POLICE have tonight released on bail a man arrested after a schoolgirl was killed and three other people injured in a crash in Witney. The 18-year-old was arrested at the scene of the crash this morning in Curbridge Road when a car mounted the
A PATHOLOGIST today said Jayden Parkinson's injuries were not consistent with dying from a quick grip on her neck then stopping her heart. Defence barrister Richard Benson QC suggested at Oxford Crown Court to forensic pathologist Dr Alexander
The Rev Tess Kuin Lawton, chaplain of Magdalen College School, Oxford, looks forward to the summer holidays THE students are celebrating, the gardens are in full bloom, there is a festival atmosphere here at MCS and summer (rain or shine) is definitely
READERS were quick to recognise that the picture of the lorry in a picturesque street (Memory Lane, June 16) was taken at Dorchester-on-Thames. Martin Roberts, of Stone Close, Botley, Oxford, writes: “On the right is the post office, now sadly
Matt Freer, environment officer at the Diocese Of Oxford on why we should embrace nature The summer is here – the abundance of life is clearly all around us – nature is busy doing its thing! It is a time when we perhaps feel more connected
AS GCSE pupils have now taken their exams, headteachers are considering the changes coming into force over the next few years. Current letter grades – A* to G – will be out and all new number gradings will be in. In September 2015, Year 10
EIGHT long-serving members of the shop workers’ union, USDAW, received their 30-year awards in 1986. All worked for the Oxford and Swindon Co-operative Society and were presented with certificates by the union’s general secretary, Garfield Davies
CAPS were once an essential part of the uniform at some schools. But many boys hated them and were often criticised for the way they wore them. It was a subject high of the agenda at Oxford Education Committee meetings, where councillors deplored
KEEN gardeners drew lots for their plots when new allotments became available. They had been waiting seven years for planning obstacles to be overcome on the Stockham Park estate at Wantage. And when the land finally became available in 1979
WHO remembers swimming or sunbathing at Dame’s Delight? Hundreds of people would flock on a hot summer’s day to the open air pool on the south-east corner of the University Parks in Oxford. Dame’s Delight adjoined Parson’s Pleasure, where men
Members of Faringdon Rural Council embarked on a tour of their district in 1960 to make sure everything was in order. They inspected housing estates, sewage plants and other council works. A new teaching block at St Hugh’s School was opened
ELECTION night fever was in the air. After more than a decade in opposition, Labour were confident that when all the votes were in, Harold Wilson would be installed as Prime Minister. Except that this wasn’t a real count. This was young members
A SCHOOL has launched an online “virtual” art gallery thanks to a £5,000 grant. Wood Green School in Witney has created a page on its website which gives visitors a chance to view pupils’ and local artists’ work from their desks. A 360-degree
Sir – Across the country Network Rail are being urged to remove level crossings on safety grounds. As local councillors, we have worked with Network Rail to ensure that the level crossing used to reach the Trap Grounds allotments is replaced with
Sir – Hilary Grime’s letter (June 19) gives us the opportunity to detail the transport arrangements we are planning for the Cowley Road Carnival on July 6. Unfortunately, the road closure will mean disruption but we hope that the enjoyment of this
Sir – Would those who attend the live theatre transmissions at the Phoenix please be in their places before the beginning of the whole programme, not just before the play itself. Would they please keep quiet during the introductory talks and interviews
Sir – It seems incredible that the planning policies which have guided the development of Oxford since the 1970s should be cast aside on the questionable housing projections of the SHMA, supported by the non-elected, business-dominated, Local Enterprise
Sir – The Blenheim Flower Show (June 20-22) was OK as shows go. Unfortunately, there was a minimum number of exhibitors who accepted credit cards. This also included the restaurant, where you could get a three-course meal, but only if you had advance
LeSir – The letter (High cost of shale gas, June 19) from your correspondent Susan Thomas just goes to illustrate how little general understanding there is about shale gas and its extraction. Firstly, shale gas is not ‘mined’ — it is produced from
Sir – According to Government guidelines regarding religious education, “schools designated as having a religious character are free to make their own decisions in preparing their syllabuses”. It has been reported that in a recent survey
Sir – Radcliffe Square is the hub of tourist Oxford as it is the hub of the university. Tourists are often attracted out of it along a pleasant traffic-free path, Brasenose Lane, which leads them imperceptibly to the Covered Market and thence
Sir – At his inauguration the new Lord Mayor of Oxford, Mohammed Abbasi, named two disability organisations as the charities he has chosen to support during his year in office — Unlimited Oxfordshire and Restore. Unlimited Oxfordshire is a registered
Sir – Your two-page article (Take a look around to see ‘combative’ Cook’s legacy, June 12) fails, in my opinion, to do justice to Mr Cook. In many years of working with a great variety of our local councillors, I haven’t always agreed with Colin
Sir – In contrast to Steven Bennett (Letters, June 19), I’m sorry that the city planners did not reject Harris Manchester College’s proposal for its new building in Mansfield Road. The new tower and gateway look like part of a Disneyland-version
Sir – I was looking forward very much to my first visit to the historic town of Witney, famous for having the Prime Minister, David Cameron as its MP. Sad to say, my impression of Witney from the afternoon I spent watching the cricket match at
Sir – The scene could hardly have been more idyllic: wonderful weather, the ideal setting of The Leys (often forgotten to be a memorial to those from the town who died in WWI) and an appreciative number of spectators watching an interesting game of
Sir – Re the article last week which expressed safety fears voiced over the castle on the Wallingford roundabout. What a lot of completely negative input, to begin with. Thank goodness for Ros Lester’s much more positive thoughts and comments
Sir – I feel compelled to stand up for those council workers who no doubt work under very tight budgets and yet make valiant efforts to beautify our towns. The response of Councillor Atkins to the appearance of the castle flower planter in Wallingford
County council leaders should be saluted for their boldness this week in putting forward the topic of a congestion charge for the city. The levels of traffic in Oxfordshire are reaching appalling levels and we have been warned (not that we really
A JURY in Oxford Crown Court has heard the results of a post mortem examination of Jayden Parkinson's body. This morning forensic pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar gave evidence that bruises found on the 17-year-old's face and head could have been
Veteran entertainer Rolf Harris saw his decades in the spotlight end in disgrace today as he was found guilty of indecent assault. The 84-year-old, once a much-loved artist and musician, was convicted at Southwark Crown Court of 12 sex charges
A JOINER has been jailed for five years for breaking the jaw of a long-distance runner jogging around Grimsbury Reservoir in Banbury. Denis Mawle, of Wormleighton, Southam, in Warwickshire, was sentence on Thursday after previously being found
I SEE from the report (Oxford Mail, June 19) that the St Giles toilets are possibly to be turned into offices. There are obviously no health and safety concerns (dangerous pedestrian access) for offices. Were I of a suspicious mind, I would
EVERY day we hear of some serious crime committed against another human being. It appears that the perpetrators don’t have second thoughts and perhaps the UK has become too lenient, criminals knowing that, if caught and found guilty, they will
RAILFUTURE welcomes electrification of the Great Western from Paddington to the West including Oxford, and the North-South Electric Spine that will include East West Rail between Oxford and Bedford. Electric trains are more energy-efficient than
SATURDAY was Armed Forces Day, an opportunity to thank our service personnel. This is made more pertinent by the centenary of the start of the First World War in August, when we will pause to remember all those who have played their part, including
FROM recent decisions made by Oxfordshire County Council, they obviously consider Bicester to be the dumping ground for ill thought-out and often destructive plans. Bicester is supposed to be heading for the fine ideals of an ‘eco-town’ or a ‘garden
Want to give your opinion? Email letters@oxfordmail.co.uk
LONDON Welsh have today announced Matthew Ferguson as their new assistant coach. Former Bristol, Cardiff and England Women’s coach Ferguson will have his primary focus as the scrum. He joins Welsh’s existing set-up of head coach Justin Burnell
The county council’s children’s services has been rated good by Ofsted. Government inspectors visited Oxfordshire County Council between April 29 and May 21 and a report was published today. The inspection covered services for children in need
The A40 has reopened after being shut in both directions after a crash involving four vehicles. The accident occurred at the Wolvercote Roundabout. Thames Valley Police were called at 10.26am. A Thames Valley Police spokesman said injuries
WHEN Jean Davis’s son was sent to a Gloucester residential home for people with learning disabilities, many thought it was the break she needed. But Mrs Davis, 70, says every day is an ordeal to be separated from Kevin, 45. She is among Oxfordshire
A ROUND-UP of recent cases at Oxford Magistrates' Court. Adrian Comber, 41, of York Road, Carterton, admitted drink-driving in York Road, Carterton, on February 21. Had 225 milligrams of alcohol in 100ml of urine, above the legal limit of
SUPPORTERS lined the route of yesterday’s Thame 10k race to cheer on the runners. The event – through the town centre to Towersey and back along the Phoenix Trail – has been running since 1985. It helps to raise funds for charities in the area
WHINGERS...I hate them. Along with grumblers, grousers, bleaters, sulkers, whiners and moaners. Life’s tough enough without people embellishing the obvious, but that doesn’t seem to deter some individuals. After all, it’s an easy enough target
The summer is here – the abundance of life is clearly all around us – nature is busy doing its thing, says Matt Freer, the environment officer at the Diocese of Oxford. It is a time when we perhaps feel more connected to the earth. Delights
WORK on the Shores Green junction at Witney could begin in three years’ time, according to the leader of Oxfordshire County Council. But Ian Hudspeth has warned that the work would only be able to start if the funds are made available within the
GARY Waddock expects Oxford United’s players to report for duty in good condition as pre-season training begins today. The squad will undergo a series of tests to gauge their fitness six weeks before the start of the new Sky Bet League Two campaign
HANNAH England admits she needs to work on finishing strongly after seeing 1,500m gold escape her grasp at the Sainsbury's British Championships. The 27-year-old Oxford athlete arrived at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium looking to keep hold of the
3:38pm Update: The schoolgirl killed in a crash in Witney has been named locally as Liberty Baker 11:47am The A40 is closed near the Wolvercote roundabout
Two people were arrested in Bicester after their car was pursued by the police helicopter. The car was chased after earlier false reports of a burglary, on Saturday afternoon. Officers on the ground arrested the suspects. There was no information
Changes to the ceilings in Oxford’s historic Covered Market have been approved. A planning application submitted by Oxford City Council has been approved by the authority’s west area planning committee. The scheme will involve the removal of
PRIVACY is a right enshrined in European law. But it seems to be eroded more and more by the authorities. From national agencies tracking people’s Internet activities to councils using terror legislation to monitor those suspected of benefit fraud
THIS boy’s brave teddy was preparing to try a daredevil stunt – zip-wiring from a church tower. Youngsters queued up to give their teddy bears a thrill ride from a window of St Peter’s Church tower, in WOlvercote, Oxford, to the ground. Among
THE girl killed when a car ran off the road in Witney and struck her and three others has been named locally as Liberty Baker. Witnesses rushed to help the stricken victims after a blue Citroen C2 is believed to have mounted the kerb in Curbridge
A PLANE has been used to photograph the whole of Oxford as part of the battle against illegal developments in the city, officials have revealed. The plane was used in March to fly over Oxford in a bid to spot “beds in sheds”using thermal imaging
ABOUT 1,000 people joined a community event on an Oxford estate arranged to coincide with a resident’s 100th birthday. The annual Barton Bash is usually held in either August or November, but organisers made the decision to bring it forward to
THE demolition of Didcot A Power station’s towers will be a truly historic event. While they are technically owned by nPower, one could argue the residents who have lived in their shadows for so long have ownership in their future. That is
A PETITION to move the time of the demolition of three towers at Didcot Power Station has already gathered more than 700 signatures. Christine Reardon, 44, of Meadow Way, Didcot, is gaining support from residents to move the demolition time from
THIS boy’s brave teddy was preparing to try a daredevil stunt – zip-wiring from a church tower. Youngsters queued up to give their teddy bears a thrill ride from a window of St Peter’s Church tower to the ground. Among them was Oliver Roberts
A village held its annual fete in commemoration of the First World War. Leafield resident, 16-year-old Jake Acock, organised the celebration, which he restarted, after a four-year hiatus, last year. The teenager put together the fete, which
A campaign encouraging residents to keep their neighbourhood clean has been introduced in Littlemore. Oxford City Council’s Cleaner, Greener Oxford campaign will target littering, graffiti, dog fouling and fly-tipping within the area by imposing
THE county has its first ever World Champion at the game of Aunt Sally after a tense afternoon on Saturday. The game was founded – and is played almost exclusively – in Oxfordshire, but for the past three years the World Champion has been from
There was frustration for Shipton-under-Wychwood who were on top in their Home Counties Premier League Division 2 match at home to Chesham when rain caused an abandonment. Shipton made the perfect start after choosing to bowl first. Anupam
Joe White and Harry Smith were in scintillating form for Great & Little Tew in their Division 2 game at home to Cove. But after building a strong position, the hosts were denied by the weather. After a delayed start, the match was originally
BANBURY’S batsmen made hay while the sun shone in their Division 1 derby clash at home to Oxford on Saturday. But unluckily for the hosts, the sun did not shine long enough and their contest was abandoned shortly after Oxford began their reply.
Division 1 Charlbury 53-1 v Shrivenham – abandoned. Cowley Internationals v Oxenford – abandoned. Great Horwood 173-4 (D Armitage 56no, J Nix 54), Minster Lovell 144-7 (C Fisher 39). Garsington 107 (C Wharton 34, D White 3-28) v Hook
Division 1 Banbury 2nd 112-9 (L Smart 3-17, W Platts 3-27), Buckingham Town 113-2 (S Myatt 42no). Tiddington 261-5 (N Pykett 97, W Cooper 72), Cumnor 157-7 (S Jones 52, M Johnson 4-43). Twyford 193-6 (J Kubinek 74), Oxford 2nd 93-4 (A Hall
Paceman Pat Foster’s superb seven-wicket haul set Horspath up for a thrilling one-wicket win at Amersham in Serious Cricket Home Counties League Division 2, with big-hitting tailender Jamil Faruq clinching victory in spectacular fashion. The picturesque
Division 1 Gerrards Cross 83-2 (26 ovs) v Burnham – abandoned. Aston Rowant v Henley – abandoned. Harefield 32-4 (13 ovs, J Benning 3-10) v High Wycombe – abandoned. Tring Park 38-1 (11.2 ovs) v Slough – abandoned. Banbury 224-5
BANBURY made light work of beating Gerrards Cross to reach the last four of the Home Counties Premier League Twenty20 Cup yesterday. Batting first, visitors Banbury soon lost openers Lloyd Sabin and Nathan Hawkes, but Dan Harris held their innings
A FOOTBALL team of reformed criminals, addicts and the homeless is going from strength to strength. The charity Streets Revolution was set up in Oxford four years ago to use sport to engage with marginalised adults and youngsters. Since then
A NEW £3m centre to support people receiving cancer treatment at Oxford’s Churchill Hospital will open its doors tomorrow. Maggie’s will move from portable buildings in a hard-to-find part of the site, opened in 2006, to a treehouse-style structure
TWO sets of roadworks in the south of the city combined to cause traffic misery in Oxford on Saturday. The Southern Bypass remains on a reduced speed limit for the work to improve the Kennington roundabout. There were also temporary traffic
The Wychwood Music Festival was held over the weekend. The event, at New Beaconsfield Hall in the village, heard music from three Wychwood School of Rock bands. There were also performances from solo singers, and a picnic and barbecue were
A transport minister is set to visit the city today. Baroness Susan Kramer will take a tour of the city to speak to Oxford City councillors about how funding from the Department for Transport has been used to improve transport and reduce emissions
A former Abingdon MP is to start a 235-mile walk from the Lake District to Oxford. Tom Benyon OBE and his wife Jane will set off from Ambleside today and aim to get to the city by Tuesday, July 22. The couple are raising money for ZANE: Zimbabwe
WORK on redeveloping one of Oxford’s busiest junctions will begin in just two months. Oxfordshire County Council is planning to start preparatory work on Frideswide Square in September, with roadworks lasting until December 2015. County council
OXFORD United are off the bottom of the FA Women’s Super League 2 table after a 2-1 win at Durham secured a first success of the season, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. The U’s were the dominant force throughout, but had to come from behind after Emily Scott
OXFORD University will be hoping to maintain their winning sequence over Cambridge in the four-day Varsity Match which gets under way in The Parks today. The Dark Blues pulled off a remarkable one-wicket win against the odds in the One-Day contest
DRIVERS caught breaking 20mph zones by 4mph in the city will from today face a fine and points on their licence. Those found to be driving at 24mph through speed restricted areas in Oxford could end up paying a £100 fine and find themselves with
PEOPLE have voted down plans to add colour to Blackbird Leys’ tower blocks – but they have been promised £1.7m-worth of new extras. Oxford City councillor for Blackbird Leys Val Smith said that designers had done a U-turn after hearing from residents
THE county has come up trumps with three prizes at an environmental awards ceremony. Dr Keith Kirby, a professor at Oxford University, Jonathan Pearce, a postgraduate student at Oxford Brookes University, and the River of Life Project, run by the
BEAUTIFUL sweet pea flowers adorned a garden centre as part of a national contest. Millets Farm hosted the National Sweet Pea Society early show this weekend. People had been invited to bring seven stems of sweet peas from their garden or allotment
ALMOST £3,500 has been handed out to groups in West Oxfordshire to help them commemorate the Great War. To mark the centenary of the beginning of the First World War, West Oxfordshire District Council gave communities to apply for up to £500 of
DAD’S Army style re-enactors gave visitors a taste of the Second World War at Bicester Carnival. The Bicester Home Guard Living History Group, which was set up 18 months ago, aims to show people what it was like during the 1939-1944 war. Group
THE Manor Prep School in Abingdon has been rated “outstanding” by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Inspectors who visited the school’s nursery and reception on May 13 and 14 said “The quality and standards... are outstanding”. The department
COUNCIL officials are set to start discussions with an Oxford University college about a controversial development in the south of the city. Oxford City Council is seeking discussions with Magdalen College about developing the land south of Grenoble
PEOPLE across Oxfordshire celebrated Armed Forces Day with song, poetry and two-minutes’ silence. Starting at the Memorial Garden in Carterton on Saturday, a service was held which included a poem written and read by resident Doreen Clarke and
OXFORD residents who recycle their rubbish could soon help their favourite charity by doing so. Council leaders are looking into whether a trial should be held somewhere in Oxford for a recycling incentive campaign. It would mean that any money
OXFORDSHIRE’S Eddie Pepperell shot a final round of 67 to tie for 31st in the BMW International at Cologne. The Frilford Heath pro finished with a 13-under-par aggregate of 275 to earn a purse of £13,500. He finished six shots behind the winner
