Archive
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Helpful Betty is made honorary citizen of Chipping Norton
A FORMER Land Girl who has devoted her time to helping others has been made an honorary citizen of Chipping Norton. Betty Hicks, 85, was presented with the award by town mayor Mike Tysoe at a ceremony at Chipping Norton Town Hall on Sunday.
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Orchard Centre extension plans due to go in next month
A PLANNING application for a £50m extension to Didcot’s Orchard shopping centre will be submitted next month, its developer has said. Hammerson is to put in plans for 24 new shops, including a Marks & Spencer, six restaurants and cafes and
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'I thought they were my friends,' girl tells court of Banbury men accused of sexual exploitation
A GIRL who said she had underage sex with a group of young men told a jury she initially did not report it because: “I thought they were my friends.” Seven young men have gone on trial at Oxford Crown Court accused of grooming and sexually exploiting
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Popular nature reserve gets a new year makeover
THE landscape in Little Wittenham, South Oxfordshire, got a makeover as new hedges were laid as part of an Earth Trust scheme. Sunday’s session saw people learn how to lay hedges using traditional methods. The trust held the event as part of
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Bishop to visit peace organisation
THE Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Rev David Walker, will visit an Oxford peace organisation to mark the end of its centenary year. The Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR) said it would hold a special service in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, in
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Disabled charity is fighting for future after cash ‘crisis’
AN OXFORD charity for the disabled is at risk of closing because of a financial “crisis”. Pathway Workshop, in Blackbird Leys, which makes garden furniture, laid off six staff in December, leaving five employees. General manager Mike Fleming
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UPDATE: Flood alerts for River Thame, Chalgrove Brook, Evenlode and Glyme
FLOOD alerts were issued today by the Environment Agency for the River Thame and Chalgrove Brook. The alert covered the county from Marsworth to Dorchester, and the agency said water levels could flood low-lying land and roads, especially in the
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Rabbit Ramblings: No sentimental journey on today's 'Grim' Western Railway
IN an old TV ad, British Rail invited us to take a “Sentimental Journey”. I don’t recall what platform that train left from, but I wasn’t on it. Instead I blithely maintain balance on the 10.31 Great Western service from Oxford to London Paddington
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MICHAEL DUBERRY COLUMN: The day I got the better of golden boy Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is fast cementing his place as one of the greatest players to grace the game. On Monday evening in Zurich, he picked up his second successive FIFA Ballon d’Or – awarded annually to the world’s best player – and his third in total
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'Lorries are wrecking Burford's historic bridge'
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to protect historic buildings and a medieval bridge from heavy lorries have won the backing of Prime Minister and Witney MP David Cameron. Burford residents want weight restrictions to ban lorries from the town’s High Street
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CPRE happy Crouch Hill housing plan thrown out
The director for Campaign to Protect Rural England Oxfordshire has praised the council for standing its ground over a planning appeal for 117 home in Banbury. A government planning inspector last week <6/1> backed Cherwell District Council
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CPRE happy Crouch Hill housing plan thrown out
The director for Campaign to Protect Rural England Oxfordshire has praised the council for standing its ground over a planning appeal for 117 home in Banbury. A government planning inspector last week <6/1> backed Cherwell District Council
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Five men arrested on suspicion of harecoursing offences near Abingdon
FIVE men have been arrested in Southmoor, near Abingdon, on suspicion of Hunting Act offences. Police said they received a report on Friday of people in a vehicle believed to be involved in harecoursing, where people bet on dogs chasing rabbits
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Over 100 people pay tribute to Steve Cross at Oxford Railway Station
MORE than 100 people turned out today at Oxford Railway Station to pay their respects to a “much loved” member of staff. Steve Cross, 38, from Cowley, who worked on the barriers at the station for eight years, passed away suddenly on Saturday morning
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Blow for Oxford United as Joe Riley signs for Bury
OXFORD United have suffered a setback in their plans for the January transfer window after missing out on re-signing Joe Riley. The right back has agreed a two-and-a-half year deal with fellow Sky Bet League Two club Bury. Riley spent the first
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More music and play classes put on for toddlers
TODDLERS enjoyed new music play sessions in Oxford as organisers added more Salt Box Music classes across the city. The classes, which use props and puppets to entertain children, are available for children aged up to four. Founder Michelle
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The curtain comes down on plans for theatre on island
PLANS for an island theatre and new footbridge in Abingdon appear to have been scrapped. Vale of White Horse District Council said project group Isis, which wanted to build on Nag’s Head Island, had ditched the idea. Vale councillor Richard
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Woman denies murder of Robert 'Raggy' Smith on Thames Path
A 41-YEAR-OLD woman has today pleaded not guilty to the murder of a man in Abingdon. Natasha Elderfield, of no fixed abode, denied the crime this morning during an appearance at Oxford Crown Court. She is alleged to have murdered 33-year-old
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£10k boost for Marston church hall revamp
TRUSTEES at a church in Marston have begun a significant refurbishment of their church hall after securing a “sizeable donation” from a parishioner. Work on St Nicholas Church hall began on January 5 after a grant received from the Government was
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UPDATE: Elderly man missing in North Oxford found safe and well
AN ELDERLY man who went missing in his pyjamas has been found safe and well. A member of the public called the police today with reports of an elderly man walking barefoot in Aristotle Lane wearing pyjamas. Police brought in a helicopter to
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Ashmolean puts some colour into ancient religions
FOUR-year-old Gwendolin Kelava learnt how ancient Greek and Roman religion was a multi-coloured affair at the Ashmolean Museum on Saturday. The North Oxford youngster went along to a workshop Gods in Colour with mother Gordana Kelava. In the
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Developer wins appeal for new flats alongside A34 in Botley
PLANS to build more flats by the A34 in Botley have been approved on appeal. The proposals to demolish 26-28 Westminster Way for a new apartment block were initially rejected by Vale of White Horse District Council last year. A block of nine
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Is using fire crews in medical call-outs a solution to paramedic response times?
Many people may think that all firefighters in this country do is put out fires. Nothing could be further from the truth, writes Oxfordshire County Council deputy leader Rodney Rose. In Oxfordshire they are trained to deal with many other emergency
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Botley Road work causing delays
TEMPORARY traffic lights and engineering work in Botley are causing delays to motorists. There is slow traffic along Botley Road while work on the traffic lights near the Seacourt Park and Ride takes place. Engineers are working to provide
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ATHLETICS: Hannah England confident her best is yet to come
HANNAH England believes her experience in major competitions can ensure she continues to get better and better on the world stage. The Oxford City athlete endured a frustrating campaign in 2014, which saw her reach the 1500m finals in the Commonwealth
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Conman jailed after stealing £115,000 from Witney antiques shop owner
JUSTICE last night finally caught up on a conman who swindled £115,000 from a councillor’s antiques firm 11 years ago. Oliver Trusgnach was yesterday jailed for 27 months – watched at Oxford Crown Court by David Harvey, the victim he fleeced for
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Cancelled ops a symptom of big trouble in NHS
HIGH demand seems to be the never-ending reason for the health service lurching from one crisis to another. It is the reason ambulances are struggling to reach patients in time, it is the reason why people are waiting for hours in accident and
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Parents must have a word with children
THE changes to the Oxford Junior Dictionary are a damning example of the changes in our children’s lives. Words such as cauliflower and otter have been replaced with cut and paste and broadband. It is yet another indication of how the next
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Trial of man on child sex charges continues
The trial of a man accused of engaging in sexual activity with a child is due to continue today. Joseph Tsang, of Sandy Lane, Oxford, denies three counts of the offence as well as two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity
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Clegg speaks out against Campsfield extension plan
THE Deputy Prime Minister has spoken out against the expansion of Campsfield House immigration detention centre. The Home Office and Ministry of Justice want to add a 290-bed extension to the centre in Langford Lane, Kidlington. It houses men
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Skull find is historic
Police have confirmed that a skull found in Kings Lock, near Wolvercote, on Monday was historic. Spokeswoman Connie Primmer said: “The area where the skull was found is very close to a series of Bronze Age barrows (burial mounds) and the archaeologist
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Five arrested over theft of £16,000 puppy
FIVE men from Oxford have been arrested after a puppy worth £16,000 was stolen, police have said. Surrey Police said yesterday that a rare lilac British Bulldog puppy was taken from the breeder’s home in Tadworth, Surrey, in October. The force
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Five charged over Morrisons cash machine theft
Five men have been charged after a cash machine was stolen from a Morrisons store in Banbury. The break-in took place between 3.30am and 5am on December 8 in South Bar Street. Thames Valley Police charged six men with conspiracy to commit a
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Memorial to rail staff member
Passengers and train staff have created a memorial to a rail staff member who died on Saturday. Tributes have swamped Oxford Station for gateline manager Steve Cross, who passed away on Saturday morning. Workers hung up a jacket, pinning touching
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Seven men deny sex attacks on teen girls
A complainant started giving evidence yesterday in the trial of seven men accused of grooming and sexually exploiting eight teenage girls in Banbury. The defendants are Ahmed Hassan-Sule, 21, of Glyndebourne Gardens; Said Saleh, 20, of Orchard
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Junior dictionary discards nature for hi-tech words
A HEADTEACHER has backed authors who criticised Oxford University Press for replacing nature vocabulary with hi-tech alternatives in a junior dictionary. A group of 28 authors, including former children’s laureate Michael Morpurgo, have complained
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Second round of redundancies at medical firm
MEDICAL devices manufacturer Penlon, based in Abingdon, has embarked on its second round of redundancies within a year. Chief executive officer Stephen Moon said the company sent an email to staff on Monday informing them the firm had started a
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Death 'unexplained' after woman's body found at house
THE body of a woman was found a house in Abingdon Road yesterday. Witnesses said police officers and forensics staff had been at the house since about 8.30am. The three-storey home had its windows covered and painted up. Thames Valley Police
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Snow forecast for parts of Oxfordshire later this week as county escapes the worst
THE Met Office has predicted snow in some parts of Oxfordshire later this week. According to its website there was some snow in Witney in the early hours and there have been reports of some in other parts of West Oxfordshire in Carterton and Chipping
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Brave boy heads for No. 10 with a petition and hope
A SCHOOLBOY who suffers from a life-shortening disease will head to 10 Downing Street today to hand over petition for potentially life-changing drugs to be made available on the NHS. Isaac White, 11, was diagnosed with the rare condition Duchenne
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RACING: Ben Case eyeing Cheltenham with Croco Bay
Croco Bay is back in light exercise with a spring campaign on the horizon. The eight-year-old, from Ben Case’s Edgcote stables, near Banbury, turned what looked a competitive handicap chase at Ascot in November into a procession when winning by
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RACING: Henrietta Knight hoping Somersby can sparkle in Ascot test
Henrietta Knight is hopeful that Somersby can shine again on Ascot’s big stage and regain his crown in the Sodexo Clarence House Chase on Saturday. The 11-year-old gelding will be running in the Grade 1 contest for the fifth successive season,
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SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL: Vale's hopes ended by slick Hereford
FREE-scoring Vale of White Horse hit a brick wall as their run came to an end in the quarter-finals with a 4-0 at home defeat to a talented Hereford & District side. Vale had scored 19 goals in four games to reach the last eight, but they seldom
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Wednesday, January 14
2:13pm Five men arrested on suspicion of harecoursing offences near Abingdon %if(after3) %if(after7)
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Delays on the A34 after a collision between Wendlebury and Weston-on-the-Green
THERE are delays on the A34 southbound between junction 9 of the M40 and the B430 to Weston-on-the-Green after a two-vehicle collision. Sensors show traffic is moving slowly on the stretch of road and is causing queues at the junction and on the
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Rider still seriously ill after fall
A horse rider in her 20s, whose career was nurtured by Oxfordshire trainer Lawney Hill, last night remained “seriously ill” in hospital after a fall at a Melbourne racetrack. Liz Rice, who lived in Chinnor and trained at Aston Rowant racecourse
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Tree crash driver hurt
A driver was taken to hospital yesterday morning following an accident involving a fallen tree near Oxford. The crash on the Horton Road, near Stanton St John, happened at about 5.30am. South Central Ambulance spokeswoman Michelle Archer said
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Inquest will hear of teen's care death
The mother of a teenager who died at a Headington NHS facility has welcomed a jury inquest. Connor Sparrowhawk died in July 2013 at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Slade House, in Horspath Driftway. It is believed the 18-year-old drowned
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FOOTBALL: Curtis dazzles Woodstock felled by Jericho
BEN Curtis netted all four goals for AFC Jericho as they won 4-1 at Woodstock Wanderers in the Hedley Toms/Michael Brown Memorial Trophy, writes MATTHEW HARDY. Carl Heaven replied. Iffley Harriers defeated Railway Wheatley 4-0, thanks to a
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Finding out how people saw the heavens long ago
PUPILS will be gaining insights on how ancient people saw the heavens. East Oxford Community Classics Centre is to host an Ancient Astronomy Day to encourage people to get into the subject. On Tuesday the centre, based at Cheney School, will
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Netting given away to beat strong winds
A COUNCIL is giving away free nets to help residents protect their goods for recycling in strong winds. It comes as the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning of wind for Oxfordshire for today and tomorrow. West Oxfordshire District Council
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‘Budget cuts will damage work on carbon emissions’
EFFORTS to reduce carbon emissions will be damaged by a council proposal to axe all funding for county environmental groups, it has been warned. A boss of Community Action Groups (CAG) spoke out over Oxfordshire County Council plans to cut £90,000
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FOOTBALL: Kaylem Patterson called up for England Schools
STRIKER Kaylem Patterson has been selected for England Schools’ Under 18s, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. The 17-year-old, enrolled on the City of Oxford College football course based at Oxford City’s Marsh Lane, was a key member of the City side which
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YOUTH FOOTBALL: Riehl hits four to earn Stripes point in 12-goal thriller
It was goals galore at Berinsfield’s clash with Summertown Stripes in the Under 12 Spring E League, writes Paul Lyon. The game ended 6-6 as Max Riehl hit a four-timer for Stripes, with Jack Childs and Jacob Ascam also finding the net. Jesse
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Cables fire cuts power in Oxford centre
NINETEEN buildings in Oxford were left without power last night after a fault in an electrical installation. Two fire engines were called to reports of smoke coming from under a manhole in St Aldate’s just after 2pm yesterday. A cordon was
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Ambulance trust comes bottom in league table
SOUTH Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) got a lower percentage of stroke patients to hospital within an hour than any other ambulance service in England last year. The figures were revealed yesterday by independent healthcare regulator Care Quality
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Schoolboy suffers head injuries in car collision
A 12-YEAR-OLD schoolboy needed hospital treatment after a collision with a car in Chipping Norton. The crash happened in West Street at about 8.30am yesterday and police closed the road between The Green and The Leys. South Central Ambulance
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Missing boys may be together, say police
TWO teenage boys who have gone missing may be together, police believe. Thames Valley Police issued an appeal to find Vietnamese teenagers Tuan Than and Nam Hoang, both aged 15. The boys have never gone missing before, police spokeswoman Hannah
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County hospitals top list for cancelling operations
HIGH demand from emergency patients has caused Oxfordshire to have the most cancelled operations in the country, it has been claimed. Almost 800 planned operations in Oxfordshire have been cancelled over winter so far, the highest in the country
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FOOTBALL: Johnson stuns Riverside to give Yarnton shock win
AN extra-time goal from Ben Johnson gave Yarnton a shock 4-3 victory at Premier Division Riverside in the quarter-final of the Ben Turner Cup. An earlier strike from Johnson and goals from Andy White and Luke Brennan had been cancelled out by Altin
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FOOTBALL: Mighty Murphy's treble is booster for Berinsfield
David Murphy hammered a hat-trick as high-flying Berinsfield won 4-0 at North Berks League Division 1 basement side Saxton Rovers, writes Phil Annets. Dan Osbourne was also netted for the visitors. Wallingford Town moved up to fourth with a
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FOOTBALL: Hailey keep up pressure on table-toppers Carterton Town A
Hailey seized the initiative in the race for the Witney & District Premier Division title with an important 2-1 victory over current leaders Carterton Town A. Shaun Rayfield netted a brace for the second-placed hosts, with Jason Trinder replying
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Share views on housing benefit
OXFORD residents who receive or have applied for housing benefit or council tax reductions are being asked for their views about the schemes. Oxford City Council this week opened a consultation that will run until February 27. It said it could
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Rabbit rosettes indicate pub is of high quality
The Wild Rabbit pub in Kingham, West Oxfordshire, has been awarded three AA Rosettes. It was the only Oxfordshire establishment out of 22 receiving rosettes to get three, with 11 in London and three in Scotland. The AA gives the award to restaurants
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Dinosaur delights at drop-in visit to family centre
THREE-YEAR-OLD Alice Cavalier had a great time getting to grips with a toy dinosaur at Donnington Doorstep family centre in Oxford. Alice was at a family play session at the centre in Townsend Square on Friday with her mother Sarah. The youngster
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Repeat offender who kicked friend on ground avoids jail
A REPEAT offender who threatened his friend with a wine bottle and kicked him as he lay on the ground has been spared prison. Kyle Chadbone, of Webbs Close, Wolvercote, Oxford, was told he has a “very poor record” yesterday by a judge in Oxford
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FOOTBALL: Didcot Town held by late leveller
DIDCOT Town’s winless run in Division 1 South & West of the Evo-Stik Southern League was extended to three matches after a late strike denied them victory at home to Shortwood United last night. Josh Klein-Davis headed home with four minutes
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FOOTBALL: Oxford United duo Demi Lambourne and Ella Franklin-Fraiture receive England call-ups
OXFORD United Women Demi Lambourne and Ella Franklin-Fraiture have been selected for England Under 19s training later this month. Goalkeeper Lambourne (top) and midfielder Franklin-Fraiture will join up with the squad at St George’s Park for the
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Focus falls on how to keep business alive and thriving during disruption of upcoming projects
WAYS of keeping the city thriving during major works over the next few years are to be explored by a team of councillors. Oxford City Council’s scrutiny committee will examine how it can support businesses during major projects such as the £500m
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Model students explore links between chemistry and art
PUPILS from two Oxfordshire schools explored the links between chemistry and art through learning about molecules. Students from Didcot Girls’ School and The Cooper School in Bicester built 3D molecular models to learn how mirror images can have
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FOOTBALL: Ten-man Oxford City give Woking huge fright
TEN-MAN Oxford City pushed hosts Woking all the way before falling to a 2-1 defeat in last night’s second round replay, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. City had to play for an hour with ten men after Alejandro-Adrian Santiago was sent off for a foul on former
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Care home nurse's 83-hour week due to staff shortage
A CARE home for people with learning disabilities does not have enough qualified nurses to meet people’s needs according to an inspection. House 2, Slade House in Headington, Oxford, is on the same site where 18-year-old Connor Sparrowhawk died