Archive

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ELO star works on Take That album

Take That have teamed up with ELO frontman Jeff Lynne for their new album - their first as a trio since Jason Orange quit. They started work on the album at the start of the year - without Orange but with his "blessing" - and signed up a team of producers

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MOTORSPORT: Marussia set to run only one car at Russian GP

MARUSSIA are set to run only Max Chilton throughout the inaugural Russian Grand Prix weekend out of respect for the critically injured Jules Bianchi. The Banbury-based Formula 1 team have made American reserve Alexander Rossi eligible for the race

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Blocked lorry causing city centre delays

A LORRY is reportedly blocking traffic between Botley Road and Frideswide Square after getting stuck under the bridge by Oxford Railway Station. The fire service is not in attendance.

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Village meets on warehouse

WANTAGE MP Ed Vaizey will host a meeting about controversial plans for a “enormous” new warehouse in Sutton Courtenay. Diageo has submitted a revised application for the warehouse on Harwell Road after Vale of White Horse District Council rejected

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Carterton Primary School moves towards end of special measures

CARTERTON Primary School is making reasonable progress towards the removal of special measures according to a recent Ofsted report. The school was placed on special measures following an inspection which took place in December last year and given

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Balancing the books as demand on NHS soars

Oxfordshire’s NHS has had a rocky 18 months following a major shake-up of how the health system works in England and increasing demand on its services. With the NHS sure to be a major topic during the run-up to next year’s General Election, Oliver

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Police release image of a man they want to speak to in connection with a pub burglary in George Street, Oxford

POLICE have released an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with a burglary from the Wig and Pen in George Street, Oxford. Cash was stolen from the pub's safe at about 5am on Tuesday, August 26 but Thames Valley Police only released

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MOTORSPORT: Lotus switch to Mercedes power

The Lotus F1 Team will switch to Mercedes power from the start of the 2015. Lotus F1 will continue to design and manufacture its own transmission at its Enstone base where work is already underway on the team's 2015 challenger, the E23 Hybrid.

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Model-maker won awards for his eye for detail

AN AWARD-winning builder of model aeroplanes from Abingdon has died aged 76. Tony Clements was one of the country’s leading plastic model artists, after becoming interested in aircraft during his wartime boyhood. He made his first model, of

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Eminent criminologist set up top university research centre

A FORMER Oxford don who founded what became the Oxford Centre for Criminology has died aged 97. Professor Nigel David Walker was a respected criminologist who turned to academia after more than a decade as a civil servant. Criminology is the

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Would you like your Business to make the most of its energy?

Oxford has plenty of beautiful old buildings, some of which would benefit from a little loving care. Maybe what they need is husband and wife partnership, Julie and Howard Duckworth from Goole in East Yorkshire, and their determination to bring buildings

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The Guide: What is happening on the entertainment scene

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Palace art that's Wei out there

Contemporary, surprising, sensational... Sarah Mayhew Craddock takes a tour of influential Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s show at Blenheim There are some people that need no or little introduction… Ghandi, Madonna, Beckham, Churchill and Ai Weiwei.

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The Chester Arms, The Harrow, Downton Abbey tour and more in this week's Nibbles

* London’s leading cocktail bar chain Be At One has just secured a new venue at 15 St Clement’s Street in Oxford, formerly Clem’s nightclub, and intends to fully refurbish it and open in January. Steve Locke, director at Be At One, said: “We are

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Brunch with FoodOfTheOx - Crumbs, Wheatley

There are those weekends when nothing else will do other than bacon and coffee, despite the refined options now available to those on the lookout for a good brunch. With my requirements in mind, I went on the hunt for somewhere where I could tuck

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Witney travel company becomes a global holidays specialist

A Witney-based travel company has turned the concept of ‘a holiday of a lifetime’ into a burgeoning global business, with annual revenues of £150m. This year has been a turning point for Audley Travel, after opening a new office in Boston in the

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Look at the power behind the Formula E racing cars

A BATTERY developed in Oxfordshire is helping electric cars in the inaugural Formula E championship reach speeds of 125mph, and the technology is expected to soon enable the cars to recharge wirelessly. Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), the

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Oven cleaner helps deliver donations to food banks

A BUSINESSMAN is helping tackle poverty by working with a food bank charity. Steve Archibald, who runs oven-cleaning firm Ovenu Oxford, will collect donations from customers and deliver them to The Trussell Trust’s food banks in Bicester and Banbury

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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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Best way to resolve congestion is to shut Botley Road to through traffic

It is quite clear why Cambridge is growing more quickly than Oxford – they have developed large employment sites in (and just outside) their green belt, with huge increases in car commuting as a result. We have a long tradition of trying to avoid this

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Apprenticeship scheme wins firm a national award

AN EXPRESS delivery firm has won a national award for its apprenticeship scheme. City Link, which operates a depot in Bicester, has taken on 180 young people in the past two years. Its training schemes for 18- to 25-year-olds were applauded

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Good to hear flooding issues being addressed

I am delighted to read in the Oxford Mail (October 6), that the appalling flooding and sewage situation in Oxford is finally being taken seriously. I have stated at the full council meetings and in your paper that the residents of Marston have

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I think these notices just help the criminals

Can someone please explain why I see notices displayed around the city saying ‘Police operation in progress’. It is reassuring that our hard- pressed and well-respected “bobbies” are active in an area. But surely this informs the would-be criminals

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Glad to hear that John Otway is doing so well

John Otway’s appearance in Oxford just shows how hard he is still working to promote his career. He had a fantastic two nights at The Limelight, Aylesbury, to near capacity. Booked my ticket for The Old Fire Station. Hope it sells out also. Terry

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There are not enough seats at hospital clinics

Jim Wright, a disabled man aged 92, wrote to you (October 1) to point out that there are no seats at some bus stops. I entirely agree with his concern. I am younger than Mr Wright but I also find it very difficult to stand for more than a minute

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We have been left with an inadequate service

In July the Oxford Mail announced that a new S7 bus service between Carterton, Witney and Headington was to be introduced following a campaign by Witney councillors. Well thanks a lot Witney councillors. This S7 service has meant that Stagecoach

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Congratulations for keeping tradition going

As a local farmer and regular of the Chequers in Churchill for 30 years I was intrigued and amused to read your article over the ‘bitter row’ currently gripping the village and pitching ‘locals’ and landlords against each other. Complaints about

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Yellow Submarine has a personal touch that wins out

Professional service and fabulous food convince Katherine MacAlister that Yellow Submarine can do the business There is a Bob Marley quote above the counter at Yellow Submarine, Oxford’s brilliant new cafe in Park End Street, which says: ‘Even

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Police hunt urban guerrillas of 1971

FOUR STARS The Angry Brigade were a British urban guerrilla group who in 1971 achieved brief notoriety with bomb attacks directed against Edward Heath’s Conservative Government and other targets deemed representative of the forces of reaction,

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Squatters evicted from university building

SQUATTERS have been evicted from an Oxford University building they were in as part of a protest about affordable housing. The group went into the Old Power Station in Arthur Street with the intention of holding a four-day series of events on housing

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A time for celebration with extended family

Starting Up with Clare Alexander @ The Killingworth Castle Great news came our way this week with Michelin awarding us with our Bib Gourmand at The Killingworth Castle for the second year running. There have been 26 new Michelin Bib Gourmands

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Chef's Special with Larry Jayasekara

I am Larry Jayasekara. My father is a chef in Sri Lanka. I started my career working as a pot washer in his kitchen and worked my way up from there. I am Executive Head Chef at The Manor at Weston-on-the-Green, where I started in July 2013.

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Scholarly tentativeness needed

Sir – It perhaps seems pedantic, but I feel strongly that what may be myths should not be framed as certainties. (I get cross every year when the BBC among others tells me it is Shakespeare’s birthday, when we don’t know what day he was born — only

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City seems indifferent

Sir – Having lived for many years in both Oxford and Cambridge, I have long thought that our city could well learn something from our Fenland twin and so was very pleased to read that a delegation of the great and the good is to make a visit. Whilst

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Fascinating read

Sir – Last week’s front page story and editorial were a fascinating read — Oxford City Council and Oxford University confronting the fact of Cambridge leaving them behind.   It has been clear for a while that the two key ingredients cited for

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Dance your way through family festival of delights

Katherine MacAlister looks at what’s on offer for young and old around the county There are several family friendly festivals hitting Oxfordshire in the next few weeks. Set up to provide quality shows and activities for families across the

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Aspire to better

Sir – Last week’s front page stated ‘City leaders ask why Cambridge is streets ahead’. More than three times quality of life was mentioned.    Keith Mitchell himself said that “they put a high price on quality and creating an environment where

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Close Botley Road

Sir – It is quite clear why Cambridge is growing more quickly than Oxford — they have developed large employment sites in (and just outside) their Green Belt, with huge increases in car commuting as a result. We have a long tradition of trying to avoid

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Sprawling mess

Sir – Is it some municipal equivalent of ‘penis envy’ that drives council leaders Bob Price and Ian Hudspeth to devise inappropriate and damaging expansion schemes, complaining about Cambridge stealing a march on poor downtrodden Oxford (City leaders

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Out-of-scale scheme

Sir – The revised plans for the Doric development in Botley show a complete disregard for the welfare of pram pushers, wheelchair users and the less mobile, assuming that we shall all be happy to wait for ages for lifts to arrive or put our shopping

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Seth Lakeman's songs give voice to extraordinary stories

Folk star Seth Lakeman tells Tim Hughes about the amazing people and their eye-opening tales that inspired his latest album and his desire to do them justice Seth Lakeman has built a reputation on playing passionate and heartfelt folk music, with

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Repeated battles

Sir – Is this government out to destroy our ancient market towns and villages? It’s building programme certainly gives that impression. My own village of Milton-under- Wychwood is at present battling against a development of 70 homes which could rise

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Planning in a mess

Sir – Planning in Oxfordshire is in a mess. There are two fundamental issues:   1. Can, and should, Oxfordshire take the vast amount of new housing which the Government, SHMA and the LEP are undemocratically trying to impose on us?  

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British genius

Sir – Thank you for Malcolm Graham’s article in Oxfordshire Limited Edition about the Volunteer Training Corps in the First World War.  However, a photograph caption on page 111 wrongly says “…Motor Volunteers parade with their cars…”. It clearly shows

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Sort out A40 jams

Sir – I refer to Reg Little’s feature with David Leach last week. I too attended the meeting with Ian Hudspeth in Witney and was intrigued by the idea of a monorail to solve the congestion on the A40.   However, as with the proposed dedicated

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Minimal cost

Sir – This is my very last letter on this subject of extending a bus route north to east of the pedestrianised part of Oxford city. I was totally unaware that this had already been tried before and allegedly was unsuccessful.   Maybe it was

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What hope for bees?

Sir – Does Jaine Blackman know her wasps from her bees? In her excellent review of Elisabeth Birchall’s treasure trove of a book, Jaine states that bees are “one of Britain’s favourite insects (as long as they are not bothering you at a picnic)”.

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We are truly blessed

Sir – Recent correspondence and reportage in The Oxford Times of goings-on in our great county and town led me to the conclusion that we are truly blessed by those who serve us and seek to develop our city and county.  Consider the below from just

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Thanks to the PM

Sir – Thank you David Cameron for your support at last for ebola sufferers in Sierra Leone.   I am not a member or supporter of the Tory party, (in fact I’m a registered Labour Party member and have stood on a number of occasions for election

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Feet dragging on Castle Mill

Sir — Two years ago, on seeing the skeletons of the Oxford University Roger Dudman Way buildings starting their terrible rise over Port Meadow, I started a petition, which thousands of Oxford’s residents flocked to sign. The petition signatories

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Enduring bulwark

Sir – Your correspondents’ comments on planning and the Green Belt (Letters, September 25) call for a response.   It is too easy to blame the Green Belt for high house prices which are a consequence, amongst other things, of a growing demand

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'The best thing I did was move to the UK' says Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan

Katherine MacAlister finds out why outspoken Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan doesn’t shy away from controversy Katherine Ryan did her first stand-up gig while waitressing at a Hooters restaurant in her home town in Canada (a restaurant chain known

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Darkest despair

Sir – Last week’s letter from Peter Thompson of the Oxford Civic Society was published on the same day the journal Science published its statistically rigorous predictions that the world’s current population of 7.2bn could rise to 12.3bn by 2100, with

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Risking recklessness

Sir – If a child was trapped in a burning building would you immediately run in and try to save him? Or would you not act at all, for fear of being blamed if the rescue does not go to plan?   If you don’t know what you are doing, or the smoke

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Psychedelic roads

Sir – We tell the highways department about potholes, we even give postcodes and send photos. Eventually a man comes out with an aerosol spray and marks a few. Nothing happens and the spray wears off.   Another bloke comes out with a different

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Fashionable parade

Sir – In her heritage statement about Elms Parade (westwayconcern.files. wordpress.com), Dr Kathryn Davies wrote “The shops at Elms Parade were built by Stephen Howse in 1937, who went to considerable trouble and expense to create a fashionable

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Don’t get ill here

Sir – People in this area should consider moving out of the Thames Valley as they get ill or disabled.   Official figures by the Health and Social Care Information Centre confirm that those who live in this area are twice as likely to be refused

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Thank you to all

Sir – I would like to please take the opportunity to thank all those people who kindly assisted me, when my wife had a fit, just outside the indoor market, off Market Street, Oxford, on Tuesday last week. As I am sure your readers will understand

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Appalled at flailing

Sir – Like Josephine Seccombe (Letters, September 25), I was appalled to see the savage and completely unnecessary flailing of the hedge alongside the footpath on the north side of the A40 between Cassington and Eynsham a couple of weeks ago.  

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Idea did not work

Sir – It is precisely to help people, like M E Fawcett (Letters, September 25), with reduced mobility, as well as those burdened with shopping and children, that we need to keep bus services in the city centre, and running on central streets. It is

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Raising funds

Sir – Thank you for publishing my letter on August 28 about the two Canadian and British flying Lancasters, and the need to raise public funds for the creation of a new memorial to Bomber Command which has yet to be built near to Lincoln Cathedral

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Across the board?

Sir – I have never worked in a comprehensive school, and say these things not to cast judgment or to demotivate. It just strikes me as a shame that the zeal with which infringements of the school’s uniform policy are dealt with (‘Pupils at Cheney

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If the best are all lisping Ruperts, then so be it

William Poole on the passion stirred by admissions Before the students return I had a good bawl in the cloisters of my college, for on two sides there is reputed to be a good echo. There are various echoes around Oxford: it used to be said

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Use it or lose it

Sir – There was great agitation for a bus link from Witney to the JR hospital, and Stagecoach introduced the S7 in July, although it was pointed out that it does not enter the JR site, but stops outside in Headley Way on its way to Brookes University

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Dedicated lanes needed

Sir – I had a look at the Frideswide Square/Station masterplan. I noted that the plan does not show bicycle racks near the station nor do there seem to be clearly defined bicycle lanes in Frideswide Square. Given that the relocation of bus traffic

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Prime site for a Ben & Jerry's?

Stephen Fry unveils a brilliant plan to improve Trinity College I have decided to apply for planning permission to redevelop my old college — Trinity — because that seems to be in fashion, and because I can. I think Trinity College Garden would

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What a shambles

Sir – I have just received two publications about flooding in West Oxford. The principal agency involved in their publication is the Environment Agency, who are charged, and funded by Parliament, with defending us against floods.Your readers will be

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Double stroke of good luck for Michael's student kids

When you think how many young people there were in the academic year of 1989 who might have wished for a place at Brasenose College, Oxford, it seems . . . well, lucky to say the least, that one should have gone to Will Palin. Then again perhaps

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Palin has a nasty side when he's called nice

You didn’t have to be so nice. We would have liked you anyway. The first words (slightly paraphrased) of a classic Lovin’ Spoonful song of the Sixties came into my mind fairly often during a hugely enjoyable holiday read of the 516 pages of Michael

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Shakespeare link

Sir – Mistress Quickly at the Painted Room? I can agree with David Webb (Possible visitor, September 25) that the notion of Shakespeare having been the father of poet laureate Sir William Davenant is far-fetched, but then there is no reason to suppose

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Poet’s not forgotten

Sir – It was interesting to read of Christopher Gray’s meeting with two grandsons of Laurence Binyon (The Oxford Times, September 18). The poet does indeed deserve to be better known, although he has never been forgotten in his old college, Trinity

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Danger in North Oxford

Sir – The county council is planning to bar access from Wolvercote Roundabout to Five Mile Drive. This will have serious consequences. There are 300-400 dwellings in Five Mile Drive and its feeder roads, but traffic can leave the area only at the

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Knee-jerk reaction

Sir – In response to Peter Jay, West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) faces a difficult situation. Cherwell set a target below the Strategic Housing Market Assessment, which the inspector immediately rejected. WODC is still proceeding with a

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Controversial plan

Sir – Cherwell District has published the modifications to its Local Plan for consultation (closing date October 3). These modifications are the result of a planning inspector ordering Cherwell to re-base its plan using the much higher housing

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Little protection

Sir – Mr Kinory hardly paints an accurate picture by quoting selectively from previously already selected quotes attributed to me a month ago (Letters, September 11). If he is really interested in my views, he should read the current Oxford Civic

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Review is possible

Sir – One of the principal aims of a Green Belt is to prevent urban sprawl. In the case of Oxford it has succeeded all too well.   The combination of a tight Green Belt and a buoyant economy has resulted in the most unaffordable housing in

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Oar-some contribution

Reg Little meets The Oxford Times’ rowing correspondent who is bowing out after 38 years The conversation moves rapidly from catching a crab to pulling bodies out of the river. Most of Mike Rosewell’s stories seem to involve the Thames which he

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Not enough power

Sir – Recently there was yet another annoying power cut in Magdalen Road that affected a few homes and businesses.   Sadly some of the  local small businesses, including the popular cafe Oxfork, had to throw away food as the fridge had no power

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Musical jewel

Sir – Recently the national media highlighted a report from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music indicating a dramatic increase,over the last few years, of the number of children becoming proficient in playing musical instruments. Nationally

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Cross-city service

Sir – I refer to Noam Bleicher letter (September 18), whilst glad that someone did read my suggested revised park-and-ride bus route, there was an incorrect assumption and a convenient omission in the response.   Firstly, I did not suggest

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Possible visitor

Sir – The claim that Shakespeare stayed in the Painted Room (City to throw open its doors, September 11) needs a ‘possibly’ or a ‘perhaps’ added to it.   It rests, I think, on the tale that Shakespeare had an affair with the wife of John Davenant

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Inheritance for all

Sir – Visiting Scotland during the referendum I was reminded that the great landed estates there, as elsewhere in the UK,  need splitting up or their ownership shared more widely in each new generation.   The traditional preamble to the Liberal

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Over-the-top plan

Sir – Haven’t Doric’s plans for Botley now become a running joke? Every so often they announce an upcoming revised version, then it’s delayed, then it turns up with hardly an alteration — a metre lower here or there, a few more or less students

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Screaming trees

Sir – Driving towards Oxford on the A40, the sight of the hedge on the left between the Eynsham roundabout and the Cassington traffic lights is heart-breaking. Whoever is responsible for this ‘slash and burn’ approach to cutting back this vegetation

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Fitting tribute

Sir – I would like to place on record how much it was appreciated the hard work and organisation that went into arranging the Heritage Days in Abingdon and also the First World War tribute. It was a most enjoyable day — the shop which housed the

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Honouring the fallen

Sir – To commemorate the lives of the 18 Brize Norton residents who gave their lives in the service of their country in the First World War, Brize Norton Parish Council has planned a memorial which is to be unveiled at a ceremony that is to take place

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Relative research

Sir – I am currently searching for relatives to complete my family tree. In particular, Martin B. Ashby who was born in 1965 in Witney and his sister, Karen Irene Ashby, born in 1967, also in Witney. Their mother’s name was Valerie Hickman. They

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Inverted phrase

Sir – Christopher Gray (Gray Matter, September 18) thinks it a source of shame to Oxford that Laurence Binyon, who had strong links with the university and its neighbourhood, is not better known. It should be a source of shame to Gray that he misquotes

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Outdated concept

Sir – How disappointed I was by The Oxford Times’ reference to Anthony Horowitz as the ‘author of the Alex Rider novels for boys’. As an English teacher at one of the county’s leading girls’ schools I am particularly aware of how many girls enjoy

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Red Lion is a roaring success

Katherine MacAlister is reminded what stunningly good food tastes like at the Red Lion ‘If you can’t behave you’ll have to go outside and sit in the car,” I whispered to my children on entering the Red Lion in Britwell Salome, hoping they wouldn

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Drive through history

Drive through history Sir – I would like to congratulate all involved with Oxford Open Doors for a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable weekend, with some interesting and unusual places open for the public which would not usually be accessible.

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On the line

Garden cities have certainly become something of a passion for the Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg. And once again, he made it clear that Oxfordshire figures large in his Garden City dream, only this time it would be part of a “Garden City Line” no less

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Vinegar passes the acid test at awards

Helen Peacocke speaks to the boss of prize-winning Chippy company Womersley Vinegar has remained an essential ingredient for centuries. Indeed the Babylonians were making wines and vinegars from fruit way back in 5000BC and Chinese texts record

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Go native for best balance of wildlife

Val Bourne shares her advice on how to manage a garden organically with ‘the full Monty’ of creatures Lots of gardeners ask my advice about how to manage a garden organically and they are often surprised by my answers. They expect me to advise

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Dormice are disappearing from woods

Hazel dormice need help for numbers to rise, says Wendy Tobitt of BBOWT Ridiculed by Lewis Carroll in Alice in Wonderland for being sleepy, the dormouse, or hazel dormouse to give its correct name, has all but disappeared from Oxfordshire’s woodlands

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A fight to survive with no memory in The Maze Runner

Damon Smith reviews a new thriller in which amnesia grips the group Based on the bestselling novel by James Dashner, The Maze Runner is a testosterone-fuelled survival thriller cast from the same robust mould as The Hunger Games and Divergent.

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Dealer found with drugs in his buttocks jailed for a year

A DRUG dealer who hid dozens of bags of Class A drugs from police between his buttocks has been sent to jail. Brian Loggoh-Robertson, 23, of Kennedy House in Orchard Way, Banbury, was caught with 23 wraps of heroin and seven wraps of cocaine –

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Feminism is facing facts in new Laura Bates book

Katherine MacAlister speaks to Laura Bates about her runaway Everyday Sexism project Fed up with being harassed in public, groped on the bus and followed home, Laura Bates took action and launched The Everyday Sexism Project in 2012 to provide

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Fast Track impresses at North Wall

Angie Johnson is impressed by some committed performances in North Wall’s newest production North Wall Arts Centre has completely transformed its theatre space for its new production, Fast Track. The central area has been fashioned into an urban

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A darker Alan Davies on the edge at New Theatre show

Luke Sproule watches Alan Davies as he brings electricity to a roaring crowd at Oxford's New Theatre Fans of Alan Davies the super-sleuth Jonathan Creek or QI champion need a word of warning: Alan Davies the stand-up is a very different beast.

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Mark Steel @ Oxford Playhouse

Mark Steel is in the middle of a joke when a woman in the front row gets up and hands him her mobile phone. For a minute he is dumbstruck, the room teeters on the brink, then we put our faces in our hands — “no, please, no!” “Only in Oxford would

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Emerging sounds at the Old Fire Station

Nicola Lisle meets a group determined to open up musical experiences to as wide an audience as possible ‘Breaking down barriers’ may be a cliché, but that is exactly what new chamber ensemble Project Instrumental aims to do — both for the musicians

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Caberet unzipped in An Evening Of Burlesque

We’re engaging in a little light bump ‘n’ grind, popping our hips and shimmying our chests (mostly female, but with a few manboobs jiggling about too, it must be said). It’s hard to say who is having more fun — the audience or Tempest Rose, our

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Nick Mulvey takes centre stage in this week's Soundbites

* A cult icon, with a devoted following, it’s no surprise Nick Mulvey is also up for music’s most prestigious prize. Again.His previous act, the jazzy Portico Quartet achieved global prominence when they were nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize.Now

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Photographer exhibits work to campaign against plastic packaging

AN award-winning Oxford photographer has taken two of his pictures to a prestigious show in Brighton to argue against plastic packaging. Dr Stanislav Shmelev, 36, who lives in North Oxford, will exhibit two of his pictures at the Brighton Photo

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Folk four Dry The River are taking the world by storm

From Newbury to New York, Dry The River have come a long way, says Tim Hughes Expansive and elemental, Dry the River project soaring folk through a widescreen lens — sweeping from gentle to giant, like a gathering storm. So it comes as some

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Diverse beauties at Brian Sinfield Gallery

The Brian Sinfield Gallery in Burford offers a typically strong line-up of exhibitions this autumn. Four artists, diverse in style, subject matter and influence, four imaginations at work, and each artist using paint in quite different ways, adds up

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Two of the greats at Aidan Meller Gallery exhibition

Anne James analyses contrasts in classic portraits by Bacon and Freud In the mid-20th century, a group of pioneering painters began pursuing new directions in figurative art, investing representations of the human body with unprecedented expressiveness

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For Art's Sake with Becky Hallsmith

For cinema-goers it would be hard not to have noticed the spectacular rise of event cinema (also known as alternative content or non-feature film screening) which is now a regular feature of programming. Spearheaded by New York’s Metropolitan Opera

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Scales of Justice - 20 people in court

David Oglesbsy, 73, of Linacre Close, Didcot, admitted drink-driving in Hagbourne Road, Didcot, on August 28. Had 62 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath, above the legal limit of 35 microgrammes. Fined £240 and told to pay a £24 victims’ surcharge

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'Theatre is addictive' says Game of Thrones star Ian McElhinney

Game Of Thrones star Ian McElhinney is busier in his sixties than ever. He tells Katherine MacAlister about the hit series and directing his wife Marie’s play Stones In His Pockets arriving in Oxford Ian McElhinney proves determinedly elusive,

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Don't hold your breath for a speedy answer

IT’S understandable that a bidder for Oxford Stadium wants to know if he has been successful or not. Steventon farmer Robert Tyrell is now considering walking away, but he could wait for the outcome of a judicial review on whether the stadium can

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War diaries - 'The troops were unaware of the bloodshed to come'

AMATEUR historian Steve Berridge has been transcribing the war diary and regimental chronicle of the 2nd Ox & Bucks Light Infantry. It’s a massive task and the volunteer at the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum is not finished yet. But he

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The Insider: This return to the public eye seems carefully timed...

THE Insider was interested to see his old nemesis Kaiser Keith make a return to the public stage this week. The former leader of Oxfordshire County Council has been making public pronouncements about the fact that Cambridge is “streets ahead” of

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Investment needed in ongoing fight against Ebola

AFTER the NHS warned medics to watch out for patients with symptoms of Ebola, the deadly disease is no longer a crisis contained in Africa. Indeed, after a Madrid nurse caught the virus in Spain the killer bug is on our doorstep. Most people

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LEGAL CHALLENGE: How the role of grandparents is affected if they look after a child

Grandparents play an important part in a child’s life. Many offer invaluable support, advice, childcare, financial support and can become full-time carers for their grandchildren. The Court can make a number of different orders to support this

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FOOTBALL: Viva Oxford City - Spanish contingent make a big impact

OXFORD City are making big waves this season, and it’s down in no small part to a Spanish invasion, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. Vanarama Conference North is perhaps the last place one might expect to see an Hispanic-style passing football – least of

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FOOTBALL: Spanish crop flourishing after making City move

THEIR exotic names stand out on a non-league team-sheet, but Oxford City’s Spanish contingent are blending in nicely to life in England’s sixth tier, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. During the summer, City began a novel Iberian recruitment drive and it has

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Faringdon man in Sierra Leone to help fight Ebola epidemic

A WEEK ago, Oxfordshire man Andy Gleadle was at home watching the horror of the Ebola epidemic unfold in Sierra Leone. But now the 47-year-old, whose wife Candice, 42, works in a city school, is in West Africa witnessing first-hand the extent of

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Young Didcot dancer makes a right ballet-hoo

Scarlett-Rose Dearlove has only been going to ballet classes in Didcot for three weeks, but she is already showing flair. The 19-month-old went to her third parent-and-baby class at Cornerstone Arts Centre yesterday morning with grandmother Rosemary

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West Oxford squatters get injunction from university

OXFORD University has been accused of “stifling debate” after serving a group of squatters with a legal injunction. The group had entered the Old Power Station in Arthur Street, West Oxford, on Sunday, in order to hold a series of events to highlight

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No First Great Western fast trains running between Oxford and Paddington due to signalling problems

FIRST Great Western has said there are no fast trains running this morning between Oxford and London Paddington. Friday update story: Signalling problems remain with cancellations and delays Due to signalling problems between Maidenhead

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Traffic: Major delays on A40 between Witney and Oxford and on the A44 at Yarnton

THERE are delays on Oxford's roads this morning. The A40 between Witney and Oxford is heavily congested and there are queues again on the A34 due to the roadworks at the Kennington roundabout. Traffic is also queuing up on the A44 between Yarnton

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Fans of Downton Abbey and Lewis get chance to tour Oxfordshire locations

MURDER may be a gruelling experience for some of Oxfordshire’s fictional detectives, but for tourist organisations it is the gift that keeps on giving. So much so, in fact, that the county’s tourist board has launched two new tour packages themed

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AWARDS: Last chance to nominate Oxfordshire's finest talent

NOMINATIONS for the 2014 Oxfordshire Sports Awards close tomorrow – meaning you have just 24 hours remaining to put forward individuals, clubs or teams who have excelled in the past year. Although a large number of entries have been received, there

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Oxford man guilty of sex assaults on teenage girl

A man described as a “predatory paedophile” has been convicted of repeatedly having sex with a teenage girl. Paul Saunders, 22, of Horspath Road, Oxford, was found guilty at Oxford Crown Court yesterday of engaging in sexual activity with the 14

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Thursday, October 9

4:37pm Police have released a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to in connection with a burglary at a pub in George Street  %if(after3) %if(after7

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Have your say on Bicester's eco plan

Residents can give their views on proposals for a new 230-acre section of the Bicester eco-town today. Developer P3Eco has put forward plans for “Himley Village”, which would form the southern section of large development north of Middleton Stoney

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Engineers working to repair landslip in Bagley Wood Road, Kennington

Highways engineers were still working to repair a landslip yesterday in Bagley Wood Road, Kennington. The subsidence was spotted on Tuesday and has been causing delays for vehicles including Oxford Bus Company buses diverted away from roadworks

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ATHLETICS: Burgess denied by Bell

Aaron Burgess finished runner-up in the Cricklade Half Marathon, but again had to play second fiddle to Dave Bell. Burgess (Oxford City) clocked a personal best time of 1hr 13mins 17secs, with Bell (Cirencester) taking victory in 1.10.38 to retain

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ATHLETICS: Bellinger holds off young pretender to lift crown

DARRELL Bellinger saw off the challenge of newcomer Danny Ray to claim victory at the Hanney 5. The 29-year-old Oxford City athlete pulled away from Ray, 16, to win his own club’s five-mile race. However, Ray, who has moved from Guernsey to

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Man ‘felt a bump’ when he knocked down friend at Burford Quarry

A QUARRY worker has described the moment he ran over his friend in what was described as a tragic accident. Ashley Mortimer told an inquest yesterday how he “felt a bump” when driving his Cat 966 loading shovel truck at Burford Quarry on Saturday

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RUGBY UNION: Taylor is keeping it fresh in hunt for record victory

OXFORD University captain Jacob Taylor says he is not allowing his experienced squad to become stale. The students have started with 12 Blues in their last two matches, with none of those players having been involved in a Varsity Match defeat.

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Open your hearts to trust

What is the Oxford Preservation Trust? Founded in 1927 and a presence in the city ever since, how many people across Oxford could really explain the work of the trust and what they do each day? At this time of year you will most likely hear

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Rules plan to curb development in North Oxford ?

STRICT new rules could curb development in North Oxford with residents needing to ask permission to change their window frames. This follows a series of disputes between residents and some Oxford colleges, over fears that the Victorian suburbs

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Parky at the Pictures (In Cinemas 9/10/2014)

Two hundred and forty-eight films have been packed into 12 days at the 58th BFI London Film Festival, which runs from 8-19 October at various venues across the capital. It has become common at this juncture in the Festivals & Seasons coverage to

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Parky at the Pictures (In Cinemas 9/10/2014)

With the bulk of this week's releases being American commercial offerings, regular readers will need to check out Damon Smith's insights in the Oxford Times and on the paper's website. Apologies for this, but there's not much a critic with limited

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Double delight for winning way of young poet Jasmine

SOME poets go a lifetime without receiving any recognition for their work, but 13-year-old Jasmine Burgess won’t be one of them after she picked up two awards in one day. The Cowley schoolgirl took second place in the John Betjeman Poetry Competition

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Seaside town comes to theatre in puppet show at Oxford's North Wall Arts Centre

HERE’S a theatre production that comes with no strings attached. The North Wall Arts Centre in South Parade, Oxford, hosted a production of puppetry and multimedia technology. Called Feral, the production tells the story of Joe, who lives in

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Gandhi actor’s prize for Chipping Norton Theatre fundraiser

An Oxfordshire theatre’s 40th birthday gala auction will give theatre-goers the chance of day on a film set with actor Sir Ben Kingsley. The Gandhi star has donated the prize for the event at Chipping Norton Theatre. The evening of music, entertainment

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Big, bold, brassy welcome at Oxford railway station for Welsh opera Friend Ian

STRIKE up the band! City musicians gave a brassy welcome to a special guest at Oxford railway station yesterday. Members of the city branch of the Welsh National Opera Friends honoured the national group’s chairman as part of a national challenge

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‘Decide now or I’ll drop my bid to buy Oxford stadium’

A BIDDER for Oxford Stadium has threatened to walk away if the owners do not make a decision about its future soon. Robert Tyrrell says he has now submitted four bids for the Sandy Lane stadium and has become frustrated by the whole process.

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RUGBY UNION: Grieve brace fires Banbury to home win

TWO tries from George Grieve helped Banbury A beat Amersham & Chiltern 38-27 in Division 1 of the Oxon, Berks & Bucks Colts League at Bodicote Park. Banbury made it two bonus-point wins from two matches, but had to battle all the way.

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RUGBY LEAGUE: Oxford host trial session

OXFORD Rugby League are holding open trials to be part of their 2015 squad. Players wishing to try out for the Kingstone Press Championship One club can attend the session on Sunday, November 16. The trials take place at Oxford Brookes University

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BAR BILLIARDS: Godfrey's top break makes the difference

KENNINGTON Kevin Godfrey saw off Vikings’ Alan Oliver on aggregate in the preliminary round of the Oxford & District Association’s men’s individual competition at Headington Conservative Club. Godfrey ran out the table in the first leg, apart

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Thames Valley Police force top at picking up foreign speeders

More overseas drivers were caught speeding by Thames Valley Police since January 2013 than any other police force in England and Wales. Speed cameras clocked 3,580 offences, with a highest recorded speed of 102mph in a 70mph zone. Foreign vehicles

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ICE HOCKEY: Oxford face against time to snap up Slovakian

Oxford City Stars are in a race against time to complete the signing of an unnamed Slovakian player before the game at Wightlink Raiders on Saturday. Stars believe they have found their man to replace Kyle Flemington, the Canadian import who left

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ICE HOCKEY: Stars slump to bottom as Devils get off mark

Oxford City Stars slumped to the foot of South Division 1 after a disappointing 11-5 defeat at home to Solent Devils. The result saw the teams swap places at the wrong end of the table, with the visitors recording their first success of the campaign

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ATHLETICS: Carter impresses in English relays

Sophie Carter helped Belgrave Harriers’ ladies to 17th place in the English Road Relay Championships at Sutton Park, Birmingham. Carter, from Woodstock, recorded her first-claim club’s fastest split for the 4.315km course with a time of 15mins

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Fair's fare tickles stadium visitors' taste buds

TASTY products were on display when Oxford United’s Kassam Stadium hosted a catering exhibition. The Philip Dennis Foodservice company celebrated 20 years in Oxfordshire on Tuesday by giving suppliers the chance to show off their wares. UK

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Trio deny attack at block of Headington flats

A WOMAN told jurors she was was attacked with a metal pole because she urinated on her attacker’s doorstep. Gemma Taylor said she was assaulted by three people in the entrance to a block of flats in Territorial Way, Headington. Remi Blackstock-Nero

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Drive to put mental health workers into more Oxfordshire schools

MENTAL health workers could be based in all of Oxfordshire’s secondary schools within two years. Currently the project, launched by Oxford Health NHS Foundation and Oxford University, sees staff spend half a day each week at three schools.

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Marcham pilot is found guilty of child sex offences

A MARCHAM pilot has been found guilty of child sex offences over his conduct with a boy in India. Bartle Frere, 50, who previously worked for British Airways, was convicted by a majority of 10 to one of two charges of arranging or facilitating

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Thames Valley Police tight-lipped over spying law and journalists request

THAMES Valley Police has refused to say how many times it has used spying laws to access phone records. But the force has admitted using the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) more than 50,000 times over the last decade. Journalist

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All going swimmingly at The Fishes pub in North Hinksey

PASS the parcel is a big part of every child’s birthday party, but staff at The Fishes in North Hinksey had something else to celebrate yesterday. The pub’s parent company, Peach, won Caterer.com’s Best Employer in Hospitality Award for the fourth

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Campaigners fear rare 1950s interior at Oxford estate pub is lost forever

A RARE and historic pub interior is feared to have been lost in refurbishment works pub campaigners have called “tragic”. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said the 1950s Cotswold lounge in the Fairview Inn appears to have been taken out by new

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BOWLS: Owls hammer sorry Stanford

BARN Owls battered Stanford Village 42-10 in South Oxfordshire Short Mat League Division 1. RESULTS SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE LEAGUE Division 1: Didcot Barn Owls 42 (8pts), Stanford Village 10 (0); Benson Missing Nines 8 38 (8), Hanney 12 (0).

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AUNT SALLY: Arthurs and Hillier shine

STEVE Arthurs clanged off 14 dolls (5-4-5) and Francis Hillier 13 (4-5-4) as Deddington hammered Castle Quay 6-0 on the opening night of the Banbury Indoor League. RESULTS General Foods 2, Bicester 4; Easington 4, Hook Norton 2; Banbury 2,

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Oxford Fashion Week back for second helping

THE cold nights may be drawing in but things are hotting up for those behind Oxford Fashion Week. Guests from the world of fashion, photography, modelling and even museums arrived at the Varsity club in High Street on Monday night for a glimpse

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Football tournament aims to kick out mental health stereotypes

A FOOTBALL tournament will unite some of the county’s most vulnerable residents when it kicks off tomorrow. The Oxford Social Inclusion Cup 2014 aims to tackle stigmas surrounding mental health, homelessness and substance misuse. Sports organisation