Archive

  • Golden girls are grand charity achievers

    A TEAM of Race for Life runners who call themselves the Golden Girls raised more than £1,000 in this year’s race. The Golden Girls – a group of 14 relatives and friends from Oxford, Kidlington, Witney and Eynsham – ran the Cancer Research UK event

  • Danish bicycle cut quite a dash

    HELEN Chapman turned plenty of heads as she rode around Wallingford on this unusual bike. Long John, as the bike was known, was ideal for nipping through the town’s congested streets and delivering car batteries and other bulky items. Pictured

  • Cartoon that marked the rise of Headington United

    AN ALAN Course cartoon summed up a football club’s hopes when it turned professional. Headington United, the forerunner of today’s Oxford United, had played in amateur leagues. But in 1949, it was ready to step up to the professional stage

  • Scouts rustle up some sizzling carnival food

    THESE Scouts made sure people didn’t go hungry at Blackbird Leys Carnival. Members of the 35th Oxford troop were in charge of the barbecue. Some of them were cooking, while others, it seems, were waiting to pounce and grab the first sausages and

  • The changing face of: Bicester

    Pupils at Glory Farm School spent a term learning about Africa in 1981, then put their models and other work they had done on display so that other schools in the town could benefit. Children from Longfields Primary School put on their wellies

  • When man’s best friend is a potential life-saver

    IT IS often said that a dog is man’s best friend, but for many people with disabilities or medical conditions the bond they have with their animals is even stronger. Dogs can be trained to help the blind or deaf, people with physical disabilities

  • £20,000 watch robbers jailed

    TWO teenagers who robbed a Venezuelan lawyer on holiday in Oxford of a £20,000 watch have been jailed. Kelvin Ferreira, right, and Mustafa Mohammed, below, both 18, attacked Juan Domingo Cordero Osorio after following him from Thirst nightclub,

  • Oxford United fans' discussion

    12:01pm Tweets by @OxfordMailOUFC 12:01pm Good afternoon and welcome to the latest of our weekly Oxford United chats. Lots to talk about as always, so we'll get straight

  • The Scales of Justice – 18 people up in court

    BANBURY MAGISTRATES Gavin Fidler, 40, of The Phelps, Kidlington, near Oxford, admitted speeding on the A34 at Wytham on July 27 at a speed in excess of the 50mph limit. Fined £50 and told to pay a £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs. Given three

  • The amount wasted is estimated to be millions

    PERHAPS the rail fares would rise less if there was less reckless spending. Chiltern Railways’ upgrade requires re-routing of Langford Lane in Bicester. Two routes were proposed, one by Chiltern Railways one by local people. The Chiltern

  • Diversionary route just makes no practical sense

    WE now have a confirmed date, September 7, for the start of the rebuilding of the bridge at Challow. We also have the details of the proposed diversionary route. This diversion causes me to ask “What planet do our county councillors and officers

  • Please back campaign to help protect wildlife

    AUGUST 12 – the so-called ‘Glorious Twelfth’ – was the start of the grouse shooting season, which runs until December 10. During this time, shooters will kill around half a million birds, whose numbers have been boosted to unnatural levels by intensive

  • Government must wake up to this serious threat

    A FEW years ago I wrote a paper on the nascent threat of Islamic radicalisation for my masters degree. It seems that the Government has been caught napping and it must now wake up to this serious threat to our status quo. To date our foreign policy

  • Oxford United sign Will Hoskins to boost striking options

    OXFORD United’s bid to sharpen their attack has been boosted by the capture of experienced striker Will Hoskins. A free agent after being released by Brighton in May, the 28-year-old watched from the stands as the U’s lost 1-0 at home to Portsmouth

  • Killers must hear Allah condemns murder

    The Rev Dr Timothy Bradshaw, of Oxford University’s theology department How are we to respond to the ghastly events in the deserts of northern Iraq, as we see the horror of the beheading of the US journalist by a British Islamic fighter, well educated

  • New lease of life for ‘vital’ foodbank

    A FOODBANK that had to reduce its opening hours to one day a week will soon be back full time after finding a new home. The Bicester Foodbank was based at Minton Place until its lease expired on Friday, August 15. Without a new permanent home

  • The hefty price of mingling with festival-goers

    DON'T leave valuables in your tent – the warning flashed up on a huge screen at the entrance to the weekend’s Reading Festival was clear enough. And the advice was good. Attracting 90,000 punters and hundreds of artists, staff, volunteers,

  • Oxford United boss: We want points, not praise

    MICHAEL Appleton is getting irritated with praise from opposition managers after Oxford United failed to convert another decent display, writes DAVID PRITCHARD. Visitors Portsmouth were on the ropes in the first half, but United could not land

  • Woman taken to JR after falling in road

    A woman was taken to hospital with head injuries after falling over in the road in Witney. A spokeswoman for Thames Valley Police said officers were called at about 7pm on Saturday to a suspected collision between a car and a pedestrian on Curbridge

  • Barton United Football Club charity event a success

    Barton United raised more than £1,500 with a charity fun day at Barton Community Pavilion yesterday afternoon. The money raised by the children’s football tournament, bouncy castle, raffle and barbecue will be split between the football club and

  • Jewellery stolen in raid

    Jewellery was stolen from a house in Wheatley Road, Forest Hill. The house was raided between 9am and 4.10pm on Friday. Thieves broke in through the rear door. They took cash and several items of Asian-style jewellery, including a gold pendant

  • Monday, August 25

    10:21am More than half the health service pledges on targets have been missed in Oxfordshire As the front page picture shows, the chilli competition at the Foodies Festival ended in a slightly painful draw

  • Fire guts health store at Golden Cross centre

    A FIRE destroyed the inside of a city centre shop after it broke out in the Golden Cross arcade yesterday. Five fire engines attended the scene after the alarm went off at health store Holland & Barrett. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

  • It’s time for our health commissioners to get tough

    IT is very easy to overlook a simple yet crucial element in our story about multiple missed health targets today: these “percentages” are real people. Who are sick. Even without factoring that in, it is again simply unacceptable that our health

  • CRICKET: Relegation worries mounting for Rowant

    ASTON Rowant’s fears of the drop from Division 1 increased with an eight-wicket defeat under the Duckworth-Lewis Method at relegation rivals Gerrards Cross. Rowant now stand just three points above Harefield in the relegation zone, with bottom

  • CRICKET: Tew tonked but survival is secured

    GREAT & Little Tew’s Home Counties Premier League Division 2 status was confirmed for next season, despite a 95-run home defeat by Finchampstead under the Duckworth-Lewis Method. Losses for the bottom two, Chesham and Falkland, ensure that

  • Newey not concerned about Oxford United's position

    TOM Newey played down the significance of Oxford United propping up the Football League in the wake of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Portsmouth. It is the first time the U’s have ever been last in the fourth tier and they are still waiting for their

  • CRICKET: Laudat's whirlwind knock all in vain

    STEWART Laudat’s quickfire 80 proved in vain for Oxford, who lost by four runs under the Duckworth-Lewis Method to relegation candidates Harefield in Division 1 of the Home Counties Premier League at Roman Way. Facing Harefield’s challenging 255

  • CRICKET: Easy victory for Banbury

    BANBURY cruised to a six-wicket win at home to Burnham in Division 1 of the Home Counties Premier League. With South African star Herschelle Gibbs watching from the boundary, Banbury rolled over the visitors for 141 after putting them in to bat

  • Boys chalk up good deed for Uffington's very old White Horse

    UFFINGTON’S famous White Horse is gleaming again after volunteers refreshed its chalk. Brothers Thomas Streatfield, nine, and seven-year-old Sam helped out yesterday. Thomas said: “We got given lumps of chalk and a hammer and we hammered the

  • Festival competitors line up for a red-hot chilli contest

    IT may not have been the hottest day of the year, but contestants at the Foodies Festival chilli-eating competition were certainly sweating. On Saturday nine people took part in the contest, staged by Wiltshire Chilli Farm, at the festival in South

  • CRICKET: Faruq's six of the best lift Horspath's title tilt

    JAMIL Faruq starred with 6-35 as Horspath got their Home Counties Premier League Division 2 title bid back on track with a comfortable five-wicket win at Chesham, who are relegated. Will Eason’s side remain four points clear of Reading at the top

  • ATHLETICS: Hannah finishes seventh in Birmingham

    HANNAH England said she was satisfied with her seventh-place finish in Birmingham yesterday, despite being out of her comfort zone. The Oxford City athlete, who reached the finals of the Commonwealth Games and European Championship 1500m events

  • FOOTBALL: Merritt pleased that hard work reaps rewards

    General manager Justin Merritt could not hide his joy at seeing Oxford City finally score the goals they had been threatening, writes MATTHEW BRUCE. Adi Yussuf (2) and Alejandro-Adrian Santiago’s goal gave unbeaten City a 3-2 victory at Solihull

  • FOOTBALL: Yussuf's double joy as City extend fine start

    Solihull Moors 2 (Bogle 34, Fleet 82) Oxford City 3 (Yussuf 5, 27, Santiago 61) Oxford City extended their unbeaten start to the season to four matches with an impressive 3-2 win at Solihull Moors in Vanarama Conference North on Saturday

  • Crowds give Towersey a birthday to remember

    TOWERSEY Festival celebrated its 50th year with potentially record numbers of visitors over the Bank Holiday weekend. Organisers said they expected about 10,000 people will have watched acts including The Bootleg Beatles and Seth Lakeman perform

  • RESULTS: August 23

    UHLSPORT HELLENIC LEAGUE Premier Div: Binfield 2, Abingdon Utd 0; Cheltenham Saracens 1, Shrivenham 2; Kidlington 3, Highmoor Ibis 1; Milton Utd 1, Holyport 2; Oxford City Nomads 3, Highworth Tn 2; Thame Utd 2, Reading Tn 1; Thatcham Tn 1, Ardley

  • FOOTBALL: Kidlington on the up with impressive home victory

    Kidlington climbed to second in the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division table after a 3-1 home victory over Highmoor Ibis. Goals from Chris Weedon, Tom Franklin and Jack Quainton saw the Oxfordshire side leapfrog their opponents and move

  • FOOTBALL: Millers make a point

    Fleet Tn 2 (Carr 30, J White 74) North Leigh 2 (Caton 25, Hole 32) North Leigh twice let slip the lead as they drew at Fleet Town in Southern League Division 1 South & West on Saturday. However, in the end, Mark Gee’s side were

  • FOOTBALL: Didcot are second best

    Merthyr Tn 3 (McLaggan 41, 57, Traylor 83) Didcot Tn 1 (Brooks 85) Didcot Town produced an improved display, but title favorites Merthyr Town were too strong in Saturday’s Southern League Division 1 South & West clash. The hosts

  • FOOTBALL: Wantage up and running

    Wantage Tn 4 (Cattell 27, Roberts 47, M Jones 48, Melledew 78) Bishops Cleeve 2 (Tustain 3, Price pen 89) Wantage Town collected their first Southern League victory with an impressive second-half display in Division 1 South & West

  • Man on arson charge

    A man has appeared at Oxford Crown Court charged with arson with intent to endanger life. Lee Tyler, of Richmere Road, Didcot, also faces seven counts of criminal damage and one of theft from a motor vehicle. The 21-year-old will attend a plea

  • Inquest to look into trainer’s gun death

    An inquest into the death of racehorse trainer James Douglas-Home will be held tomorrow at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court. Mr Douglas-Home, 61, died of a gunshot wound at his home in Lockinge, on May 8, after reportedly suffering months of depression

  • Pitching in to a better future for ‘market men’

    LAST August saw a new dawn at Gloucester Green market when the city council handed its day-to-day running over to two private firms. One year on traders have said they are happy with the £200,000 worth of improvements made, including the new covered

  • Pensioners launch charity shoebox appeal

    A COUPLE from Grove are running their 14th annual Christmas shoebox collection for Eastern Europe. John and Margaret Willemsen, both 74, have been helping to get aid to the poverty-stricken region since the fall of the Soviet Union in the late

  • CRICKET: Dickinson stars in Shipton success

    CALVIN Dickinson hit a splendid half-century as Shipton-under-Wychwood ran out convincing 86-run home winners over Dinton in Division 2. Dickinson made 62 out of Shipton’s 227-9 off 50 overs after the hosts had been put in to bat. He received

  • GOLF: In-form Eddie secures another top-five finish

    ABINGDON’S Eddie Pepperell followed up his highest European Tour finish with another top-five position in Prague yesterday. The Frilford Heath member came fourth in the Made In Denmark tournament seven days ago and was full of confidence heading

  • Oxfordshire Bank Holiday events braced for wind and rain

    OXFORDSHIRE is set for a wet Bank Holiday after the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for rain until 11.50pm today. A number of festivals and outdoor events could be affected by the rain, which is forecast to reach the county from the

  • College in deal with British Gas over trainees

    BRITISH Gas Oxford will recruit 10 apprentices in a new deal with Abingdon and Witney College. The teenage trainees will join the customer service team to help earn a NVQ level three qualification, the equivalent to A/AS levels, and the chance

  • NHS stub-it-out aid helps 3,600 in Oxfordshire

    MORE than 3,600 people in Oxfordshire were helped by the NHS to quit smoking, new figures show. A total of 6,065 people registered with the service in 2013/14, of whom 3,616 said they had managed to quit. Of these, 2,770 were confirmed to have

  • Missing boy is found

    A search was launched after a teenage boy went missing in Charlton, Wantage, on Friday. Police were called just before 2pm and deployed a helicopter to track down the boy, who was found two hours later.

  • Driver arrested after man injured in crash

    A man has been arrested in connection with a collision involving a 50-year-old man and a car. The man suffered injuries to his knee, ankle, hands and hip following the collision on Saturday, August 16, at about 3.45pm. The incident involved

  • Bear cubs attract support despite protests

    VILLAGE fetes often have pony rides, but Enstone’s show had a more fearsome attraction with three European brown bear cubs on display. Visitors got to look at the young bears, called Maxi, Amelia and Silver, which were brought by Chipping Norton

  • County divorce rate falls as couples return to class

    THE divorce rate in Oxfordshire has fallen by almost a fifth since 2011, new figures show. There were 1,266 divorces last year compared to 1,430 in 2012/13 and 1,533 in 2011/12, Office for National Statistics figures show. The boss of an Oxford

  • Pub serves up day of fun

    YOUNG and old enjoyed a village fete atmosphere at the Jolly Boatman pub, Banbury Road, Kidlington, as they helped raise money for the Adderbury-based Katharine House Hospice yesterday. Four-year-old Seb Howells, from Warwickshire, spent an afternoon

  • RESULTS: August 9

    Division 1 Cowley Internationals 277-8 (M Sadiqi 66, A Shah 49, M Khan 43no, Q Naveed 31, B Barrett 30, M Duester 4-40), Chadlington 191 (M Lambert 73, D Harding 35, H Sadiqi 4-13). Shrivenham 254-3 (T Swann 106no, A Bowles 64no, A Kill 58)

  • RESULTS: August 23

    Division 1 Buckingham Town 228-8 (A Pearson 93, J Frew 38, C Price 36, P Evans 3-48, J Claassen 3-58), Oxford 2nd 156-5 (P Evans 64no). Banbury 2nd 225-9 (S Beck 97, W Briggs, D Warner 5-53, C Thompson 3-84), Cumnor 139-6 (S Jones 37, H Ackland

  • Parishes team up to keep librarian on the books

    THREE parish councils have teamed up to help keep on a professional staff member at Wychwood Library. Councillors in Milton-under-Wychwood, Shipton-under-Wychwood and Ascott-under-Wychwood have agreed to pay more than £7,000 between them. This

  • Wait continues for demolition of danger wall

    THE owner of a wobbly wall in danger of falling into the road in Wantage has said he is now waiting for the council to give him a quote for knocking it down. A 40ft stretch of footpath on Wallingford Street, between Garston Lane and Seesen Way,

  • That sinking feeling over 50cm of land

    THE protracted redevelopment of the Jericho boatyard has seen plenty of wrangles. But few would have imagined the £20m plan would come down to a 50cm strip of land. The Canal and Rivers Trust, which owns the land, is playing hardball and will

  • Half a metre of land blocks £20m Jericho boatyard plan

    A STRIP of canalside land just 50cm long has led to disagreements over a much-anticipated redevelopment of the Jericho boatyard. The Canal and River Trust has called for a re-design of a bridge on a small parcel of land it owns for the £20m plans

  • Residents revolt as parking permits head for Cowley roads

    NEW parking restrictions could soon be rolled out in Cowley to stop city-bound motorists dumping their cars there. Controlled parking zones (CPZs) could be introduced on streets off Barns Road, stretching from Bartholomew Road to Between Towns

  • Photographer son captures parents’ bond in final years

    IT IS a 60-year tale of love that ended in tragedy. But ultimately Paddy Summerfield’s exhibition, Mother and Father, shows a bond that even Alzheimer’s disease could not break. The Summertown photographer’s pictures, the product of 10 years