BMW has been warned to rethink plans to reduce its average workforce age because it contradicts a Government ageism policy, writes Victoria Owen. Cowley plant workers over 50 are being offered a golden handshake to leave the company so that the factory
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 1 Leaders Shipton-under-Wychwood had their tail and the weather to thank for maintaining their unbeaten record against Thame. Put in to bat, Shipton had slipped to 97-7 before Jerry Senior (47) pulled the innings
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 1 A spectacular display of hitting by skipper Pat Field sped Challow & Childrey to a five-wicket victory over Rover Cowley. Field struck four sixes and five fours while making 54 off only 30 balls to finish
Oxford Cavaliers coaching supremo Dave Doran has been appointed head coach of the Rugby League Conference representative side. Doran will take charge of a training camp at a venue to be decided on the weekend of August 12 and 13 as the Conference prepare
Vandals ripped speakers from the wall of an old people's day centre and stole them. They had been given to Cholsey day centre in memory of the late Bob Morgan, who represented the village on the parish, district and county councils. The speakers were
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 2 In similar conditions, Dinton scored 211-6 against Oxford Downs, Adrian Manger making 56 and John Purcell 55, before rain intervened. **Points: Oxford Downs 10, Dinton 10
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3B Morris Motors went down by one wicket to Brackley in an exciting finish, the home side scraping home on 114-9 in reply after Motors made 113. **Points: Brackley 30, Morris Motors 13
Norwegian player Anders Jacobsen has impressed many while on trail at Oxford but boss Denis Smith has asserted: "I don't think he'll be staying." He added: "I've had a couple of games to have a look at him and am not convinced that he and Ian McGuckin
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3C Bledlow Ridge made 186-4 against Wolverton Town 2nd with Ian Bailey (64 no) and Baker (45) leading the way. Wolverton replied with 162-7 with Trevor Butler (35) and Colin Knightley (33) in the runs as Dan Pigott
It's not far from Stratford's Other Place to The Swan, or from Pontefract to Northumberland, or even from 1399 to 1403. But to move from Richard II to Henry IV is to change worlds, writes Jeannine Alton. Instead of the unsparing light and timeless props
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3C Long Marston and Princes Risborough shared a tense draw in a rain-affected match. Paul Strong made an unbeaten 78 as Risborough posted 142-5. Rain reduced Marston's reply to 30 overs, and they looked to be coasting
Oxford United boss Denis Smith must do without Peter Fear, Matt Murphy and Chris Hackett for tonight's friendly at Hereford, but is boosted by the return of Joey Beauchamp and Derek Lilley. Beauchamp has missed all of pre-season with a back strain but
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3A Andy Walker produced a fine all-round display as Kidlington powered on at the top with a seven-wicket win over lowly Oxford Nondescripts 2nd. He took 4-37 as Nondies were restricted to 128-8, Sanjay making 37
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3C Oxford 2nd were indebted to veteran opener Derek Watts (59no) as they held out for a draw at Stokenchurch. Chasing Stokenchurch's 217-7, Oxford were in all sorts of trouble at 38-7 before Watts, with assistance
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 2 In a rain-affected game at Chalgrove, Kingston Bagpuize scored a superb 269-2, an innings spearheaded by a run-a-ball 121 from Martin Shepherd and an unbeaten 58 by Dominic Pike. Chalgrove's reply reached 50
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3C Tiddington strengthened their position at the top with a five-wicket win over lowly Aston Rowant 2nd. Electing to bat, Rowant posted a creditable 182-4, led by Robert Morgans (45 no), Mark White (41) and Jon
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3C Simon Kempster produced tremendous figures of 6-12 for second-placed Aylesbury but it wasn't quite enough to dislodge Bledlow, whose last pair held out for a draw. Aylesbury made 127 all out after being inserted
Amanda Castleman looks at the issues behind today's planned petrol boycott . . . Tony's people are angry. The giddy honeymoon is over and the baby is howling howling about the highest petrol prices in Europe. Blair, say critics, hasn't helped the situation
An investment company which earlier this year bought Abingdon multimedia firm Andromeda has announced a 2m loss. Medi@Invest, which still has a cash balance of 4m, said it was optimistic that its investments would deliver "considerable value" to shareholders
Parish councillors are backing opposition to Stagecoach bosses' plans to site their company depot off Langford Lane, Kidlington. Residents are concerned that the move will bring extra noise, light and air pollution, as well as increase parking problems
It was business as usual for many Oxfordshire garages today as motorists ignored a "dump the pumps" campaign Drivers were urged not to fill up in a national protest against high fuel prices. But some petrol stations found they were busier than usual.
Benson is backing a campaign to set up a proper car park at Junction 6 of the M40 at Lewknor. It is supporting moves by Watlington Parish Council and Thame Town Council to regulate parking there. Oxford to London express coaches come off the motorway
Hospital wards in Oxfordshire are being spruced up in a 350,000 clean-up campaign. Cash has been given to trusts around the county as part of the new NHS Plan, which is committed to improving hospital cleanliness. Hospital managers will now be expected
A 20-minute test could be used to help decide which students receive places at Oxford University, writes Madeleine Pennell. Dons are to test 1,000 students to see whether setting an exam is a good way of deciding whether to give them a place. If they
A mother whose son was killed by a friend in a tragic drink-drive incident has backed a new initiative to cut death on the roads, write Tim Hughes and David Horne. For Jane Evason, the death of her teenage son two years ago left her life in tatters. Her
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 2 Keith Melksham was the eight-wicket hero as Great Tew earned a thrilling three-run victory over whipping boys Bletchley 2nd. After restricting Tew to 168-6, of which Kevin Taylor made 46 not out, Bletchley required
Derwyn Jones, the tallest man ever to play rugby for Wales, has signed for Banbury Bulls, writes Michael Knox. It's a major coup for the ambitious Midlands Division 1 club beat off opposition from leading clubs such as Coventry and London Welsh to acquire
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3B Didcot needed to score at almost six runs an over to beat Dinton 2nd and succeeded. Put in to bat, Dinton totalled 181-9, a score heavily dependent on openers Terry Kelloway (52) and George Piggott (37), who
Oxfordshire crashed to a seven-wicket defeat in Dorset yesterday - but results elsewhere mean they are still top of the Minor Counties Championship's Western Division, writes Richard Tilley. With two games left in the season, Rob Williams's men are now
Six clubs have joined forces to mount a 2m bid to end elitism among river sports enthusiasts in Oxford. A project to set up a river sports complex on land near Donnington Bridge, providing access for the city's less advantaged residents, could become
Shelley Arms C took a giant step towards their first Morrells ODDA Premier title with their second straight win over nearest rivals Railway D in a tremendous match containing no fewer than 11 maximums. Shelley got off to a good start thanks to Peter Rouse
Morrells ODDA Men's Premier & Section 1: Shelley C 6, Railway 3; Shears 7, L'more RBL 2; Hollybush 4, Quarry Gate A 5; Cowley B 4, Plough 5. Section 2: Three Horseshores 3, Woodstock Arms A 6; Crispin 6, Shelley Arms A 3; Jack Russell 6, Railway C
Powerhouse, the electrical retailer based in Bicester, has gone on-line and given customers the chance to win 1,900 worth of Hotpoint appliances. The company says that in its first on-line month, business has been swift with thousands of pounds' worth
From: Peter J Tomlin When did the Isle of White become part of Wales? I know that our present government are keen on devolution, and also extremely clever with stealth tax, but even they could not have got away with that move !! I refer of course to your
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3A A torrential downpour prevented Cumnor 2nd's batsmen even getting to the crease after Moreton-in-Marsh had made 195-7, Clive Ricks taking 5-57. **Points: Cumnor 2nd 10, Moreton 10
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 2 In reply to Bourton Vale's 223-4, of which Richard Howell made 76, Bicester & North Oxford 2nd had only reached 65-2 before the rain came. **Points: Bourton Vale 10, Bic & N Oxford 2nd 10
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3B Leaders Aston Rowant marched on with a seven-wicket win over Henley 2nd, who were shot out for 113 as Nick O'Hara took 4-27. Simon Tremlin (47 no) and David Brooks (31 no) then rescued Rowant from 39-3 to secure
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3A Rain robbed Horspath of victory at nearby Rover Cowley 2nd. The visitors had reached 57-1 in reply to Rover's 105 all out when the game was washed out. For Rover, Imran Younis made 35 as Andy Cummings (5-28)
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 1 Sandford St Martin scored 208-7 after being put in by Buckingham, with Mark Robey hitting 67 and Ollie Murrey 42. James Gear (43), Ed Jones (35) and Will Hearsey (31) all scored well in reply for Buckingham,
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3A Abingdon Vale leapfrogged Horspath into third spot after thrashing Swindon GWR by nine wickets. Evergreen seamer Robin Newman took 5-29 from a 20-over spell and Danny Hartley 3-19 as Swindon were shot out for
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3B Skipper Richard Lynch returned excellent figures of 5-65 to set Cropredy on the way to a six-wicket win over Bletchingdon. Lynch's marathon 23-over spell restricted Bletchingdon to 132-9 with Nick Smith making
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3A Witney Mills kept in touch with a three-wicket win over Wallingford. Put in to bat, Wallingford made 150-8, with Sharp making 43 and Andy Wood taking 5-88. Mark Cannons (36) and Pete Magnusson (33) helped take
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 3B Bottom club Stanton St John Willows saw Wendover rattle up 221-7 dec from just 38 overs before making 179-8 in reply. Pete Gregory (92), Peter Kent (44) and Andy Whitfield (40) scored the bulk of Wendover's
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 1 Banbury Twenty were unable to make up much ground as they drew with Oxford Nondescripts. Twenty's total of 219-8 owed much to Tim Pearce (70) and Dave Clark (50). Nondies never looked like reaching this target
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 1 Cumnor move up to third place with a four-wicket win at Leighton Buzzard, whose total of 102 all out was indebted to David Pope's 35 as Steve Slade (3-37), Adam Cook (3-33) and James Neilson (3-17) shared the
Classic Press Cherwell League - Division 2 Kimble failed to win for the first time this season, being ultimately grateful to hang on for a draw at Banbury 2nd with their score on 179-9. Put into bat, Banbury made 214-6 with Neil Roberts (46 no), Julian
Zahra Akkerhuys talks to transsexual Gina Ravens . . . Gina Ravens would be an ideal candidate for the Ricki Lake or Oprah Winfrey show. She is a transsexual and couldn't be happier talking about her new life as a woman and the long struggle she has gone
A new company is set to boost Oxfordshire's burgeoning life science sector by supplying the chemicals needed for biotechnology tests. Oxford Biotechnology has been set up in Kidlington by Tim Bernard, of medical products supplier Serotec, which has links
DRUG discovery group Oxford Asymmetry International is to merge with German rival Evotec, writes Maggie Hartford. The deal values the Oxfordshire company, based at Milton Park, near Abingdon, at 316m. The pair said the deal combined world leaders in biology
When it comes to grabbing the headlines, bad boy of pop Robbie Williams needs no help at all. But when it came to jumping out of his skin for his latest video, the former Take That star needed a little digital dexterity from a group of hi-tech wizards
Children on a small Witney estate will celebrate the opening of a new play area, cutting out the need to go across dangerous roads. The scheme, at Corn Bar and Bartlett Close, off Corn Street, opens on Saturday and includes a range of play equipment easily
Blackie the chicken has an id-hen-tity crisis - she thinks she's a cockerel. Every morning at 5am, a full-blown "cock-a-doodle-doo" echoes around the yard at Wood Croft, Kennington, courtesy of the La Bresse hen. Bemused owner Anita Segar said: "For three
Oxford struck gold at the Asda Great North Millennium Transplant Games. The small team, consisting of those who had received their transplant operations in Oxford, collected a gold and bronze in golf, as well as two bronzes and a gold in table tennis
Forty dedicated beds are being put aside in a fast-track scheme to relieve casualty snarl-ups in Oxford, writes Victoria Owen. The new ward at the John Radcliffe Hospital will mean patients sent to hospital by their GPs will by-pass accident and emergency
Steve Davis could be set for a return to the Manor Ground - as a straight replacement for Mark Watson. The 35-year-old centre back originally rejected a new contract at United and has been playing pre-season friendlies with Macclesfield Town. However,
