A 24-year-old man has been charged with arson after a fire was started at a mental health hospital in Oxford at the weekend. A ward at Littlemore Mental Health Centre in Sandford Road was evacuated on Saturday after the fire took hold. No-one
Trump the Musical couldn’t come at a better time. Set in 2020, the show features the US President’s attempts to get re-elected, King Nigel Farage’s plan to sell the newly independent Scotland to Trump as a golf course, and an unusually romantic
RESIDENTS awoke to a row of butchered and bare trees lining the River Thames this morning - however the sight won’t be permanent. Council workers took their chainsaws to the row of willow trees in East Street, West Oxford to the dismay of some
A TEENAGER charged with dangerous driving around Headington has been given his date for sentencing. Peter Kabiria, of Dynham Place, Oxford, has already admitted dangerous driving and driving without a licence and insurance. The 18-year old
The Sarah Wiseman Gallery was all set to present a solo show by one of Iceland’s most acclaimed artists, Karólína Lárusdóttir, the first by the artist in nine years. However, with just weeks to go before the exhibition launch, Karólína very sadly
OXFORD has been named as the fourth best city in the UK to lead a healthy happy lifestyle according to a new lifestyle survey. The survey looked at the facilities of 30 cities across the UK, with scoring based on the availability of things like
A SERIES of crashes near a new A40 roundabout has prompted urgent calls for change. At least eight collisions have occurred near the junction, which lies west of Witney near Downs Road, since it opened on August 25. One resident, who lives
The Sarah Wiseman Gallery was all set to present a solo show by one of Iceland’s most acclaimed artists, Karólína Lárusdóttir, the first by the artist in nine years. However, with just weeks to go before the exhibition launch, Karólína very sadly
A MAN who pulled a knife on a bystander outside a city centre pub during a row has been spared jail. Last month at Oxford Crown Court, Grant Fisher, of Glyme Drive, Berinsfield, Wallingford, was warned that anybody carrying knives in public would
A CRASH on Oxford’s southern by-pass is causing long tailbacks this afternoon. One lane has been closed following the incident on the A423 Westbound at Abingdon Road. Traffic is queuing towards the Hinksey Hill Interchange. Also in the
A BURGLARY victim confronted two intruders in her living room who pretended they were workers at the wrong address. The resident was upstairs at her home in Green Road, Risinghurst, at about 1.30pm yesterday and heard noises downstairs. She
Gen Hidaka is a master Taiko drummer – expert in the ancient Japanese art of ensemble percussion and a member of the famed Yamato group. “It’s all about the energy and beauty of the movement,” he says. “It’s also about the communication between
Gen Hidaka is a master Taiko drummer – expert in the ancient Japanese art of ensemble percussion and a member of the famed Yamato group. “It’s all about the energy and beauty of the movement,” he says. “It’s also about the communication between
MOTORISTS have one last chance to hand over bogus blue badges with no questions asked. Oxfordshire County Council's 11-day amnesty on illegal badges ends tomorrow, but those who continue to abuse the scheme have been warned to expect 'tough action
For the ninth year running, Istituto Luce Cinecittà and the Italian Cultural Institute are joining forces to present Cinema Made in Italy at the Ciné Lumière in London between 26 February to 3 March. Opening proceedings is Paolo Sorrentino's Loro,
AN INVESTIGATION will be held into whether the recent spate of deaths involving rough sleepers in Oxford was due to abuse or neglect. Five people who are understood to have been rough sleeping or had a history of doing so have died in three months
FALLEN branches and other debris were pulled from the River Ock in Abingdon this week to reduce the risk of flooding. Three Environment Agency workers wearing protective clothing and armed with long sticks waded into the water near Tesco on Tuesday
Drew Brammer introduces a new beer festival at community hub Jolly Postboys With Dry January over and done with, Thirsty February has unofficially started, certainly for us. With Oxford Beer Week on the horizon for May and Craft Beer Rising
A COUNCIL plan would see the minimum parking charge for on-street meters in Oxford go up from £1.50 to £4. The proposal would see the option for 30 minutes' parking on-street removed completely, with the minimum spend changed to an hour. Oxford
It seems fitting that the charismatic Oxford sculptor Michael Black should have gone to meet his maker, aged 90, on St Valentine’s Day, he being such an ardent apostle of love, in a fashion fiercely carnal. Evidence of this came for me in an
With Dry January over and done with, Thirsty February has unofficially started, certainly for us. With Oxford Beer Week on the horizon for May and Craft Beer Rising happening in London this week, we thought it was high time we hosted a little craft
POLICE have issued a further appeal to help track down a sex attacker who crept into a home in East Oxford and sexually assaulted a young woman. The attack happened in Divinity Road at around 4am on Saturday, February 9 with the attacker still
Tomorrow Byron on George Street is giving away 30 free B-Rex burgers to mark the launch of its nationwide ‘Roar Hide& Seek’ campaign. Byron is giving lucky customers the opportunity to win a free B-Rex burger by hiding 30 T-Rex dinosaur
SCULPTOR Michael Black, who has died aged 90, carved the emperors' heads which stand proudly outside the Sheldonian Theatre in Broad Street. He spent two years creating the replacement busts, the third set installed since the theatre was built in
Tony Williamson, a former Lord Mayor of Oxford and prominent 'worker priest', has died aged 85. Revd Canon Williamson lived several lifetimes in one, working at the Pressed Steel car body factory in Cowley for 30 years, serving as a city and county
RESIDENTS in Chipping Norton have thrown their support behind a potential fundraising appeal to bring their football club home. Chipping Norton FC lost ownership of its land, on Waterbush Road, after using debt management service Minotaur Clubs
A SECONDARY school is launching a new initiative to drive up attendance. The Oxford Academy in Littlemore wrote to parents last week about the new scheme, which will see pupils categorised into a 'colour' rating from green to red according to their
The smash hit Broadway musical Kinky Boots – hotfoot (sorry!) from a three-year West End run – hits Oxford on a first national tour and sets happy audiences dancing in the aisles. Feelgood entertainment at its finest is provided in Cyndi Lauper
Why the worry if the UK crashes out of the EU and trades on WTO rules? It's happened before when the Second World War commenced, Britain was cut off from Europe opposed by Germany aided by a collaborative French government and our 'betters' advising
WORKING at Oxford Community Support Service has been a dream come true for Chloe James. Miss James grew up with a speech impediment which she feared would prevent her from one day becoming a carer. But with support from Oxfordshire Employment
A VIDEO has captured the historic moment RAF Tornado fighter jets tore through the skies at RAF Brize Norton. It marked the final flight for the iconic warplane on its farewell tour across the country. Crowds of people turned out at both RAF
A ‘YOGIFIC’ event is being held this Sunday featuring ‘primal’ musical instruments. Gongs, Himalayan bowls, drums and a variety of other instruments will be played by yoga and music group, Om and Bass. The event s is called a Cosmic Soundbath
ANGRY allotment holders hit out when Oxford City Council pulled their sheds down and burnt them, to make way for a new fence. The allotment holders had been waiting 21 years for the fence in April 1985, which was to separate them from the gardens
THERE will be free Prosecco and cooking demonstrations at the launch of showhomes at a new estate in south Oxfordshire. Redrow Homes will be unveiling its range of two-five bedroom properties at its Blaise Park site in Milton, near Didcot, on Saturday
New signs have been installed after the latest incident in which a driver was spotted heading the wrong way on the M40. Drivers were forced to swerve out the way of a car heading southbound on the northbound carriageway near Junction 8 on Monday
DEPARTMENT store John Lewis and Partners has asked an Oxford-based business to develop an exclusive range of products for its stores nationwide. Upholstery and furniture venture Vieva only launched in the past year but has already managed to bag
TO celebrate 140 years of Blackwell's Bookshop, children are invited to a scavenger hunt tomorrow. The hunt will take children round the bookshop on Broad Street, with an exciting prize for the first team who finish. It starts at 11am and is
A BELOVED book shop in Abingdon is hoping it is second time lucky after being nominated for a national award. Mostly Books have been shortlisted as one of seven South East finalists for Independent Bookshop of the Year in the 2019 British Book Awards
Harriet Healey talks about being a woman in the construction industry. WHEN she started, some builders wouldn’t even speak to her on the phone. Harriet Healey has learned that being a woman in construction is not easy. The 29-year-old has
CYCLISTS who raised thousands of pounds to help a community bike project move home flocked to the launch of the new base. Windrush Bike Project, which helps volunteers gain skills and confidence through rescuing and refurbishing abandoned bikes,
CCTV images have been released by police after two stolen banks cards were used to withdraw cash in Oxford. The bank cards were used at Halifax and Nationwide in Oxford after being stolen from a home in Rush Court, Shilligford, earlier in the day
EDDIE Pepperell makes his World Golf Championships (WGC) debut in Mexico today. As a member of the world’s top 50, the Frilford Heath member plays in an exclusive field at Chapultepec GC, which includes Tiger Woods. Pepperell tees off from
DANIEL Robinson picked up the coveted Dave Richards Memorial Trophy when Blackbird Leys ABC hosted their 2019 fight night. Despite losing his 64kg bout against Owen Gidman, of Bletchley ABC, Robinson was named the best home senior boxer of the night
FOUR Abingdon AC members returned from the UK Indoor Masters Pentathlon Championships with medals. Duncan Talbot clinched silver in the men’s vet 65 event at Lee Valley, with Phillipa Terry second in the ladies vet 50 competition. Pete Stepney
DAN Spencer says it would be a massive achievement for Bicester to reach the Oxfordshire Cup final for the first time in 22 years. The Southern Counties North side travel to holders Banbury tomorrow night, with a trip to Iffley Road on Thursday,
WEST Oxford Democrats Club made it back-to-back victories after a 4-2 home success over Oracle B, writes PETE EWINS. The Oxford & District League Division 1 side secured the points by taking the opening four singles through Richard Garrett
LEE Richardson was delighted to mark his first match in charge of Oxford City Stars with a hard-fought 5-4 comeback win at Guildford. The caretaker head coach, who took over from Kenny Redmond just a couple of days before the South Division 1 clash
The race for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film should be one of the tightest in years. Few doubt, however, that the Oscar will go to Alfonso Cuarón for Roma, which could achieve the unique double of also landing the prize for Best Picture. Yet
JORDANNE Whiley has set her sights on a Wimbledon wildcard after making a sensational return to international competition. The 26-year-old, who lives in Steventon, won the singles and doubles titles at the inaugural ITF 3 Series Wrexham Indoor Wheelchair
CHILDREN leapt in the air and lunged at their teammates as they enjoyed a spot of half term sport. While many schools are empty this week due to the break, Thomas Reade Primary School in Abingdon is abuzz with activities as it plays host to the
A DRUG dealer caught hiding a mobile phone under a pillow in his prison cell has been given a further eight months in jail. HMP Bullingdon inmate Desmond Bailey was already serving an eight-month prison sentence for having class A drugs, and is
A PRIMARY school has asked for permission to keep using a Portakabin classroom for another year following the collapse of Carillion. Marcham CofE School near Abingdon has made the application while managers continue to plan a new permanent classroom
ENJOY a free walking tour of Oxford today to celebrate International Tourist Guide Day. Designed to encourage locals to get to know their city, tours will start at 10.30am and 1.30pm from the Visitor Information Centre in Broad Street. Arranged
A CONSTRUCTION company that has operated in Oxford for more than 60 years has been put into administration. Basil Wyatt & Sons, based in Harpes Road, Summertown, has folded, putting the future of a number of building projects in doubt.
A 'BARBARIC' attack which killed an alpaca after someone gouged out its eye has prompted donations to protect its companion. The alpaca, named after singer Ed Sheeran, allegedly died from shock following the 'malicious' and 'vicious' attack in
NEW rules that will ban drones from flying above Blenheim Palace's iconic grounds will also prevent reckless pilots from causing havoc, according to commercial operators. From next month, drones will be forbidden from flying within a five kilometre
A VANDAL who attacked a Jewish centre has been jailed after he was caught with a sword in Oxford city centre. Lewis Cairns, of Luther Street, Oxford, has been convicted of possessing the weapon in Cornmarket Street on September 25. The 32-year-old
A MUTE teenager who teetered on the edge of a motorway bridge as cars roared below was saved when police officers pulled her to safety. Four heroic officers are being awarded for their bravery when faced with a 'challenging situation' when the
AN alleged victim of a city ‘stabbing’ told jurors that if he had not raised his arm to defend himself the GBH trial could have become a murder trial. Emman Riasat, 18, of Outram Road, Oxford, denies one count of wounding with intent to cause grievous
OXFORD COREY HUMPHREYS, 18, of Steptoe Close, Grove, was convicted of driving without a driving licence and without third party insurance on October 11 at Frilford. He was fined a total of £373 and must pay a victim surcharge of £30 and court costs
HEALTH chiefs have admitted they have been underfunding mental health in Oxfordshire for years and have finally pledged to set it right with a long-term cash boost. A lack of funding coupled with a rise in demand has led to patients now 'being
NEW research by Oxford scientists could spell relief for those suffering from chronic back pain. A study using mice found that the body's own immune system can be used to remove the damage nerve endings that cause pain following injury such as a
A HOSPITAL trust has been cleared of unfair dismissal claims after more than a dozen maintenance workers lost their jobs when a contract ended. An employment tribunal found that there had been no agreement for Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation
UNDER-FIRE boss Karl Robinson accepts the criticism which is coming his way – but is adamant he is the best man to get Oxford United out of trouble. Defeats to Accrington Stanley and Peterborough United in the past week have halted the side’s tentative
MOTORISTS could face ‘major disruption’ on the county's major roads because of Brexit - but authorities remain hopeful its impact will be low. Traffic caused by lorries using ports on the south coast and disruption to the Oxfordshire supply chain
A CHARITY shop for Oxford’s Helen & Douglas House children’s hospice was raided by callous thieves. Burglars broke into the Banbury store on Church Lane, in the town centre, sometime between 5.30pm on Saturday and 8am on Tuesday, taking a safe
