Archive
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Residents rejoice as costly plans to trim hedge are cancelled
TENANTS told they needed to pay cash so a nearby hedge could be trimmed are now celebrating after they managed to get the work cancelled. Cottsway social housing tenants in Cogges, Witney, were asked to pay £25 towards the work while their homeowner
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"No-holds-barred" debate on Britain's future in the EU
A fully-booked "no-holds-barred" debate on Britain's future in the European Union will be held tonight in the Town Hall. The event is being hosted by the Oxford branch of pro-EU organisation the European Movement and chaired by local radio legend
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Sell-out production of Oliver by Witney students left the crowd wanting more
STUDENTS shone under the spotlight as a “stunning” performance of Oliver! left the audience wanting more. Pupils from the Henry Box School in Witney had been rehearsing for the show since September last year, and staff, visitors and fellow classmates
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Police hunt armed robbers who raided pub, petrol station and newsagent
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a series of armed robberies where raiders have threatened staff with tools. The first attempted robbery took place at the Murco petrol station on the A40 London Road in Postcombe at about 8pm on Tuesday, January
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UPDATE: All you need to know about service cuts following Oxfordshire County Council budget meeting
After an eventful day in County Hall, Oxfordshire County Councillors granted services a slice of extra time in order to try and find solutions to funding cuts. Proposals were amended during the course of the budget meeting which has seen some decisions
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Undiscovered JRR Tolkien poems found in old school annual
UNDISCOVERED poems by JRR Tolkien were unearthed in an Abingdon school library thanks to a tip from 4,000 miles away. The two works were discovered in a 1936 school annual at Our Lady’s Abingdon. They were published a year before Tolkien’s book
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Deadline looming for firms to sign up for recognition in county business award
COMPANIES are being urged to make sure they meet the deadline for the 2016 Oxfordshire Business Awards. More than 130 firms have already come forward to take part in the prestigious event. The awards were officially launched in December at
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Oxford United v Northampton Town - updates
6:31pm Tweets by @OxfordMailOUFC 6:31pm
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UPDATE: Burglars who targeted widow of murder victim went on crime spree
BURGLARS who stole sentimental jewellery from the widow of stabbing victim Justin Skrebowski are thought to have targeted five other homes the same night. Thieves clambered in through Gulsen Alkan's conservatory roof in Buckler Road on January
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Feature: Community rehab project is saving lives and shaping futures
In a quiet leafy corner of Oxfordshire, one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres is celebrating its latest success stories. Kieran Davey reports Since the Ley Community got new buildings 30 years ago the centre has helped
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GOLF: Jack Masih is Pimms No 1 at North Oxford
Jack Masih won the fourth round of North Oxford’s Pimms Cup by a narrow margin. Masih recorded 38 stableford points to edge home by one point from Gary Watts, who beat Steve Horne for runners-up spot on countback. Wesley Dimond won the club
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Co-chair of Oxford University Labour Club resigns saying members "have a problem with Jews"
The co-chair of Oxford University Labour Club (OULC) has resigned after claiming that a "large proportion" of members "have some kind of problem with Jews". Oriel College student Alex Chalmers announced that he was stepping down on Facebook following
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£14.8m hospital pipeline declared a "disaster" after application is made invalid
PLANS for a controversial heating pipe in Headington have been declared "invalid" by Oxford City Council. The application for the project - which would connect the John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals - has now been suspended over confusion as
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UPDATE: Homeless woman, 29, arrested on suspicion of conspiring to burgle beauty shop in Oxford
A homeless woman has been arrested on suspicion of conspiring to burgle Lush soap shop in Oxford city centre. The 29-year-old woman was also arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs. Police have also detained a 42-year-old homeless
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Science students in Didcot study rocket seeds from space
SCIENCE students at the University Technical College in Didcot are preparing to become space biologists and discover how seeds have been affected by their time in space. In September, 2kg of rocket seeds were flown to the International Space Station
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Child cancer charity set up by inspirational Skye Hall targeted by fraudsters
A charity set up by inspirational five-year-old Skye Hall has been targeted by fraudsters. His mum, Sally, 37, found that direct debit monthly payments of £250 were being transferred for someone to pay their mobile phone and BT landline from the
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Tuesday’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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Students at Oxford shelling out most on exercise equipment - bested only by Cambridge
If their online shopping habits are anything to go by, students at Oxford and Oxford Brookes Universities are among the fittest in the country. Between pints in The Bear, those infamous Oxford dinners and midnight kebab-van chips, figures from
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Jake Wright: Rest of League Two wants Oxford United to lose tonight
OXFORD United captain Jake Wright is well aware the rest of Sky Bet League Two will be hoping Northampton Town can win at the Kassam Stadium tonight. The pair, along with Plymouth Argyle, have occupied the division's automatic promotion places
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Raw sewage flowing down streets in Barton following drain malfunction
RAW sewage is overflowing from a drain near a block of flats in Barton. Waste from Hillside Court, in the estate, has been found flowing through the street into Taggs Gate and near the Barton Neighbourhood centre due to the drainage system for
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‘They had given me my sanity back,’ says mum campaigning to save children's centre
THE stars dangling from the ceiling of North Oxford Children’s Centre offer a gleaming canopy for curious eyes to gaze at. It is hard to imagine this buzzing centre sitting empty, with no-one to enjoy the fairy lights strung across the classroom
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GALLERY: Temperatures plummet to - 6 degrees in parts of the county
It was a frosty start for the county today after temperatures dropped to an icy - 6 degrees overnight in parts of the county. Benson experienced the lowest temperatures of around - 6.1 degrees at 6am while Oxford only dropped to - 2 degrees at
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Sir Ian McKellen to take to the stage for Oxford Literary Festival
Legendary actor Sir Ian McKellen is set to join book lovers from across the world at this year's Oxford Literary Festival. The award-winning actor, who played Gandalf in the movies of Tolkien's The Lord of The Rings trilogy, will take to the stage
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Disabled motorists warned they could be paying up to five times too much for blue parking badge + top tips to avoid
Disabled motorists are being warned they could be paying up to five times too much for their blue parking badge. Oxfordshire County Council’s customer service centre has received a number of calls alerting them to an online company charging £49
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Human chain of villagers help tackle large thatch fire
Villagers formed a human chain in a bid to save what they could from a blazing thatch cottage fire today. A fire broke out at the cottage in the village of Balscote near Banbury at around 10.30am and six fire crews were sent from around the county
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Campaigners vow to continue the fight against homes on a historic green space
ADVOCATES have pledged to protect a green space next to the Lye Valley nature reserve in Oxford after development plans were given the go-ahead. Friends of Lye Valley secretary Heather Armitage said residents were “bitterly disappointed” after
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East Oxford kebab house for being best outside of London + your vote
An Oxford kebab house is in the running for one of the industry's top gongs in the British Kebab Awards. Bodrum Kebab House in Cowley Road has been shortlisted in the Best Kebab Restaurant Outside London category. Where's your favourite kebab
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Railway line to close between Bicester and Banbury for £76m upgrade
The Chiltern line between Bicester and Banbury will be closed for nine days this summer as part of a £76m upgrade. Chiltern Railways and Network Rail have today announced the closure from Leamington Spa, through Banbury, to Bicester North from
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We could learn from Germany about marking a difficult past
IT HAS been fascinating to watch the battle of ideas as commentators outside of Oxford have ventured opinions and finances on the issue of whether the statue of Rhodes in Oriel College should fall. One question that very sadly has not been considered
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Cheque in but you can’t change your cash there
TODAY, as a favour for a friend, my wife went into National Westminster Bank in Abingdon, to pay in a cheque. This was done without hesitation. My wife then presented a small bank cash bag, containing £10 in 20p coins from granddaughter’s savings
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Flood alleviation scheme could solve gravel issue
I AM writing as your paper has been providing an excellent forum for discussion on the merits of the Western Conveyance. As a former Oxford town planner since the 1970’s, I have long been aware of the valuable gravel deposits under Hinksey Meadows
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Retiring council officer is a very taxing problem
I WISH David Buckle, the returning officer for the Vale and South Oxfordshire district councils a long and happy retirement. His stepping-down at age 60 highlights the unaffordability of the Local Government Pension scheme as it stands. Since
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New route into town to avoid traffic congestion
IT ALWAYS seems to be Oxford’s unalterable misfortune that it only has seven main roads into the centre from the ring-road. Looking at a map, you come to the somewhat unexpected conclusion that there are two each from the south and north, one each
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Inconsiderate driver who needs to learn manners
THIS is an open letter to the inconsiderate driver who sounded his car horn at me for not getting out of his way quick enough when I fell off my bike. I braked at the traffic lights at the bottom of Morrell Avenue. The foot I put down to steady
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Could one of Oxford's men be the next James Bond?
The people of Oxford are Q'ing up to place their bets on who will play the next James Bond. And betters seem to be placing their Moneypenny on an unexpected outsider: Oxford-born actor, David Oyelowo. But is likely that Mr Oyelowo will be
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On Yer Bike: Near misses are more common than you’d think
You can’t have been cycling for long if you haven’t had a near miss. Whether it’s a car door flung open feet in front of you, or a van cutting you up at a junction, sooner or later the beginnings of a potentially lethal crash will unfold before
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More than half of Oxford United's Wembley allocation now sold after bumper day
OXFORD United have sold more than half their 40,000 tickets for the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final at Wembley following an extraordinary day yesterday. More than 12,000 were snapped up on the first of general sales, taking the total past the 21,000
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Senior club holds party to celebrate 50 years of service to the elderly
WHETHER it’s having a drink at their local pub or tucking in to fish and chips, members of Yarnton Senior Folks Club try to ensure life is never dull. The club celebrated a half-century of supporting the older generation with a special party at
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University Life: Looking into the past to find a cure for insomnia
Dr Katharine CraikReader in Early Modern Literature and Research Lead for English and Modern Languages, Oxford Brookes UniversityHow well did you sleep last night? Researchers at Oxford Brookes, including myself, are currently working on a pioneering
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UPDATE: Man bailed until April after crash which seriously injured young woman
A VAN driver has been bailed until April 16 following a crash in Woodstock that left a young woman with serious head injuries. The 21-year-old was hit by the 18-year-old driver of the white van on the A44 Oxford Street near Brook Hill at about
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Bowery ready to step up for Oxford United if Roofe is too risky for Northampton Town
JORDAN Bowery is aiming to be the man to step into Kemar Roofe’s boots if Oxford United’s top scorer is ruled out of their clash with Northampton Town tonight. Head coach Michael Appleton will make a decision this morning over whether Roofe can
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Broken down car causing traffic at Botley Interchange
A broken down car on the A34 is blocking one lane on the A34 flyover. This is causing a build-up of traffic at the Botley Interchange.
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Temporary traffic lights causing delays on A415 at Kingston Bagpuize
The temporary traffic lights before the Southmoor roundabout on the A415 are causing a build-up of traffic. There are now delays at Kingston Bagpuize.
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Live blog: Coverage of Oxfordshire County Council's budget debate
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Mind the gap: Key for U's boss is cushion over play-off pack rather than catching Cobblers
VICTORY tonight would see Oxford United cut the difference between them and leaders Northampton Town to six points, but for head coach Michael Appleton the priority is the gap to the sides below. Results on Saturday meant the U’s have opened a
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Fraud warning after elderly and vulnerable residents conned out of more than £150k
Elderly and vulnerable residents in Abingdon and surrounding villages are being targeted by courier fraudsters - according to Thames Valley Police. As of yesterday, 13 incidents of courier fraud have been recorded in the area since mid-December
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HOCKEY: Oxford Hawks men let it slip again for another 4-4 draw
For the second week running, Oxford Hawks could not hold on to a two-goal advantage and conceded a late score to draw 4-4. This time their opponents were London Wayfarers, who snatched a point from their home South League Premier Division match
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HOCKEY: Oxford Hawks Ladies race to victory at University of Bristol
Oxford Hawks Ladies continued their high-scoring form with a 4-2 victory away to University of Bristol in Investec Conference West on Saturday. Hawks, who drew 4-4 the previous week, took the lead after six minutes when Becky Odlin deflected in
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RUGBY UNION: Clinical Chinnor put on five-try show to boost drop fears
CHINNOR’S resurgence continued as they scored five tries to beat fellow strugglers Canterbury 39-26 at Kingsey Road. After dominating the first half, they went onto secure a bonus-point victory, boosting their hopes of moving out of the National
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Community shows its love in vision for recreation ground at Valentine's Day gathering
DONNINGTON residents hoping to transform their beloved recreation ground got together on Valentine’s Day to work on their vision. Members of Donnington Tenants and Residents Association joined with Donnington Community Association to see how the
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Runaway horses cause traffic jams in Benson
A band of horses caused trouble on the A4074 this morning after escaping from a field in Benson. Thames Valley Police were called to the incident by the Elm Bridge roundabout at around 6.05am and it took officers almost an hour to track down the
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RUGBY UNION: Battling Witney edged out at Newbury
WITNEY failed to leapfrog Newbury Blues into third place as they lost 25-17 in a bad-tempered affair. A Dan Thorne penalty got Newbury up and running in the South West 1 East clash, but Witney took a 5-3 lead when Jake Thomas crossed. Newbury's
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RUGBY UNION: Bannister shines for Bulls
SEAN Bannister scored a hat-trick of tries as leaders Banbury cruised to a 41-14 win at Dunlop. After a tight first half in the Midlands 2 West (South) match, the visitors ran away with a bonus-point win. Bannister crashed over for the first
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RUGBY UNION: Gosford prove too strong
GOSFORD All Blacks beat Abingdon 29-15 to maintain their lead at the top of the BB&O Premier. It took five minutes for All Blacks to take the lead, Harry Sutton crossing the try line to make it 5-0. Abingdon’s Chris Stables was sent to
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Youngsters swarm to museum to meet bug expert and meet some beasts
MINI beasts and scary spiders swarmed a city centre museum as bug lover George McGavin dropped by. The bug expert, who appears on BBC’s The One Show, explored the fascinating world of insects at The Story Museum on Sunday. Daring youngsters
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Exhibition at Blenheim Palace celebrates the work of a very capable gardener
BLENHEIM Palace celebrated the man responsible for its magnificent surroundings as it launched an exhibition to mark the 300th anniversary of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown's birth.The gardener changed the face of 18th century England by designing country
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Minibus campaign gets into gear with £1.5k donation from local councillor
A FLOUNDERING campaign to get a minibus for elderly people in Blackbird Leys has received a much-needed boost from a local councillor. Last summer Longlands Care Home, in Balfour Road, launched a fundraising project for a wheelchair-adapted bus
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Independent councillor quits alliance with Tories before vote on £69m cuts
AN INDEPENDENT county councillor has sensationally quit her pact with the Conservatives, plunging today’s vote on cuts of £69m into turmoil. Lynda Atkins said she would vote with the Labour Group instead, weakening a Tory administration that is
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Meeting Wilder no longer has added spice, says Oxford United skipper
TONIGHT’S clash has nothing to do with Chris Wilder coming back to Oxford United, according to skipper Jake Wright. It is the fifth time the Northampton Town boss has faced his former employers since leaving just over two years ago. Wright
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School pupils show their skills at talent show
PUPILS at Rose Hill Primary School showed off their singing voices, dance moves and hula-hooping skills as they took part in Rose Hill's Got Talent.The talent show at the school in The Oval gave youngsters from all years the chance to let their creative
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Quiz League: Test your love song knowledge
Named in honour of a former landlady of the Black Swan public house in Crown Street, and traditionally held on the Thursday closest to February 14th, last week witnessed the annual staging of the Mary English Valentine’s Day Memorial.However, unlike previous
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Mum to set up special football club for people with disabilities
A MOTHER who suffers from seizures is setting up a football club for people with disabilities to save them from isolation. Muzzy Amjad, who lives in Littlemore, began her crusade for inclusivity after being rejected from a girls’ team because of