Archive

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Update: Flood alert issued for River Thames through Oxford to Kennington and Radley

THE Environment Agency has issued a flood alert for the River Thames through Oxford this evening. The alert also covers the section of the River south of the city as far as Radley, including Kennington. An alert for Thames between Lechalde and

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One taken to hospital after two-vehicle collision on the A34 northbound near Wendlebury

ONE person was taken to the John Radcliffe hospital with minor injuries following a two vehicle collision on the A34 northbound.  South Central Ambulance Service was called at 2.30pm to reports of a collision involving two lorries on the A34 near

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Fly-tipping leads to recycling bins being removed by South Oxfordshire Council

RECYCLING bins in South Oxfordshire will be removed after residents said they attracted fly-tipping. Mixed recycling bins will be taken away from car parks, saving South Oxfordshire District Council about £20,000 a year. Spokeswoman Natalie

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Donation helps Blackbird Leys children’s art classes to expand

MORE children in Blackbird Leys living in poverty will be able to rely on art to express their needs and emotions thanks to a donation from Burger King. Oxford charity Art Room has been given funding to run classes for deprived children across

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Plan for hotel next to Botley McDonald’s is met with strong opposition

PLANS to replace a Botley bungalow with a 30-room hotel have been submitted. The proposals would see a four-storey guest house built next to McDonald’s in Botley Road with 17 car parking spaces. The application was submitted by Dr Sue Zhang

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Fashion model all set to star on runway with a difference, to help Oxford brain injury charity

Seven models whose lives have been affected by brain injuries will get the chance to shine on a fashion show runway. The Oxford-based charity Silverlining, which specialises in helping those affected by serious brain injuries, is expecting 100

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North Kidlington Primary School gets high marks again from inspectors

A KIDLINGTON primary school has maintained its ‘good’ rating from inspectors who called for more outstanding teaching. Ofsted rated North Kidlington Primary School in Benmead Road good for leadership, behaviour and safety, teaching and early years

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Traffic queuing on B430 after car and lorry crash

TRAFFIC is queuing on the B430, which is partially blocked after a crash. The collision is reported to have involved a car and a lorry and there is debris and oil on the road. There are delays both ways around Green Lane/Akeman Street, between

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Councillor hits out at proposal to build 75 homes in village

A PROPOSED housing estate that would increase the size of a village by more than 20 per cent has come under fire from a councillor. Gladman, which describes itself as “one of the UK’s largest speculative developers”, has revealed plans to build

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JIM TANNER: Pioneer of dog racing

JIM Tanner, who has died aged 91, worked in the Cowley car industry for more than 40 years and served as a soldier in the Second World War. He also worked at Oxford Stadium in its early days of greyhound racing, was an Aunt Sally enthusiast, pigeon

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Obituary: Jack Robinson, ‘exceptional’ pilot gave up his medical ambitions to stay with RAF after war

A SECOND World War bomber pilot and former flying instructor at RAF Brize Norton has died aged 95. Jack Ratcliff Robinson, known as Robbie, was a Royal Air Force pilot who flew from bases in Malta, patrolling the Mediterranean, and later on missions

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IRVINE LOUDON: Medical history and art were passions of practical joker GP

A FORMER Wantage GP, medical historian and artist has died aged 90. Irvine Stewart Lees Loudon was a GP in the town from 1952 to 1981, a forceful proponent of the NHS and devoted to his patients. His speciality as a physician was obstetrics

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Interview: Mark and Vanessa Woodward - Making music everywhere

Nicola Lisle meets the wife and husband duo behind an unconventional operatic company A couple of nights of opera around a village pond seems an unlikely birthplace for an opera company. The setting was the Sunningwell Festival in the summer

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The most influential body at Oxford University

Student William Pimlott on the phenomenon with a naughty name The feminist group C**try Living is perhaps the most important and influential group among students at Oxford. And its success has provoked the following questions: How did a Facebook

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Hitting high notes on Thursday

Jane Amies is a member of the Summertown Choral Society Thursday night choir rehearsals are a highlight of my week. Even if it’s a cold and wet evening outside, once inside St Andrew’s Church, where we rehearse, there are always friendly people

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TV's outing to Tilling marred by mistakes

Icomplained some weeks ago that BBC One’s new three-part adaptation of E.F. Benson’s evergreen comic novel Mapp and Lucia looked to be superfluous, the job having been done so well in the 1980s in an ITV series starring Geraldine McEwan, Prunella Scales

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All in the dark as our one light goes out

There is only one street light in the short road in which I live. Not so long ago there wasn’t even that, and all around was dark. Now all is dark again. Our single light ceased shining early last month. Strangely — as some of us thought — this happened

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Why let the truth spoil a good wartime story?

The new film version of Vera Brittain’s First World War memoir Testament of Youth comes to the nation’s screens this week with a 12A certificate. Beneath the opening announcement of this is an explanation of why some parental caution is necessary:

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Monumental battle ensues

Reg Little looks at the ongoing fight for a Spanish Civil War memorial in Bonn Square It still remains to be seen whether a memorial will be erected in Bonn Square to honour the 31 Oxfordshire men and women who volunteered to defend the Spanish

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Tough life on the farm in Angharad Price book

Rachel Phipps, owner of The Woodstock Bookshop, on a favourite novel detailing the life of a Welsh farming family At the beginning of The Life of Rebecca Jones is a passage musing on tranquillity – “a reversal of creation. The perfection of an

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Burglar who punched Oxford resident narrowly escapes prison term

A BURGLAR who punched a homeowner has avoided prison. Lee Pullen was given a 12-month suspended sentence at Oxford Crown Court on Monday for the latest in a string of crimes. The 32-year-old, of Burgan Close, Oxford, pleaded guilty to one count

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Tapas prove a Star at Woodstock inn

Katherine MacAlister did not want a full-blown meal, and she found the perfect place It was cold and raining outside, so when Mr Greedy bounded home saying ‘let’s go out’, it didn’t fill me with enormous excitement, bad wife that I am. I wasn’t

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Great tasting food with a noble ideal

Helen Peacocke meets Prad Walimbe to try his healthy meals that are fighting child poverty Prad Walimbe, director of the newly formed wa! company, developed a passion for food while watching his mother create original infusions from wild vegetables

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Snowdrop fever

Galanthophile Val Bourne shares her experience of the winter bloom The warmish winter, although not very sunny here, has prompted lots of snowdrops to break through and show their tempting white spears early on so I’m already suffering from snowdrop

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Make a kids a sensational new garden

Lucy Tomkinson of the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) helps children to get in touch with nature Did you know that the 15 million gardens in the UK cover an area that’s bigger than all the national nature reserves? And that only one

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Remembering Jo Stannard at Fire Station restrospective

Claudia Figueiredo views an exhibition dedicated to a special artist One unique aspect of Oxford is that wherever you are, it is only a five-minute walk into unspoilt nature. Up Iffley Road from The Plain is Aston’s Eyot, translated roughly as

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Culham apprentice challenge

A team of apprentices from the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy will compete against 80 others in a prestigious national competition. Regional heats for the Brathay Apprentice Challenge to find the team of the year will see contenders visiting schools

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Snapper’s wildlife shots up for award

Letcombe Regis photographer and businesswoman Mel Taylor has been shortlisted for a national award for her wildlife shots. The 50-year-old mother-of-two will find out on Saturday if she has been named Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographer

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Estate agent pledges money to Bampton building's repair fund

Estate agent Winkworth has pledged £500 to the Old Grammar School campaign for every house it sells in the Bampton. Letters from the firm’s Oxford branch manager Glyn Buckley were sent to residents offering help to reach the £250,000 target needed

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Mark Watson will be baring all his flaws in new show

Katherine MacAlister talks to award-winning comedian Mark Watson The last time we spoke, Mark Watson had been dealing with identity fraud while on tour in Australia, which gave him some great material. This time he is at home changing nappies while

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Dance stars create a show of beauty in Snow White on Ice

David Bellan says Snow White's central characters deliver a powerful piece of theatre Once again the Russian Ice Stars have shown that it’s possible to cram up to 20 dancers on to a relatively tiny stage, and produce a work that is technically

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Review - Vary My Days @ Kennington Village Hall

There have been many musical theatre medleys featuring songs from the shows, but none to compare with the power and the passion of Vary My Days. It’s a new song cycle, devised by Tom Bayliss, a final year Music Theatre student at London’s Arts

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Review: Collider @ Old Fire Station, Oxford

Heavy ions are not all that is colliding in Shaun McCarthy’s short, sharp 2009 play which remains on view for the next two Saturday lunchtimes at the Old Fire Station. There is pretty powerful impact, too, between a pair of scientists involved in the

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Oxfordshire firm creates thousands of horses for Exodus film + trailer

HI-TECH wizardy from an Oxfordshire firm features in movie director Ridley Scott’s latest blockbuster. Wheatley-based AudioMotion Studios used motion capture technology for Moses epic Exodus: Gods and Kings. Scenes showing thousands of charging

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Personalised coffins are proving to be way to go in Oxford

BRIGHTENING up the Big Chill is boosting business for an Oxford firm. Sales at Colourful Coffins, in Cowley, have jumped by 30 per cent each year for the past three years, thanks to the popularity of its personalised picture caskets. And the

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Stars gather for second piano series

Nicola Lisle on the legends appearing at the international piano series, opening next week When you have piano legends like John Lill keen to come and play at your venue, you know you must be doing something right. This is certainly the case

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Highlights - Hozier, Sinking Witches and more

Rock & roll ROCK AND ROLL PARADE New Theatre, Oxford Tonight (Thurs) Tickets from atgtickets.com There’ll be a whole lotta shakin’ going on down on George Street tonight, when The Big Bopper, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Eddie Cochran

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Soundbites - Lionel Richie is Henley-bound

* Old school heavy metal fans were left crying into their patchouli oil in December, when legends of UK rock Saxon were forced to cancel their show. The gig, at the O2 Academy, was pulled when drummer Nigel Glocker was rushed to hospital after suffering

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Royal Blood make pulses race

​Tim Hughes is left wondering how two people can make such a glorious racket on Royal Blood's return to Oxford Royal Blood O2 Academy Oxford January 8, 2015 Rock fans have not had all that much to celebrate in recent

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Man arrested on suspicion of stalking in Blewbury near Didcot

A 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of stalking in Blewbury near Didcot. A Didcot man was arrested on Sunday after a woman reported being followed by a man driving a grey Audi A3 on several occasions since September last year.

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Balloon Ascents heading for heights

They’re one of 2015’s hottest new bands and from Oxford. Tim Hughes reports Radiohead, Supergrass, Ride, Foals... every now and then an Oxford band comes along which makes everyone sit up, shut up and take notice. The latest is Balloon Ascents

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Students see views on princess' death in Tracey Emin exhibition

Sarah Mayhew Craddock on a provocative, reflective exhibition ‘Please note that this exhibition contains some material of an explicit nature,” reads the footnote at the bottom of the private view invitation. We have been warned. I can hear

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For Art's Sake with Tom Donegan

Tom Donegan, Events Manager at The Story Museum, looks at throwing open the doors to make stories accessible to all This Saturday marks the first ever Disabled Access Day, with arts venues, museums and other cultural and recreational organisations

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Diamond wedding delight for Grange Farm couple

A COUPLE who have farmed in Oxfordshire most of their lives will celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary today. Philip and Eva Clements have lived and worked at Lyford’s Grange Farm near Wantage since 1964. Now in their retirement, Mr Clements

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An homage to William Blake

Sarah Mayhew Craddock pays homage to an iconic visionary, painter, poet and thinker ahead of the Inspired by Blake festival in Oxford Oxford is ablaze with all things Blake right now. From the brilliant William Blake: Apprentice and Master exhibition

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Didcot basketball club have Devil of a job finding new home

A BASKETBALL club is appealing for help finding a new venue. The Didcot Devils were formed in 2009 with six members and now boast 80 players across six age groups. Teams play their home games at Wallingford School and head coach Serguei Terekhov

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The Guide: What is happening on the entertainment scene

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Tanked up on relaxation

Marc West plunges in to take the January detox to a new level Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Are you sticking to them so far? After the sheer indulgence of the festive season I’m now resigned to a healthier (and hopefully happier)

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Teatime at Eynsham Hall

I jumped at the chance to go back to Eynsham Hall for a winter’s afternoon tea, having awarded it my top slot in the 2014 Oxford Mail Restaurant Awards. I have told lots of people about it since my visit in the summer. One of the reasons I

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Flood warning lifted from Steventon area but alert still remains

A FLOOD warning is no longer in place for Ginge Brook, between Steventon and Sutton Courtneay, including the Milton and Drayton areas. The Environment Agency has lifted the warning, which means flooding is expected and immediate action is required

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A further £10k still needed by lobby for a splash park in the Leys in Witney

CAMPAIGNERS in Witney still need to raise £10,000 to help build a new splash park and play area on the Leys recreation area in Witney. The Liven up the Leys group has already raised £10,000 over the past two years towards a project which will cost

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Oxford woman’s death was drug-related

A 39-year-old woman suffered a drug-related death, a coroner has ruled. An inquest at Oxford Coroner’s Court heard Katrina Hyndman was found unresponsive at her Lake Street home on September 6. Coroner’s officer Emily Williams said Ms Hyndman

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Nibbles - Atomic Burger, Four Candles and more

* Mark Butcher, known affectionately as Baz by his loyal customers at the St Giles Cafe, is taking over the White Hart at Wytham next Monday. It will be closed for four or five days while he refurbishes and repaints it and plans to reopen it for Sunday

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A banquet night fit for a maharaja at Ovisher

Tim Hughes tackles a belt-busting bargain feast at a favourite curry house – now given a trendy makeover It sounded too good to be true; so good that it demanded further investigation... One of my favourite Indian restaurants, offering free

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It's all change at The Perch

Starting Up with Jon Ellse @ The Perch, Binsey A quick update… We closed our doors on Sunday, January 4, and refurbishment building works began on Monday. We hope to reopen sometime in April but much will depend on the weather over the next

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Chef's Special recipe - Roasted Girolles, Goats Cheese Croquettes and Kale Crisps

Steve Bush at The Mole & Chicken, Easington provides this week's recipe I only enjoyed sport, art and home economics at school and was still undecided at 16 as to what career path to take. I received top marks one day for tea and toast

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Review - A testament to the misery of war

Damon Smith reviews the film based on the First World War memoir by Vera Brittain Published in 1933, Testament Of Youth was the first instalment of memoirs by feminist writer and pacifist Vera Mary Brittain covering the years 1900-1925. In

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Questions to answer over Campsfield House expansion plans

THE Home Office claims that public concern about the expansion of Campsfield House immigration removal centre is not widespread. This is despite letters signed by heads of Oxford Colleges, academics, and representatives of churches and community

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Ask MPs for safeguards over road tolls

THE Infrastructure Bill seeks to transfer our main roads such as the A34 and M40 to a new company called Highways England and raises the prospect of tolling them. The Government denies that it wants to toll existing roads, but we must ask why are

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Reasons to come to Headington

TEN reasons to come to Headington. 1. Nine or more charity shops. 2. Eleven or more coffee shops and takeaways, and more to come. 3. Numerous supermarkets. 4. Limited parking. 5. Parking: £1.40 for two hours and increasing.

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Oxford residents unhappy over county council’s provision of information on transport schemes

EARLLER this week I chaired a meeting of Oxford City Council's East Area Forum. Meetings take place regularly, so that local residents have another way of letting councillors know what matters most to them, so that we can reflect in our work.

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Oxford roadworks provide good reason to tackle War and Peace

ENJOY crossword puzzles? Ever fancied tackling War and Peace? Thanks to the new leisure opportunities now afforded to pedestrians waiting to cross at the Worcester Street/George Street junctions, you now have ample time to follow your pursuits.

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Buckingham Palace honour for Oxford lecturer who set up student mental health group

AN OXFORD lecturer who set up a group to help students with mental health problems will be honoured by the Queen with a new award. Nicola Byrom will become one of the first people to ever win a Queen’s Young Leaders Award. The 27-year-old set

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Biodiversity consultation deadline has been extended

FURTHER to your publication of my letter about the current biodiversity strategy consultation, (January 12), I am pleased to report that, as a result of my taking this matter up with Oxford City Council, the deadline has been extended by just over

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Scales of Justice – 19 people up in court

OXFORD MAGISTRATES Carl Haines, 32, of Lambourn Road, Rose Hill, Oxford, admitted breaching a non-molestation order in Knights Road, Oxford, on December 13 by entering a premises and using threatening words or behaviour. Community order made

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Comic Lee Hurst keeps up the pace

Comic Lee Hurst tells Katherine MacAlister how he keeps the buzz of stand-up alive "Lots of people think I’m dead,” Lee Hurst tells me proudly, “just because I’m not on TV any more. “But I’ve been there and done that, and for me it’s about

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Alvvays: darkness lies beneath

Hailing from Canada’s rugged Maritimes, Alvvays layer bright melodies with dark undercurrents. Tim Hughes finds out more It is all too easy to get taken in by Alvvay’s light, breezy indie-pop. Singer Molly Rankin delivers honey-coated melodies

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Thrilling role proves welcome challenge for Malcolm James

Woman in Black actor Malcolm James talks to Katherine MacAlister about landing a part in one of the most famous West End plays ever Last time Malcolm James was treading the boards at the Oxford Playhouse it was as a student. Now he’s the lead in

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It’s still time for West Oxford's Robin Hood panto (oh yes it is)

THERE’s still time to catch one more pantomime before the season closes, as West Oxford Pantomime Association gears up for Robin Hood. The community actors will perform the story of the heroic outlaw from January 22 to 24, in the West Oxford Community

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Call to Oxfordshire women: ‘Let’s beat cancer and sign up to Race for Life’

EVERY year, thousands of women dressed in pink swarm through Oxford’s University Parks in aid of a good cause. Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is one of the city’s most popular charity events and more than 5,200 women took part last year.

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LEGAL CHALLENGE: Limitations still exist on right to free speech

The terrible events in France last week resulted in a rallying around the banner of free speech. Western leaders united in Paris around the principle of freedom of expression. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees the

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The Insider: Royal Mail late with stamp of approval

IT IS not just the post that is late, but Royal Mail press releases too. The Insider was sent information about the new Alice in Wonderland stamps, which were released to celebrate the book’s 150th anniversary. The press release said: “Strict embargo

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Don't blame hard-working staff for rail chaos

AS MUCH as the rail service system can be criticised, there is no doubt that the majority of its staff are diamonds. Every day they have to deal with frazzled passengers, delays and crowded trains. And so often they do it with a smile, efficiency

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Someone has to take charge and sort out our railways

DAVID Cameron has said what we all know. Train services in Oxfordshire are in desparate need of improvement. They are nearing Third World standards. Be it late trains, poorly-timed engineering works, or the dreaded signal failures that plague

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'Politicians must start listening when residents express views'

ONE of the most frustrating things about being a local councillor is when a decision gets made on a local issue and everyone locally knows it is wrong but they don’t get listened to, writes Lib Dem county councillor Neil Fawcett. One example of

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London Welsh captain Tom May: The time is right to stop

LONDON Welsh skipper Tom May said his decision to retire from rugby at the end of the season was not influenced the club’s current plight in the Aviva Premiership. The Exiles seem doomed after securing just one point from 13 games and are 20 points

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Botley Road delays due to temporary traffic lights

Temporary traffic lights and engineering work in Botley caused delays to motorists yesterday. There was slow traffic along Botley Road while work on the traffic lights near the Seacourt Park and Ride took place. Engineers were working to provide

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Bus firms in Oxford blame costs of congestion as fares go up

BUS companies are hiking up some SmartZone fare prices – and are blaming Oxford’s roadworks and congestion. The new fares – the first price changes in 12 months – take effect on Sunday, January 25.Some prices drop, some will stay the same and some

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Oxford rail station falls silent in tribute to employee Steve Cross, 38

OXFORD’S railway station was brought to an emotional standstill yesterday as staff, family and passengers remembered a “top bloke”. Father-of-two Steve Cross, 38, left, from Cowley, who worked on ticket barriers at the station for eight years,

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Oxford United striker pleased with injury diagnosis

JAMES Roberts could return to action for Oxford United this month after an encouraging initial diagnosis on his hamstring injury. The 18-year-old striker, who missed a month earlier this season with a similar problem, damaged the same muscle in

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Lights, action, as Didcot students put on musical

BRIGHT lights will illuminate a school musical production when pupils take to the stage next month. Students from St Birinus School and Didcot Girls’ School are hard at work rehearsing for the production of Guys and Dolls from February 4-7 at St

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Thursday, January 15

1:23pm Video footage from Reaz Hoque of the fire %if(after3) %if(after7) google_ad_client = "pub

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CRICKET: Jack Brooks lauds Jonathan Trott as pair star for England with the bat

JACK Brooks was quick to praise Jonathan Trott’s stamina as both impressed with the bat on duty for England Lions. Trott batted for almost 11 hours as he made an unbeaten 211 against South Africa A in an unofficial Test at Paarl. Brooks, from

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FOOTBALL: Oxford City boss unhappy with Santiago dismissal

OXFORD City general manager Justin Merritt criticised referee Nigel Lugg’s decision to send off Alejandro-Adrian Santiago in their second round replay defeat at Woking on Tuesday, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. City led 1-0 at the time, but went on to lose

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Police seeking these people following shoplifting

Police have released CCTV images of six people they want to speak to in connection with separate incidents of shoplifting at shops in Bicester and Banbury. The force said a woman went into the Bassett Avenue Co-op in Bicester at about 6.50pm on

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Seacourt park-and-ride will double in size to be the largest in Oxford

SEACOURT park-and-ride is set to almost double in size after Oxford City Council unveiled plans for a 600-space expansion. Initial reports in October suggested the council wanted to create up to 300 parking spaces at the Botley Road site, but yesterday

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Anniversary revives memory of Churchill’s Bladon burial

AS THE village bobby it fell to Donald Thompson to help prepare and guard the churchyard for Sir Winston Churchill’s burial. On January 30, it will be 50 years since the former Prime Minister was buried at St Martin’s Church in Bladon. As a

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A whiter shade of pale for these old stones

THEY are thousands of years old but the Rollright Stones were one of the few landmarks in Oxfordshire to see a dusting of snow yesterday. The Bronze Age monument in Great Rollright, near Chipping Norton, had a sprinkling of the white stuff. But

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Blog: Man arrested on suspicion of arson as police link three major fires including SODC offices

9:20pm Andrew Main has been charged over the fires in South Oxfordshire. Full story here %if(after3) %if(after7)

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Constituents deserve a better rail deal, says Cameron

PRIME Minister David Cameron has said his Oxfordshire constituents deserved a better train service and that more needed to be done on the Cotswold Line. The Witney MP also warned that train operators risked losing their franchise if they failed

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ATHLETICS: Entries open for fun run

Runners of all abilities are encouraged to take part in the Oxford 10K Charity Fun Run which takes place at Horspath Athletics Ground, Oxford on Sunday, January 25 (10am). Entries will be accepted on the day, with more information from Mark Caswell

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CAB pushes for policy change

Since the Citizens Advice (CAB) service was founded 75 years ago, it has been working to make society better. In England and Wales last year 21,500 volunteers provided advice from more than 3,900 community locations to over three million people

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FOOTBALL: Didcot Town hoping to end winless run

Didcot Town’s recent downturn in form is merely a blip, according to joint manager Ian Concannon. The Railwaymen take on Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West promotion rivals Taunton Town at Draycott Engineering Loop Meadow tomorrow

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Fitting tribute

History books tend to focus on two famous Oxford events in the 1930s: the 1933 King and Country debate at the Oxford Union, and the famous 1938 by-election, when the Master of Balliol A.D. Lindsay stood as an anti-appeasement candidate following the

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RACING: Paul Webber pays tribute as Time For Rupert retires

Banbury trainer Paul Webber has paid tribute to Time For Rupert after revealing his stable star has been retired. The 11-year-old gelding, who recovered from a life-threatening brain tumour to race again, won eight of his 26 starts and £230,257

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RUGBY UNION: Gerorge Grieve grabs brace in Banbury win

Banbury Colts took a mixed squad to Grove for a friendly fixture on Sunday and had a credible 29-14 win. In blustery conditions and on a sticky pitch, the visitors started the brighter with captain George Grieve adding penetration and pace to Banbury

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UPDATE: Roads north of Roke and Wallingford shut after thatched cottage fire

A POLICE cordon has been set up after a thatched cottage in Roke was engulfed by fire this morning. Emergency services got the call at Quaker's Corner, Roke Marsh, in Roke. A police cordon has been set up in Braze Lane, Roke, and police dogs

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Boy still in hospital after Chipping Norton collision

A 12-year-old boy injured after a collision with a car in Chipping Norton is still in hospital, police said yesterday. The boy was left with head injuries in the West Street crash at about 8.30am on Tuesday. Thames Valley Police spokeswoman

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Bicester munitions man rebailed

A man arrested after First and Second World War munitions were discovered at his house has been rebailed. Dan Mackay, 35, was arrested on suspicion of theft from heritage and protected sites on September 18. The Bicester resident told the Oxford

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UPDATE: Flooding alerts in place across Oxfordshire this morning as waters rise

FLOOD alerts are still in place across the county this morning. The Environment Agency issued alerts after heavy rain was expected across Oxfordshire yesterday evening and overnight. A Met Office weather warning has been put out for the area

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Parky at the Pictures (In Cinemas 15/1/2015)

In 1979, the BBC produced a magnificent adaptation of Vera Brittain's Great War memoir, Testament of Youth. Scripted by Elaine Morgan and directed by Moira Armstrong, this five-part serial managed to capture the faux glamour and harsh reality of the

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Parky at the Pictures (DVD 15/1/2015)

Few film-makers are as distinctive as Werner Herzog. Indeed, he could be the dictionary definition of an auteur, as he has always produced highly personal pictures and has made a habit of revisiting recurring themes, such as the individual's relationship

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‘Worst’ towpath in the city to get new surface at last

THE ‘worst’ stretch of canal towpath in Oxford will finally be smoothed over on Monday when a long-awaited repairs scheme begins. Residents who use the path beside the Oxford Canal, from Walton Well Road to Aristotle Lane, have complained it is

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8PM UPDATE: Fire at Crowmarsh offices reignites after high winds as man remains in custody over three arson attacks in South Oxfordshire + pictures and video

THE fire at the South Oxfordshire District Council offices has reignited after high winds fanned embers. Dave Etheridge, the chief fire officer, said that in the past hour there have been gale-force winds that turned over some of the loose material

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ATHLETICS: Impressive Ella Turner claims silver medal in new best

Oxford City’s Ella Turner won silver in the under 15 300m, setting an indoor personal best of 42.66secs at Lee Valley in the South of England Under 15/17 Championships. It took an outstanding performance to deny Turner the gold, with Brighton’s

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BAR BILLIARDS: Didcot slip off top as Democrats dominate

Didcot Conservative Club were knocked off top spot in Section 1 of the Johnsons Buildbase Oxford League. A 4-1 defeat at the hands of West Oxford Democrats Club allowed Masons to take over at the summit, even though they too lost, 3-2 against Kennington

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ATHLETICS: Luisa Chantler Edmond scoops gold as Radley turn on the style

Luisa Chantler Edmond won gold as Radley’s athletes produced a string of impressive results at the South of England Under 15/17 Championships at Lee Valley. Each member set at least one personal best, with the club picking up three medals in the

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ATHLETICS: Headington trio prove a class above

The speedy trio of Diane Moore, Liz Barker and Rachel Shaw underlined the Headington women’s dominance in the second division of the Apex Sports Chiltern Cross Country League. All achieved top-five placings in round four at Campbell Park, Milton

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ATHLETICS: Dan Blake battles to runner-up berth in Woodcote 10k

Witney Road Runners’ Dan Blake produced a fine run to finish in second place at the Woodcote 10k. Blake proved no match for winner Mark Harris (Team Trisports), who crossed the line almost three minutes ahead of him. Harris claimed victory

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AUNT SALLY: Townsend's to the fore in success

Ray Townsend hit a sixer as North Oxford Conservative Club beat Dave’s Diamonds 4-2 in the Kidlington Indoor League. A high-scoring clash saw Townsend and Pete Rampton (Dave’s Diamonds) each score 13 dolls. RESULTS ROUND-UP Eynsham SSC

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FOOTBALL: Younie misses Abingdon United game due to skiing trip

Andrew Younie is away skiing and misses Abingdon United’s trip Holyport in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division tomorrow. Striker Jimmy Deabill, who missed Abingdon’s 3-2 loss to Kidlington in midweek, returns after injury. Abingdon

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GOLF: Pepperell begins new Tour campaign this morning

EDDIE Pepperell’s third season on the European Tour begins this morning as he tees up in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. The Abingdon golfer sat out the opening events of the 2015 campaign, which started in South Africa last month, preferring

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Joseph Tsang trial in Oxford told of teenager’s sexual abuse claims

A FRIEND of a girl who claims she was sexually abused by a 31-year-old man has told a jury about the first time she heard the allegation. Joseph Tsang, of Sandy Lane, Oxford, denies three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child and two

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ICE HOCKEY: Tempers flare as Oxford City Stars hang on for vital victory against London Raiders

Oxford City Stars pulled off a stunning 8-6 victory in a bad-tempered English National League South Division 1 match against the London Raiders that saw a staggering 211 minutes in penalties awarded to the two sides. The result sees Oxford leapfrog

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West Oxfordshire District Council aims to freeze its share of council tax for fifth year

WEST Oxfordshire District Council is proposing to freeze its council tax for the fifth year running. The council’s cabinet agreed yesterday to recommend that full council should agree to freeze the tax when it sets its annual budget on February

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Wantage care home gets warning to make urgent improvements

THE operators of a care home have been warned they still must make improvements after it failed to meet national standards for a sixth time. St Katharine’s House in Wantage received a surprise visit from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in November

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Spread the word... Abingdon schoolgirls aim to set world book-swap record

OXFORDSHIRE school pupils will attempt to break the world record for book swapping. Teenagers at Our Lady’s Abingdon will join a national day of book swapping to try to set a record. Students and staff will be invited to each bring a book to

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Oxfordshire hospitals' bed-blocking rate is worst in country again

THE county’s hospital authority had England’s highest number of “bed- blocked” patients from January 2 to 4, new figures show. An average of 163 patients were in a bed each day when they were well enough to leave but could not as social care support

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Car fans rally round to help fund research

A CLASSIC car rally will pay the annual salary of an Oxford University cancer researcher. Bognor Regis Motor Club has pledged £16,000 raised from its 18th Regis Classic Car Tour in March to fund PhD student Iona Easthope. The sponsorship has been

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‘Housing plan calls for a new river crossing’

COUNCILLORS should not approve a planning application for 200 homes unless a new Witney river crossing is built, a leading councillor has said. Warwick Robinson, chairman of West Oxfordshire District Council’s planning committee, said the application

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Book firm celebrates getting the Queen’s seal of approval

AN Oxford company has become one of the official bookbinders to the Queen after being granted a Royal Warrant. Temple Bookbinders in Headington is the ninth company in Oxfordshire to receive the honour after working with the Royal family for the

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Exhibition to celebrate the history of Letcombe Bassett

IN 1948 a historic Oxfordshire village narrowly avoided being flattened by a council that said it was “too old”. Now, villagers in Letcombe Bassett have created a show to preserve their history, and teach their children how lucky they are their