JACK FM is one of 800 customers without power in the Boars Hill area this evening. People in North Hinksey, Cumnor, Wootton, Dry Sandford and Besselsleigh are also affected. Southern Electric has said it does not know what has caused the fault
OXFORD Daryl Webb, 18, of Kynaston Road, Didcot, admitted causing racially or religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress by words or writing in Didcot on June 23. Fined £100 and told to pay a £20 victims’ surcharge and £85 costs.
BOARDING schools bring up images of intellectual hothousing, elite, expensive independent schools and Enid Blyton-style midnight feasts and mischief. Oxfordshire boasts its fair share of high-performing independent boarding schools, but the county
A superb innings from Sam Heath saw unbeaten Bartholomew romp to a nine-wicket victory in the Under 14 League Premier play-off final against Burford. The second-placed side made a good start to their innings and reached 84-3. But Josh Langsford
WITHOUT wishing to sound churlish, I thought my erstwhile friend and former office manager Charlie was bordering on the unkind when he said I resembled a passed-over extra from the old TV show, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum. Seasoned viewers will remember
RW Tucker clearly wants the UK out of the EU – fair enough. But in the letter (The best EU deal is out and to stay out, July 17), we are told the European parliament is "unelected" – this is plain wrong. UK voters elect their Euro MPs every
The on-going controversy regarding the proposed Carterton East development warrants a "back to basics" approach. The first requirement must surely be to consider employment needs and job opportunities in a given area and to then ensure adequate and
I recently attended the Oxfordshire County Council meeting in Witney showing the proposed changes for the Ducklington Lane traffic improvement scheme which seems to offer a significant improvement over the current system. While there, I asked about
I like the student flats being built in Roger Dudman Way. They are smart and well set out. From the Walton Well Bridge side, the project promises a sense of style and elegance when completed. The impact on the Port Meadow side does, however, need to
The proposed Science Oxford building on New Road is an appalling building which will disfigure the road, as well as the loss of the magnificent Register Office. Its design must be in question when even English Heritage (which hardly objects to
So fracking requires water (and other things) to be injected into the ground in order to produce gas. Where is all this extra water supposed to come from? We are constantly being told how short of it we are in the south east. David Harris
I have read with interest the article about fracking and people’s fears about it (Fracking: The pros and cons, July 12). It has been agreed internationally that a rise of 2C in the global mean temperature could pose risks to human civilisation.
Fiat Panda 0.9 Twinair Easy IT is not often that the sound of an engine can put a smile on your face. And I don’t mean the blood-stirring roar of an all-American V8. The altogether more modest unit fitted in the Fiat Panda is a twin-cylinder
N OXON: Ward boundaries at Cherwell District Council could be changed under a new review. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has previously reviewed other county authorities in a move that has cut numbers of councillors. Most
A COUNCIL will have to stump up tens of thousands of pounds to urgently fell or fix almost 1,000 trees across Bicester. The blow came as Bicester Town Council completed a £20,000 tree survey after being warned by insurers that liability cover could
DEALING with a child’s terminal diagnosis is the hardest thing for any parent to have to do. So when Tom Barrett’s nine-month-old daughter Anna was diagnosed with a brain tumour he and his wife Sarah turned to East Oxford charity Helen and Douglas
Can you imagine a world where you can whip up a prosthetic leg in your living room? Perhaps you need to replace that lost front door key? No problem! With 3D printing technology we have the potential to do it ourselves. If, like me, you have a
While much of the focus of Strictly Oxford has been on the celebrities taking part, it takes two to tango (or waltz or foxtrot). And behind every novice is a dedicated partner determined to bring out their best and help make the event as enjoyable
At the end of a day at Oxford University’s Bodleian Library, 29- year-old Verity Westgate sets aside her weighty tomes and emerges from among the shelves, sleek and lean in lycra as she prepares to take on a physical challenge, the mere thought of
I ’m always in a hurry. Time waits for no man or busy mother! The phrase “the busy have time for everything, the idle have time for nothing” was drummed into my young, impressionable ears and it stuck. Trouble is I take it literally – the busier
School’s nearly out for summer. But hold the Mexican wave, kids. There are many parents out there who are as enthusiastic about the long holidays as finding your toenails in the Tupperware or a plaster in the paddling pool. It’s not that we don
BIKING enthusiast Nate Robinson was more nervous than his dad Stuart who kept very still as the eight-year-old attempted a daring jump. He was one of more than 4,000 motorbike fans at the John Wheeler British Bike Night – named after a former organiser
I AM planning on spending this weekend making sure my central heating is working properly, that I have enough blankets and warm clothing at the ready, ensuring my water butts are full to the brim and everything is working as it should be. My reasons
‘The University’s offer to carry out a “voluntary” Environmental Impact Assessment over their grotesque blocks on Port Meadow, while continuing to insist it’s really not necessary, is indicative of their utterly contemptuous attitude to the residents
Westgate development After years of planning, Westgate risks being a 20th-century development, arriving just too late for 21st-century Oxford. The city could end up creating more shopping space for large retailers, just as most of their sales
A KIDLINGTON training college has been given a good Ofsted rating following its first ever inspection. ACE Training, which currently provides apprenticeships and ‘pre’ apprenticeships for about 160 young people as Introtrain (Ace) Ltd, was also
BANBURY MP Sir Tony Baldry has been recognised in a Parliamentary awards ceremony. He was the runner-up Conservative MP of the Year at the Patchwork Foundation’s MP of the Year awards. The foundation tries to engage deprived and minority communities
For most people holidays take months of planning, not to mention the packing and travelling. For Lizzie Austin, all she has to do is cast off from her mooring and head off for adventure. “It’s a cheap holiday and cruising has been absolutely lovely
It is a truth universally acknowledged that people can benefit from an association with the countryside and animals. And there is no better illustration of this than the Farm Ability at the Oxford University Farm on the Wytham estate on the outskirts
A lady stopped me on Cornmarket the other week, petitioning for PIDA, which supports NHS whistleblowers. People with ‘whistles’ seem to be everywhere at the moment; Edward Snowden took on the American Government and has since been ousted to Moscow
The ukulele has become the hottest hipster accessory since skinny jeans, and so despite the fact that it’s been referred to in the past as an “emasculated guitar,” many of today’s celebrities who play the uke could be found on a list of nominees for
As Renee Watson mentioned in her Friday Life column last week: “Whether you are on a first date, a reunion or a night out, remember that your scent will linger in people’s minds long after it has left your skin...” So true, which is why memories
Fancy saving hundreds of pounds next time you eat out or get your hair done? Thanks to websites offering money-off vouchers and deals, it’s a no-brainer. VoucherCodes.com is the biggest and best-known of the bunch, while others include Wowcher.co.uk
Ladies: it’s time to start lifting weights! When you head into a gym what do you see? As a general rule the men are in the weights area – because they want to lose body fat and increase muscle mass. The women? Well, they are pounding it out on
I don’t wear trainers. I don’t wear t-shirts or hoodies either. I made it through my uni years without the comfort of a sweater emblazoned with the Somerville college crest and I don’t even own jeans. I just figured a while ago that if I didn’t
There are more days than I feel comfortable admitting when I am truly surprised that I have been deemed responsible enough to be in joint charge of three children. Somehow we have struggled and bumbled through a milestone 10 years of parenting,
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . . well, it was for me last week. On one of the hottest days of the year I was transported to a winter wonderland courtesy of Poundland. The company – which has a store in Westgate in Oxford city
Undeniably, it is glorious to be woken by the sun glinting through the bedroom blinds, bringing with it the promise of a wondrous summer’s day. However, for me this bliss is short lived. I am soon plunged into the depths of despair, realising that
A 22-YEAR-old man has today been found not guilty of sexual assault and rape following a five-day trial at Reading Crown Court. The Oxford Mail can now reveal this was part of the Bullfinch investigation. Sameer Tasib, of Wilkins Road, Oxford
GARDENERS are being urged to show off their hard work in this year’s Bicester In Bloom. The gauntlet has been thrown down for residents to enter the annual Bicester Town Council-organised contest and win themselves an award. Categories include
TO sportswoman Janette Cardy, a stroke was once something which only affected older people. Then she too suffered a ‘brain attack’ which threatened to end everything she had worked for. Miss Cardy, 42, from Witney, has competed nationally in
THE sale of a pub which has been registered as a community asset has fallen through at the last moment. Pub company Enterprise Inns had been planning to sell the Fairview Inn in Headington. But Oxford City Council designated the Glebelands
AN Oxford mother with the reading age of a 12-year-old has swept her dyslexia aside to write her first novel. Jane Yates, 50, took just 21 days to write her debut novel, Paradox Child. It was self-published last month and has already had more
ENERGY-saving solutions at two Oxford buildings have been recognised with a prestigious annual award. The David Steel Sustainable Building Award aims to recognise developments that include green solutions and environmentally-friendly designs.
AFTER 12 years serving as a minister for Abingdon Baptist Church David Fleming is moving on...to Luton. While Abingdon has a population of under 30,000, Luton in Bedfordshire is about 10 times the size, with an estimated population of 330,000.
Horspath Hammers ran out convincing winners of their British Team Knockout Cup quarter-final clash at home to Ipswich Eagles. Despite getting off to a bad start when Zac Payne was excluded from the first heat, Hammers recorded a 104-73 victory.
COUNCILLORS believe more bollards will help prevent cyclists using a narrow footpath in Marston as a “dangerous” shortcut. They want to tackle the problem on the footpath, which runs along Parry Close and on to Purcell Road, before the planned
ANIMAL rescue volunteers helped sort out a prickly problem when a family of hedgehogs got trapped in a compost bag. It is thought the mum and four hoglets went into the bag at a home in Montagu Road, Botley to cool down. The homeowner was about
FUGITIVE prisoner Ian McLean had a passport application signed by a doctor at Littlemore Hospital before he skipped abroad, it has been claimed. McLean – given a life sentence in 2004 for a savage knife attack on his former partner Michelle Storer
THE Australian musician Chris Latham travelled to Oxford last week on a pilgrimage to honour one of his country’s most romantic war heroes. Born in Sydney in 1881, Frederick Septimus Kelly, who died attacking a German machine gun emplacement in
Farmoor Reservior is in with a chance of winning a top award for supporting disabled anglers. The Oxford trout fishery is named with four other finalists for the Wheelyboat Trust’s annual Alan Faulkner Memorial Award, which is in its 11th year.
OXFORD City boss Mike Ford has urged giant striker Geoff Mitchell to keep up the good work when they travel to Didcot Town for tomorrow’s pre-season friendly. The 22-year-old, who scored in the 1-0 friendly win at Aylesbury FC last Saturday, was
A coroner has ruled that Granville Machin died after falling from his bed at his home in Longford Way. The 84-year-old was taken to Sobell House Hospice in Headington where he died five days later, on March 16, 2013. Oxfordshire’s coroner Darren
Andrew Smith MP has entered a debate about child detainees at immigration centres. The Oxford East Labour member tabled a question in the House of Commons about the issue. It comes after it was revealed that a young person was held at Campsfield
Williams Formula One engineers could have lent a hand after a driver ended up in a ditch in front of their Grove headquarters. The woman, who did not want to be named, said she veered off the road just outside the Station Road entrance to Williams
TEACHERS Charlie Barnett and Phil Dodd were the ones under the spotlight at the end of term celebrations this week at John Mason School in Abingdon. The secondary school students had the chance to get their own back on the teachers as they choreographed
AN RAF serviceman died after driving down the A40 nearly three times the drink-drive limit, a coroner heard. Jack Webster died on Sunday, January 15, when his Peugeot 207 crashed near the B4477 slip road from the westbound A40 near Witney.
There is “no room for denial, suppression or spin in the NHS” Banbury MP Sir Tony Baldry told the Commons at a debate into hospital death rates. The Conservative – speaking as action on 14 hospital trusts was announced on Tuesday – said there must
LYDIA Grace Price died with her wishes to make a difference to people not completely fulfilled. And, like many teenagers still unsure of their place in the world, maybe she didn’t realise how much she meant to so many. But the opening yesterday
A teenage girl told police she was approached by a man who asked her to get into his car yesterday morning. She was walking to school in Oxford Hill Road, Witney, at about 8.10am when a man pulled up next to her in a small black car. He asked
A MAN accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in his father’s car has admitted sexual contact with her, but claims it was consensual. Sameer Tasib told a jury yesterday he had been befriended by the girl online and she had initiated their sexual encounters
SUPERMARKET bosses yesterday pledged to re-open a store ravaged by a dangerous fire “as soon as possible”. The Co-op said it would work hard to re-open its High Street branch in Kidlington and neighbouring travel firm following the overnight blaze
BEING generous, we expect that a few days ago senior managers at the University of Oxford and Oxford City Council just put their heads in their hands and let out a heavy sigh. The spill of diesel at the Castle Mill student building site and the
Three vehicle break-ins in Chinnor were reported on Wednesday. Between midnight and 1.20pm a vehicle parked in Hill Farm Court had two Makita power drills, a drill set and gas analyser stolen. A vehicle parked in Station Road had a Makita jigsaw
A TEENAGE girl who died suddenly last year leaving a list of goals is continuing to inspire fellow pupils. Yesterday, the “Grace Space” was officially opened by Erin Daniels at Oxford Spires Academy in Glanville Road. The prayer area was named
ALLOTMENT holders have been told that ground water may have been contaminated from diesel during building work at Oxford University’s controversial Castle Mill development. A warning has been issued by Oxford City Council as an investigation gets
OXFORD United will wear their completed 2013-14 home shirt for the first time tomorrow after announcing a sponsorship deal with Animalates. The team have played the first three pre-season games in plain shirts, but the new logo will be worn against
Oxfordshire's Lucy Brown lived up to her No 1 seeding by winning the British Tour event at North Oxford. Brown, 20, from Elsfield, near Oxford, took the honours with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) win over wild card entry Beth Askew, from Lancashire, in the
Shotover & District (Bergerac, 5 sent 13): 1, 2, 3, Sherman & Wells 592, 560 (2). Shotover & District (Truro, 5 sent 48): 1, 2, 3 K Shipperly 1280 (2), 1256; 4, 7, R Jenkins, son & daughter 1182, 916; 5, 6, D S R Wiggins 1114, 1027
Eamonn Deeley won a closely-contested Witney Evening Time Trial by just four seconds. The Mid Oxon rider averaged just under 29mph to complete the course, held on the Witney bypass, in 20mins 49secs. Rich Harrison (20.53) fell just short to
SATURDAY CRICKET SERIOUS CRICKET HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE Div 1: Banbury v North Mymms. Div 2 West: Farnham Royal v Oxford, Great & Little Tew v Aston Rowant. CHERWELL LEAGUE Div 1: Buckingham Tn v Oxford Downs, Great
Oxfordshire’s hopes of qualifying from Group 4 in the ECB 50+ County Championship are up in the air after they lost to Gloucestershire by five wickets at Stowell Park, near Northleach. Oxon slumped to 158 all out on a slow and low pitch after winning
Banbury all-rounder Richard West makes his first Western Division appearance of the season as Oxfordshire take on Wales at Abergavenny, starting on Sunday. West has earned his call-up following a series of solid contributions with bat and ball
Our Lady’s Abingdon struggled to make an impact against more experienced teams in the National Schools Championships finals for the Aberdare Cup in Sheffield. They lost 12-0 to Ellesmere College (Shropshire) and Strathallan School (Perth Scotland
Darren Jones dealt with the 30°C heat to win the men’s singles at Hanney’s annual championships, beating Michael Sitch 7-5, 6-1 in the final. Gina Davis took the ladies’ singles title with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Charanya Ravi. Karen Bradshaw
Oxford Hoops hold trials for their National League team at St Gregory the Great School on Sunday (2-5pm). Junior trials take place earlier in the day.
Shahbaz Ali hit a whirlwind half-century against his old club, Banbury, to fire hosts Horspath into their first Bernard Tollett Oxfordshire Cup final with a shock 57-run victory. Ali blasted 51 off 31 balls, with five sixes coming off the last
Opening batsman Ed Phillips could line up in Banbury’s Division 1 game against North Mymms at White Post Road tomorrow – despite having a broken thumb. Phillips suffered the injury three weeks ago, but the fracture was discovered only yesterday
FEW players genuinely look forward to pre-season with any relish, but after months of rehabilitation Ryan Clarke is not complaining. Oxford United’s No 1 is thrilled to be back after missing the second half of last season following surgery on both
THE 14-month-old toddler hospitalised after chewing a suspected drugs wrap has spent a second night in hospital. Thames Valley Police said it was as a “precaution” and his condition was improving. The youngster was taken to Stoke Mandeville
MATT Heath will be given another chance to stake a claim for a contract tomorrow when Oxford United take on Birmingham City, but manager Chris Wilder is also looking at other defensive targets. Recruiting a centre back to compete with Jake Wright
A FIRE that killed a father-of-two on his narrowboat was started accidentally, an inquest has heard. Kevin Pryor’s remains were found on burnt-out Oxford canal boat the Lady of the Lake, on the Oxford Canal close to the Pear Tree roundabout, following
AN airline accused Oxford Airport of putting trucks in front of its plane to stop it taking off over a dispute about its future. Minoan Air told passengers the airport blocked the plane, which never made it to its Dublin destination, because it
SCOTT Davies will be treating tomorrow’s friendly against Birmingham City as seriously as the opening day of the season. The midfielder has featured in all three of Oxford United’s pre-season games so far and is keen to press his claims for a place
Thames Water has pledged that there will not be a hosepipe ban this summer. It comes as demand for water in the region has grown by 15 per cent – or 400m litres a day above the usual 2.6bn – during the heatwave in the last two weeks. But the
The man accused of holding police at bay during a 12-hour siege in Kidlington had a preliminary hearing yesterday. Daniel Rodriguez, 38, has been charged with two counts of possession of an imitation firearm, using an imitation firearm with intent
The trial of a woman who denies murdering her mother has been postponed. Kauthar Silvera, 29, was due to stand trial at Oxford Crown Court on Monday for allegedly killing Vittoria Baker, 52. Silvera, of Friars Wharf, Oxford, will now attend a pre-trial
TOMORROW’S visitors could feature a familiar face up front, with former Oxford United striker Matt Green joining Birmingham City this summer. It will be the 26-year-old’s first return to the Kassam Stadium since leaving for Mansfield Town two years
ORGANISERS of an appeal to buy Dave Langan’s Oxford United medals have been surprised by the scale of the response from supporters. Within a week of launching the campaign, OxVox have raised £2,700 – more than halfway to the minimum £5,000 target
TODAY we can show you the state-of-the-art facilities which could save premature babies at a £5.5m extension of the John Radcliffe Hospital’s Newborn Intensive Care Unit. The number of intensive care cot spaces for the sickest babies is doubling
OXFORD: Three Oxford University projects have received a £7.7m cash injection. The money is part of an £85m national investment in technologies from EPSRC, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. A mobile robotics project will
IN the age of disposable cameras and superfast broadband there is still something captivating about a steam engine. The Combe Mill beam engine was built in 1852 to power the mill’s machinery, and as volunteer Gordon Lord, 75, says, “how many pieces
Food traders will go head-to-head in a bid to win the right to sell from two of the city’s sought-after spaces. Oxford City Council’s licensing and registration committee will meet at 5.30pm next Wednesday to decide who will get to trade from sites
POLICE had to step in and direct vehicles leaving Bicester’s new car park after a traffic lights malfunction. Officers were called by a motorist who said they had been stuck in a traffic jam on the ramp of the car park in Manorsfield Road for 30
A PROPERTY developer has taken his bid to build three “horrible” 1970s chalets in a conservation area to a government inspector. Martin Young has threatened to build the chalets in the grounds of 29 Old High Street, Headington, to prove a point
