DRUMMING workshops are set to start in Rose Hill in the new year. After some taster classes with younger children in the area, teacher Chris Hills has announced classes for children more than eight years old and adults will begin in January.
WORK to protect grass verges in Ashhurst Way on the Rose Hill estate has been completed. The project, part of Oxford City Council’s great estates programme, was carried out in the past three months. Grids of concrete with grass to grow through
ASPIRING designers at Cheney School have the chance to create a Roman mosaic for the school site. The “Making Project” is the latest scheme organised by the Iris Project, which unveiled the East Oxford Community Classics Centre at the school last
SUMMERTOWN will usher in the festive season later this week when the area’s Christmas lights are switched on. The annual event will take place on Friday in Banbury Road when residents are being invited to gather around a Christmas tree outside
Following another year of digging, excavations and test pits, staff and volunteers at an Oxford archaeology project reflect on their contribution to unlocking Oxford’s rich history AT Archeox’s end-of-year review last week, members discussed their
THE Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum has won a £120,000 grant in time to help mark the First World War centenary. It came from Armed Forces Community Covenant Grant Scheme, supported by Oxfordshire County Council. Work on the two-storey building
THREE crews with Oxfordshire links are taking part in the world’s most gruelling rowing challenge for charity that started yesterday. The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge will see teams take 36 to 45 days to row from the Canary Islands, west
A PASSENGER has had to be cut out of her car after a crash on Oxford Road in Cowley this afternoon. The collision, which involved a Nissan Qashqai and a silver Mercedes, happened near Clive Road at about 1pm and briefly shut off the road.
JOHN MORGAN has stepped down from the Conservative groups on the Vale of White Horse and Wantage Town councils. However he still remains an independent councillor on both. Morgan, 75, was yesterday convicted of stealing £154,000 from elderly
28th-30th November 2013 Southmoor Village Hall For their November production, Kingston Bagpuize Drama Group chose The O'Conner Girls by Katie Forgette. This a tale of woe takes place after the funeral of patriarch Tom O'Conner and his two daughters
Calendar Girls by Tim Firth The Mill, Banbury, November 2013 Banbury Cross Players again came up trumps with this popular tale of six W.I. members who bare all to produce a calendar in an effort to raise money for a settee in their local hospital
MORE than 1,000 staff across the two universities went on strike today in a dispute with their employers over pay. It is the second time members of the University Colleges Union (UCU), Unison, Unite and GMB have walked out in just over a month.
THE Prime Minister officially opened a village hall near Witney after it underwent a £300,000 renovation. The project has seen South Leigh village hall fully renovated and a new extension built to house a kitchen and toilets. Villagers raised
MORE than 200 people are revving up to take part in a Top Gear-style driving extravaganza linking Witney with its twin town in France. Teams will drive their own cars between the twin towns of Witney and Le Touquet in France. The Anglo-French
THE first phase of a £500,000 power-generating scheme at Osney Lock has been completed. The project is set to become the first community-owned turbine to be installed on the Thames next spring, when it is expected to open. Now the Environment
THE election of the new president of the Oxford University Student Union shows a lack of interesting people at the university, according to a New Statesman article. Louis Trup was elected president after a campaign in which he pledged to turn the
Oxford United have given Chris Wilder permission to speak with Portsmouth about their vacant manager's position. Interviews to replace Guy Whittingham, who was sacked last week, are due to begin today. United chairman Ian Lenagan said: "We
A CAR on fire is causing delays on the A40 in Oxford this morning. The car is sat on the westbound northern bypass between Woodstock Road and the Cassington lights. Police and fire crews are currently on scene. Updates will be posted
I WAS slightly pleased that jail sentences of up to five years are to be introduced for NHS employees – and what about the private sector – deemed guilty of wilful neglect, albeit “in exceptional circumstances”. Not all neglect is wilful, as opposed
AGAIN last week the A34 is in the news with accidents involving lorries and we have the same old suggestion that the A34 should be three lanes which will not happen in the near or distant future due to cost and the fact that, without knocking down
‘Matt had experienced police suddenly storming his parents’ home to raid it for drugs, as well as prostitution and paedophilia. Who was good and who was bad appeared quite a muddle to three-year-old Matt. “Now he is aged 11 and Matt’s foster carers
I WAS the first person in Oxford publicly to oppose the Northern Gateway. In December 2008, Cllr Goddard announced and welcomed the project, and your sister paper published a letter in which I opposed it as bad for traffic and the environment.
ESTATE residents are being urged to come and take part in an evening of free festive entertainment. Hundreds of people are expected to come to the Barton Christmas Wonderland event on Sunday. Christmas fun on offer includes a panto performance
IT entertained thousands on Oxford’s biggest estate this summer after a two-year absence. Now the organisers of the Leys Fair are encouraging Blackbird Leys residents, community groups and businesses to get behind the free community event to make
in March 1976 Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Oxford. Together they visited the Westgate shopping centre, County Hall and the Jesus College residential block of flats in Farndon Road. At County Hall, the Duke met a member
I CANNOT imagine the mental age of many drivers who drive dangerously on our roads could possibly be beyond three years old, due to their absolute lack of acknowledgement of caring for other drivers. I am sure it is commonly known that three-year-olds
I REFER to the article published on November 28, 2013 about the death of Graham Wood. What on earth was the purpose of adding his misdemeanour of almost 30 years ago? Was this necessary? What was the point? How insensitive. I cannot believe
DORIC Properties’ justification for the demolition of the Elms Parade shopping area, pictured, includes the assertion that it will “vastly improve competition and choice for local residents”. However, the results of the formal survey carried out
SO David Cameron, pictured, is supposed to have said “get rid of all the green crap”. Whatever happened to “the greenest government ever” that the MP for Witney boasted in 2012? In Oxford we are busy reducing energy use, creating sustainable energy
EVERY day there are stories of despicable deeds in Oxford Crown Court. But the conduct of Councillor John Morgan is one of the sorrier tales of greed and betrayal in recent times. Yesterday, a jury at Oxford Crown Court convicted Morgan of
Oxford United’s supporters have made their feelings clear on the speculation over manager Chris Wilder’s future. The club remained silent yesterday, although the Oxford Mail understands they have received a formal approach from Ports-mouth to speak
A DISGRACED Conservative councillor is today facing jail after he was convicted of stealing and gambling away £154,000 from an elderly Alzheimer's sufferer. Relatives of Beryl Gittens, who was 92 when she died last year, have spoken of their relief
An Oxford Fertility Unit director is in the delegation of ministers and business figures that arrived in China yesterday. Enda McVeigh joined the visit, headed by Prime Minister and Witney MP David Cameron, aims to forge relationships and improve
The Oxford city council’s phone system went down for several hours yesterday. The council announced at 10.40am that its phone lines had stopped working and that nobody at the authority could contacted by phone. The fault, which included the
THE quarry where a man was killed in an industrial accident yesterday remained closed while investigations are carried out. Les Hole, 52, died after an accident at Burford Quarry, between Burford and Brize Norton. Mr Hole, of Broadmarsh Lane
WORKMEN are removing a pipe into the Thames for radioactive waste from the garden of Hollywood star Helena Bonham Carter. The four-mile-long underground pipe had been discharging treated water from the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell
Thieves tried to take a vehicle in a raid on a Wallingford Road farm in Cholsey. The burglary happened between 12pm on Saturday and 10am on Sunday but police said nothing was stolen. It comes after a Wallingford Road house was burgled at about
A waste company has won its bid to use a site near Sutton Courtenay to transfer rubbish between vehicles. But FCC Environment has insisted the plans will not result in an increase in the volume of waste processed on the site. The company was
Rose Hill is getting all geared up for its annual light switch-on celebration. The trees in The Oval will light up the estate on Saturday – switched on by Father Christmas himself. Youngsters will be able to meet Santa, who will be handing
Seven men have been rebailed as police continue to investigate a knife fight in Bicester. The suspects, aged between 19 and 21, were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm after the incident on August Bank Holiday Monday in Lyneham
Two crashes on the A420 near Faringdon caused delays yesterday morning. The first occurred just after 6.50am between the A417 Stanford Road and Buckland Road. A van was involved in a collision with a Mercedes car. There were no injuries, said
THE battle of the giants between two sides who had tasted defeat only once this season in the BB&O Championship saw leaders Abingdon going down 31-12 to second-placed visitors Wheatley. The home side raced into the lead with a converted try
Oxford Harlequins’ 11-match winning streak in South West 1 East ended at Maidenhead on Saturday as they went down 24-19. A Quins side showing six changes from the previous week’s narrow win over Grove, paid the price for a below-par performance
The loudest cheer of the night came from two rowdy tables in the middle of the room at the Oxfordshire Sports Awards at the Kassam Stadium. When Oxford City Stars were named team of the year in the Oxfordshire Sports Awards, the Kassam Stadium
AFTER 116 years, Oxford’s last remaining single-sex hall is finally looking to admit female students. St Benet’s Hall, a Benedictine monastic permanent private hall, wants to build a new hall of accommodation for female students. At present
THE move by St Benet’s Hall to finally admit female students after 116 years is welcome. It is the final single-sex hall at Oxford but is looking to change its set-up to be able to cater for women. We should respect the attitudes and principles
A LAST-GASP try from David Taylor earned Banbury Bulls a thrilling 36-33 victory at Old Coventrians in Midlands 2 West South. Bulls had led by 22 points early in the second half, but surrendered their advantage before snatching it at the death.
Farnham Common, formerly Old Pennanians, surprised a below-par Gosford All Blacks side, who went down 20-18 in the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier Division. Gosford were outscrummaged and beaten to the rucks by the bottom club in the first quarter
Chinnor’s heroic defence proved the key as they triumphed 27-16 over London Irish Wild Geese for a welcome away victory in National 2 South. Nick Harrison had a storming game in the first half and the whole team, impressively led by Liam Gilbert
Henley Hawks held on for their first win of the season on the road in National 1 and secured a deserved bonus point with a 32-27 triumph at Worthing. With ten minutes left, victory looked a formality for Hawks, who led 32-8. However, the home side
Cowley Workers Social Club pulled off a shock victory over Premier A’s Goodlake Arms A in the Greene King Oxford & District Darts Association. The Section 1 team saw wins from Wayland Honour and Phil Cook give them a 2-0 lead, but the visitors
Thames Water announced yesterday that £5.1bn of investment would be spent on its pipes and sewers – at a cost of £2 above inflation on bills next year. The water provider was not able to say exactly how much of the money would benefit projects
Staff at both Oxford universities are set to walk out for the second time in a month today in a dispute over pay. On October 31, about 1,000 lecturers from Oxford University went on strike, along with several hundred support and administrative
TWO late goals condemned Oxford Hawks to an unlucky 5-3 defeat in an entertaining South League Premier Division 1 match at Sevenoaks. Hawks dominated the opening passage, deservedly going ahead when Richard Barlow pounced after Ethan Chapman’s
CHILD sex exploitation is not just an Oxford problem and young girls in the rest of the county are likely being abused, officials have warned. Senior members of the Oxfordshire Safer Communities Partnership say the county should not see child sex
FOLIAGE found at Harcourt Arboretum was turned into beautiful wreaths at a festive workshop run by the historic garden near Oxford. Visitors were taught to make the traditional Christmas decorations from leaves, twigs and other things found at
Witney took over top spot in the South Clubs League Division 3A with a convincing 4-1 home win over former leaders West Hampstead. The hosts went ahead with an outstanding reverse stick strike by Hayley Dobson from a tight angle. West Hampstead
ALMOST £10,000 was given to charity at the final Five Star Events tournament of the year. Oxford United legend Jeremy Charles, who scored in the 1986 Milk Cup final, was the guest of honour at the Tony Buck Cup. Studley Wood pairing Paul Fitzgerald
HOLLYWOOD producers are working on plans for a film about the life of Hobbit author JRR Tolkien. Fox Searchlight is planning to make a film about the life of The Lord of the Rings author that would focus on his time as a soldier during the First
NORTH OXFORD Pimms Cup 2nd round: 1 B Steele 42pts, 2 R Brawn 39, 3 P Lindsay 38. OXFORD LADIES Chapman Foursomes: 1 J Tavinor & C Walsh 43pts, 2 J McCairns & M Findlay 39 (cb), 3 L Morgan & A Troughton 39. Three-ball Alliance
Oxfordshire stay rooted to the bottom of the Premier Division after losing 21-15 to a Cambridgeshire side which included former world champion Martin ‘Wolfie’ Adams. Oxon were struggling after the Saturday ties, in March, which saw the Ladies B
Things got a lot tighter at the top of the Premier Division as Hailey held leaders Ducklington to a 1-1 home draw, writes ANTHONY BARLOW. Luke Manning netted for the hosts, with Jack Morton on target for Ducklington. Goals from Ian Sparkes,
Drive On (3-1) followed up his recent Lingfield win for Eve Johnson Houghton’s Blewbury stables, near Didcot, with a game victory at Kempton yesterday. The two-year-old gelding ran on well for John Fahy to beat Go For Broke by half a length in
BOTLEY Primary School is going to be able to expand to take in 60 extra pupils Oxfordshire County Council’s planning and regulation committee yesterday approved the proposal for the Elms Road school. But the committee took on board concerns raised
Bradley Smith said he will continue to fly the flag for Oxford all around the globe after being crowned the county’s top sportsman of 2013. The MotoGP star, who claimed a top-ten finish in his first season in the elite class, admitted he was honoured
A man has appeared in Oxford Crown Court charged with six counts of rape. Lewyn Rudge, of Valencia Road, Headington, also faces five counts of assault causing actual bodily harm allegedly carried out against two women between April 2009 and January
TWO men have been released without charge after a woman suffered a gunshot wound in Blackbird Leys. The Oxford men, aged 28 and 31, were arrested on suspicion of affray after the July incident in Crowberry Road, but police revealed yesterday that
A MAN has avoided jail after he admitted downloading images showing child abuse and bestiality. Paul Sly, who used to live in Bicester but has moved to Stapleford near Nottingham, had 1,500 indecent images of children discovered on his computer
Work has started on a £15m scheme to transform West Oxford's Botley’s Seacourt Retail Park. Developers are hoping to create 150 new jobs with the work to revamp the dilapidated 1980s shopping centre. Its regeneration will create more than 5,000
OXFORD has been named as one of six centres in the UK that will spearhead the country’s health research. The city’s first-class facilities, medics and scientists have been recognised as among the best in the world by the Department of Health.
Former Oxfordshire player Ian Moss is one win away from facing Phil Taylor in the Ladbrokes PDC World Championship at London’s Alexandra Palace, which starts on December 13, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. The 50-year-old Witney plasterer will face New Zealand
A VISITOR information centre in West Oxfordshire has been given its second green award this year. Burford’s information centre was highly commended at Tourism South East’s Beautiful South awards for sustainable tourism on Thursday. Earlier
PLANS for 140 homes on land in Littlemore have received the backing of officers at Oxford City Council. Planning officer Andrew Murdoch has urged councillors to approve the outline plan for 140 homes, 258 car parking spaces, 356 cycle parking spaces
YOUNG people in Bicester have been getting ready for Christmas by making cards, decorations and gifts. Dozens of youngsters took part in a series of activities at The Studio Cafe, in Crown Walk, which was set up by a town youth group called Yobs
A PAEDOPHILE who visited the Philippines and took indecent pictures of children has avoided prison. Barry Walker, who committed some of his crimes in Bicester, but is now of no fixed address, admitted four counts of making indecent images of children
Esher 8, Oxford University 40 Oxford University warmed up for next week’s Varsity Match by completing a hat-trick of victories with an emphatic win at Esher last night. Following on from their triumphs over Major Stanley’s XV and Sydney
MORE than 1,500 trees have been planted across Oxford as part of the city’s celebrations of National Tree Week. Community groups across the city were out in force over the weekend to plant trees in Cutteslowe, Rose Hill and Barton. In Cutteslowe
