A farmer who admitted breaking laws designed to stop the spread of BSE told a court the system had let her down. Henrica Scheffers, who is £18,000 in debt, said she got completely lost in regulations about BSE and foot and mouth, and had no money to pay
County councillors have asked the Government for £1m to spend on improving safety and traffic flow on one of Oxford's busiest roads. Officers from the Government's transport department visited Oxford this week to see whether a scheme was urgently needed
A crash involving a lorry and a car closed one lane of the A34 near Abingdon at 11.45pm on December 5. One person trapped in a vehicle was freed by firefighters and taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, after the two vehicles crashed down an
Quakers are holding a peace vigil in Wallingford on December 7. Sam Settle, of Wallingford Quakers, said: "The vigil is for peace in general and to press for a peaceful solution to the situation with Iraq." "It is open to anyone who believes in alternatives
Launceston visit Henley for the second time this season, when they take on the leaders in a National League Division 2 clash on Saturday. The Cornish side were at Dry Leas in October for a Powergen Cup tie which the Hawks won 46-10. Henley scrum half
Local line-ups for matches on Saturday, December 7, 2002 Henley Hawks (v Launceston, home, 2): McNair, Chandler, Obi, R Osman, Van Zyl, James, Davies, Reeves, Ayres, Smaje, Fuller, Hall, Hamilton-Smith, Hopcroft, Winterbottom, Martin, Coke, Atkinson,
A Witney boy has had his quad bike stolen -- but he does not yet know about it. It was given to him on his fourth birthday by parents Jane and Lawson Edwards, who are dreading having to break the news to Jake. Instead, they are hoping the public can help
A Charlbury family have been left shocked by the theft of a charity box containing money for Mencap. For the last four or five years George Dowell and his son Steven, pictured, have decorated the outside of their house in Hughes Close before Christmas
Wantage MP Robert Jackson officially opened the doors to Longworth's extended village hall. More than £64,000 has been spent on the building, thanks to a grant from Oxfordshire Community Fund. The hall is used for a range of activities and the extension
Oxon Schools increased their lead at the top of Divison 3 in the Five Disciplines Badminton League with a 140-109 victory over hosts Cramic Demag, from Banbury. Schools opened strongly with two 15-8 victories by Paul Dyer and Amanda King. Chris Knapp
Town councillors have welcomed plans to build an extension to provide witness rooms and other amenities at Bicester Magistrates' Court in Waverley House, Queen's Avenue. The plan has to be determined by Cherwell district councillors.
Matches to be played on Saturday, December 7, 2002 ENGLISH NATIONAL LEAGUE Div 2: Henley v Launceston. ENGLISH CLUBS CHAMPIONSHIP Powergen South West Div 1: Chinnor v Reading. Powergen South West 2 East: Maidenhead v Oxford Harlequins, Salisbury v Grove
Matches to be played on Saturday, December 7, 2002 ________ MEN ENGLISH LEAGUE Div 2: Nottingham v Oxford Hawks. SOUTH LEAGUE Premier Div 1: Eastcote v Oxford Univ. MBB&O Regional: Banbury v Slough, High Wycombe v City of Oxford. Div 1: Mill Hill
Yuletide was the festive theme chosen by Bicester Floral Club for its annual show. Under the title of Yuletide with Style, floral art classes included Santa's workshop, crackers, candlelight, a seasonal fantasy and music for Christmas. The club's show
Chipping Norton Town centre back Jon Muttock could be on the move to Abingdon United. Jon Muttock, left The former Oxford City, Carterton Town, Witney Town and Abingdon Town defender is the subject of a seven-day approach from United. Abingdon manager
Matty Goddard is unavailable due to work commitments as Letcombe visit Midgham in the Berks and Bucks Intermediate Cup third round. Liam McCollough is added to the squad. Letcombe (v Midgham, away): Game, Burry, Delacoze, J Simms, Jelinski, Fairchild,
Jim Parke will give a talk called 'Codebreaking: The impact of Enigma and Ultra on World War Two', to members of the Companions Club at its meeting in Cumnor on February 4. The informal group, mainly for women, is always keen to see new faces, and further
Didcot Evening Women's Institute held a coffee morning at King Alfred Drive Community Centre in aid of the new Douglas House respite centre for young people in Oxford. Sylvia Pollard tucks in President Sylvia Pollard, pictured at the event, said: "Members
David Walley, chief executive of the Arena Event Services Group and a previous winner of the town's Businessman of the Year award, has been appointed a non-executive director of Banbury FM, the company looking to win a radio licence for north Oxfordshire
Abingdon Town could be without Chris Harper and Gary Coyle for their Division 2 home game with fellow high-fliers Leyton on Saturday. Both picked up groin injuries in their Bryco Cup replay defeat by Horsham and are doubtful, though Dave Tregurtha (hamstring
Player squads for the matches on December 7 Bicester Tn (v Tuffley, home): from Butler, Peake, Hopcraft, Lissiter, Blake, B Thomas, Bone, Ayris, A Thomas, Charlton, Simpson, Edney, Robinson, Please. Adderbury Park (v Purton, home): Daley, Chard, Agnese
Matches to be played on Saturday, December 7, 2002 RYMAN LEAGUE Div 1 North: Oxford C v Thame Utd Div 2: Abingdon Tn v Leyton Tn. DR MARTENS LEAGUE Eastern Div: Banbury Utd v Dartford. FOOTBALL LEAGUE YOUTH ALLIANCE Under 19: Oxford Utd v Cambridge Utd
Belmont House, a Grade II listed office building in Upper High Street, Thame, has been sold to Working Assets, a property company that specialises in the acquisition and management of multi-let industrial estates.
David Walley, chief executive of the Arena Event Services Group and a previous winner of the town's Businessman of the Year award, has been appointed a non-executive director of Banbury FM, the company looking to win a radio licence for north Oxfordshire
A farmer is branching out to open his own shop -- just in time for Christmas. Mr Holloway David Holloway is raising 250 traditional farm fresh turkeys for Christmas, which will all be plucked by hand and sold in his new shop at Callows Farm, Stonesfield
Train operator First Great Western spending £7m in a bid to improve customer service. The company which has express trains serving Didcot, Oxford and the Cotswold Line, is creating 55 new jobs, 37 of which are for new staff to work on board the busiest
Service company Amey has accepted a rescue plan by its two partners to ensure the part-privatisation of the London Underground. Amey, based at Sutton Courtenay, near Abingdon, is in financial difficulty after spending large sums bidding for public-sector
A masked man brutally raped a woman who was suffering from cancer before returning to the scene to comfort her, a court heard. Richard Day, 21, of Greenmere, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, near Wallingford, denies two counts of rape. Dr Jane Mortensen, who examined
Songsters across the county are being asked to sing out and give the gift of life to children this Christmas. Cancer Research UK has launched a Cash for Carols Campaign to coincide with December's Children's Cancer Awareness month, and raise money for
A legal challenge over parking fines, which could have cost Oxfordshire County Council £6m, has been defeated. In September, the National Parking Adjudication Service ruled in favour of accountant Joe Hannigan, who claimed the council had not properly
A man died in hospital from a head injury after falling down concrete stairs, an inquest heard. Simon Woodward, 32, of Clive Road, Cowley, Oxford, had been diagnosed with bowel cancer and was worried about his health when he met up with his friend Dr
Plans to build office blocks and university halls of residence in Oxford have been turned down, after objections from residents. Oxford Brookes University wanted to develop a site in Marston Road but residents said the scheme would overload the area's
A £10,000 security system has been installed in a block of council flats in Barton, Oxford, to prevent vandalism. In the past 18 months, Oxford City Council has spent more than £5,000 on the Brome Place flats to repair damage caused by vandals. This week
Matches to be played on Sunday, December 8, 2002 FA CUP 2nd round: Oxford Utd v Swindon Tn (1pm). OFA SAM WATERS CUP 2nd round: Chase Financial v Donnington Hotspur. 3rd round: Highfield SC v Iffley Harriers, PDB Ath v JK Spts. MORRELLS OF OXFORD SUNDAY
Ian Atkins has issued a challenge to Oxford United's fans ahead of Sunday's big screen test against Swindon. Ian AtkinsHe is asking them directly just how badly they want victory over their derby rivals in the televised FA Cup second-round tie, and to
Reed Elsevier, which is axing up to 20 jobs in Oxford in the run-up to Christmas, has told shareholders they should see increased earnings this year and next. Reed Elsevier shares rose 20p to 555p after it reassured investors it was on track to hit full-year
We are asked to point out that the Oxfordshire Woman of the Year competition, reported in theOxford Mail on December 2, was organised by the Oxfordshire Working Women's Forum, a special interest group of Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce. The gala dinner
Train operator First Great Western spending £7m in a bid to improve customer service. The company which has express trains serving Didcot, Oxford and the Cotswold Line, is creating 55 new jobs, 37 of which are for new staff to work on board the busiest
Patients arriving by ambulance at Oxford's casualty unit are to be left on canvas stretchers so paramedics can respond to other emergencies. Ambulance staff outside the John Radcliffe Hospital This expedient by Oxfordshire Ambulance Service follows concerns
Traditional fun merged with hi-tech entertainment during Wallingford's annual Victorian evening on December 5. Nicky Morgan in the shop window The town was transformed as hundreds flocked to enjoy the fairground rides, stalls and late-night Christmas
Banbury are boosted by the return of goalkicking centre Andy Noyce for their Midlands 2 East basement battle away to Nottingham Modernians on Saturday. Both clubs are on four points, Modernians' better points difference putting them one place above Banbury
Cambridge gained a psychological edge over Oxford ahead of next Tuesday's Varsity Match at Twickenham when they won the clash beween the second teams at Grange Road. Oxford Greyhounds went down 13-8, their points coming from a try by replacement scrum
A Farmers' Market will be held on Church Green, Witney, on December 19, from 9am to 1pm.
A Victorian Christmas show performed by The Songsters of Carterton raised £500 for charity. The performance at Gateway Primary School sold out, and cheques for £250 were presented to Macmillan Nurses and the British Heart Foundation.
An Anglican curate from near Thame narrowly pipped a Roman Catholic priest from Didcot to the post in the BBC TV show Top Gear. The Rev Antony Feltham-White, of the Bernwode benefice, won a time trial challenge set by presenter Jeremy Clarkson, who lives
The Corn Exchange was packed for a meeting on the future of the town's Marriotts Close site -- and no one spoke in favour of a superstore. About 200 people attended the meeting, which was held 24 hours after Asda announced it had drawn up plans to build
Siblings from Witney will be spending their Christmas Day taking a cold plunge -- to raise funds for charity. Lucy and Jack prepare for the cold dip When Lucy Chance-Arkell was born 10 weeks' premature, she weighed under three pounds and spent four weeks
A consortium is carrying out a major promotion campaign in a bid to recruit supporters for its plan to build 850 homes. The proposed development in north Witney, between Woodstock Road and Hailey Road, is one of three options for the next big expansion
Troubled Arrows Grand Prix team, based at Leafield near Witney, has issued redundancy notices. According to reports out on December 6, up to 200 staff have been sent letters confirming they no longer have jobs. A few days earlier, the Leafield-based team
Villagers in Ascott-under-Wychwood are pressing planners to forego strict development policies so they can have a shop. The only store in the village closed five years ago, but it could now be replaced as part of a housing redevelopment in High Street
Belmont House, a Grade II listed office building in Upper High Street, Thame, has been sold to Working Assets, a property company that specialises in the acquisition and management of multi-let industrial estates.
A MARKET will be held in Wantage on Christmas Eve. Wantage Town Council agreed to allow stall holders use of the Market Place on the Tuesday before Christmas. They would have missed two trading days because of bank holidays over the festive period.
Matches to be played on Sunday, December 8, 2002 Women's HA Cup 4th round: Leyland Motors v Rover. Oxon Under 14 Girls League: Henley A v Wallingford, Henley B v Tilsley Tigers, West Witney A v Banbury, West Witney B v Bicester, City of Oxford v Oxford
Oxford Harlequins will be aiming to extend a remarkable sequence of away wins when they take on closest rivals Maidenhead in South West 2 East on Saturday (2.15). Richard RouseQuins, who lead the table by four points, have won their last 13 league games
Rover Oxford Ladies face a double-header against Leyland Motors at Preston on the last weekend before the mid-season break. The Oxford side hope to have Liz McVey back from her hamstring strain for tomorrow's contest in English League Division 2. They
Harry Potter and Hermione Granger look-alikes are being sought by Specsavers opticians in Crown Walk shopping mall, Bicester. Young people are being asked to send in photographs of themselves as the characters by December 11. The top prize in the national
Lee Steele could make a surprise FA Cup entrance at the Kassam Stadium on Sunday. Lee SteeleUnited manager Ian Atkins says he is "giving serious consideration" to starting with Steele, who has yet to make a first-team start this season after an injury-plagued
Sunsets, flowers and landscapes of Oxford were all shot by photographer Lyndsay Miles Coxhill for his first exhibition in Bicester. Mr Coxhill His show at the Courtyard Youth and Arts Centre, Launton Road, runs until December 19. Mr Coxhill, 26, of Water
Oxford City are likely to be without striker John Mitchell for Saturday's Ryman League Division 1 North derby encounter with local rivals Thame United at Court Place Farm. Justin Lee The ex-Thame player was taken off with an ankle injury during the first
Taking a wrong turn led to a man donating 75 pints of blood -- but not in one go. Mr Carberry At a ceremony to mark the achievement, Matthew Carberry, pictured, was presented with a crystal plate by the National Blood Service. Mr Carberry, 54, of Windle
A motorcyclist who tried to call for help on his mobile phone after hitting a telegraph pole at speed later died from his injuries, an inquest heard. Mechanic Henry Wadley, 28, of Spingleside, Southwold, Bicester, was out on a motorcycle ride with a friend
Two 15-year-old girls narrowly escaped being abducted in Oxford on December 2, police have revealed. A man tried to drag the two into a red car as they walked home from school along Sandy Lane West, Littlemore, at about 3.15pm. The girls managed to escape
Life size figures from the Christmas story can be found in several front gardens in Eynsham. The trail was the idea of St Leonard's Church warden Claire Page, pictured with one of the Magi. Claire Page and one of the Magi "I visited a scarecrow trail
Plans to build a Sikh temple in Banbury could cause public unrest, Cherwell District Council has been warned. The council has received a planning application to build a temple and community centre in Longlandes Way, next to the Musketeer pub. The land
Norman Sylla should return for Banbury United as they aim to regain top spot in the Dr Martens League Eastern Division at the expense of a resurgent Dartford at The Stadium on Saturday. The 27-goal striker missed Tuesday's Bucks Charity Cup win at Long
Witney United and Old Woodstock Town have escaped charges from the Oxfordshire FA following the mass brawl in their game at Marriotts Stadium last month. Mayhem broke out in injury time at the end of the match on Saturday, November 9 - which Witney won
Ian Atkins has issued a challenge to Oxford United's fans ahead of Sunday's big screen test against Swindon. Ian AtkinsHe is asking them directly just how badly they want victory over their derby rivals in the televised FA Cup second-round tie, and to
Oxford City are likely to be without striker John Mitchell for tomorrow's Ryman League Division 1 North derby encounter with local rivals Thame United at Court Place Farm. Justin Lee The ex-Thame player was taken off with an ankle injury during the first
Chris O'Driscoll of Ambrosden Court has won the Bicester company's seventh Pride in the Job award organised by the National House Building Council. The awards are presented to the top 400 UK site managers for exceptional quality of work.
The former chief of Southern Arts has been chosen as the man to lead Oxford's bid to become the European Capital of Culture. Oxford Inspires, the consortium behind the city's efforts to win the Capital of Culture title in 2008, has appointed Robert Hutchison
Troubled Arrows Grand Prix team, based at Leafield near Witney, has issued redundancy notices. According to reports out on December 6, up to 200 staff have been sent letters confirming they no longer have jobs. A few days earlier, the Leafield-based team
A manager with a Oxfordshire firm that has just been sold to a banking group has reassured workers it is "business as usual". Colin Sorrell, operations manager at Sifan in Witney, said there were no plans for redundancies among the 100-strong workforce
The former chief of Southern Arts has been chosen as the man to lead Oxford's bid to become the European Capital of Culture. Oxford Inspires, the consortium behind the city's efforts to win the Capital of Culture title in 2008, has appointed Robert Hutchison
Cowley residents claim their area has been let down by transport planners. Some told the city council's Cowley area committee on December 5 that parking restrictions in the area were routinely ignored by drivers, while others said contractors working
A nursery threatened with closure has been rescued by the Oxford Swindon and Gloucester Co-op. Children at the nursery have plenty to celebrate The Little Scholars Nursery, based at Oxford College of Further Education's campus in Cuddesdon Way, Blackbird
A Kidlington family have decorated their house with hundreds of Christmas lights to raise money for charity. Michaela Cusden and partner Dave Taylor hope to raise hundreds of pounds for the Make A Wish Foundation and Sergeant Cancer Care for Children.
A housing assocation for the elderly is closing its Kidlington headquarters with the loss of about 100 jobs. The 130 members of staff at the Anchor Trust's head office were shocked to discover the number of redundancies as part of a re-organisation. Jobs
Nigella Lawson, the celebrity television chef, is reported to have saved the Oxford student magazine that helped to set her on a career in journalism. Miss Lawson, pictured, heard about the financial problems facing Isis after a visit to the city to see
Graffiti in Oxford could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to an unusual organic experiment being carried out. Chemical detergents may be abandoned if tests carried out using a simple mixture of orange and milk prove successful. Orange and milk does
Parking fees at Oxford hospitals are to be increased by a third in a bid to raise revenue and cut debts. Four hours' parking at the John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals, both in Headington, will go up from £1.50 to £2, bringing them in line with charges
A legal challenge over parking fines, which could have cost Oxfordshire County Council £6m, has been defeated. In September, the National Parking Adjudication Service ruled in favour of accountant Joe Hannigan, who claimed the council had not properly
