Archive

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Promise of 18 new jobs after £2m deal with energy firm

A £2M deal brokered by the operator of a new waste incinerator plant due to start operating next month will create 18 jobs. Viridor, which produces energy from household waste on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council at the new Ardley facility,

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Chinese takeaway franchises on the menu

A NATIONAL Chinese takeaway chain is looking to open three new outlets in Oxford. Bosses at Hotcha want to hear from potential franchisees to run the operations, with outlets lined up in Cowley Road, Headington and Summertown. James Liang,

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Defence of pre-tax profits at Oxford University Press

PUBLISHING giant Oxford University Press has suffered a drop in its fortunes. Pre-tax profits at the business based in Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, slipped to £107.2m for the year to March 31, compared to £116.2m for the same period the previous

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Entrepreneurs spot a niche in the online food market

INTERNET shopping is one of the fastest growth areas of the UK economy, with more than half of all shoppers using online supermarket delivery services. Another growth area is local food from small independent shops and now three Oxford entrepreneurs

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Inspirational talk for young girls

THE self-esteem of teenage girls was given a boost at a school’s annual Women’s Day. Cheney School held the event for the second year on Friday for its Year 10 girls. The project’s leader Sam Best said it was started just over two years ago

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Thief takes a purse after asking for cash

A thief asked to borrow 20p before snatching a purse from a 20-year-old woman. The crime happened on the corner of Gainsborough Green and Reynolds Way at about 3.40pm on July 1, but Thames Valley Police only released the details this week.

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Jayden trial: Teenager who admits helping to bury her body said he didn't put "two and two together"

A 17-YEAR-OLD who admits helping to bury the body of Jayden Parkinson has said he would never have knowingly aided her killer. The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave evidence in Oxford Crown Court for the first time this afternoon

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Delays on First Great Western trains from Didcot Parkway to Swindon

COMMUTERS are facing 15 minute delays on First Great Western trains from Didcot Parkway to Swindon tonight. A signalling fault between the stations at 6.45pm caused the delay, and Network Rail technicians are now on site trying to fix it.  

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Save lives by carrying a transplant donor card

THERE are many reasons why Oxfordshire residents can be proud of the contribution they make to transplant services. An impressive 42 per cent of Oxfordshire people – some 268,164 – are on the organ donor register. That was helped by our two-year

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From junior to MD of shop that was a city institution

THE FORMER owner of an Oxford shop that claimed to be England’s oldest ironmongers has died aged 84. Len Astley-Penny was the proprietor of Gill & Co from 1973 to 2000. It had, until 2010, stood as one of the city’s institutions for 480 years

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Former Dragon School sports teacher dies

A CRICKETER and longtime sports teacher at an Oxfordshire school has died aged 80. Tony Pullinger was master of cricket and head of PE at the Dragon School in Bardwell Road, Oxford, for more than 20 years. He was president of the Oxfordshire

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Parenting praise for the Beckhams

Rebecca Moore is impressed with the way David and Victoria are putting their son to work Anyone who’s ever heard David Beckham speak could be forgiven for thinking him one spanner short of a toolkit. Similarly, anyone who made their fortune singing

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Thursday's letters: What are your fellow readers writing in about today?

Want to give your opinion? Email letters@oxfordmail.co.uk

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Drawing on their imaginations

PIRATES and a host of other characters were conjured from the imaginations of primary school pupils when they created their own comic books. Douglas Bathgate, pictured, of Sunningwell School, drew this peg-legged pirate at the Story Museum on Tuesday

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Michael Appleton closing in on first Oxford United signings

MICHAEL Appleton is hoping his first Oxford United signing could be completed before Saturday's opening pre-season game at Farnborough. The head coach has been busy searching for players to improve the squad since taking over on Monday. So

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Young footballers are lacing up charity boots

A RECORD number of young footballers will pull on their boots this Sunday to raise money for the Oxford Children’s Hospital. Eighteen children’s teams have signed up for the sixth year of the Play2Give tournament at Oxford City’s Marsh Lane ground

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The Guide: Here's what is happening on the entertainment scene

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Jayden trial: Blakeley "cool as a cucumber" as he tried to hide Jayden's body

THE man who killed Jayden Parkinson has been accused of being as "cool as a cucumber" while trying to hide her body.  The claim was made this morning by Richard Latham QC as he finished cross examining Ben Blakeley in Oxford Crown Court. The

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Girls' essential guide to being a shiny, happy festival-goer

With the summer music festival season in full swing, music-lover and serial festival-goer Ella Reeves presents her list of must haves - to make your festival experiences as fun, shiny and mud-free as possible The festival season is under way, so

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Tea Time at Eynsham Hall

Mel Fewster tries the tea at the historical and beautiful Eynsham Hall I don’t know where to start, the hall or the tea, as both were fabulous. I loved the place; Eynsham Hall was big, grand, beautiful, warm and friendly. It was quirky, not

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The Crown, Oxfork and more in this week's Nibbles

Check out the tasty treats on offer and latest food news around Oxfordshire * Big news at The Crown in Woodstock which hopes to open its doors by the end of the month, with its rooms upstairs completed in a few months time. Owner Julian Rosser

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Spicing up the Sunday Roast at The Tree Hotel

Sunday dinner gets an international twist and curries favour with Tim Hughes and his famously fussy sons While I love a roast as much as the next red-blooded Englishman, Sunday dinners can be a bit of a predictable experience. I’ve lost count

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Whittard tea filter is gadget of the week

Gadget of the week from Whittard, Westgate Centre, Oxford In response to the increasing demand for cold brew coffee, Whittard of Chelsea have launched a new device to make cold brew tea at home. Like cold brewed coffee, cold brewed tea is brewed

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Man charged in connection with Cowley Road stabbing

A 39-year-old city man has been charged over a stabbing in Cowley Road on Tuesday. Mohammed Nazir, of Cowley Road, was arrested yesterday and charged today with a count each of grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of a knife blade or sharp

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Join us in our field of delicious dreams

Starting Up with Rupert Whitaker @ The Field Kitchen The Field Kitchen Oxford is preparing for its busiest season. In the summer it is non-stop here because it was always designed for these warm balmy evenings; to sit out under the stars, with

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Chef's Special with Emily Watkins at The Kingham Plough

I am Emily Watkins and after a life long passion for food I eventually got the confidence to move to Italy where I got a job in a restaurant in Florence. Seven years ago my husband and I opened The Kingham Plough. We are lucky that it has gone

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A midsummer night's dream of quirky music

With a bill of of creative artists playing in a scenic pub garden, Saturday’s Irregular Folk Summer Session is set to be a seasonal highlight. Tim Hughes finds out more It sounds like the perfect summer’s day: 10 extraordinary acts playing in a

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Magical play needs a sprinkle of fairy dust

Producer Olivia Frazer-Smith tells Katherine MacAlister how crowdfunding donations will help get a new show on the road The actors are cast, the play is ready, the lines are learnt, the props are assembled, the stage is set. Yes, Oxford’s most

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Reporting the events of World War 1 in 'real time'

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Don't sweat it, Lee Evans is raring to go

Katherine MacAlister talks to energetic comic Lee Evans about his forthcoming tour Lee Evans, the sweaty man in a suit, is back and ready to perspire himself into an early grave in his effort to make you laugh. Popping into the New Theatre

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Exam results really do mark the close of play

Seamus Perry takes a brief break from the chore of summer drinks The closing of the academic year is marked by several rites of passage which would interest any anthropologist. There are retirement dinners to be eaten, and summer drinks to be drunk

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Surely a similar scheme could be introduced

PART of the success of the Headington mushroom roundabout is that cyclists and pedestrians do not interfere with the traffic because subways have been provided and benefit everybody. Surely a similar scheme could be introduced at both Cuttleslowe

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Genuine concerns about the dearth of democracy

DAVID Diment (July 2) objects to my description of Oxford City Council as “Stalinist”. Fair enough. My distaste for Labour overwhelms me occasionally but one jibe does not invalidate my argument or lessen the genuine concerns I expressed about

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Time that we stopped accepting war as well

I GREATLY admire Sally Reynold’s views (July 7). She quotes Martin Luther King’s wise, far-seeing prophecy. No one has tried his method of love. We go on trying the so-called realistic methods and fail and fail. Sally’s last paragraph talks of

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Game Fair visitors invited to talk a walk on Blenheim's wild side with a celebrity

CELEBRITIES will lead walks through ancient woodland at Blenheim Palace as part of this year’s CLA Game Fair. TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh, former England rugby captain Phil Vickery and former JLS singer JB Gill will each guide 20 visitors along

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Many supporters sceptical about how the club will move forward

OUT with the old and in with the new but will it be good for the future of Oxford United? I hope that in due course we will be able to look back at this time and say yes this is what we wanted and that it has all turned out alright on the night

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Thank you to all who waved at us en route

LAST Sunday, I was part of a small team that organised a convoy of about 50 cars which were either built at Cowley or had a connection to Cowley. The convoy left from Mini Plant Oxford and finished at the BMC and Leyland Show at Gaydon. We

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A different reaction to chimneys decades later

IN 1962, of the proposed chimneys at Didcot Power Station, the reaction locally was muted and presumably came as a shock. Harrold Merrit, an RDC councillor said that though it would hardly improve the amenities of Didcot, it would be better than seeing

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Scales of Justice - 22 people up in court

OXFORD MAGISTRATES 1. Ervin Mata, 32, of Park Lane, Woodstock, admitted drink driving in Worcester Street, Oxford, on June 8. Had 83 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath, above the legal limit of 35 micrograms. Given a 42-month driving ban

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Differences are not negative

Penny Faust from the Oxford Council of Faiths on immigration Differences between people — the way that they live, where they have come from, their choice of faith or lack of it, the language that they speak, even the colour of their skin — are

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Tribute to a noted man of the tracks in Appleby

The steam engine Galatea broke last Thursday’s trip on the Settle and Carlisle line with a water-stop at Appleby. This gave passengers a chance to stretch their legs and admire one of the prettiest stations on the route. The tributes paid there

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Wonderful landscape viewed from a train

I made a 546-mile round trip from Oxford to Carlisle last Thursday, rising for the purpose at 4am and returning home just before midnight. This was a major effort, given that my sole activity in that Cumbrian city came in the purchase and consumption

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It's real food for thought

Gill Oliver talks to an Oxford parenting expert and author about her work If only we could get childhood right, therapists would be out of a job. Parenting expert, author and Oxford resident Candida Hunt is only half-joking with this quip.

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From Homer to Vietnam

Merryn Williams on Oxford professor Jon Stallworthy’s war poetry anthology This New Oxford Book is a revised and enlarged edition, comprising poetry about war from Homer and the Old Testament to Peter Wyton (born 1944). Most is English-language

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Spice 'n' all things nice at The Snooty Mehmaan

Christopher Gray joins in the party marking the Snooty Mehmaan's fourth anniversary I heard nothing but praise for the Snooty Mehmaan at last month’s humdinger of a party to mark its fourth anniversary. The range and quality of its food coupled

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My journey back to the First World War

Helen Peacocke visits Adlestrop to reflect on the food in the trenches I gently eased the cork out of my bottle of Taittinger Prestige Rose as the train pulled away from the platform and on towards Gloucester-shire. Because it is a quality champagne

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Romance in spades with garden gem

Val Bourne on county highlights chosen by George Plumptre Gardens are so much more than collections of plants. They are all about atmosphere and setting and who better to describe and capture the essence of country house gardens than George Plumptre

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Our native ladybirds are in big danger

They may be a national treasure, but the UK’s ladybird species are being gradually gobbled up, reports Liam Creedon All is not well in ladybird land. Everyone’s favourite insect is in dire trouble after finding itself on the menu of a terrifying

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Growing into the role in Boyhood

Damon Smith reviews an ambitious film examining the transition from child to adult In 2002, filmmaker Richard Linklater had a dream. The celebrated Texan director of Dazed And Confused and Before Sunrise, whose mother and father separated when

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Stories under a big top

Katherine MacAlister hears about the duo living out their dreams under canvas Nicole & Martin’s Swiss circus sounds like a cross between Creation and Giffords, although admittedly I haven’t seen it yet. It’s a novel concept either way,

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RUGBY UNION: London Welsh linked with New Zealand star Piri Weepu

A WORLD Cup-winning All Black could be playing at the Kassam Stadium this season after reports in New Zealand linked Piri Weepu with a move to London Welsh. The 30-year-old, who started at scrum half in the 2011 final victory over France, has played

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Dawn French gets tribulations off her chest

Katherine MacAlister on a night of hilarious, interesting and uncomfortably personal anecdotes from the comedy star When Dawn French bounded on to the stage on Thursday night it was to rapturous applause, not only fascinating to see her physically

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Paper still has a place in the modern office

TALK of a paperless office has been around for at least 25 years. Solicitors’ offices certainly get through a large quantity of paper because the lawyer’s priority is for everything to be recorded in writing so it can be referred to later, should there

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Here’s why I am standing in Cameron’s constituency

I am standing because, particularly in David Cameron’s constituency, there is a statement to be made that might actually be heard, and that’s that we should have a better basis for running our society and our economy than we have at the moment.

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Floats of many colours at carnival

THEY will be dressed to impress but those taking part in this weekend’s Witney Carnival are keeping tight-lipped about their colourful costumes. More than 30 walking and driving floats are expected to take part in the parade through the town to

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A mad scramble behind £108m funding pledge...

THE secret to running a country well, The Insider supposes, is good planning. But there appears to have been very little of that surrounding Monday’s announcement of £108m of funding for infrastructure projects in Oxfordshire this week. After

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'Sad day' as increase in rent sees market forced to close

A WEEKLY country market has been forced to shut after 65 years because it cannot afford to pay its £45 rent. Abingdon Country Market, which runs at the town’s Guildhall each Friday, said it cannot compete with out-of-town supermarkets and the rise

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Tonight's just not my night

Christopher Gray finds Ben Elton's script is not that funny For a supposedly right-on entertainer, Ben Elton serves up the sexist, laddish and vulgar with a rare accomplishment. This is an ideal qualification for one seeking to celebrate the career

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Tomahawk Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream @ Oxford Castle

Nicola Lisle enjoys a sparkling summer production of the Shakespeare comedy classic Rain disrupted play on Tuesday night and Tomahawk Theatre had to hastily decamp from Oxford Castle courtyard to the considerably less romantic setting of the New

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This Barber's a pick of crop

Giles Woodforde on the triumphant return production from the Longborough Opera My neighbours at Longborough Opera are back after a year’s absence, they tell me. Last season’s Wagner Ring cycle was not for them, but Rossini’s frivolous and frothy

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Choral gets Frank

Nicola Lisle talks to the composer James Whitbourn about his choral setting of The Diary of Anne Frank When James Whitbourn was asked to work on a new choral piece based on the famous wartime diary of Holocaust victim Annelies Marie “Anne” Frank

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'Bad boy' Pete Doherty weaves his magic

Ella Reeves on a captivating performance by the Babyshambles and Libertines frontman As a Peter Doherty fan in Oxford, I have at times felt quite alone. So I was delighted to learn he would be playing a warm-up for last Saturday’s Hyde Park Libertines

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World Cup question of the day: Who is going to win the final?

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A fairy tale start for Henley headliners

Tim Hughes talks to Mike Crawshaw of The Overtones The story of The Overtones reads like a modern fairytale. A group of talented singers struggling to get a break, turn their hands to painting and decorating to earn a living. Singing while

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ATHLETICS: Clarke in best shape of his career

LAWRENCE Clarke says he is the shape of his life as he prepares for two major championships inside a month. The 24-year-old sprint hurdler, from Christmas Common, near Watlington, hopes to bid for a medal at the Commonwealth Games and the European

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Downton Abbey stars return to Witney

DOWNTON Abbey stars returned to Witney yesterday for filming. Cogges Manor Farm Museum was closed from 10.30am to 2.30pm as cast and crew, including actress Maggie Smith, were spotted outside the manor house. It is the second time this year

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Stage set for Bloomsbury

Anne James explores a display of art by some of our country's literary giants This exhibition is, in particular, centred on 13 drawings by Duncan Grant, from the collection of his lover Paul Roche, only coming to public view after Roche’s death

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For Art's Sake with Jane Hornsby from Oxford Playhouse

Jane Hornsby from Oxford Playhouse looks back on a hilly trek from top to toe of the UK to bring drama to the neediest I set off on a journey of 1,187 miles on foot, from Land’s End to John O’Groats, to raise funds for Oxford Playhouse’s work with

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Glass is half full for Katherine Jenkins

In spite of facing constant hassle from our tabloids, Katherine Jenkins is enjoying life. She talks to Katherine MacAlister ahead of a special Cognac event at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir If Katherine Jenkins decided to live in America no one could

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'I relive Jayden's death in my dreams,' Blakeley tells court

BEN Blakeley told Oxford Crown Court yesterday he relives the night he killed Jayden Parkinson every day and in his dreams. But he said he was not a “real killer” and didn’t even understand what the word callous meant, something the prosecutor

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Fire at garden centre in Ramsden

FIREFIGHTERS attended a fire in a transformer on a pole at Hilltop Garden Centre in Ramsden this morning . Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was called at 7.30am to the Witney Road business and is working an electricity company to isolate

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MP Blackwood calls for transparency in child abuse inquiry

COUNCILS must provide any relevant information into a wide-ranging Government inquiry into the sexual abuse of children, Nicola Blackwood told Home Secretary Theresa May in the Commons. The Oxford West and Abingdon Conservative MP welcomed the

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Pair arrested over football violence bailed

TWO Wantage men arrested in connection with football violence have been released on bail. The 46 and 17-year-old were arrested by Wiltshire Police, along with five men from Swindon, in raids between 6am and 6.30am on Monday. The men are suspected

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Police probe possible links between Cowley Road attacks

A 25-YEAR-OLD man was last night in hospital after being stabbed in the latest attack in the Cowley Road area of Oxford. The man was hurt after he was called out of the Simpli Fresh store and attacked on Tuesday evening at about 9.10pm. HIs attacker

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Clothes bank in middle Barton set alight

A charity clothing bank in middle Barton has been torched by arsonists. The bank near the village sports and social club was targeted at about 7.40pm on Monday. Firefighters were called to put the blaze out.   Do you want alerts delivered

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More buses for Race for Life

Increased bus services will be running from Oxford’s park and ride sites for Sunday’s Race For Life, it has been confirmed. The event, which starts in the University Parks, will raise money for Cancer Research UK. Oxford Bus Company said it

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Cold caller in bogus burglar alarm scam in Eynsham

Police are warning residents in Eynsham about a cold caller selling burglar alarms for £199. Thames Valley Police said villagers have reported receiving suspicious phone calls, in which the caller claims the alarms are approved by the police.

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Making a worldwide drive to honour Thame's Fallen

GRAVES and memorials of soldiers from Thame across the world will be honoured with a distinctive cross to mark the centenary of the First World War. A new project, Thame Remembers, is being launched by historians and enthusiasts in the town to

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A co-ordinated approach must be taken over city roadworks

ROADWORKS are like a red light to a bullish motorist. Some, of course, are a necessity. Nobody wants to see sewage flooding across the city or our taps drying up. And improvement works to junctions, such as those taking place at Kennington roundabout

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Listen: Oxford Half Marathon runners follow in Sir Roger Bannister’s footsteps, including audio of our interview

RUNNERS in the Oxford Half Marathon will follow in Sir Roger Bannister’s footsteps as they pound the track where he broke the four-minute mile barrier. This year runners will divert over to the Roger Bannister Running Track on Iffley Road as part

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Brace yourself for long, hot summer of city roadworks

MORE roadworks are on the way for Oxford with motorists facing disruption over the summer. The Oxford Mail can today reveal 18 projects are under way or set to start in the next two months. It comes as major gridlock hit Oxford again yesterday

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Sir Roger’s legacy is a perfect inspiration

EMULATING Sir Roger Bannister is a tough ask. But it is a great piece of thinking by Oxford Half Marathon organisers to let people have a go. Taking the route around the Iffley Road sports track will let runners understand how the four-minute mile

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ATHLETICS: Naylor signs off from series on a high note at Combe

STEVE Naylor signed off with his ninth successive victory in the Mota-vation series with a convincing display in the third round at Combe. The 2011 champion from Cassington, running for Bedford & County, crossed the line in 19mins 35 secs in

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Cuts to legal aid are hitting hard

Cuts to legal aid in 2013 is making it difficult for people to resolve legal problems, writes Frank Newhofer, Social Policy Coordinator of Oxford CAB. Oxford Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is finding that changes mean that many people are no longer

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Southern France mixed case, £70

The South of France remains a very exciting place in which to make wine.  Here producers are not bound by all the red tape and rules governing strict usage of certain grape varieties that tends to prevail in many other areas of the country. The

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BOWLS: Oxfordshire sign off cup campaign on a high note

Despite being unable to qualify from their group, Oxfordshire finished their Middleton Cup campaign on a high note by beating Kent 113-104 at Halls BC, Dartford. Trailing all the way, Oxon finished strongly to secure a 17-5 points victory and finish

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BOWLS: Headington back on track with sixth century

Headington A resumed normal service in Division 1 of the Oxford & District League, sponsored by Yarnton Nurseries, with an emphatic 5-1 home win over Banbury Central. A week after being pipped by one shot at Carterton, the runaway leaders rattled

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BOWLS: Penson's four book spot at Leamington

Carol Penson’s Oxford City & County rink of Margaret Stacey, Marion Darton and Carol Gaskins have qualified for the National Fours Championships at Leamington Spa next month. They booked their place by beating clubmates Julie Jackson, Vicky

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Yamauchi enjoys Snowdonia challenge

AFTER spending her marathon career running as an individual, two-time Olympian Mara Yamauchi was able to call on the help of some friends when she undertook a series of adrenalin-pumping tasks at the UK Challenge in Snowdonia. The event saw teams

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Murder defendant accused of telling an ‘outrageous lie’ over arson attack

FIAZ Munshi has been accused of telling an “outrageous lie” by claiming she did not know about an arson attack which killed two children. The 38-year-old continued giving evidence in Oxford Crown Court yesterday as she was cross examined by prosecutor

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BOWLS: Wakeman and Dickson claim pairs crown

Carterton's Dan Wakeman and Woodstock’s Ben Dickson were crowned Oxfordshire Under 25s pairs champions at South Oxford. They lifted the David Allin Cup after pipping Shane Cooper (Banbury Central) and Bradley Squires (West Witney) 19-17 in the

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Manley unbeaten in end-of-season Blitz

The annual Town versus Gown match which took place last month at St Hugh’s College. Town triumphed 4.5-2.5 over the seven boards — but top board went to the University’s Benjamin Atueyi after City Club’s Jon Manley blundered a rook. I can report

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Thursday, June 10

12:53pm Jayden trial: Blakeley has been accused of being  as "cool as a cucumber" when he tried to hide her body 12:29pm A man has been charged in connection

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ATHLETICS: Cornish joy second time around in Didcot 5

JONATHAN Cornish went one better than last year when winning the Didcot 5. The White Horse Harrier, runner-up in 2013, triumphed in 25mins 42 secs. He finished 44 seconds clear of Alexander Miller, who edged out James Bolton. The Woodstock

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Turnaround over Oxford University college's food

Plans to serve only vegan food five nights a week at an Oxford University college have been scrapped. As reported in the Oxford Mail, in June students at Wadham College voted to ban meat and dairy products to raise awareness of climate change.

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Club ‘glassing’ arrests

Two men have been arrested after a 22-year-old man was attacked with a glass in an Oxford nightclub. Police said the victim was treated in hospital after suffering a cut eye when he was attacked in Wahoo in Hythe Bridge Street at 1.30am on Sunday

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Nine-pound fish caught at river in Abingdon

A nine-pound fish was caught in the River Thames at Abingdon. Environment Agency fisheries officers were carrying out a fish survey between Iffley Lock and Benson Lock last week. The large barbel was one of more than 800 fish caught at Abingdon

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Parky at the Pictures (In Cinemas 10/7/2014)

Having gone to all the trouble of reworking Françoise Dorner's novel, La Douceur assassine, so that the central character of Mr Morgan's Last Love becomes an American ex-pat in Paris, it seems capricious in the extreme to cast in the title role an

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Parky at the Pictures (DVD 10/7/2014)

Those familiar with popular music will scarcely be surprised to learn that religion had a crucial influence on the evolution of backing singing, as Morgan Neville reveals in the Oscar-winning documentary, Twenty Feet From Stardom. Many of the African-American

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Challenging road trip for Top Gear presenters as cars are rescued near Charlbury

TOP Gear presenters were yesterday spotted rescuing cars from a ditch and a field near Charlbury. Photographer Mark Hemsworth snapped James May and Jeremy Clarkson struggling on the side of the B4437 Forest Road yesterday afternoon. He said

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Special needs care gets £1.3m boost

A TOTAL of £1.3m will be spent over the next two years to help young people with special needs in Oxfordshire become more independent. Oxfordshire County Council has been given the money by the Government to help it introduce reforms which come

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58 Oxfordshire schools set to be closed or partially closed during strikes

TEACHERS, council staff and firefighters will walk out today as part of nationwide strikes. Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) are taking action for the third time this academic year, and 58 county schools have confirmed they will

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RUGBY UNION: Parker appointed team manager at London Welsh

London Welsh have confirmed the appointment of Sonny Parker as new team manager. A Grand Slam winner with Wales in 2008, the 36-year-old was capped 31 times during an international career and played in two World Cups, in 2003 and 2007. After

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Constable keeping close tabs on Oxford United

JAMES Constable will still keep close tabs on Oxford United’s fortunes despite starting the next stage of his career away from the Kassam Stadium, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. The striker, who left the U’s this summer one goal short of equalling their

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Cancer campaigner has support of rugby star

CANCER campaigner Clive Stone has been bolstered by rugby star Lawrence Dallaglio in the fight to provide better NHS treatment for cancer sufferers. It comes as Mr Stone, 66, revealed this week that his 34 brain tumours have been successfully removed

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BAR BILLIARDS: Tebby helps Democrats get off to a flier

A RUN of four successive wins saw West Oxford Democrats get off to a fast start with a 4-2 win in Group A of the summer season, writes PETE EWINS. Visitors Berinsfield went ahead through Craig Mace, before Eddie Tebby (3,080), Bob Parsons (4,370

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Specialist team branches out to stop stream flooding in Osney Island

FIREFIGHTERS have cut and removed fallen trees from a stream that flooded twice in the past seven years, in a drive to stop it happening again. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s specialist rescue team at Kidlington station worked with the Environment

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Parents of suicide teen criticise mental health provision

PARENTS of a 14-year-old boy who killed himself by jumping off a multi-storey car park 11 days after being prescribed anti-depressants, have criticised “under-funded” local mental health services. Douglas Boomer also claimed he and his wife were

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Oxford mother left note to her husband before taking own life

A MOTHER-OF-FOUR drowned in the River Thames after leaving a note for her family. Firzana Saeed, 56, of Hill View Road, Oxford, was reported missing by her husband about 4am on March 15. Her body was found by police early that afternoon in

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Zombie game invades top show to win gold awards

WHEN Matt Tidbury first started developing a board game to teach his children maths, he just wanted them to enjoy learning. Now, seven years later, his three children have left school, but his zombie invasion board game has just won three gold

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Youngsters can soon touch base at new centre

WALLINGFORD’S new youth centre has been completed, providing young people with their own base for the first time in three years. Construction work began at the £300,000 centre in Wigod Way at the end of last year, on the site of a former evangelical

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Trek across America is a punishing test of stamina

TACKLING mountains, boggy swamps and farmland, only one in four people who attempt the 2,160-mile long Appalachian Trail manage to complete it. Richard Fletcher, 35, from Standlake near Witney, is 1,800 miles into his journey in which he aims to