Bomb disposal experts were at a building site in Banbury tonight following the discovery of a Second World War smoke grenade. The Army team from 11 EOD Regiment was called to the site off Middleton Road, Grimsbury, shortly after 2pm. A controlled explosion
MAGDALEN Bridge will be open again for May Morning celebrations, but anyone thinking of jumping has been warned water levels are “dangerously low”. Tuesday’s annual celebration of spring is expected to attract lower numbers than last year,
A boy suffered a suspected broken leg after a collision with a car near Larkmead School in Abingdon this afternoon. The boy, who police said was believed to be a pupil at the Faringdon Road school, was injured just before 3.20pm. The driver of a Mercedes
PROSPECTIVE parents hoping to send their children to Oxfordshire’s first free school had a chance to look round the facilities and meet new headteacher Peter Ashbourne. Parents at the Europa School open day on Saturday included Benedicte Yue, from Drayton
PLANS to open a new free school in Oxford have been rejected by the Government. The steering group behind Oxford New School hoped to open a 360-place secondary school in south-east Oxford, taking in children in September 2013. The aim was to offer a
Where are we socially? The question is often on my mind as I watch plays set in America. Two nations divided by a common language, said Bernard Shaw (though no one can find where); two nations divided by notions of interior design as well, say
The unmistakable chime whistle of a Gresley A4 Pacific, which formed part of the soundtrack of my early life, carried above the traffic noise as we strolled towards Oxford station last Thursday morning. I knew at once there had been a change of
An overnight stay at The Bull at Burford, courtesy of its hospitable hosts Jean-Marie and Clare Lauzier, seemed like a mini-holiday for Rosemarie and me. We experienced this beautiful Cotswold town just as a tourist might, and found everything about it
AEA Technology 0.34 BMW 5684 Electrocomponents 226.7 Nationwide Accident Repair 68 Oxford Biomedica 4.15 Oxford Catalysts 48 Oxford Instruments 1223 Reed Elsevier 510.75 RM 84.7 RPS Group 236.2 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
Anyone with a taste for music, literature and history will find all three woven delightfully together at a concert presented by the Oxford Chamber Music Festival as part of its traditional spring concert series. The recital takes place at 17th-century
AEA Technology 0.34 BMW 5684 Electrocomponents 226.7 Nationwide Accident Repair 68 Oxford Biomedica 4.15 Oxford Catalysts 48 Oxford Instruments 1223 Reed Elsevier 510.75 RM 84.7 RPS Group 236.2 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
A £5M hotel is planned to accommodate the growing number of visitors to Wantage. The 46-bedroom hotel, with two restaurants on the ground floor, would be built on an industrial site in Limborough Road. Wantage Investments submitted an application to
DIDCOT’S Labour Club has been sold to make way for major redevelopment opposite the railway station. The club in Station Road dates back to the 1940s and opened following the closure of a Co-op depot. But it will call last orders this
IT WAS obvious from the word go that Avenue Q was something special, such was the expectant hush as the curtain went up. And I was definitely seated next to someone who’d been before, an ardent fan digging her nails into the seat in excitement. What
West Oxfordshire’s police chief says the force has won a “decisive battle” against prolific burglars. Ch Insp Colin Paine became the district’s area commander in April last year and made a promise to cut the rising number of burglaries. West Oxfordshire
AEA Technology 0.33 BMW 5672 Electrocomponents 227.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 68 Oxford Biomedica 4.15 Oxford Catalysts 48 Oxford Instruments 1252 Reed Elsevier 505.25 RM 84 RPS Group 235.1 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
A COUPLE who kept their romance alive during the war years with constant love letters have celebrated 70 years of marriage. Alec and Freda McCarthy, both 95, met in 1940 at a social club run by the former Congregational Church, in Chapel Street, Bicester
A FRESH appeal has been launched to track down a man who has been on the run since 2008. Mohammed Rafique was living in the Cowley area when it is alleged that he seriously sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl on June 25, 2008. The
AFC Hinksey completed the second leg of their Critchleys Upper Thames Valley League treble tilt with a 2-1 win over Kings Arms Wheatley in the Devenney Cup final at Abingdon Town, writes TIM SIRET. Hinksey, who lifted the Hedley Toms/Michael Brown Trophy
A DRIVER in his 70s escaped with minor injuries after his Vauxhall Zafira crashed into a hedge in Denchworth Road, Grove, at about 1pm yesterday. He was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. The air ambulance was called out, but was not needed
SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL BENJI Anderson hit a late winner as Vale of White Horse Under 14s retained the Oxford Times Cup with a 2-1 victory over Mid Oxon in the final at Chipping Norton. Ben Thomas fired Mid Oxon ahead with a low shot midway through the
A MAN who died in a crash on the A40 was last night formally identified. Stephen James died from his injuries when his Vauxhall Vectra was involved in a collision with a Skoda Octavia at Barnard Gate on Sunday evening. Oxford Coroner’s office said Mr
SUPERMARKET giant Morrisons is planning to build a new store in Wallingford, bringing up to 300 jobs to the town. News of the Hithercroft industrial estate plan was welcomed by councillors as providing a choice in the town which currently only has a
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL OXFORD United retained the Oxfordshire Cup after defeating Launton Ladies 5-0 in the final at Witney Town. Lauren Alison put United 1-0 ahead at half-time, with goals from Tash Caswell, Sahara Osborne-Ricketts, Ellie Roberts and Holly
YOUNGSTERS being cared for at Oxford Children’s Hospital got a break from their treatment with a special art session at a very unusual school. The Oxfordshire Hospital School is based at the John Radcliffe Hospital, and offers children classes working
SCHOOL meals will improve after being outsourced as part of a massive £550m contract announced yesterday, a council boss insisted last night. Oxfordshire County Council said private firm Carillion will run the service as part of the first deal of its
GILES SPORTS WITNEY YOUTH LEAGUE TOWER Hill captured the Under 15 A League title for the second successive year as they triumphed 9-1 at Chipping Norton. The visitors took the lead through Connor Tinsley, but Chippy soon equalised from a free-kick
YOUTH FOOTBALL OXFORD City lifted the Oxfordshire Under 15 Youth Cup with a 3-0 win over Eynsham Association in the final at Thame United. Timon Williams, Kalem Paterson and Ally Cameron were the City scorers. Oxford City also beat Ardley United
COUNCILS in Oxfordshire paid out more than £4m in salary packages for senior officers last year, new figures show. The TaxPayers’ Alliance also revealed last night there were 32 council officers in Oxfordshire whose wages, pension contributions
A 33-year-old man has been jailed for a child sex offence. Rakesh Masih, of Garsington Road, Cowley, was sentenced to six months at Oxford Crown Court yesterday having earlier been found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a child.
Tyrone Marsh was on target as Oxford United Reserves lost 2-1 away to Colchester United’s second string in the Football Combination on Tuesday. The teenage striker, who has signed professional forms with the U’s for next season, scored a well-taken
HAT-TRICK hero Karl Williams was the toast of Carterton A after they beat Chipping Norton Swifts 4-2 in the OFA John Fathers Junior Shield final at Kidlington. All Williams’s goals – super strikes – came in the first half as Carterton raced into a 3-
A MAN was hit over the head with a bottle in a brawl in Corn Street, Witney, outside the Eagle Tavern pub. A fight broke out between two men in the street at about 10.55pm on Friday and one of them, a 19-year-old, was struck with a bottle by a woman
Teenage striker Connor McDonagh could make his first start as Oxford City bid to get their Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division play-off bid back on track at Frome Town on Wednesday night. The 19-year-old former Oxford United scholar,
A JAZZ saxophonist and punk guitarist will be just some of the sculptures exhibited as part of Oxfordshire Artweeks. Once again the 20 members of Bicester Sculpture Club have been busy creating pieces made of wood, bronze, ceramic and even
TWO brothers have been charged with nearly 30 new offences in an investigation into the alleged sexual exploitation of children in Oxford. Mohammed and Bassan Karrar appeared at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning. The pair spoke only
CHRIS Giles scored the only goal of the game as Freeland claimed a surprise win away to high-flying Hinksey, writes BRIAN KIRK. The visitors defended doggedly to keep the Premier Division title contenders at bay and struck on the counter-attack
OXFORD MAIL GIRLS LEAGUE CHARLEY Hamilton’s hat-trick led Carterton to the Under 16 League title with a 4-2 victory over Swindon Town. Pia Donaldson had put Swindon ahead, but Hamilton’s treble and one from Laura Jones sealed the spoils. Natalie
ON Thursday, April 12, I rang ‘dial-a-ride’ to book a journey on April 19, to my club at Jack Straw’s Lane (the statutory week’s notice). I got the answer machine and left my name, number and message. On Tuesday April 17, I became anxious, having received
I WOULD like to reply to the letter sent by Mrs Lane (Oxford Mail, April 6) about the proposed Botley Shopping Centre redevelopment. I totally agree with her comments regarding the lack of money and facilities that Botley has received compared to other
I know many others who have known Dr Mark Huckstep for many years. He has always been gracious and treats his patients with kindness and respect. What more could you ask from a doctor? Why such hostility for the assertion of one’s faith with a patient
Do you write lists? You know, shopping lists to lose; weekend jobs for your partner; who gets what – and at what price – at Christmas; in fact lists for everything. And how about lists you’re given? School uniforms, rules and regulations for recycling
I HAVE been in Queen Street on many occasions when it’s been full of shoppers and, as the signs suggest, it’s a pedestrian street, the same as Cornmarket Street. There are no signs saying ‘beware of buses or taxis’ as there are many going through day
OF course the Titanic should be remembered (The Issue, Oxford Mail, April 20). It symbolises life and society itself on many different levels. The people on that tragic ship were all foolishly divided by wealth, class, social status and all the absurdities
IN THE Oxford Mail (April 17) it is reported that “Vehicles are now banned from Kidlington High Street between Oxford Road and Watts Way from 10am-4.30pm. Blue badge holders, cyclists and deliveries can still use the road.” On the same day of this piece
People can become members of a community supermarket being launched in Oxford tonight. Chris Waites is launching a People’s Supermarket in Cowley Road this summer. As part of the scheme, which is being outlined tonight at Cowley Road Methodist Church
Berinsfield produced a thrilling comeback to win the North Berks League's War Memorial Cup against Sutton Courtenay, writes Phil Annets. More than 340 spectators flocked to Wantage Town as the Division 1 leaders came from 2-0 down to triumph 5-2. Andy
Unions and management at the Mini plant will meet again today in a bid to thrash out an agreement in the ongoing pay dispute. Earlier this month, 97 per cent of the plant’s union members rejected an offer of a six per cent rise as long as a cut in the
Hanborough Res, from Division 1, booked their place in the Witney & District FA's Jack Busby Cup final with a 3-0 win over Division 3 side Charlbury Town Res, writes Anthony Barlow. Defying wet and windy conditions, Hanborough scored through Joe Bur-gess
QUARRY Rovers (pictured) clinched the Under 18 Oxfordshire FA Invitation League title with a game to spare following a 5-2 win against Summertown. The leaders fell behind to a header from Louis Angel-Scott, but led 3-1 by half-time with goals
A FORMER ambulance chief was yesterday convicted of drunkenly crashing his fast response car into a shop. Robert King, 48, right, was more than three-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit. He was convicted of drink-driving and given a four-month
DONATIONS in memory of a runner who died during the London Mara-thon last night looked set to dramatically swell an Oxfordshire charity’s funds. Claire Squires, 30, who collapsed at Sunday’s event, was raising cash for the Banbury and District Samaritans
If you saw yesterday’s front page of the Oxford Mail, you’ll have seen a photograph of a man running, looking warily over his shoulder. And since that man was former South Central Ambulance Service operations manager Robert King, you’ll now understand
It’s one of those terrible, tragic stories that, against all odds, somehow also manages to lift one’s spirit. London Marathon runner Claire Squires’ untimely death on Sunday has somehow fanned the flames of our collective spirit and allowed us to glimpse
Oxford University has slipped to third place in the 2013 Complete University Guide. The institution, which was ranked second last year, is beneath Cambridge which came top and The London School of Economics and Political Science.
A 25-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman arrested in connection with a probe into accusations of computer misuse by an Oxford policewoman have been rebailed. The man was arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting data protection offences and the
A new business brochure and series of town fact-sheets have been published to promote South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse. The eight-page brochure, produced by South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils, highlights the strengths
Commuters picked up a free copy of Touching the Void by Joe Simpson at Oxford railway station as the team behind Oxford’s bid to become World Book Capital 2014 marked World Book night. Angus Phillips, head of the Oxford Centre for International Publishing
Asa Hall is hoping a hot streak in front of goal has done enough to earn a new deal with Oxford United this summer. The 25-year-old has been one of United’s stand-out performers in recent weeks and scored a stunning goal in the 1-1 draw at
HUNDREDS of children in Oxfordshire have not been allocated places at any of the primary schools they hoped to go to. Six per cent of county youngsters – 473 children – failed to get in at one of their top three schools. The proportion
IT’S A Red Letter Day for manufacturers of woggles. Figures show that Scouting in Oxfordshire is booming, with numbers rising for seven years running. More than 300 new Scouts have joined the movement in the county over the past 12 months. Paul Thompson
