Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division play-off semi-final Oxford City 1 (Willmott 72), Cambridge City 0 CHRIS Willmott scored the winner as Oxford City booked their place in the play-off final with a hard-fought victory against Cambridge
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Since launching in January the Jubilee Fund for Oxfordshire has been bombarded with calls and offers of help at its central Oxford HQ – so many in fact that the outdated phone system was swamped. Now, with the help of STL Communications from Witney,
Banbury School has been praised by Ofsted inspectors following an unannounced inspection. At the monitoring visit in March, the school was told it was making good progress in making improvements and improving children’s behaviour. Inspector Peter Limm
What do Oxfordshire’s chief constable, a university vice-chancellor and the MP for Oxford West and Abingdon have in common? On the night of July 15, the answer will be some very sparkly dresses and hopefully some dazzling dancing. The
Jamie Parker is all grown up. Having made his name in The History Boys with James Corden and Dominic Cooper, starred with Tom Cruise in Valkyrie, and then frolicked about on stage as Henry IV, he is now a dad, and playing Henry V. Katherine MacAlister
James Acaster is the newest name at Oxford’s newest comedy club, so Katherine MacAlister gets down to the nitty gritty to find out what makes him so funny. Watching James Acaster on YouTube, waiting in the wings to storm on to stage live
As the battle of the Italian restaurant chains hots up, KATHERINE MacALISTER samples a VIP pizza that’s got its competitors on the run. Anything you can do I can do better. Anything you can do I can do too.” So sang Doris Day in Annie
A GILDED cockerel is shining high above the streets of Oxford once more. The return of the re-gilded weathervane, which dates to the 19th century, at the top of the spire of St Mary the Virgin Church in High Street, marks the fact that the church is
A look ahead at this year’s great Oxford Film Festival, which kicks off this month. America’s most iconic filmmaker and funnyman, Woody Allen, is being celebrated at this year’s Oxford Film Festival. Starting on Sunday, May 13, the six-day
TIM HUGHES time travels with four hirsute Canadian dudes called Zeus. WHILE most bands admit to a respect for the past, Toronto four-piece Zeus embrace it with relish. And that doesn’t just apply to there music – which seems to come simultaneously
TIM HUGHES talks to noise-loving three-piece Errors about playing live, musical influences, and preserving hearing. MAKE no mistake, for Errors, noise is everything. “Our secret is to have lots of volume and a really good drummer,” says keys
THE summer festival season may still be some way off, but lovers of the great outdoors are being invited to get into the spirit by taking part in a series of fun events. The organisers of Wilderness festival, held at Cornbury Park, near Charlbury, are
THE Swiss company behind plans for a new 400-student international academy in Headington says its proposals will pump millions of pounds a year into Oxford’s economy. The scheme to redevelop Cotuit Hall and build three blocks alongside Pullens Lane is
STREET-DANCING youngsters made Oxford and England proud by winning 21 prizes at an international competition. A team of 36 dancers from the Messy Jam dance school in Blackbird Leys and Barton performed at the European Street Dance Championships
A FORMER Bicester registrar who would have married hundreds of couples during her career has died. Dorothy Bainton, 91, was superintendent registrar, based at the Garth, in Launton Road, from 1976 to 1986, and then deputy registrar until 1990, registering
A CRASH between a motorcycle and a van has blocked the A420 at the Kingston Bagpuize roundabout. Traffic coming from Swindon can pass but drivers coming from Oxford are currently blocked after the accident at about 2.20pm. Police said the motorcyclist
THE RIVER Thames in Abingdon will be filled with hundreds of fundraisers rowing to drum beats. The annual Dragon Boat Race, organised by the Rotary Club of Abingdon Vesper, has raised more than £400,000 for charities since 1999. On Sunday, May 13,
EVERY pupil at a Witney primary school donned colourful clothes and spent a day creating artwork using their bodies. Each year Ducklington Primary School youngsters take part in ‘Wow Days’ to launch the term’s topic of study. This term
CAMPAIGNERS who battled to save Oxford’s Warneford Meadow from development may try to buy it from the Department of Health. The meadow in Headington has been offered to both Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council. But
Unless you understand the sheer power of fashion, and its ability to overcome reason and open wallets, I do not think you will ever understand this particular Smart car. Women know that they can buy a perfectly serviceable bag for a few pounds
Accountants Wenn Townsend have promoted three senior managers to a newly appointed role as directors of the three key areas of the business. Ben Hayes heads the audit and assurance department, Andrew Kilby has become director of client services and Neil
Witney-bassed Cottsway Housing Association has welcomed three new directors after a recent management restructure. Lisa Hughes, is director of corporate services, Sue Jacobs, director of customer services and Adrian Redmond, director of property and development
A company developing treatments for cancer has moved into purpose- built premises after outgrowing its old base. PsiOxus has set up in a laboratory in Milton Park as it continues to expand. Already it employs 22 staff but there is now room to double
A trader selling high end radio controlled helicopters has moved into Bicester after spotting the town’s potential. Jake Holdsworth moved his business RC Choppers from Wheatley to Telford Road, and plans to create new jobs and double his range. His
Teenage entrepreneurs from across Oxfordshire will gather tonight to battle it out to become the Young Enterprise company of the year. Eight companies in the scheme, which involves groups of youngsters setting up and running their own firms over the
THE bratmen are coming – in the shape of a pilot and an operations officer from Oxford Airport who have now started selling German Bratwurst sausages in the city. Pilot Saul Wheeler, 32, and former flying op manager Luke de Marco, 30, inset, went on
DOCTORS in Oxford have performed the first UK clinical trials of an electronic eye implant designed to restore the sight of blind people. Eye experts developing the pioneering new technology said the first group of British patients to receive
A POPULAR discount store is closing its doors after decades in Bicester. Winners, off Victoria Road, will shut at the end of June after 35 years in the town. Up to 19 full and part-time jobs will be lost as the site is in the process of being sold for
WHEN Kate Harvey and Jamie Leach won the Oxford Mail’s Win Your Wedding competition, May 2012 seemed like a long way away. But with now just over a week to go, the young couple said they were “unbelievably excited” to be in the final run-up to their
OXFORDSHIRE’S new High Sheriff has pledged to raise £75,000 to help children at an Oxford school to improve their reading. William Alden, who took on the post two weeks ago, has chosen Pegasus Primary School in Blackbird Leys as his first charitable
Oxford Brookes University is top of the former polytechnics in the new edition of The Complete University Guide. The news comes as the institution prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary as a university with the unveiling of a new portrait
People in Bicester will be jingling all the way up the high street and warning off potential thieves. Police handed out hundreds of cat bells and lanyards for people to attach to purses and handbags as part of a preventative campaign to stop purse and
What links former Word presenter Terry Christian, an ex-Bond villain and werewolves to the sleepy Oxfordshire village of Deddington? Answer: a low-budget British horror movie which its makers hope will prove a cult smash. The makers of Crying Wolf are
PAUL Fernandez showed impressive durability to finish second in the Crawley AIM Charity Six-hour Track Race – just six days after running the London Marathon. The Abingdon Amblers star beat the previous British record to complete 202 laps of the 400m
SCRUM half Gareth Campbell was voted Witney players’ player-of-the-year at their end of season awards dinner. Campbell received his award from manager Dave Martingale, while his brother, flanker Carl Campbell, was also a winner on the night. He collected
DEREK Asbun captained Oxbridge Under 23 to a 22-16 victory over their Combined Services counterparts at Twickenham. Oxford University flanker Asbun led the side in the curtain-raiser to the traditional Army versus Navy clash after Cambridge’s Rob Malaney
I read with interest Colin Smith’s letter (ViewPoints, April 25), about the dangers to pedestrians with buses and taxis operating in Queen Street, which is, after all, supposed to be a pedestrianised area. I was quite surprised though that he didn’t
Election time is here again and it is clear that the main parties still have no comprehension of the scale of the real issues of climate change and species loss that are already starting to manifest. Or of the stressful nature of modern life. I urge
Sam Agarwal shone with the ball for Oxford MCCU on the first day of their match against Kent in The Parks. The off-spinner returned excellent figures of 4-49 off 16.4 overs as Kent made 251-8 before declaring. The students were 50-2 in reply at stumps
Despite David Diment’s claim (Friday’s ViewPoints) that we had to go into the Second World War because of our treaty with Poland, I still do not think that we should fight other countries’ battles, treaty or no treaty. Perhaps Mr Diment doesn’t mind
OXFORD: A unique music track recorded live at Helen & Douglas House hospice’s fundraising show Childish Things has so far raised £120 for the East Oxford charity. The recording of Jamie Cullum and Beardyman jamming on stage at the show, in February,
VISITORS to Oxford’s Westgate Shopping Centre are being invited to become art critics to find an image which they think sums up Oxfordshire. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Oxfordshire Artweeks, in which artists all over the county throw
A REPORT into student numbers and accommodation in Oxford has been labelled “a whitewash” by residents’ groups. The investigation by the city council found both universities were currently exceeding a cap of 3,000 students each living in the community
CHINNOR head coach Jason Bowers has urged his players to build on a great season as they look ahead to life in National 2 South. A 19-8 victory over Tonbridge Juddians in Saturday’s play-off ensured a third promotion in six years for the Thame club.
BANBURY: More than 700 people attended the funeral of tragic marathon runner Claire Squires yesterday. They wore touches of red, the 30-year-old’s favourite colour, to the service held in North Kilworth, Leicestershire. The hairdresser was running
OXFORD City’s 1,500m world silver medallist Hannah England was this week announced as the face of Team GB’s official suncare products. England, 25, who hopes to shine on the track at London 2012, is an ambassador for Garnier Ambre Solaire, who have added
SOME strong performances helped Team Oxfordshire finish third in round one of the National Junior Athletics League at Sutton Arena. Competing in the Southern Section Brent Division, Oxon were just four points off second-placed Harrow in the
Ed Finch states (ViewPoints, April 23) that the Budget was unfair and adds “many people who voted Liberal Democrat will be wondering when their representatives will choose to stand up to their Coalition partners”. Nick Clegg is not a partner, he is
Divsion 4 side Chipping Norton are still going strong in the Oxford & District League Cup, sponsored by S&J Timms Cleaning Services and Rub A Dub Dub Laundrette. They edged to a nail-biting 62-61 win at Division 3 side Charlbury to set up a home quarter-final
Kennington have regained the Johnsons Buildbase Oxford League Premier Section title after beating their main rivals Vikings 3-2 at home, writes PETE EWINS. Ian Gordon won the opening leg for Kennington 7,930-2,570 against Mick Jones before Ian Moss (
Oxfordshire County Council’s outgoing leader, 65-year-old Keith Mitchell, might well think seeing Professor Green involves a glass of claret at Jesus College or a nice game of Cluedo. But his new-found replacement Ian Hudspeth is perhaps much more in
OXFORD CITY Battle of Britain Trophy: 1 M Higgins 43pts, 2 A Thomas 41, 3 A Lovegrove 34. NORTH OXFORD Midweek Stableford: 1 R Simpson 32pts, 2 R Parks 31, 3 J Nason 24. Marie Curie: 1 A Kelly 36pts, 2 A Wood 34, 3 T Kirk 32. Club match: North Oxford
The Oxfordshire recorded their second win from as many matches in Section 1 of the Shaw Gibbs Oxfordshire Foursomes League with a 2-1 success at home to Chipping Norton. The key match saw The Oxfordshire’s Andy Stubbs and George Abbott edge
Russ Berry, an unattached PGA professional, was in the winning team at Burford’s Pro-Am tournament played in foul conditions on Saturday. Berry and his amateur partner Mark Finch (Cleeve Hill) recorded a nett score of 143 over 36 holes of foursomes strokeplay
Oxfordshire captain Annie Gowing scored a hole-in-one on her way to a matchplay win at the Senior Women’s English Close Amateur Championship at Tidworth Garrison. The Frilford Heath member, who was playing in the second flight, made short work of the
BEA Bradley rejected the ‘logic’ behind culling badgers as a practical way to eradicate bovine TB (Oxford Mail ViewPoints, April 16). I may not always agree with her usually eloquent prose but, on this point, she is perfectly correct. This urgently
Pop star Lee Ryan was excused crown court jury duty in Oxford – after the presiding judge asked him: “Don’t I know you?” The Blue star, left, whose hits include the group’s May 2001 UK number four single All Rise, was selected as the eighth juror on
OXFORD’S Mara Yamauchi came through a “mini-MOT” as part of her preparations for the Olympic marathon. The former Headington Road Runner took time out from altitude training in USA to go through the UK Athletics check-up. Yamauchi said: “We spent three
CHINNOR and Henley, who will face each other next season, make up two-thirds of my Oxford Mail team for the 2011-12 campaign. Witney have two representatives after another impressive effort in South West 1 East, while Grove, Harwell and Oxford Harlequins
May I, through your paper, say a big thank you to all the staff on the SSIP ward in the West Wing of the John Radcliffe Hospital. After suffering a hand injury last week I was admitted to the SSIP ward last Thursday. I spent the best part of two days
Name: Rachael Warwick... ‘Mrs Warwick’ to most students at school; ‘Mum’ to some of the more forgetful ones; ‘Sir’ to some of the less perceptive ones; I am sure there are many other names of which it is best I remain completely oblivious.
The owner of a pop-up shop that sold hundreds of items of fake clothing in Oxford is facing jail. Matthew Croxson, 42, set up Labels 4 Less in the former Borders bookstore in Magdalen Street before it became Tesco. He was this week convicted of seven
What do you want for supper tonight,” I said dejectedly, staring at the rain through the car window on the way home from school pick up. “Steak with a peppercorn sauce and hand-cut chips would be nice,” said my 12 year-old son... nonchalantly. Wouldn
It has been decided that Cheney School will introduce a compulsory blazer as part of its uniform from September. The rationale for this is that wearing a blazer will raise student aspirations. In reaching this decision, the Department for Education
A motor parts firm is moving its headquarters out of Oxford. After 20 years based at Cowley, Unipart Automotive is relocating to Bicester to create a flagship regional distribution centre. It has been given the go-ahead by Cherwell District Council
Police and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) officers are still jointly investigating the electrocution accident which led to the death of Littlemore teenager Dean Bough. The 17-year-old died after the cherry-picker he was operating hit power lines in
Guardsman Michael Roland, 22, from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, who was killed in Afghanistan last week, will be repatriated to RAF Brize Norton today. His body will arrive at RAF Brize Norton at about 1.30pm and the cortege will pass the memorial
Second World War veteran Arthur Staggs yesterday said he was humbled and honoured to meet royalty in his home town. The 99-year-old former member of the Army Intelligence Corps chatted to Camilla, HRH the Duchess of Cornwall, on her visit to
The problem with tough talk is that it leads, naturally, to an expectation of action. Oxford City Council has set a ‘cap’ of “allowing” each of our universities to have 3,000 students living outside university-provided accommodation, under
A 38-YEAR-OLD Oxford-based art dealer appeared in court yesterday charged with dangerous driving after his car collided with two workmen in Iffley Road. Adrian Greenwood appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court accused of driving dangerously in Iffley Road
A FINAL decision on whether to expand two Oxfordshire primary schools to take 60 new pupils each year will be made later this month. The proposals would see Eynsham Primary School and Orchard Meadow Primary School in Blackbird Leys take two classes of
There is little prospect of standpipes being used to help drought-hit residents because a third dry winter is very unlikely, an Oxfordshire rainfall expert said yesterday. Terry Marsh, who collects rainfall data at the Centre for Ecology and
THIS was the devastation left after a homeless burglar set fire to an Oxford pensioner’s house. William Dinham, who is deaf, was asleep when the blaze took hold in a downstairs bedroom at his home in Abbey Road, West Oxford. The 77-year-old managed
Voters will go to the polls for elections at three of Oxfordshire’s five district and city councils today. One seat is up for grabs in each ward at Labour-run Oxford City Council and Conservative-controlled Cherwell District Council and West Oxfordshire
A car caught fire after a collision near Cokethorpe School in West Oxfordshire yesterday. Police and fire fighters were called at 7.04am to reports of a silver Peugeot 406 leaving the A415 and crashing into a ditch. The road was closed briefly. No one
A female cyclist fell from her bike after being involved in a collision with a maroon and black coach on the roundabout at Wootton Road, Abingdon Police and ambulance crews were called at 8.34am yesterday to treat the woman for a suspected arm
The story of 12 ducklings trapped in an Oxford community centre had a fairy tale ending yesterday. A mother mallard and her new family were found wandering around an enclosed roofed courtyard in the North Oxford Association, Diamond Place, in Summertown
Discount supermarket Aldi was set to open a new store in Launton Road, Bicester, today. The new shop has been built at a former gas works and has created 25 jobs.
Oxford City boss Mike Ford is hoping his side make it third time lucky when they host Cambridge City at Court Place Farm on Thursday night – but wishes he was ten years younger to help them do it. City have home advantage in the Southern League Premier
Sir – I see from your edition of April 26 that Oxford is entering a bid to become World Book City of 2014. Presumably Oxfordshire County Council will not be endorsing this, if their recent intentions to downgrade public library services are anything
Sir – Last week, in the rain, I was trying to use the crossing at the bottom of Woodstock Road when I was forcibly stopped halfway across by a Darth Vader-like motorcycle policeman. He said I must wait until a VIP motorcade had passed. In the
Sir – I am grateful to Christopher Gray’s review of the RSC’s King John (April 26) for warning me off. I had bought a ticket but shall not use it. I have waited too long for my first chance to see this play to have my evening ruined, yet again, by a
Sir – What a pity your review of Barefoot In The Park (Weekend, April 26) made no serious mention of the excellent cast. Faye Castelow as the very new, young and enthusiastic wife, Corrie Bratter, was an ideal choice for the part. Her more buttoned-up
Sir – In response to the article Headington residents oppose international academy plan (April 26). There is a considerable level of mis-information regards our school and a number of people insist on calling us a language school. I would like to clarify
Sir – In relation to recent letters, there seem to be two quite different issues in relation to same-sex marriage. There is the religious view that marriage has a specific reproductive purpose ordained from above (which I’ll leave to those with that perspective
One issue that the recent heavy rainfall has brought into sharp focus is how poor we are at managing this valuable resource. There was a certain inevitability that once water companies had announced a hosepipe ban that incessant downpours would
Sir – Theresa Thompson, (review Into the Light: French and British painting from Impressionism to the early 1920s at Compton Verney, Weekend, April 19) considers this exhibition is enlightening and that it challenges current perceptions of the artists
Sir – In answer to Mike Gould’s letter (April 26) I would like to correct a couple of points. The theory that Titanic and her sister, Olympic, were switched was not demolished by Steve Hall and Bruce Beveridge in their book. If anything the reverse
Sir – It has been decided that Cheney School will introduce a compulsory blazer as part of its uniform from September. The rationale for this is that wearing a blazer will raise student aspirations. In reaching this decision, the DfES guidance on school
Sir – Many readers voting in local elections will have received communications from various candidates which imply that the councillors of all the other parties are somewhat stupid, malicious, ineffective or incompetent. One is left with the impression
Sir – Further to Timothy Oates’s letter of April 26, I have also witnessed on several occasions the placing of a camera car at the bottom of a gradient. However this only seems to be where there is a bend at the bottom, sufficient to hide a car. It would
Sir – Reference to Celia Frue’s letter (April 26). I am at a loss to understand Celia’s points on bus services from Oxford’s park-and-ride car parks. She mentions taking the bus from Seacourt which stops near County Hall and then walking through
Sir – Marriage has been a good institution that has been around for centuries. Who are we to decide to change it? As it stands, civil partnerships are already in place for same sex relationships. Marriage defined ‘as the formal union of a man and
Sir – Farm and horticultural workers across Oxfordshire will see their wages reduced and conditions worsen under Government plans to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) this year. Skilled workers, who already earn £4,000 less, on average, than
When Michael Stinton steps out in front of the Thames Vale Youth Orchestra next week, he will celebrate 20 years as their conductor. By coincidence, he is also marking 25 years as director of music at Abingdon School — and it was his curiosity about
Jamie Parker’s wife went into labour on opening night of his last play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Her waters broke during the previews in the West End and he had to carry on regardless. Luckily she didn’t actually give birth until
Sir – How thoughtful and courageous of Mrs Woodward to demonstrate solidarity with me (Letters, April 26). I like to think that in a small way writing letters to the editor does make a difference, by inspiring thought and encouraging debate. Mrs Woodward
Sir – I am very glad to know that the nine 16th and 17th-century bodies, uncovered 20 years ago by archaeologists at Eynsham Abbey, are to receive proper burials rather than continuing to languish in an archaeology storeroom (Report, April 19). However
America’s most iconic film-maker, and funnyman, Woody Allen is being celebrated in this year’s Oxford Film Festival. Starting on Sunday May 13, the six-day festival screens Annie Hall, Manhattan, Love and Death, Hannah and Her Sisters, Bananas
St Edward’s School, Oxford, enjoyed success in the Junior Inter-Regional Regatta at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham. The school’s J 15 coxed four of Freddie Bickers, Sam Gillingham, Albert Mitchell, Sam Hamilton-Peach and cox Meg Neville, representing the
Hearing loss is a hidden disability affecting around 87,500 people in Oxfordshire. And like the disability it serves, Oxford Deaf & Hard of Hearing Centre is hidden away, despite being in the centre of bustling Oxford city. Hearing loss
Sir – In Cornmarket, on Saturday morning, I saw two young lads playing guitars. They were absolutely brilliant. I strongly recommend going to see them because one day, they are going to be famous. One woman came up to them and said: “You have made my
The dark side of the Teutonic soul is remorselesslyy exposed in Markus Schleinzer's Michael, in which the debuting Austrian sets himself the decidedly difficult task of locating normality in the behaviour of a pitiless paedophile. Clearly inspired by
A glance at the cover of Marilyn Yurdan’s new book, School Songs and Gymslips, brings to mind a certain riotous school for young ladies. But don’t let the title and sketches of tearaway hockey players and blondes struggling with exam papers fool you.
A couple of weeks ago, the DVD column focused on 1930s French Poetic Realism in discussing the release of a digitally restored version of Jean Renoir's pacifist masterpiece, La Grande Illusion (1937). One of the stars of the film was Jean Gabin, who was
A glance at the cover of Marilyn Yurdan’s new book School Songs and Gymslips brings to mind a certain riotous school for young ladies. But don’t let the title and sketches of tearaway hockey players fool you. Mrs Yurdan, a well-known local historian
