RICHARD Shakespeare is used to fighting battles to get what he wants. Born with cerebral palsy, he and his family launched the ‘Standing Up for Richard’ appeal in the 1980s to pay to send him to Budapest for then pioneering intensive physiotherapy
AN Oxfordshire-based motorsport science company has broken the world electric land speed record with its “hypercar”. The car, developed by Drayson Racing Technologies and driven by Lord Paul Drayson, achieved an average speed of 204.2mph over two
BICESTER’S eco-town has so far attracted £30m of investment without a brick being laid at the site, according to a report. Cherwell District Council’s leader Barry Wood said the North West Bicester project has put the town on the Government’s “
PRIME Minister and Witney MP David Cameron has praised an Oxford charity for the homeless and handed it a national award. Promoting Access To Health Services (Paths) is an initiative of Oxford Homeless Pathways run from a medical centre in Luther
AS A culture vulture seeking a short break somewhere in Europe, Italy is always a safe bet, and the Veneto offers something special. Lake Garda to the west, Venice to the east, and the Dolomites to the north are well known, but it would seem that
CONSTRUCTION is set to start on a new science centre at an Abingdon independent school. Zoologist and television presenter Dr George McGavin helped pupils at St Helen and St Katharine, in Faringdon Road, break the ground to celebrate the start
A LECTURER who has dedicated the last 25 years to teaching tourism has been given a prestigious national award. Lyn Bibbings, principal lecturer for the student experience at Oxford Brookes University, has received a £10,000 National Teaching Fellowship
A PLANNED extension to Banbury’s Castle Quay shopping centre will have a supermarket, developers have revealed. The announcement means Cherwell District Council has dropped plans for a supermarket at a redevelopment of Bolton Road. A planning
CREATIVE residents at Southerndown Care Home in Chipping Norton revealed their artworks for the first time at an open day on Friday. Artwork created by Marjorie Palmer, 92, Nancy Herbert, 92, June Offord, 70, and Hildegard Dawe, 75, up to 40 years
A WOMAN wearing a black scarf told a bookmakers she had a gun during a robbery at Betfred, Headington last night. She told a male member of staff at the Cinnaminta Road branch she had a gun and to fill a plastic bag with cash at about 9pm.
A man has denied committing a robbery and a sexual assault. Craig Ralphs, of North Way, Barton, appeared in Oxford Crown Court yesterday accused of the robbery of a mobile phone on April 23 in Oxford City Centre and a sexual assault on April 10
A CYCLIST who died after falling off his bike near Abingdon was named yesterday. Mark Orchard, 53, of Mons Way, Abingdon, was found lying in Brumcombe Lane, near Bayworth, at about 7.15am on Monday. After suffering severe head injuries, he
A church in Botley has been hit by a series of burglaries and attempted break-ins throughout May and June. The door of St Andrew’s Church in Dean Court was smashed down and ice-cream stolen from the after-school club tuck shop. The break-in between
Oxfordshire rider Bradley Smith expressed his delight after qualifying in a career-best sixth for today’s MotoGP in Assen, Holland. The 22-year-old, back after a a bad wrist injury, starts from the second row of the grid for the first time in his
A PLOT of land near Sir Winston Churchill’s grave in Bladon has failed to sell on eBay. The rose garden, 60ft from the Second World War Prime Minister's grave at St Martin’s Church, was put on the Internet auction site this month. But despite
OXFORDSHIRE County Council has said a “frustrating” wait to tie up details of a major investment to speed up Internet broadband access is almost over. Officials say they are “very close” to finalising the contract for the programme and expect a
IT MAY have been one small step for mankind, but it was one giant leap for students at d’Overbroeck’s College in Oxford. A-Level chemistry students collected data from a weather balloon they sent into space as part of an experiment. After a
Oxfordshire thrashed Bucks by 128 runs in their ECB Under 15 Championship match at Holmer Green. The visitors posted 144-9 in their 40 overs, Chloe Whinmill top-scoring with 27 not out. Oxfordshire’s bowling display was superb, blowing the
ABINGDON: A pensioner needed hospital treatment yesterday after his car crashed into a ditch. The accident happened at about 8.30am in Dunmore Road, close to the junction with Hanson Road. An ambulance spokesman said that a 75-year-old man
THREE members of the St Birinus School Club, Didcot, helped Great Britain finish second in the 18th Edmond Decottignies Memorial international competition in Lille, France. Britain’s five-man team consisted of three former pupils from St Birinus
ADELA Hussain claimed silver to lead Oxfordshire to team gold at the ESAA Midland Schools’ Combined Events Championships at Tilsley Park, Abingdon. Hussain finished second in the senior girls’ competition with 3,822 points as West Midlands’ Katie
After some good weights by pleasure anglers in the week, hopes were high for the Open match on the Medley stretch of the Tha-mes. However, it proved hard for most of the 27 anglers, with only those above the poplars finding many bream. Bobby
THE widow of a father-of-eight has said she doesn’t feel justice has been done after the driver who killed him was spared jail. Christopher Dalton received a suspended prison sentence after he admitted causing death by dangerous driving on March
THE widow of a soldier killed in Afghanistan said she would back families whose loved ones died in combat if they decided to sue for compensation. Families of British soldiers killed and injured fighting in Iraq have been given the go-ahead by
Max Chilton revelled driving in front of his home crowd at a wet Silverstone – despite his Banbury-based Marussia once more being well down the pack. Aside from Felipe Massa, who crashed his Ferrari in second practice for tomorrow’s British Grand
Pastor Maldonado says the Grove-based Williams team have work to do to improve their performances ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone tomorrow. The Venezuelan and his teammate Valtteri Bottas were once again off the pace in 17th and
Abingdon won the county round of the ESCA Under 15 T20 Cup with a thumping 137-run victory at Bloxham. Aadam Samiullah hit 91 as Abingdon made 190-4, before dismissing Bloxham for 53. RESULTS OXFORDSHIRE UNDER 17 CUP Semi-final: Lord
Abingdon Vale Under 13s retained the Oxfordshire Ron Maudsley Trophy without losing a wicket on finals day at Bicester & North Oxford – the first time it has been achieved. Brothers Ollie and Tom Price were undefeated in Abingdon’s semi-final
Oxfordshire Under 15s gave their best performance of the season when they beat Herefordshire by 92 runs in the ECB County Cup at Stonesfield. After losing the toss and then a wicket in the second over, Oxon recovered to 264-6 from 50 overs thanks
Oxford Downs and Banbury are through to the Oxfordshire final of the Harry Secombe Trophy in the ECB Under 15 Club Championship after contrasting semi-final victories. Downs secured a 16-run win over Kingston Bagpuize. An unbeaten 52 from Harry
Frilford Heath golfer Eddie Pepperell made the cut for the Irish Open, thanks to an eagle in his second round at Carton House yesterday. At one stage, it looked as though he would miss the next stage, but progressed with a three-under par 69.
Alice Powell bids to follow up her F3 Cup win at Brands Hatch earlier this month with a strong showing in Belgium this weekend. The Chipping Norton driver, who leads the championship, begins qualifying at 2.40 in Zolder today, before the first
Jason Plato’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship title hopes suffered a big setback after a disappointing weekend at Croft. The Oxford driver finished fifth, sixth and 20th in the three races and is now 36 points behind leader Matt Neal
Kimi Raikkonen believes his Enstone-based Lotus is capable of being in the mix in tomorrow’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The 33-year-old Finn was only 13th in second practice yesterday when Nico Rosberg was fastest in his Mercedes followed
PROF Carol Robinson was invested as a Dame Commander yesterday at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The Oxford University professor of physical chemistry was given the honour in the New Year’s Honours List in recognition of her services to science
PRIME Minister David Cameron says efforts must be “redoubled” to support those fighting child abuse following the Bullfinch case. The Witney MP said: “This has been a particularly horrific and shocking case, and I pay personal tribute to the incredible
BRAVE military personnel will today be honoured for their dedication to defending our nation. Services will take place across Oxfordshire to mark Armed Forces Day, which aims to remember and show appreciation for those who serve in the armed forces
THE owners of the Kassam Stadium overflow car park have appealed for help in moving a group of travellers on. Oxfordshire County Council officers and police have refused to get involved after the group pitched up behind the Vue Cinema in Grenoble
SEVERAL Oxford mosques did not take part in yesterday’s simultaneous anti-grooming sermons held across the country. Hundred of sermons took place after a gang of seven men from Oxford were given prison sentences totalling at least 95 years for
THREE men were injured in a fight at Southern Road Recreation Ground in Thame. Police said an argument started at about 6pm on Tuesday between four men, believed to have involved a dog. Another fight broke out soon after between the men in
OXFORD: Leisure centres in the city are offering free sports and fitness classes today and tomorrow. Roller derby, zumba, body combat, street dance and tabata taster classes are among the sessions available. Barton Leisure Centre, Blackbird
OXFORD: Four men arrested by child sex exploitation detectives have been rebailed. Three of the men, aged 22, 25, and 33, were arrested in November, and a 22-year-old was arrested in March. The suspects, who were arrested on suspicion of engaging
TESCO has pledged to carry out refurbishment work at its Cowley store in the evening after complaints that it was causing a strong smell during the day. Customers shopping in the supermarket at Oxford Retail Park on Thursday afternoon said the
OXON: Official figures showed 28 people died in road accidents in Oxfordshire last year. The Department for Transport released the annual road death figures yesterday. As reported in the Oxford Mail in January the number was an increase of
SIGHT is perhaps the most debilitating of all our senses to lose. The new trials for bionic eyes that may be launched next year hold great promise for many blind people. The last trials, which were led by medics at the John Radcliffe, achieved
Hannah England will bid to put her Gateshead disappointment behind her when she races at the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix in Birmingham tomorrow. Oxford City star England finished a disappointing fifth in the 1,500m at Sunday’s European Team Championships
FORGET the politics behind some of our current military activities. You cannot ignore the bravery of those men and women who put their lives on the line for this country. Today is Armed Forces Day and there is a parade in Banbury’s Market Place
MORE people with blindness could be given the chance to see again as part of the second round of ground-breaking ‘bionic eye’ surgery. The research team at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford led the pioneering operations which gave six blind
THE firm that transformed Aintree racecourse and Old Trafford cricket ground is to oversee the redevelopment of Oxford’s Westgate shopping centre. BDP Architects will guide the £400m scheme as the lead architect, with three other leading firms
A DEMONSTRATION eco house that has been sitting in a Bicester park for more than two years is set to go to university. The building, designed to show some of the environmentally-friendly technology that could be used in the planned 5,000 eco homes
A JUDGE told a homeless man who repeatedly punched his dog in the face that his “antisocial behaviour” could no longer be tolerated. Snowy Snow, of O’Hanlon House night shelter, in Luther Street, Oxford, was jailed for six months yesterday for
THE notorious rat catcher of Hamelin charmed a group of children with a tune and led them through the streets of Oxford. The 65 primary school pupils, from Sunningwell, near Abingdon, were disguised as rats from the German folk legend The Pied
