A FAMILY fighting to protect a water meadow in South Oxfordshire is celebrating after a bid to open up its fields to dog walkers failed. An application to designate The Meadows in Stadhampton as a village green has been withdrawn after council
AN OXFORDSHIRE chapel is the first religious building to reach the shortlist of a prestigious architecture prize. Ripon College Cuddesdon’s new Bishop Edward King Chapel is one of six buildings in the running for the Royal Institute of British
AS CHILDREN took advantage of the continuing heatwave, with schools beginning to break up for the summer holidays, not everyone has welcomed the sun. Pupils and their siblings at Cokethorpe School, in Duckington, near Witney, have been enjoying
With no racing, I have been enjoying fitness training in the sun and a spot of go-karting, which is another thing I do to keep sharp. However, even though I have not been in action, there have been plenty of other talking points in the sport.
A GLITZY 1920s atmosphere was created as Headington School took The Great Gatsby as its theme for the Year 13 leavers’ ball. The pastoral director of the sixth form, Rosemary Kitto, said: “The ball was a huge success. Everyone enjoyed the champagne
BURFORD School’s Year 13 leavers’ ball – held at Eynsham Hall in North Leigh – was a gentle affair, with a three-course dinner and prizes given out. A total of 73 students and 11 staff attended an event that had been organised by the students.
DEANE Smalley's terrific individual goal was the highlight of an encouraging display as Oxford United drew with Birmingham City in pre-season. The striker received the ball with his back to goal on the halfway line, but showed strength, pace and
THE headteacher of a Witney secondary school has been presented with a particularly special leaving present – a glowing report from Ofsted. Just days before Nicky Edmondson was due to say farewell to pupils at Henry Box School, the results of the
A PRIMARY school judged inadequate last year has come out of special measures 14 months later. St Nicholas Primary School, Sarajac Avenue, East Challow, was rated good in all areas when inspectors visited last month — a significant improvement
THE mother of a severely disabled 19-month-old boy has said using a bubble tube sensory toy has improved his vision. Now she needs to raise £909 to be able to buy him one of his own. Albie Logan, from Abingdon, contracted bacterial meningitis
A CHARITY which helps disadvantaged young people stay out of trouble is due to move into Abingdon’s old police station. The Abingdon Bridge charity is hoping to be in the Grade II-listed Bridge Street building by December. The move was announced
A KIDS club celebrated its 20th anniversary with a magician, face painting and party food last week. The Cool Kids Club, based next to Wheatley Primary School, in Littleworth Road, opened its doors in 2003. More than 70 children and parents
CINDY Thompson’s first husband ran off with someone he met on the Internet. But on a three-month holiday to the UK in 1996, to get over her traumatic divorce, she met husband-to-be Russell Bowden within hours of getting off the plane. Mr Bowden
Polly Hitchings, from King Alfred’s Academy Wantage, shone in the bar event in the British Challenge Cup Espoir Competition in Guildford. The 13-year-old came eighth out of a field of 58 competitors. This was on the back of gaining a first
A TEENAGE girl has died following an incident at Hinksey Park in Oxford today. Ambulance staff have confirmed that the teenage girl has been declared dead at the John Radcliffe Hospital after paramedics were called to the South Oxford park just
Good afternoon and welcome to the Kassam Stadium for the first time in pre-season as Oxford United host Birmingham City. The team news is in already and will follow shortly, but first just a reminder you can get in touch by tweeting us @oxfordmailoufc
WANTAGE C of E Primary School celebrated its 10th anniversary by going back to nature. A new £8,500 nature path links a grass amphitheatre for outside lessons, living willow structures and fruit trees. The school is hoping to help children
THEY’VE donned sequins, fancy frocks and experienced complete meltdowns... but tomorrow the Strictly Oxford finalists will be dancing to win. Sixteen people will take to the floor with their partners from Headington’s Step By Step Dance School
Abingdon Vale’s bowling attack stood out as they won the Oxfordshire Under 11 Competition at Charlbury. After knocking over Shipton-under-Wychwood for 64 in the semi-final, they went on to dismiss Aston Rowant for just 58. Zach Lion-Cachet
Oxford Ice Rink will host two National League Division 2 South teams next season after announcing a deal for Bristol Pitbulls to share the facility. The rink in Bristol is closed next season, so the arrangement is to play most of their ‘home’ games
Sean Walkinshaw claimed his second points finish of the season as the European Formula 3 Open championship visited Silverstone. The Team West-Tec driver could qualify only ninth in the Copa class, but thrived on home soil during the second race
THE woman charged with leading an academy formed of Blackbird Leys’ three primary schools has been described as an outstanding headteacher. On the eve of Pegasus Primary School’s conversion to academy status, the school was visited by Ofsted and
Seven hundred homes in the Abingdon area suffered a power cut this morning, with the Tesco Extra store also affected. The store off Marcham Road closed for an hour after being affected by the power cut which saw 700 homes losing electricity.
A woman has suffered suspected spinal injuries in a two-car collision on the A44 near Kidlington. The accident at Langford Lane junction happened shortly before 11am today, with one vehicle overturning. Fire crews using cutting equipment to
Ellie Nutt was the star performer as Abingdon Vale came away with 15 gold medals from the Wycombe SC year-end meet at Handy Cross. The 14 year-old won three golds herself in the 50m & 100m breaststroke and the 50m freestyle. Her achievements
The Abingdon & Oxford Anglers Alliance held their annual 40-hour social match at Marlborough Pool, Cassington, where Geoff Waddle triumphed with four carp for 88.12.2. Best fish was a mirror of 28.3.0 (top), and he also caught an old warrior
ROLAND Wessling was barely conscious as police arrested him for the murder of his partner Hazel Woodhams. But the forensic scientist had not killed the love of his life — the 30-year-old had in fact died from carbon monoxide poisoning after they
Lucy Thomas set a new landmark with a fine innings to guide Oxford Downs into the third round of the Under 13 Lady Taverners T20 Competition. Her knock of 101 included 18 boundaries and is the first century scored by a girl in a club competition
Emma-Kate Lidbury finished fourth at the 70.3 Vineman event in California. The former Oxford Mail reporter, who lived in Risinghurst, was in the leading group at the halfway point. The 33-year-old finished the swim third in 25mins 43secs, before
A FARMER has lost about £30,000 of cattle feed in a fire at two hay barns near Oxford. After harvesting finished yesterday morning, a fire broke out at 2pm in the barns containing the hay at Parsonage Farm, in Main Road, Marsh Baldon. All 400
PROMINENT barrister Michael Mansfield has called for a truth commission after the 10th anniversary of the death of Dr David Kelly was marked. Dr Kelly was found dead near his home in Southmoor on July 18, 2003, days after he was named as the source
POLICE are hunting for a missing man from Twyford, near Adderbury. Scott Robertson, 41, was last seen leaving his home in Rochester Way on Tuesday. He is white with short black hair. He has a tattoo on the left of his neck and full sleeve tattoos
A MEDICAL supplies firm based in Abingdon has announced it will be making some of its staff redundant. Penlon, which has its headquarters at the Abingdon Science Park, said in a statement it had “identified a small number of job roles at risk”
CONCERNED residents have called for further details on plans to remodel London Road in Headington and the Green Road roundabout. Visitors to an exhibition of plans to deal with congestion around Headington and Barton were worried about an apparent
With little flow, and plenty of swimmers and boats, the second round of the Oxford Summer League on the Medley stretch of the Thames was always going to be hard. And so it proved for the 40 anglers in sweltering conditions. The more isolated
POLICE have moved to quell fears over alleged horse thefts in Bicester. A spokesman for the Bicester neighbourhood policing team said: “It has been brought to our attention that a rumour is currently circulating in the horse owner community that
THE Ministry of Defence (MoD) has told a soldier leaving the Army that he can stay in his home at RAF Brize Norton with his disabled child until a suitable alternative is found. Paul Biddiss, 44, a sergeant in the Parachute Regiment, left the
WE WOULD encourage Oxford City Council to be very measured when it comes to decide the fate of the First Class Diner van’s pitch near Cheney School. Driving a man out of the area by removing his licence, purely because of protests by parents and
A FORMER president of Abingdon Chamber of Commerce president, who is accused of sexual offences, has had the date for his next court hearing changed after a hearing yesterday was cancelled. Paul Townsend, 28, of Hadland Road, Abingdon, faces 16
A FAST food van owner has hit back at claims he is undermining a school’s healthy eating policy. Mehmet Yilmaz believes complaints about his First Class Diner van in Warneford Lane, Oxford, are unfounded. It comes after Oxford City Council
SWAN Upping, a medieval tradition dating back to the 12th century, returned to Oxfordshire yesterday, after it was cancelled last year due to wet weather flooding the River Thames. The five-day census entered Goring Lock at 5pm and finished at
BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge has revealed plans to open a hotel in Oxford’s Cowley Road. The firm has been attempting for years to open a hotel in Abingdon Road but it has now emerged that it is eyeing up a site in the heart of East Oxford.
A MAN who was jailed for leaving a young chef unable to walk or talk has admitted manslaughter after his victim died. Logan Usher, of Croxford Gardens, Kidlington, punched Michael Rogers twice in an unprovoked attack at the Red Lion pub in the
THE Co-op is assessing the damage caused to its supermarket in Kidllington's High Street by a major fire on Wednesday. The firm said it hopes to give an update to customers next week. It has pledged to re-open the store “as soon as possible
THE Co-operative has refused to comment on an Ofsted letter saying senior staff and managers had been suspended as the regulator shut its Blackbird Leys nursery in Oxford. Ofsted issued a temporary suspension after a surprise inspection in Cuddesdon
SO we’ve gone from record wet months to what may turn out to be near 200-year dry spells. The weather always captivates we Brits and we certainly appear to be in the middle of a scorcher (hopefully). But as in the extreme wet or cold weather
OXFORD is set to experience its driest June and July combined for nearly 200 years as the city continues to bake in the sunshine. Records from Oxford University's Radcliffe Meteorological Station show that so far this month 1.7 millimetres of rain
ABORTIONS in Oxfordshire have increased by 30 per cent since 2009, a new report has revealed. The Department of Health has revealed the total number of abortions in the county in 2012 was 1,681, compared to 1,293 in 2009. The highest number
THE massive crack that has shut a road between Oxford and Abingdon will cost about £1m to fix. But county council bosses say the work will not be completed until the winter, about a year after the A4183 Oxford Road was shut due to a landslide.
Oxford United’s pre-season goes up a notch today with the visit of Birmingham City and manager Chris Wilder has been boosted by the novelty of selecting from a fully fit squad. Injuries have plagued the squad for well over a year, but pre-season
REVELLERS kicked off their weekend early yesterday as Truck Festival got under way at Hill Farm in Steventon. Zoë Blackman, 22, from Headington, said: “It’s brilliant, we put up our tent, got some drinks and went to watch the bands.” The annual
A MAN arrested by officers from Operation Bullfinch has been cleared of raping and sexually assaulting a young girl. Jurors at Reading Crown Court took two hours and 20 minutes yesterday to clear 22-year-old Sameer Tasib of attacking the girl.
A CLASSIC Shakespearian tale will end on a musical note at the Bodleian Library in Oxford this weekend. The Oxford University library will host a production of The Taming of the Shrew in its Old Schools Quad and a jig will be performed at the end
A COUPLE found to have more than £3,000 worth of cannabis in their home have been sentenced at Oxford Crown Court. Jonathan Stone, prosecuting, said Nathan Forbes and Jade Reeves were arrested by police at a house in Harefields, Cutteslowe, Oxford
A planning committee has been scheduled by South Oxfordshire District Council at 6pm on Wednesday at the council offices in Crowmarsh. Among items recommended for approval are plans for a three-bedroomed home in Kentwood Close, Cholsey. It
Revisions to how Oxfordshire County Council manages its trees will be discussed next week. Changes to its tree management policy will include new guidelines on construction work close to trees and how to tackle pests and diseases. The policy
Revellers are being encouraged to recycle after enjoying barbecues in the city this summer. Oxford City Council is reminding people to use their blue recycling bins or boxes for recycling extra bottles as well as sending food waste for composting
Rail passengers can buy and scan tickets with their smartphones under a new system rolled out by Chiltern Railways. The train company is the first in the country to launch the App and Go system. Passengers can pay for travel on their mobiles
ONE of the few remaining pubs in West Oxford has been put up for sale, sparking concerns about its future. The Holly Bush in Bridge Street, Osney Island, is currently owned by Greene King but the Suffolk-based brewery has decided to sell the pub
A sat nav was stolen from a parked car in Gatteridge Street, Banbury. The item was taken about 5.30pm on Tuesday. Anyone with information can call police on 101.
The Wootton Surgery Supporters’ group is holding a meeting next Thursday to discuss the proposed closure of the surgery. All are welcome to attend the meeting from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in the Wootton and Dry Sandford Community Centre in Besselsleigh
A 17th-century manuscript kept in the basement of the Bodleian Library has been brought to life in a new book. The Tradescants’ Orchard: The Mystery of a Seventeenth-Century Painted Fruit Book has fruit tree paintings from a 1630 manuscript.
