Controversial plans to open up the countryside to the public have been criticised by ramblers and landowners in Oxfordshire. Land previously off-limits to the public will be open to walkers within two years under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act.
Motorists claim south Abingdon has been forgotten about by the town's transport strategists. They say commuters are forced to take lengthy detours or begin their journey early in a bid to avoid the queues that build up at the junction of Drayton Road
A trio of car enthusiasts from Abingdon will be running for Parliament this weekend -- not aiming to become MPs -- simply to help raise money for the Down's Syndrome Association charity. Andrew Beacroft, John Watson and John Venables plan to represent
Mathematics and music teacher Harold William Clayton has died, aged 89. A schoolmaster at Summer Fields, Oxford, for 23 years, he co-wrote the maths textbooks, A Natural Approach to Mathematics. He lived in Old Lodge at the school and tended the garden
When Ella Kathleen Wallen was nine in 1923 she announced to her parents she wanted to study history at Oxford University. Miss Wallen, whose funeral was held on July 1 at St Peter's Church, Upper Wolvercote, also announced she wanted to become a history
Wallingford mayor Betty Atkins paid tribute to the work of the town's peace group when she opened a special exhibition about their work. Wallingford mayor Betty Atkins, right, with exhibition organiser Ann Stieglitz She viewed the paintings, photographs
Tea is being used to bring a little peace of mind to Americans whose lives have been blighted by terrorism. Pat Barki, right, and Pam Castle are helping boost a series of memorial tea parties Cholsey businesswoman Mrs Barki, who was born in Yorkshire
Residents on a housing estate have been shocked to hear that developers hope to demolish their homes. Householders in Barley Close said Linden Homes offered £260,000 for their 1960s four-bedroom, semi-detached houses during a meeting in the town council
An historic find could be coming home to Wallingford if the town council decides to help buy it before it is sold on the open market. The 13th century silver seal matrix The 13th century silver seal matrix which has a 2nd century Roman intaglio gem in
Extra funding worth up to £3m will be pumped into four Oxfordshire schools, after they were awarded specialist status. Cheney School, in Oxford, has been given specialist status in languages; Blessed George Napier School, in Banbury, in sport; Bartholomew
Defending champions Banbury Central have become the fifth side to lead Division 1 of the Oxford & District Bowls League, sponsored by Frances Baker, this season following their emphatic 6-0 victory over West Witney. It puts them in pole position at
Poole Pirates 46, Oxford Silver Machine 44: THE new-look Oxford Silver Machine can count themselves unlucky to come away from Poole without any Elite League points on Wednesday night. Charlie GjeddeIn a cracking meeting, the home side went ahead only
Oxford City have been drawn at home to last year's Ryman League Division 2 champions Cheshunt in the first round of this season's Bryco Cup. Division 2 side Abingdon Town face a trip to City's Division 1 North side Arlesey Town. Thame United have a bye
Witney-based professional Paul Simpson, who last month set the course record at Chipping Norton, kept up his good form by winning the Donnington Valley Pro-Am Tournament with a round of 67. The Pro-Am was followed by a two-round pro tourn- ament in which
New payment machines should be in place at Oxford's Westgate car park in time for the Christmas shopping rush. On July 7, the city council's executive board will make a final decision on replacing payment machines at the rundown multi-storey car park.
Robert Tyrrell, the man who drove a farm vehicle into his own pub, has spoken publically for the first time since the dramatic events in the early hours of New Year's Day. The 47-year-old wealthy farmer from The Green, Steventon, said he deeply regretted
The Chief Constable's right hand man has taken charge of Oxford police's CID unit. Det Insp Andy Bird, 39, is taking over from Acting DI Dermot Norridge, who retires from Thames Valley Police next month. Det Insp Bird, who has been with TVP since 1986
Cultural projects in Oxford could benefit from a £125,000 investment plan. Last month, the Government named Liverpool as European Capital of Culture for 2008. Oxford was one of five UK cities designated a Centre of Culture for the same year. Projects
Oxfordshire's Tim Henman has crashed out of the Wimbledon men's singles championships, losing by three sets to one to Sebastien Grosjean of France. Tim HenmanLeading by two sets to one after their quarter final match was suspended on Wednesday, Grosjean
A Witney brewery has developed an organic beer fit for a prince. The Wychwood Brewery has been chosen to brew beer for Prince Charles' company, Duchy Originals, which donates its profits to the Prince's various charities. A spokesman for Wychwood, Rupert
Schoolchildren are putting the final touches to their animal costumes ready for Banbury's fourth Hobby Horse festival. The three-day event starts on July 4, with music, dance and theatre in the streets until July 6. Festivities begin at 11.30am, when
A trio of car enthusiasts from Abingdon will be running for Parliament this weekend -- not aiming to become MPs -- simply to help raise money for the Down's Syndrome Association charity. Andrew Beacroft, John Watson and John Venables plan to represent
A would-be thief told a pensioner that a child with learning difficulties was in her back garden, while his accomplice walked into her home in Abingdon. The 87-year-old woman was kept talking at a gate at the side of her home, in Northcourt Walk, by one
The funeral took place at Oxford Crematorium of retired Harwell Laboratory worker Bill Fuller, 75. Born in Aldworth, Berkshire and had a shoe repair business in Newbury before joining the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell. He was a laboratory
Former Methodist minister the Rev W Norman Stainer-Smith has died at the age of 87. He was well known in the west Oxfordshire area, where he took responsibility for churches at Burford, Charlbury and Carterton in 1981, and then at Long Hanborough. He
Jamie Dalrymple and Neil Miller again made major contributions as Oxford University retained the Charles Fry Trophy with another convincing victory over Cambridge in yesterday's one-day Varsity Match at Lord's on Wednesday. Miller, who scored 108 in Oxford's
More than 30 residents of a former county council old people's home are to be temporarily rehoused five miles away while a £3.9m home is built for them. Residents are being transferred on July 7 and 8 from Ladygrove House, Didcot, to Blue Mountains old
Town councillors are opposing plans to pedestrianise the High Street in Witney. Earlier this year, a transport strategy was produced by the county council, town council and West Oxfordshire District Council. Three options were proposed for the High Street
The brother of an Oxfordshire motorcyclist who died after a road accident in Italy has vowed to discover the truth about the accident. Stephen Fox, 49, who owned Fox's Diner, near Berinsfield, was riding his Honda Blackbird motorbike when it was involved
A Witney brewery has developed an organic beer fit for a prince. The Wychwood Brewery has been chosen to brew beer for Prince Charles' company, Duchy Originals, which donates its profits to the Prince's various charities. A spokesman for Wychwood, Rupert
MP Robert Jackson poses with the scales of justice along with a lobby group from the trade justice movement. Robert Jackson with members of the trade justice movement A 30-strong deputation from Mr Jackson's Wantage constituency met him at Didcot Civic
A developer is trying to push out Wantage's last-remaining discount store because it does not fit in with plans for a new retail park, it has been claimed. Clovers manager John Hudson said he was told his store, which has been in Grove Street for 30 years
A council is hoping to claw back some of the money it spent on a planning inquiry into a housing development on a former US air base. Cherwell District Council spent between £400,000 and £500,000 fighting plans by North Oxfordshire Consortium to build
More than 200 people gathered at St Nicholas Church, Islip, for the funeral of Betty Roberts. They came to pay their last respects to an extraordinary woman who died aged 80 after a life devoted to serving the community. Mrs Roberts was born in Sri Lanka
Police in Banbury have arrested a man in connection with a series of indecent exposure incidents in the town. Lee Thompson, 24, of Caernarvon Way, Banbury, will appear at the town's magistrates court on Monday to face two charges of indecent exposure,
First there was Bill Clinton, the notorious former US president, who immersed himself in scandal but stood his term. He visited Oxford under the cloud of his amnesty dealings in July 2001, but redeemed himself at Helen House hospice where he charmed all
New member Mark Stokes is Magnolia Park's club champion following a convincing ten-stroke victory. The two-handicapper, who joined from Bicester earlier this year, fired rounds of 72 and 70 for an impressive four-under-par total of 142. This was far too
The conversion of 19th century farm buildings at Wittenham Clumps into a landscape education centre is to go ahead thanks to a Lottery grant of £1,763,000. The Northmoor Trust, which owns the Clumps, one of Oxfordshire's best-known landmarks, and Little
A businessman has been acquitted of raping a woman with whom he had shared a mattress. It took a jury at Oxford Crown Court just under two hours on July 2 to reach the unanimous verdict that Max Wallace, 24, of Torres Square, Millwall, London, had not
A new gate has been installed across Jackdaw Lane, in east Oxford, to stop illegal fly-tipping. Committee chairman Bill Baker with vice chairman Richard Tarver, right The city council paid £2,000 for the gate, related design and planning fees, after residents
A bid by Blackbird Leys community centre to stay open until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights has failed, following complaints about noise. Paul Isaacs, who manages the centre in Blackbird Leys Road on behalf of Oxford City Council, and Joe Obhiozele,
Karen Watkins brushes up on her driving skills with the help of Pc Kev Payne. Karen Watkins gets some driving tips from Pc Kev Payne The Oxfordshire Roads Policing Department invited people to take the assessments as part of a road safety day on June
Community groups interested in applying for Heritage Lottery funding are invited to take part in an Oxford advice surgery. Ann Young, South East development manager for Heritage Lottery Funding, said: "There's often a misconception that heritage is just
Plans for bigger energy-making wind turbines at an Oxfordshire farm have received the backing of 1,000 people. A petition in favour of the turbines at Westhill Farm, Highworth Road, Watchfield, has been presented to the Vale of White Horse District Council
