Archive

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Reversal on pavement parking plan

PLANS that would see cars parked on the pavement in Witney could be scrapped after residents described them as “dangerous”. Oxfordshire County Council had proposed creating new parking spaces in Corn Street allowing drivers to park their cars halfway

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Exhaust parts stolen in Yarnton

Exhaust parts were stolen from four vehicles parked in Yarnton on one night. The thefts happened overnight between Wednesday and Thursday in Great Close Road, Lane Close, Merton Way and The Paddocks.

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Weather: Brace yourself as the forecast still bad, with amber warning and potentially more thunder and lightning

OXFORDSHIRE is braced for more severe weather tonight after the Met Office put yellow and amber warnings in place for the South East this weekend. Saturday am update: Met Office says Oxford may escape thunderstorms but Bicester, Witney and

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Lawnmower stolen

A thief forced open a gate lock to steal a lawnmower from a back garden in Darrell Way, Abingdon, overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Plans for new primary school move forward

A NEW primary school on a 1,000-home estate will take pressure off the current village school, it is hoped. Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for education Melinda Tilley has approved outline applications for those expressing an interest

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Botley developer vows show to go on

ORGANISERS of the second annual West Way Festival have been reassured about its future by the firm hoping to redevelop the area. The festival takes place in The Square, Botley, tomorrow, with about 200 people expected to attend. Charlie Bartlett

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Drivers face delays as weekend events start

DRIVERS face delays on the A34 and the M40 this afternoon, as the Game Fair in Woodstock and Truck Festival in Steventon begin this weekend. There is slow traffic on the A34 northbound carriageways at between Bicester and the Marcham Interchange

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Good neighbours can still be good friends

With the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram invading all aspects of our lives, it seems a lot of time is now spent trapped behind smartphones and computer screens. As a result of this round-the-clock digital intrusion, community spirit and

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Grant bid to tackle pollution hotspots

OXFORD could tap into a £1m Government cash pot to help tackle air quality issues in the city centre, a councillor has said. John Tanner, city council executive board member for Cleaner Greener Oxford, said there were still concerns about particulates

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Heavy traffic after car and lorry collide on M40

A CAR needed to be removed from an embankment by the M40 near Wendlebury, after it was involved in a collision. Thames Valley Police said that the black Hyundai estate had been involved in a crash with a lorry.  A spokesman said: "It appears

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Friday'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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Children word up at University Press

THE hallowed halls of Oxford University Press were filled with a new generation of eager readers. Pegasus Primary School pupils were invited to the museum at the Great Clarendon Street building. OUP has a partnership with ARCH, a charity that

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Car wash set for go-ahead at old builders

PERMISSION should be given for a former East Oxford builders’ merchants to be used as a temporary car wash, a council planning officer has said. Oxford City Council’s Lisa Green has backed the plan for the former Travis Perkins site in Chapel Street

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Oxford United get fitness boost but new signing "unlikely" before weekend

A TRIO of Oxford United players are set to make their first appearances of pre-season tomorrow, but head coach Michael Appleton rates the prospects of a new signing arriving before the game as slim. Jon Meades, Callum O’Dowda and Josh Ruffels have

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Everything but the dog

Inside Oxford with Alison Boulton The night before you go on holiday – you wish you weren’t. You rush around, clearing the fridge. What is that, right at the back? Believe me, you don’t want to know. Out it goes, to make its own way in the

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Knights fever at Warwick Castle

With jousting contests, magic shows and knights in shimmering armour, camping in the grounds of Warwick Castle is an adventure for Emily Shelley’s family I’m calmly sipping gin and tonic in the evening sunshine while watching my four-year-old son

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Sense... and scentsability

Sheena Patterson of Oxford Garden Design is getting busy preserving the scents of summer Hundreds of years ago the streets of Oxford will have stunk something rotten. Open drains, rotting vegetation and unwashed bodies forcefully reminded a

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In Utopia, it's true they are out to get (nearly) all of us

Paranoid? You’re not the only one. Conspiracy theories are everywhere, especially in Britain. All that fluoride in the water supply? Pumped in to keep us docile and stop a revolution (a Summertown dentist told me that one). Moon landings? Fake

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Super time to be spotting a fuller moon

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a Supermoon! For a ball of rock the moon is held in pretty high esteem. It has been the subject of scientific intrigue, a new frontier for exploration and a spiritual icon for people since the dawn of human kind

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Too little too late for those with loan debt

There can’t be many of us who haven’t needed to lay our hands on a large amount of cash quickly. That’s why the payday loan companies, such as Wonga and Dollar, have been doing so well these past few years. If you’ve got a bad credit history and

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The challenges of long distance care

Catherine Blaxhall, head of Carers Support and OxBEL Action for Carers (Oxfordshire) on the problems faced by long distance carers Long distance caring can pose unique challenges. If a carer lives a distance away from a loved one who needs care

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It's been ages but good giggle melts the years away

Frankly, I was more than a tad miffed. Explaining that the reason there was so much giggling emitting from our lively table was because we were four school friends reuniting after many years, caused the friendly landlord to ask how long it was

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Catch up on our brilliant lifestyle section

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Driving lessons are a testing experience

Inside Oxford with Alison Boulton Learning to drive in Oxford is a shocker. It’s so expensive: £50 for starters to get a Provisional Licence. Then, asking around, to gauge the local success rate among your friends. Next, the call to try to

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Invisible - it's the new black

We’ve known it for years – wearing black takes inches off our thighs. It doesn’t really matter how fat you think you look: slip into a little dark ensemble and as if by (black) magic, you’re suddenly Scarlett Johansson. So imagine my delight when

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Even cynics can believe in love

Rebecca stops the eye-rolling to rejoice in a pal’s whirlwind romance and proposal A very dear male friend of mine just got engaged, having been with his girlfriend for only two months. This astounds me. It terrifies me. But once all the negative

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'I'm not ready for big school'

Though I doubt the scientific basis to this statement, I have long held a theory that there is a direct correlation between the amount of fun had by children over a weekend and the colour of the bath water on a Sunday night. I might go so far as

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Only 160 days to Christmas

Yep, it’s only July but already the big retailers are showcasing their festive wares. Jaine Blackman heads to London and gets into the Christmas spirit I love Christmas in July – the time when companies showcase what’s coming up for the festive

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Take a bite on the wild side

Anyone for a squirrel burger... or a rabbit enchilada? Jaine Blackman meets Rosie Barham, a woman who is game to cook just about anything A recipe which includes squirrels is not going to be to everyone’s taste but Rosie Barham is aiming to convert

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'Going the distance for my great mum'

Jaine Blackman met Patricia Alonso as she prepared to say farewell to Oxford before heading home to Spain to look after her sick mother It's never easy when you have an elderly or ailing parent to look after... even if they live just around the

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Toddler found wandering Blackbird Leys street alone

A TODDLER has been found alone in a Blackbird Leys street this morning. Police officers have been knocking on doors trying to trace the young boy’s parents this morning, following the call to Sorrel Road shortly after 8am. Thames Valley Police

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Over 200 Army jobs will go as town regiment disbands

THE commanding officer of Bicester’s 23 Pioneer Regiment, which is being disbanded, has said 230 army staff face redundancy when they bid farewell to the town. On Sunday, July 27, 150 troops from the regiment, based at St David’s Barracks since

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Few smiles on such a glorious sunny morning

PERHAPS I expect too much. The morning was sunny, the prospects exciting and education’s least favourite minister Michael Gove told to hand in his red box. Surely there was much to smile about. Alas, not for the dozen people I passed on the East

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I don’t see the point in any senseless suffering

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY endorse former Archbishop George Carey’s courageous and compassionate support for medically assisted dying for the terminally ill. My own father died a horrendous death from cancer. He endured months of dreadful pain for he was

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Conveyance design and route yet to be finalised

It was gratifying to see that the £26m funding for the Western Conveyance, just announced by the government, was front-page news (July 7). However, it might be helpful to reassure readers that the Oxford and Abingdon scheme will not be a concrete

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Channel would erase character of city’s western fringe for good

I was horrified to read recently that what I thought to be a fantasy proposal, ie the so-called Western Drainage Channel, has metamorphosed into a distinct possibility. This, a full-scale river, will lead to the complete eradication of the character

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A day in the life with an unexpected twist & turn

Carers used to be the unsung heroes of Britain who have really lost the battle. Not any more. Now they have a song called Could You Be My Friend written by a three man team including the Oxfordshire Ambassador of The Carer’s Trust, Francis Rockliff, and

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Air your views over car parking problems

I am writing this letter to bring a matter to the attention of residents of Old Marston. Following a closed meeting in June with parish councillors, city councillors and David Tole from the county council to discuss the various traffic surveys

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Irony seems to be lost on coalition government

I AGREE with the headline ‘NHS cuts an utter disaster’, July 8. The Department of Health says it is confident it can save £20 billion a year in the NHS. Is it not ironic that since the abolition of the Fair Rents Act, £20 billion per year is paid

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Mini plant should have been allowed to expand

IT’S great to see how successful the Mini has been, but what a pity that this success has been down to a German company, something that emphasises how bad British management was. I remember an American businessman saying that the trouble with British

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Nicholsons are a shining example of solar-powered life

Sunshine tends to cheer most of us up, but Tim Nicholson now finds himself especially excited by good weather. That’s because he has been working since 2010 to turn his family home — a 1960s end-of-terrace in Benson Place, central north Oxford

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Nurse may work again despite hitting patient

A MENTAL health nurse who shoved a patient in the face after a row about a cigarette lighter has been allowed to work without restriction. Carl Larbi, who worked on Wenrick Ward of Littlemore Hospital, Oxford, was taking the patient for a cigarette

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SHOOTING: Shooter Rivers hoping to impress in Glasgow

Didcot marksman Dan Rivers is targeting a place on the podium at his first Commonwealth Games this summer in Glasgow. The 23-year-old begins his campaign a week today after being selected in England’s team for the small-bore rifle. It will

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It’s going to be in tents... Palace expects 150,000

ORGANISERS of the CLA Game Fair say they are ready for mass crowds to descend on Blenheim Palace today. More than 150,000 visitors are expected at the countryside fair between today and Sunday. The last of the 900 exhibitors arrived yesterday

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Sex assault figures rise

THE number of sex crimes reported to police in Oxfordshire rose by 29 per cent in the last year, nine percentage points above the national average increase. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics yesterday revealed 693 sex crimes

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Soaking up the sun as a heatwave looms

OXFORD is set to enjoy soaring temperatures today as temperatures are predicted to hit 29C. Anthropologist Konstantina Isidoros will be one of many out soaking up the sunshine, after relaxing by the river yesterday at Oxford University Parks.

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Redundancies at F1 team

LEAFIELD-based Formula 1 team Caterham has announced 40 staff redundancies. It comes after it was bought up by a consortium of Swiss and Middle Eastern investors from Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes. A Caterham spokesman said it was “

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Traffic getting heavier as CLA Game Fair starts

TRAFFIC is building up this morning as the CLA Game Fair rolls into town. The weekend show, held at Woodstock's Blenheim Palace, is expected to have 150,000 vistors and 900 exhibitors.  Roads are already starting to get heavy as people head

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Arson murder trial jury set to retire

Jurors in the murder trial of Fiaz Munshi are now due to retire to consider their verdicts on Monday. Munshi, 38, denies murdering Anum Khan, eight, and her brother Majid, 15, in an arson attack on their Magdalen Road house 17 years ago. The

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Council wars ping into action on city centre street

OXFORD city councillor Mark Lygo was jumping for joy after beating Oxfordshire County Council leader Ian Hudspeth at a grudge match to mark National Table Tennis Day yesterday. On the game, held outside Westgate Shopping Centre, Cllr Lygo said:

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Sports stars at event

World Cup-winning England rugby player Matt Dawson and British Olympic gold medal rower Greg Searle joined staff from 22 businesses for a sporting challenge yesterday. Staff from firms including Blackwell’s, Bicester Village and Sainsbury’s took

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Crash on roundabout

A lorry and car collided on a major Oxford roundabout yesterday. Thames Valley Police were called to the accident on the Green Road Roundabout, Headington, at 11.41am. The accident happened where London Road joins the roundabout and A40.

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Student died after fall from college digs roof

AN Oxford University student is believed to have fallen to his death from a college bedroom roof after a night out drinking, an inquest heard yesterday. Kieran Keel, 20, was believed to have been drunk and smoking a cigarette on a roof just outside

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TENNIS: County men bidding for promotion treble

OXFORDSHIRE captain Jon Maskens believes he has his strongest team available ahead of next week’s Aegon Summer County Cup Group 5 campaign. After back-to-back promotions, Oxon are hoping to keep their winning run going when they take to the court

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Labour hold Cowley in by-election

LABOUR held its Cowley seat in yesterday’s by-election. The party’s candidate, David Henwood, was elected to Oxford City Council with 512 votes. Independent candidate Artwell, who came second in the same ward when it was contested in May, slipped

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Friday, July 18

11:03am A toddler has been found wandering a Blackbird Leys Street alone.  10:51am Sexual assault crime figures have risen 29 per cent in Oxfordshire

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Readers' pictures and video: Lightning storm hits Oxfordshire

FORKED lightning and rumbling thunder rolled across the Oxfordshire sky this morning as the muggy weather created a spectacular storm. The first five images are from our old friend Mary Spicer at Tackley at about 2.30am The bangs

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Overweight lorry check

Goods vehicles were stopped during a police weight check operation at a bridge. Thames Valley Police found 10 overweight vehicles in the crackdown at Abingdon Weighbridge on the A34 – including one 67 per cent overweight. The force said a driver

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Train services disrupted

Trains will not run between Didcot Parkway and Swindon from August 2-3 due to improvement works on the track. First Great Western said there will be delays on the London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads line of between 20 and 75 minutes due to

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Jury out to consider its rape trial verdict

The jury has retired to consider its verdict in the trial of a 20-year-old man charged with rape. Jamie Williams, of Chaffinch Walk, Greater Leys, Oxford, denies forcing a female complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to perform a

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They’ve really blown it over demolition of power station

WHAT a public relations disaster the demolition of Didcot Power Station’s cooling towers has become. Not content with scheduling the big bang for a ludicrously unsocial hour next Sunday morning, the whole saga lurched even further into farce yesterday

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RWE npower says: ‘We don’t want you coming to see demolition of towers’

DEMOLITION bosses have warned people to stay away from the destruction of Didcot power station cooling towers, saying people could end up covered in dust. At the same time, however, talks are under way to provide official viewing areas for people

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CRICKET: Captain Ryan: Let's have fun

UNICORNS COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP LUKE Ryan hopes the feelgood factor surrounding Oxfordshire’s 50-over side can rub off on their three-day outfit. Captain Ryan praised the spirit that has seen Oxon reach the Unicorns Counties Trophy final for

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TENNIS: Oxon ladies looking up after thriller in Devon

PROMOTION from the Seniors Inter-County Leagues Division 3 remains on the cards for Oxfordshire Ladies Over 50s following a slender win over Devon at Torquay. Both Oxfordshire pairs beat the Devon No 1s, but lost championship tie-breaks to the

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Aerospace firm benefits from £2.6m boost

A Harwell company will benefit from a £2.6m funding boost from the Government and aerospace industry. Of £30m total funding in the South East, £19m is public funding, run by the Technology Strategy Board on behalf of the Aerospace Technology Institute

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CYCLING: Rose in full bloom to take victory

Oxonian's Malcolm Rose pipped Mid Oxon’s Eamon Deeley in a thrilling finish to the Beeline League Cycle Time Trial, hosted by Oxford City RC. An outward bound headwind made it hard work to the turn on the Witney bypass course. But it was Rose

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TENNIS: Simmons twins in medal hunt

OXFORD twins Alex and Beth Simmons will face Chinese Taipei in the United States today for a place in the final. The 27-year-old sisters were part of Great Britain’s squad which won the event, the Fed Cup of deaf tennis, in 2003. Alongside

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Young snorkeller takes royal plunge

SCHOOLGIRL Amelia White has snorkelled with seals and manatees, but taking the plunge with Prince William was an adventure in a league of its own. The 13-year-old snorkelling champion from Appleton joined the Duke of Cambridge in the pool as he

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Passengers see the light with new £10m fleet of glass topped buses

BUS passengers will get to see the sky as Oxford Tube this week unveiled a new £10m fleet of buses topped with glass roofs. The hi-tech vehicles will also feature 4G mobile internet, power and USB sockets, as well as a more environmentally-friendly

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Curtain goes up on major £680k facelift for theatre

IT’S curtain up for revamp work, as a major three-year refurbishment of Oxford Playhouse begins. Contractors began by stripping out two theatre bars on Monday as part of £680,000 plans to modernise the Beaumont Street venue. The work – to take

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Arrests unconfirmed

Police are unable to confirm how many, if any, of the 34 suspected paedophiles arrested by Thames Valley Police over the past six months were from Oxfordshire. The 660 arrests were part of a nationwide operation by the National Crime Agency which

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Brookes misses out

The John Henry Brookes Building at Oxford Brookes University has missed the shortlist for a coveted architectural prize. The £132m building was awarded the Royal Institute of British Architecture’s (RIBA) National Award last month. Although

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CRICKET: Woods stars as veterans qualify

ECB 50+ COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP OXFORDSHIRE powered into the knockout stages after a nine-wicket victory over Shropshire at Shrewsbury. The emphatic win saw Oxon finish third in Group 4 and set up an away last 16 clash against opponents to be confirmed

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Disco Shed is vying for first place in TV contest

WE use them for storing tools or the lawnmower, but a pair of Oxford music-lovers have come upon a far more inventive use for their garden shed – turning it into a mobile disco. Starting life as a convenient place to play records during parties

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CRICKET: It's time to prove ourselves, says Crosby

OXFORD must prove that their Henley humiliation was simply a blip, according to captain Ian Crosby. Crosby’s men visit Tring Park in Division 1 tomorrow, having slipped from fourth to seventh in the table after a ten-wicket drubbing at home to

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Organisers hope sun continues to shine on artists at work

ART festival organisers are keeping their fingers crossed the weather holds this weekend in the hope of attracting thousands of visitors. An estimated 25,000 people will visit Art in Action during the four-day festival at Waterperry House and Gardens

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No such thing as an ordinary shed

OFTEN seen as the last bastion of manliness, the shed remains a coveted possession. It is not just home to the lawnmower and barbecue, it is a man (or woman) cave, an area for quiet reflection – and the odd power tool, of course. But the Disco

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Man is rebailed over drug-related death

A 50-year-old man has been rebailed a second time by detectives investigating the death of a man at a homeless hostel. The 50-year-old victim was found dead at O’Hanlon House in Luther Street on May 8. Police are investigating whether his death

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Exhibition celebrates naturalist’s life

BEFORE HD wildlife documentaries, this is how the Victorians got up close and personal with the natural world. Stuffed animals were a familiar sight in well-heeled homes and a new exhibition explains the role played by a famed explorer. The

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Oxford United off to Bisham Abbey for pre-season

Michael Appleton is looking forward to getting to know his players better after Oxford United arranged a last-minute training camp at Bisham Abbey. This is the first summer that the U’s have not gone away on a pre-season tour since 2008. But

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Chance to air views on the new Westgate

RESIDENTS got their first chance to give their views on new plans for a redeveloped Westgate Shopping Centre. Developer Westgate Oxford Alliance has opened up a shop in the complex to display its new images of what the finished scheme could look

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Campaigners say Gateway plan being rushed through

CAMPAIGNERS have claimed proposals for the Northern Gateway are too big and being rushed through town hall. Oxford City Council this week pressed ahead with the area action plan devised for the scheme, which will see a triangular piece of land

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PIGEON RACING: Results

Shotover & District (Yeovil, 9 sent 139): 1, 14, 16 B Sherman & S Wells 1496, 1463, 1457; 2, 17, 19 DSR Wiggins 1495, 1452, 1443; 3, 12, 18 R Jenkins, son & daughter 1491, 1478, 1450; 4, 5, 13 P Wells 1489 (x2), 1469; 6 M/M VT Hall 1487; 7, 8, 9 RB

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CRICKET: Tew up for Cornish trip

DAVIDSTOW VILLAGE CUP GREAT & Little Tew will not be grumbling about their long journey to Cornwall’s Roche Old Boys for Sunday’s quarter-final showdown. Tew’s 13-man squad will depart at 7am that morning for the 220-mile trip, but captain

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TENNIS: Waterson runner-up at Perry & Sinclair Championship

GILES Waterson and Chloe Elliott were the top local performers among a field of almost 500 in the Perry & Sinclair Championships at Virgin Active. Waterson reached the under 18 boys’ final, where he lost 6-2, 6-0 to top seed Caleb Dyer, from

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Nurse will see you to keep doctor free

PATIENTS with minor conditions could be seen by nurses so GPs can focus on more complex cases under new plans. Health bosses want to change how patients are seen as part of a consultation launched this week by the county’s NHS. Those with complex

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Nature in the raw is what the dino saw

A FLYAWAY success should be on the cards as the world’s best images of nature go on show at Oxford’s Museum of Natural History for the first time in more than a decade. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition was last shown at the museum

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CRICKET: Academy are foiled

OXFORDSHIRE Academy could not build on a promising first day against their Buckinghamshire counterparts who battled back to draw at Aston Rowant. Having been dismissed for 193, Oxon had Bucks 55-7 at the close on day one. But the visitors recovered

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CRICKET: Holders into county final

BERNARD TOLLETT OXFORDSHIRE CUP HOLDERS Horspath stayed on course to retain the trophy with a tense four-wicket home win over Oxford in their rearranged semi-final. Needing six runs off the last over to overhaul Oxford’s 140-6, Horspath got

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Fixtures July 19-24

Saturday FOOTBALL FRIENDLIES Didcot Tn v Oxford Utd (3), Reading Tn v North Leigh, Wantage Tn v Oxford City. CRICKET SERIOUS CRICKET HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE Div 1: Henley v Banbury, Slough v Aston Rowant, Tring Park v Oxford

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School’s maths and science to get £4m home

A SCHOOL has started work on a new £4m mathematics and science building. The cornerstone of the new building at Kingham Hill School was laid by Prof Joss Bland-Hawthorn, Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Sydney, a former pupil of the

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Band member’s dedication is worth its weight in gold

AFTER playing with the Oxford Silver Band for more than 60 years, Frank Wolff has earned the right to blow his own trumpet. The musician was given a one-off award from his bandmates at their summer concert to celebrate his dedication to the group