Archive

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Walking tall in memory of caring mum

PUPILS are to take on a fundraising walk in memory of a mother who died months after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. Wallingford School youngsters will raise cash for The Brain Tumour Charity following the death of Gail Castle, 43, last December

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Buses between Oxford and Carterton delayed due to congestion

Stagecoach Oxfordshire’s S1 and S2 services between Oxford, Witney and Carterton have been delayed due to heavy traffic. The company said buses are currently running up to 35 minutes late. Our top stories Do you want alerts delivered

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Crash between car, motorbike and cyclist closes A417

A ROAD in Ardington is currently blocked after a crash between a car, motorbike and cyclist. The incident happened in the A417 near Grove Park Drive. The air ambulance is reported to be at the scene. A spokesman for South Central Ambulance

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Broken down vehicles causing delays on Oxfordshire roads

Lanes are closed on the A34 western bypass after two vehicles broke down. The closures are on the northbound carriageway between the A44 Woodstock Road at the Peatree Interchange and the Kidlington Junction. Lane one is closed near Peartree

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City leaders ask why Cambridge is 'streets ahead'

A POWERFUL delegation from Oxford has travelled to the Fens in a bid to learn why Cambridge is now “streets ahead” of Oxford as a thriving local economy. In a stark recognition of how far behind Oxford has fallen, local council and business leaders

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Win tickets to see One Direction... on screen!

BRACE yourself for the deafening scream of fans. For one weekend only, the world’s biggest boy band are coming to Oxfordshire. Kind of. On October 11 and 12, One Direction will be hitting our screens with their concert film: Where We Are. The movie

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RUGBY UNION: Exiles' loan signing Hala'ufia is set to face Harlequins

London Welsh have signed Scarlets No 8 Chris Hala’ufia on a two-week loan basis – and he has been put on the bench for tomorrow's match against his old club Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop (3pm). Hala’ufia, 35, joined the Scarlets in the summer

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Nothing creepy for dedicated bug fans

THERE are about 900,000 species of living insects: roughly 80 per cent of all species. Oxford University Museum of Natural History has at least six million specimens.  Reporter Pete Hughes, right, and Dr James Hogan with a display which

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Golden oldies step forward to shrug off tired old stereotypes

SHIRLEY Cranfield enjoyed some arts and crafts at an event to mark Older People’s Day. She was among those who attended the Live Safely and Well at Home Information Fair at Kidlington’s Exeter Hall, Oxford Road on Tuesday. The 56-year-old Cleveland

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Slow traffic at Oxford's Botley interchange following crash

Traffic heading north on the A34 between Abingdon and Oxford has been at a virtual standstill for the past hour following an accident. Police were called shortly after 1pm to the crash involving a white Mercedes van and a silver Nissan, just north

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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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Delays at Milton Interchange after collision

ONE lane of the Milton Interchange at the A34 is blocked after a collision between two cars. Thames Valley Police was called to the scene at 4.26pm after a white Ford Focus and a Rover collided on the slip road onto the A34. A police spokesman

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Arrests after Didcot heroin find

TWO men and a woman were arrested on Wednesday morning after police found class A drugs, believed to be heroin, in a property in Didcot. Police searched the property in Venners Water just after 9.30am and arrested the men, aged 34 and 23 and a

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Will Crow’s Nest top design pecking order?

AFTER living in a draughty Grade II-listed farmhouse for 15 years Michael Jarvis is enjoying the well-insulated new home he built himself. “I don’t miss the old place at all,” said father-of-three Mr Jarvis, 51, who runs his own building firm with

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6 things you probably didn't know were happening in Oxfordshire this weekend

Saturday 1. The Rising Aspirations Academy of Performing Arts will start a new theatre school at Larkmead School in Abingdon today. A session for children from pre-school to year two will be held from 9am to 10.15am and a year two to year 13 group

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Publicans hop to it with home brew

WHEN new managers arrived at The King Alfred’s Head in Wantage last year they decided they needed a unique draw to pull in punters. So they decided to get their very own beer brewed using hops grown in the pub garden. Michael Karbowski and

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£12.5m boost for university research

OXFORD University is to get £12.5 million for bioscience research, it was announced today. Business secretary Vince Cable revealed the university was among those to benefit from a £125 million pot to keep the UK as a world leader in the field.

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Catch up on our brilliant Lifestyle section

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Tales of courage to the Journeys End

Inside Oxford with Alison Boulton Ernest Hemingway’s definition of courage: grace under pressure, is played out again and again in heroic actions by men and women in their daily lives. Faced with a crisis, they keep a cool head. Their concern

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Honesty is not to be sniffed at

A girlfriend phoned me in tears last week. ‘I’m in LOVE,’ she sobbed. ‘I know, honey. Awful, isn’t it?’ I comforted. ‘No, you don’t understand,’ she sniffed. ‘I do, I get it.’ ‘No!’ she exclaimed through the sobs. ‘I’m in love but… he smells

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Route to Rembrandt in Amsterdam

On October 15, London’s National Gallery opens a blockbuster Rembrandt exhibition, The Late Works. Sarah Marshall visits Amsterdam, where the 17th century artist lived and worked As he gazes tenderly at the young woman, one arm resting on her shoulder

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Looking forward to the day we don't need feminists

Ten years ago, if I had asked an average person to describe what they associate with the word feminism, I’d hazard a guess there would be mentions of shouty women banging on about equal rights with unshaven legs and hairy armpits. Twenty years

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Women prove it's never too late to learn

As young freshers flood into Oxford Rebecca Moore talks to three women who began a little later in life Everywhere you look in Oxford lately you see one thing: freshers. Our city is currently filled with wide-eyed, young adults finding their

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Why Celia's smirk is brighter than the orange tiles

Celia Sawyer has a bone to pick. “Everyone says ‘oh I wanna be an interior designer – it looks easy’,” says the expert in the leatherette catsuit. “It’s not. It’s a tough business: you need a hard head.” But Celia has the last laugh. By way of

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Go behind the scenes for day of experiments

Liz Nicholls reports on a laboratory of fun for Oxford children that aims to fuse art and science Tomorrow, a pop-up Fun Palace lands in Oxford – one of 130 laboratories of free delights for children across the country. Oxford Playhouse has

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Injecting new interest into how we spend

Splashed out on a session with a prostitute or a line of cocaine recently? I’m asking in the interests of the national economy. No, really. Because, if you believe the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics, we average Brits spend

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Coalition underestimate electorate’s intelligence

DAVID Cameron has just vowed that everyone in England will have access to GP services seven days a week by 2020. However, the chairman of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Maureen Baker, recently stated that GP services are “under threat of extinction

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Lift-off at Launchpad

Inside Oxford with Alison Boulton Being an entrepreneur is a dream many aspire to, but few realise. It’s alluring – but elusive. As Oxford experiences its annual influx of students, they bring with them a rich seam of new ideas, many keen to develop

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My face is just fine, thank you very much

After being caught by a make-up counter lady, Rebecca Moore finds she’s had enough of make-believe I’m a fan of make-believe and I love a good dress-up. In fact, I like pretending in all its various forms: I particularly enjoy pretending to

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Get real when it comes to being fit and healthy

I spend so much time getting frustrated with people for following all the ‘quick fix’ diets out there. Professionals in fitness and nutrition have a constant battle trying to make people understand that the ONLY way to lose body fat and weight long

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The clever teens who keep mum's taxi on the road

I had a tantrum at the weekend that would have made any two year old proud. I, on the other hand, am not proud of it but I just got to my wit’s end! Our current family schedule is ridiculous and when I sat down in the only place I thought I could

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Tame the tiger for happier kids

Liz Nicholls reports on at a new book by Tanith Carey that looks at the dangers of pushy parenting Who doesn’t want the best for their child? You don’t need to be Peter Andre, banging on about loving your kids, to experience that parental surge

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Zoe Broughton goes undercover to change the world

Dodging landmines and getting arrested are all in a day’s work for Oxford’s Zoe Broughton. Gill Oliver interviews the renowned video-journalist Meet her at the school gates and she looks like any other mum. But when Zoe Broughton goes to work

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Thespians are hoping to tour around county

A NEW professional theatre company hopes to tour Oxfordshire after holding its first production in Witney. Witney Theatre Company performed August Strindberg's Miss Julie in a barn at Cogges Manor Farm Museum last Thursday and Friday. About 100

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Invitation to climb your family tree

PEOPLE from across Oxfordshire will be given the chance to delve into their family trees and focus on their ancestors’ war records. There will be a free genealogy day at The Marlborough School in Woodstock tomorrow. Volunteers from Oxfordshire

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Further expansion will affect our way of life

The letter published on September 24 on this subject, ‘Quality of village life will decline without more people moving in,’ presents views directly contrary to those held by the vast majority of Milton under Wychwood residents. Our Action Group

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Workmen used to have real pride in their work

I READ Adrian Taylor’s letter ‘Hedgerows destroyed by council workmen”. The stretch of A40 between Cassington and Eynsham was looking so beautiful in the early summer, but after the rain we had in the spring everything grew rapidly. It seems

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NHS should not have to provide interpreters

I am writing regarding Healthwatch Oxfordshire’s survey highlighting Asian women’s difficulties having private visits to GPs (September 26). Surely it is up to them to learn the language and culture of the country they’ve chosen to live in and

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Routine maintenance would help to alleviate our flooding problems

Last winter’s flooding in Oxford caused significant damage and disruption and one can only guess at the costs incurred. It is impossible to put a value on the distress caused to those who were affected directly by flooding or indirectly by the transport

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True to form no matter what the weather is like...

RICHARD’S constant air of gloom might be put down to his having worked in local government. But his time in public sector finance lasted a mere seven years before quitting to follow his dream of becoming a dry stone wall builder. It is fair to say

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Not all of us have an email address today

I WAS about to buy a book from Waterstones in Witney. All went well until I was offered a discount card by the store on condition that I gave an email address. When I informed the assistant that I was not on the internet I was told I could not

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Working knowledge of local lingo is necessary

IN RESPONSE to Alex Wynick’s ‘Asian women facing barriers to see their GP’ (September 26), the stumbling blocks often encountered in this respect by such ladies are undisputed, not to mention, in some cases, certain additional impediments which she

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Councillor Val Smith will be hard to replace

HOW sorry I was to see that Val Smith, the Blackbird Leys city and county councillor, is resigning (September 25). I think that Val has done a fantastic job and will be greatly missed and hard to replace. Val Smith I would like to

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Brilliant and thought-provoking - a real hoot

Blenheim Palace has been invaded and captured. The Chinese political activist and artist Ai Weiwei has arrived, at least in spirit; he’s under house arrest by the government in China. His art works have taken over the space of Blenheim and encourage

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Hoping to hit right notes

A SINGER from Witney hopes a national competition could help launch her career on stage. Witney resident Becki Reed, 23, is in the south west regional final of the Open Mic UK competition. She will be up against about 20 other performers on

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Commuters warned of major roadworks and delays ahead

MOTORISTS are being told to avoid a major route in Oxford if they can during work to improve it. Oxfordshire County Council has advised drivers to re-think their travel plans as it prepares to start work in London Road in Headington on Monday,

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Big guns Clarke and Whing look set to return for United

Danny Rose says the prospect of having Ryan Clarke and Andy Whing back in the frame for selection tomorrow will give Oxford United a big boost. The pair have been cleared to feature against Newport County in Sky Bet League Two at the Kassam Stadium

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Appleton: Critics will not alter my beliefs at Oxford United

A POOR start to the season has left some to worry about whether Oxford United need a Plan B. But for head coach Michael Appleton, the opposite is true – the time for concern will be when he changes tack. United’s bold approach may have won

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Oxford United's Clarke out to prove he's improving with age

RYAN Clarke believes the best days of his career lie ahead as the Oxford United goalkeeper targets playing all the way until he turns 40. He stands on the threshold of a comeback after missing the opening two months of the season following foot

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GPs challenge PM over seven-day pledge

DAVID Cameron has been invited to an Oxford GP practice to see first-hand the recruitment crisis hitting the service. Family doctors across the county have said the Prime Minister’s promise of £400m for surgeries to open seven days a week will

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Hotels must meet tourism demands

THE report by Experience Oxfordshire shows just how crucial tourism is to our economy. More than 31,250 people were employed in the sector and it was worth £1.47 billion, a staggering sum. But the warning over hotel space is a critical one.

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Please don’t throw your food around

It may be corny, but you have to admit he looks sweet. This grey squirrel was caught in an autumnal scene by former Oxford Mail photographer George Reszeter. Food for thought Mr Reszeter, 60, said he left the tempting treat in his garden

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Dangling cash will not solve crisis of a lack of doctors

MAKING a £400m promise in front of a friendly crowd and the TV cameras is an easy political trick. It made the Prime Minister look generous and on the verge of solving that problem of never being able to get an appointment at a GP, unless your

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Howard enjoying challenge of being marked man for Oxford United

BRIAN Howard will be unfazed if Newport County continue a run of opposition sides deploying man-to-man markers against him tomorrow. The 31-year-old is getting closer to full fitness after joining Oxford United last month. Stevenage and Luton

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Man jailed over offensive weapons

A man who brandished two weapons and kicked his ex partner’s door in has been jailed. John Webb, of Kynaston Way, Didcot, admitted common assault and two counts of possessing offensive weapons in High Street, Chalgrove, during the night of March

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Man bailed for eighth time over Blackbird Leys shooting

A 22-year-old has been rebailed for the eighth time by detectives investigating a shooting in Blackbird Leys last year. The man was arrested in July last year after a woman in her 40s suffered a gunshot wound to her shoulder in Crowberry Road.

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Teacher’s sex crimes

A former Oxfordshire secondary school teacher has been found guilty of historic sex crimes against boys. Roger Kerr, 52, of Surbiton Hill Park, Surbiton, Surrey, was found guilty of one count of indecent assault on a male under 16 and two counts

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Bridge’s stone facade is now under repair

The stone façade of Osney Bridge in Botley Road is being repaired at a councillor’s request. Oxford City Councillor for the area Susanna Pressel asked bridge authority Oxfordshire County Council to commission the work after residents commented.

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An exceptional tourism year but we need more city hotels

TOURISM in Oxfordshire had an “exceptional” 2013, but experts are warning a shortage of hotel rooms is holding back further growth. Spending by overnight visitors increased 4 per cent last year to £634m, boosting the county’s £1.47bn tourism industry

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‘Spooked’ horse reared up and ran over Audi

A RUNAWAY horse damaged an Audi car, right, after being “spooked” in Jericho. The horse was towing a man and a woman on a trap when it broke free and damaged the black car on Wednesday evening. Eye witness Alan MacLean said: “It suddenly turned

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Poet claims first prize in UK contest

A JERICHO poet has claimed first place at a national poetry competition after getting the stamp of approval for his work from Jeremy Paxman. Stephen Santus’s poem In a Restaurant was entered for the Forward Prize by a mystery fan. And on Tuesday

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Everything’s thready

IT’S ALL eyes on the needles as staff at the Ashmolean Museum prepare for The Big Stitch event tomorrow. Together with the Embroiderers’ Guild, the museum is putting on a day of sewing-related activities. Visitors can study the history of embroidery

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Further loan exits expected at Oxford United

MICHAEL Appleton is looking to arrange further loan deals for outfield players on the fringes of Oxford United’s squad. There are already five members of the development and first team squads plying their trade elsewhere. Appleton, who indicated

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Newport aiming to avoid being Oxford United's catalyst

JUSTIN Edinburgh thinks Oxford United’s form can swing on one good result, after experiencing a similar springboard with his Newport County side. The Welsh club picked up just one point from their first four league games, but have not looked back

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RACING: Longsdon's treble

Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon landed a short-priced across-the-card treble yesterday. Kilfinichen Bay (1-5) completed a four-timer in the hands of Charlie Deutsch, and Germany Calling (1-4), ridden by Noel Fehily, gave him a double at

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Stephenson's Rocket reborn as a Meccano model

WHEN Philip Sampson told his younger brother Keith he was going to give him a “super model”, this may not have been quite what he expected. In fact, the younger brother was blown away by what he got. This two-foot long miniature steam train

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RUGBY UNION: Chinnor capture Coventry prop Cambareri

CHINNOR have signed Argentine prop Guido Cambareri on loan from Coventry ahead of tomorrow’s National 2 South clash at Lydney. Cambareri goes straight into the side at tighthead as Chinnor bid to end a run of three narrow defeats. “He will

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Caterham F1 team set to race in Japan despite bailiffs' raid on HQ

THE Caterham F1 team said it will race in the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend despite bailiffs seizing cars and parts from its West Oxfordshire base. The Sheriff’s Office, which enforces High Court decisions, confirmed it raided Leafield Technical

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FIXTURES: October 4-8

SATURDAY  FOOTBALL SKY BET LEAGUE TWO Oxford Utd v Newport Co. VANARAMA CONFERENCE NORTH Colwyn Bay v Oxford City. SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Truro City v Banbury Utd. Div 1 South & West: Merthyr Tn v North Leigh

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Friday, October 3

10:13am Your morning Mail shot. Don't miss today's Oxford Mail for your full Friday Life supplement, all these top stories, sport and much more...  Local GPs tell Cameron his seven day working plan will not cure

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UPDATE: Burst water main near entrance to John Radcliffe Hospital

A water main has burst on the B4495 Headley Way in Headington. The water main is near Staunton Road and the entrace to the John Radcliffe Hospital. Thames Water spokesman said the four inch pipe burst at about 6am but was not thought to be

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Villlage turns phone box into a mini art gallery

IT measures just 3ft across and 9ft tall but villagers in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, near Wallingford, say their art gallery is poetry in motion. They have transformed a traditional red phone box into a pop-up art space, and its latest exhibition marked

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Pioneering police pilot may let teens join the thin blue line

TEENAGERS could be representing the law in Oxford as the city looks to become one of the first in the region to run a police cadets scheme. Oxford is in line to act as a pilot for the volunteer scheme for Thames Valley Police, which would see young

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Parky at the Pictures (DVD 2/10/2014)

Reckless romance in a time of conflict is the theme of Frank Borzage's 1932 adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms.. Loosely inspired by the same events that informed Richard Attenborough's In Love and War (1996), the story centres on

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BOXING: Fisher delights home fans with convincing win

Oxfordshire welterweight Joe Fisher enjoyed a unanimous points victory against Slough’s Jas Adewale in the first round of the England Development Championships at Berinsfield. Fisher, from the home club, had his foot on the gas from the start of

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20 months for ‘professional’ London dealer

A “PROFESSIONAL” drug dealer from London has been handed a 20-month prison sentence at Oxford Crown Court. Denny De Silva, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to one count of being concerned in the supply of Class B drug cannabis. Prosecutor

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Four homes burgled

FOUR homes in Charlbury were burgled after keys were taken from outdoor safes. Thieves broke into the properties in the Playing Close between 8pm on Monday and 7am on Tuesday. They stole cash and electrical items from each home, before driving

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Rail passengers facing Sunday disruption

TRAIN services will not stop at Appleford every day from December as part of the programme of electrification. First Great Western said it was the result of reduced services required to allow Network Rail to access the relief lines Over the summer

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Force is plannning to sell off more police stations

THE public could soon meet their local bobbies in supermarkets rather than at the nearest police station as the force tries to make further savings with its dwindling budget. Crime commissioner Anthony Stansfeld told the Oxford Mail yesterday that

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CRICKET: Brooks named in top team for season

Jack Brooks missed out on the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) player-of-the-year award – but was named in the team of the year. The Yorkshire paceman, who hails from Tiddington, saw teammate Adam Lyth pick up the top honour at The Old

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GOLF: Pepperell struggling after eight at one hole

A disastrous three-over-par eight at St Andrews’ fifth hole left Eddie Pepperell well down the field after the first round yesterday. The Frilford Heath member, who has had four top-five finishes in his last five tournaments, shot a 75 over the

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RUGBY UNION: Banbury clubhouse boost

BANBURY Bulls will get a new clubhouse, their committee has confirmed. All funding is in place for the facility at the club’s Bodicote Park ground. Building work will begin this autumn and is part of Banbury’s plans to buy the ground from Cherwell

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FOOTBALL: Davis wants repeat show

Banbury United manager Paul Davis has applauded the attitude of his players as they aim to make it back to back wins away to Truro City tomorrow. Davis was critical of his Southern League Premier Division side after last weekend’s 3-0 FA Cup exit

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FOOTBALL: Merritt confident Jackson can deliver goods for City

Oxford City boss Justin Merritt is looking for experienced striker Marlon Jackson to fire them to success away to Colwyn Bay in Vanarama Conference North tomorrow and to banish memories of their shock FA Cup exit. Last Saturday, the 23-year-old

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Royal recognition for two senior TVP staff

Two police leaders received royal honours yesterday at a ceremony in Windsor. Thames Valley Police’s director of information Amanda Cooper received an OBE and Assistant Chief Constable Brendan O’Dowda was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal. Mr

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RUGBY UNION: Start key for Grove, says Burrows

GROVE head coach Craig Burrows says they must start well when they visit Bletchley in the battle of the South West 1 East basement boys. Neither have tested victory this season, with only points difference separating them. “It is a crucial

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TENNIS: Sports B whitewashed by clubmates

OXFORD Sports B had a baptism of fire against their A team as the Thames Valley Winter League season got under way. The newly promoted side went down 8-0 in the Men’s Premier Division clash against their clubmates, who have won back-to-back league

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‘Grooming’ girls claim denied in teen sex case

A MAN accused of having sex with a 14-year-old girl told a jury he was “stupid” to send her sexually explicit messages. Paul Saunders, of Horspath Road, Oxford, denies two counts of engaging in sexual activity with the girl between July 29 and

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Uni building nets another UK award

A UNIVERSITY building has scooped a national architectural award. Oxford Brookes University’s John Henry Brookes Building and architectural firm, Design Engine, won the Higher Education Over £5 Million Building title at September’s Retrofit Awards

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Seven years for arsonist who thought girlfriend was a cheat

AN ARSONIST who set fire to a bag containing lighter fluid and aerosol cans because he thought his girlfriend was cheating on him has been jailed. Following a trial, John Charlesworth, of Luther Street, Oxford, was convicted of arson with intent

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Tree sculptures put natural window on world

VISITORS to the West Ox Arts Gallery in Bampton are being asked to look beyond the works at the Moments exhibition of drawing and sculpture. The exhibition, which runs until October 19, features large minimalist drawings by Miriam Taylor and sculptures

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Cancelled lantern parade is a ‘victim of its own success’

SAFETY concerns about overcrowding have been blamed for a Christmas lantern parade in Oxford being cancelled this year. City council leader Bob Price said the event, which sees hundreds of schoolchildren carry hand-made lights through the city

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Rock and Roll’s greatest failure hits the road

TWO of the world’s greatest failures were on the streets of Oxford as John Otway made his way around the city in a Sinclair C5. The self-styled failure and two-hit-wonder was in town to promote his film Rock and Roll’s Greatest Failure: The Otway

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FOOTBALL: Wantage manager Ackling is 'desperate' to get a win

Wantage Town manager Gary Ackling says he will take a below-par display from his Southern League Division 1 South & West side, if they grind out a win at home to Sholing tomorrow. While he has been largely pleased with the way his charges have

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Children get set for junior half marathon bid

SPORTS stars of the future have been given a taste of long-distance running as they prepare to complete their own half marathon Four to 11 year-olds from nine schools in Oxfordshire have signed up to take part in the schools challenge sponsored by