited schoolchildren an important message. K9, a puppet, visited schools in Banbury and the surrounding area warning
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Dog bite man stitched
A RUNNER needed 10 stitches after he was bitten on the thigh by a dog. The Dalmatian-cross dog bit the man on the Oxfordshire Way between Stonesfield and Charlbury at about 4pm on Sunday. Police said the dog was on a lead and the owner did
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Boxing Day trains hoped to ease traffic mayhem
RAIL operator Chiltern says it will run trains on Boxing Day, which could ease congestion at Bicester Village. Trains will run between Bicester and London Marylebone. It is hoped the move will cut the number of cars trying to enter Bicester
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Heavy traffic after three-car crash
Three cars were involved in a crash outside Frilford Heath Golf Club, near Abingdon, at 8.23am this morning. The crash involved a Honda Civic, a Volvo V70 and Honda CRV. There is heavy traffic along the Abingdon Road because of the collision
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Red, white, blue... and black - a rocky punk horror
CHILDREN smeared themselves in red, white, blue and black paint to take part in a punk rock horror show in Oxford in 1977. Fifty children looked a real bunch of horrors as they prepared to perform at South Oxford adventure playground.
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All mucking in for the potato harvest
FARMERS faced a busy few weeks when it was time to harvest the potato crop in early autumn. As the picture shows, women and children were often drafted in to help. One reader with memories of joining the potato pickers is Dawn Griffis, who
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Race organiser apologises for litter left after Oxford Half Marathon
THE organiser of the Oxford Half Marathon has apologised after bottles were left strewn along Iffley Road following Sunday’s event. Dave Box has said he will address the problem and it will not happen again next year. Mr Box said: “There should
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Burglary suspects caught on CCTV at charity store
BURGLARS who targeted a charity shop have been branded “sick” by one of its trustees. Mark Gwyther said he “can’t believe” the break-in happened at the Kathryn Turner Trust shop in Suffolk Way, Abingdon. The trust raises cash for good causes
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Who are these dinner ladies?
THIS smiling group of women helped Charlbury Primary School to run smoothly. They appear to be a mixture of teachers and dinner ladies, possibly in the late 1960s. The picture belonged to the late Marjorie Currie and was sent in by former pupil
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Precious space
Sir – Those appalled by the Port Meadow student barracks should hurry to oppose proposals for yet another student block, this time just a few feet from Fiddler’s Island. This application was withdrawn earlier this year in the face of tremendous
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RUGBY UNION: Dark Blues' comeback falls just short
A STIRRING second-half fightback saw Oxford University come up just short against Newport Gwent Dragons at Iffley Road last night. The students, for whom Wasps prop Alex Lundberg guested at tight-head, trailed 20-6 after struggling in the first
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Oxford United youngsters hold Pompey in friendly
MAX Crocombe and Tyrone Marsh returned from injury as Oxford United’s development team shared a goalless draw away to Portsmouth. The second-year professionals have been out with shoulder and ankle knocks respectively, but safely came through 90
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A casualty of Brad’s war movie
A STUNTMAN on Brad Pitt’s latest blockbuster movie was airlifted to hospital yesterday after being stabbed with a bayonet during filming in Oxfordshire. The 35-year-old professional stuntman, was injured shooting an action sequence with another
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Oxford Rollers take no prisoners
THE fast-paced and occasionally brutal sport of roller derby is being showcased on Sky’s extreme sports channel by a group of Oxford women. The Oxford Roller Derby team were filmed at their Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre headquarters for the series
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FOOTBALL: Watts blow can't stop Swan's run
OXFORD CITY FA DESPITE losing first choice keeper Luke Watts to a fractured ankle before the game had started, leaders Original Swan marched on with a 3-1 win at Union Street. Swan’s Aaron Barrett opened the scoring when he beat the offside
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Murder mystery still unsolved 40 years on
IT WAS one of the most baffling cases police in Oxford had faced. Warren Wheeler, 83, and his wife, Elizabeth, 79, were found battered to death in the living room of their home, the tumbledown Yatscombe Cottage at Boars Hill, 40 years ago in October
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Man in hospital after mugging near alley
A man was hospitalised after being robbed by two people on Iffley Road yesterday. The victim – whose injuries are not known – is understood to have been walking along Iffley Road at about noon when he was attacked. The alleyway linking Iffley
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The Changing Face of Kidlington
VILLAGE rangers held a 24-hour sponsored disco in aid of St John Ambulance and raised £60 in 1986 towards a new ambulance. THE Royal Naval Association’s newest standard was paraded in public for the first time when 300 people turned out to see
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Stolen pony reunited with owner
A starving pregnant pony has been reunited with her owner six years after being stolen. The heavily pregnant mare was so thin that her spine and hip bones could be seen and she was infested with lice and worms. She was rescued from a field
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Woman found dead in layby is named
A woman found dead in a lay-by has been named as Suzanne Cammell. The 71-year-old, of The Stables, in Lechlade, was found near the entrance to Burford Golf Club by a motorist at about 7am on Thursday, October 3. The woman had abandoned her
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Our business is legitimate, scrap merchant tells metal thefts trial
A SCRAP merchant has defended his business against accusations it accepted metal from undercover police posing as thieves. Simon Rogers yesterday took the witness stand at Oxford Crown Court to deny TR Rogers & Sons accepted the “suspicious
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FOOTBALL: McCabe's late double proves in vain
OXFORDSHIRE SENIOR LEAGUE - CUP ROUND-UP HORSPATH Res beat OUP Res by the odd goal in seven in a thrilling Clarendon Cup first round affair. They took a commanding 2-0 lead early on through Will Horton and Sebastian Warner. Jay Brown pulled
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Salesian College pupils off on a continental trip
A WAVE – and we’re off to France and Spain... This was the message from boys at Salesian College, the Catholic grammar school in Crescent Road, Cowley, Oxford, in 1959. The boys, in their smart uniforms, were setting off by minibus on an educational
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No Nobel prize for prof
OXFORD: An Oxford University professor has missed out on the Nobel Prize for Economics. Last month, Reuters predicted Sir David F Hendry, Professor of Economics at Oxford, would scoop the prestigious award. However, it was instead given to
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FOOTBALL: Nicholls at the double
NORTH BERKS LEAGUE DORCHESTER closed the gap at the top of Division 1 to two points following a 5-0 win at Lambourn Sports. Josh Nicholls scored twice alongside goals from Nathan Morris, Billy Walker and Danny Brind. Berinsfield held hosts
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Pasta masters call it a day
OXFORD will lose a slice of its history when one of its last remaining traditional Italian restaurants closes. When Luna Caprese first opened in 1962, olive oil was only available from chemists and pasta was rarely seen. But 51 years on and
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Backpacker attacked
A 19-year-old woman was grabbed around the throat by a robber who demanded her backpack. But the robber ran off empty handed after a member of the public shouted at him. The crime happened at 4pm on Monday near the North Oxford Association
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Thousands sign petition to help Down's Syndrome man
MORE than 31,000 people had yesterday signed a petition in a bid to stop a man with Down’s Syndrome being evicted from his home in Witney. The family of James Sleight, 25, has set up the online petition at change.org where it has received overwhelming
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FOOTBALL: Hailey sent packing by Belcher's brace
Division 1 side Freeland A pulled off the day’s shock result, defeating Premier Division Hailey 3-2, writes ANTHONY BARLOW. Rob Belcher scored twice for the home side, Javier Cordoba getting the other. Hailey replied through Mark Wright and Nick
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL: Snowdon spot on for Tower Hill
Tower Hill returned from Banbury with a point after a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Southern Region League Division 1. Banbury snatched the lead on a breakaway midway through the second period. This spurred Tower on, and they eventually got a deserved
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RACING: Longsdon's double marred by tragedy
Charlie Longsdon’s double at Huntingdon yesterday with Dom Lukka (5-2) and Wadswick Court (3-1) was marred by the fatal fall of Strongbows Legend, one of the stalwarts of his Hull Farm Stables, near Chipping Norton.
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FOOTBALL: Horspath fight back to go second
OXFORDSHIRE SENIOR LEAGUE HORSPATH twice came from behind to beat Adderbury Park 3-2, leapfrogging their hosts to go second in the Premier Division table. Paul Cooper’s penalty cancelled out James Trevitt’s opener for Adderbury Park, but Josh
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Link road will bring devastation to estate
IN reply to the letter from Councillor Roy Darke, (September 30), I disagree with what he has written in response to our Northway Residents’ Group chairman, Jane Cox. More than 1,800 residents signed a petition against the Barton Northway link
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Focus on promoting tourism could be better
I am writing concerning Chinese tourism in Oxfordshire. Mr Osborne announced this week when visiting China that 160 million Chinese are already watching Downton Abbey and that visas would be simplified to encourage more visits to Britain. So let
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Support of spectators at race was fantastic
I WAS one of the many runners in the Oxford Half Marathon on Sunday. In filthy conditions, we were grateful to those who braved the elements to cheer us on. In the pouring rain it is much easier running than spectating and, although the overall
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FOOTBALL: Saxton march on with thrilling win
BERKS & BUCKS INTERMEDIATE CUP SAXTON Rovers led the way for North Berks League sides in round two action with a nerve-jangling victory, writes PHIL Annets. Saxton progressed to round three, edging a seven goal thriller with Reading Premier
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A big thank you for a great event at town hall
THANK you for printing the photograph of our calligraphy stall at the town hall over-50s skill-sharing event recently. We were very pleased to be invited and enjoyed the three hours meeting people including an Oxford Scribes member from more than
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HS2 is not taking funding away from rail network improvements
THERE are a number of concerns that could be raised about the HS2 project. Certainly the compensation offered to those living near the proposed route appears to have been miserly. The absence of a local station means it will bring no direct benefit
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THE DISABLED SPACE: Sometimes even the simplest of tasks bring joy...
How often we all groan and moan about doing some of the mundane and day to day tasks that face us. Must clean the car, must do the washing, windows need cleaning, fridge needs replenishing and so it goes on. Our mind and body urges us to do something
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THE ISSUE: Legal aid: out of control waste or vital safeguard for the poor?
Keith Mitchell, former Conservative leader of Oxfordshire County Council: Waste At £2 billion per annum it’s unaffordable and represents a higher spend per capita than any other country. There is a deep dichotomy in the British psyche.
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Galloway is heckled at the Oxford Union
MP George Galloway was reportedly heckled when he returned to the Oxford Union, 18 months after his infamous walkout from the venue where he said he “does not debate with Israelis”. Mr Galloway, MP for Bradford West, stayed the duration this time
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Physio grows massive veg by ‘pump-kin’ iron
IT’S official – growing pumpkins keeps you fit. Physiotherapy assistant Nicky Mercer won the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre’s annual pumpkin growing competition with this 81lb beast. Contestants paid £3 to enter and the contest, now in its third
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High profile cases lead to rise in reported sex crimes
REPORTS of sexual offences have risen sharply in Oxfordshire with the increase attributed to high profile cases including the Bullfinch trial and Jimmy Savile scandal. Thames Valley Police recorded a near 50 per cent rise from April to September
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FOOTBALL: Double delight for Wallace
Kidlington moved closer to Oxford Mail Girls League Under 13 leaders Tower Hill Vixens when they saw off Banbury United’s challenge, emerging 3-1 victors. Eva Wallace opened the scoring for Kidlington, with Emily Barber adding a second. Rebecca
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Caring more about rules than people
Wouldn’t it be refreshing if the Vale of White Horse District Council were to tell Craig Farmer, who lives in a converted shipping container on land owned by Les Wells, that they have had a change of heart and will allow him to remain in his converted
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Fancy dress ‘copper’ threatened drinkers
A man dressed as a policeman punched a reveller wearing a pirate costume and threatened drinkers with a kitchen knife at a fancy dress party. Christopher Eadie, 23, was dressed as a constable when he hit the 34-year-old man in the face at the party
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COMMENT: When green principles and profits meet
SOLAR power is often touted as being one of the solutions to the energy crisis. Stop using fossil fuels, be green and soak up the sun instead. Many years ago, before the criticisms about what they looked like set in, it was seen by some green
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Uni pay row escalates
University staff in all three education unions have now voted to go on strike at the city’s two universities. Members of union Unite voted on the measure, with 64 per cent voting in favour of strike action. Members of the University and College
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Teachers’ strike set to affect one fifth of schools
TEACHERS will go on strike tomorrow in a dispute that will affect at least 55 schools across the county. About a fifth of the 278 schools in Oxfordshire have announced they will be closed for the day or partially closed because of the action. Schools
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How a farmer’s fields could look if 70,000 panel solar plan goes ahead
PLANS for what could become Oxfordshire’s largest solar panel farm have been unveiled. Hive Energy has revealed it is hoping to put more than 70,000 solar panels on land along the A420. The 120 acre plot of land forms part of West Farm and
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Firefighters tackle cottage blaze
Eight firefighters helped fight a serious house blaze that could have spread to neighbouring houses if it had been left for a few more minutes. The fire took place at a thatched cottage in Cuxham village, near Watlington at around 6.10pm yesterday
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GOLF: Pepperell set for taste of Turkish delight
A STUNNING final round at the Portugal Masters has boosted Eddie Pepperell’s chances of taking part in the European Tour’s glittering Final Series. The Oxfordshire No 1 carded a seven-under par 64, the best of his rookie tour season, to rocket
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COUNCIL CUTS: Public meeting votes for higher taxes over more austerity
OXFORDSHIRE residents furious at local government cuts last night called for council tax to be put up to save services. Around 200 people attended a public meeting on cuts at Oxford’s County Hall, while protesters outside urged Oxfordshire County
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COUNCIL CUTS: Hubs for deprived children set to shut after two years
CENTRES for deprived children that opened just two years could soon be closed, the Oxford Mail can reveal. Oxfordshire County Council has told staff it is proposing to close four of its seven early intervention hubs, leaving only ones in Oxford
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COMMENT: Tough meetings are democracy at work
SOLAR power is often touted as being one of the solutions to the energy crisis. Stop using fossil fuels, be green and soak up the sun instead. Many years ago, before the criticisms about what they looked like set in, it was seen by some green
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SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL: Battling Vale sunk by Brent
VALE of White Horse bowed out of the ESFA Under 15 PlayStation Inter Association Trophy with a 2-1 defeat by a talented Brent side in the second round at Milton United. Brent, who included many lads on the books of Premier League clubs, took the
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UPDATE: Two cars in accident at roundabout
Two motorists sustained minor injuries in the crash this morning on the A4130 near Didcot. The two-car crash at the corner of Rowstock Roundabout on the A417/A4185 this morning involved a black Mazda Tumura and a black Skoda Octavia. Police
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SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL: Pitson's hat-trick does the damage
HEATH Pitson hit a treble as Oxford Academy won 4-1 at Chenderit (Middleton Cheney) in the ESFA Under 13 PlayStation Schools’ Cup second round. Twariq Yusuf completed Oxford’s tally. Lord Williams’s (Thame) triumphed 3-2 at Marlborough (Woodstock
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YOUTH FOOTBALL: Pritchard stars in Bampton victory
REGAN Pritchard led the way with a hat-trick as Bampton Town Youth cruised to a 4-0 win over Grendon Rangers Lions in the Giles Sports Witney Youth Under 10 Red league. Tahir Alam hit the other goal. A two-goal burst in the space of two minutes
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SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL: Our Lady's grab glory
Our Lady’s (Cowley) celebrate being crowned Oxford City champions in the ESFA Sainsbury’s Under 11 competition. They beat Windmill School (Headington) 2-1 in the final after topping their group, and now go on to the Oxfordshire final.
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Insights into White Horse and hill forts
THE importance of Uffington’s White Horse and Iron Age hillforts will be explored in a talk by a former Oxford don to members of the Wallingford Historical and Archaelogical Society. Gary Lock, Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at the Institute
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It’ll be all light on the night
IT MAY only be October, but preparations are well under way for this year’s Christmas Light Festival. Bosses at Cowley’s Mini Plant invited more than 30 members of staff from the city’s schools and local artist Sean Hampson taught them how to make
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Residents back call for medical centre to replace car park
NORTH Oxford residents have overwhelmingly backed calls for a new medical centre when the Diamond Place car park is redeveloped. It was among the ideas supported by the 120 people who attended a consultation event last month on the development