Police in Cowley, Oxford, are attempting to snare would-be car thieves by luring them into stealing a "trap" car. Cowley Sgt Paul Jackson admitted burglary and car crime had risen in the area during the last few months. He said: "Burglary and autocrime
A pensioner is demanding answers over a near five-year delay to an inquest into his brother's death. Mystery still surrounds the death of Peter Henderson, whose body was found at his flat in Danvers Road, Rose Hill, Oxford, in July 2002. Three men were
Council spending cuts could see many elderly and infirm people moved out of the county, and away from their loved ones, the Oxfordshire Care Home Association claims. Association spokesman Mark Taylor made the claim after Oxfordshire County Council announced
The parents of a teenage singing sensation say only one dream will do for their son - landing the lead role of Joseph in BBC1's search for a West End star. Antony Hansen, who attends St Birinus School in Didcot, beat thousands of hopefuls to the final
POLICE this evening issued photographs to help trace thieves who stole expensive garden ornaments. Between midnight and 7.35am on Monday, April 2, a pair of lead statues (pictured), a sun dial and a lead fountain head were stolen from an address in
Oxford City completed a highly successful Easter programme with a second 1-0 victory in three days, registering a league double over Marlow in the process. They might have gone ahead just minutes into this Division 1 South & West clash, but former City
Jack King hit the last-minute equaliser as Didcot Town came from behind to make it honours even against Abingdon United in yesterday's thrilling derby encounter at the Loop Meadow Stadium. With time running out, it looked like Abingdon would do the
Banbury United's seven-match unbeaten run in the Southern League Premier Division came to an abrupt halt at relegation-haunted Wealdstone yesterday. Wealdstone piled on the pressure early on, with Banbury keeper Alan Judge, in for youngster Joe Murrell
Makeshift Cheetahs crashed to a 65-28 defeat at Coventry to round off a miserable pair of Elite League meetings against the Bees. They went into the Brandon clash severely weakened, with Piotr Protasiewicz ruled out with a knee injury and Jesper Jensen
What a difference a weekend makes! After months of hard slog running and cycling in all kinds of foul weather, we finally have a wee bit of sunshine to enjoy. And enjoy it I have - pounding the streets of Derby (my home town) and Oxford with a look of
A man was taken to hospital with life threatening injuries after being trapped under a fork lift truck. Fire crews and paramedics were called to Morgan Plant Hire on Thame Road, Oakley, at 7.08am this morning. The man, described as being in his 40s
A MAN was taken to hospital with life threatening injuries after being trapped under a forklift truck. Fire crews and paramedics were called to Morgan Plant Hire on Thame Road, Oakley, at 7.08am today. The man, described as being in his 40s, was eventually
Chinnor boosted their chances of avoiding the National 3 South wooden spoon with an impressive 25-14 victory over Lydney at Kingsey Road. James Hewitt kicked Chinnor, who had ten changes from the previous week, ahead with a penalty and converted a try
A man who died when his car crashed on the A423 at Little Bourton, near Banbury, early on Sunday has been named as Matthew Iain Scott MacPherson. Police were called just before 5am to find a silver-coloured Kia Rio had left the road. Mr MacPherson
A man who died when his car crashed on the A423 at Little Bourton, near Banbury, early on Sunday morning has been named as Matthew Iain Scott MacPherson. Police were called just before 5am to find a silver Kia Rio had left the road. Mr MacPherson,
COMMUTERS breathed a sigh of relief today as Chiltern Railways services returned to normal between Bicester North and London Marylebone. A signal failure on the line in Buckinghamshire yesterday forced Chiltern to operate an emergency timetable. Only
A PARACHUTIST was airlifted to hospital after landing awkwardly at RAF Weston-on-the-Green. The air ambulance was sent to the airfield shortly after 1.30pm yesterday. A woman, who was believed to be in her 20s, was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital
Hurray for the very rare sunny Easter and the chance to get out on your bike more. Two Bank Holidays and miles of cycling to fit in. If you've never tried long-distance cycling, why not make 2007 the year you start? If you already cycle, you might as
Last week, we told how the family of Georgia French, who died in a coach crash in Peru, had decided to set up a trust fund in her memory. Today, we report that the family of Hassan Hussain, who drowned in the River Cherwell, are planning a similar move
You highlight the shame of the city housing waiting lists (Oxford Mail, April 2). It is indeed appalling that families in need should have to wait so long, but the words 'waiting list' are very misleading. To my amazement, I discovered when I became
Now that there is camera enforcement on illegal traffic in Oxford city centre, perhaps the council could now turn its attention to Cornmarket Street and Queen Street. I have always believed that you enter Cornmarket from the south and exit to the north
Oxfordshire County Council's new chairman is hoping to launch an awards ceremony for volunteers during her year in office. Liz Brighouse, who resigned her position as leader of the council's Labour group to take the politically neutral post of chairman
A retired detective inspector and his wife are celebrating 65 years of wedded bliss. Ray and Phyllis Hagar, who met on the dodgems at a funfair in Oxpens Road, Oxford, when they were 17, spent the early years of their married life travelling around
Chiltern Railways services between Bicester North and London Marylebone were back to normal this morning. A signal failure on the line in Buckinghamshire yesterday forced the company to operate to an emergency timetable. Only two trains were allowed
Wealdstone 4, Banbury Utd 0 BANBURY'S seven-match unbeaten run in the Premier Division came to an abrupt halt at the relegation-haunted London outfit yesterday. Wealdstone piled on the pressure early on, with Banbury keeper Alan Judge, in for youngster
Fire crews were called to a barn fire yesterday after 20 tons of hay caught alight at Wick Farm, in Barton Village Road, Oxford. Two crews attended the blaze at the open-sided barn and managed to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings.
A LATE three-goal burst from Oxford United brought them a resounding 4-1 victory over Weymouth at the Kassam Stadium on Easter Monday. It was their biggest home win since August. Weymouth had been frustrating the U's for a long time, after Rafael
Old reels of fire hoses could be used to make hammocks for chimp- anzees. Ally MacDonald, who finished a masters degree in primate conservation at Oxford Brookes University six months ago, went to Cameroon to work for the Sanaga-Yong Rescue Centre and
Spring may have barely arrived, but traders and townpeople in Wantage are already turning their minds to festive matters. A meeting of the committee which organises the annual pre-Christmas Dickensian Evening in the town is holding its first session
The promise of millions of pounds to expand Oxford railway station has been welcomed by rail passenger's group as "long overdue". As reported in the Oxford Mail on Friday, Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander has approved an £88m package of measures
An email claiming to be a police warning about supermarket cash machines has been exposed as a hoax. Thames Valley Police said it did not send the email, which advises the public not to use ATM machines at Tesco, in Cowley Retail Park, Didcot and Abingdon
Oxfordshire County Council has published a list of pledges it wants to achieve by March. The 20 "pledges to you" range from making efficiency savings of £10m to increasing the rate of recycling household waste to 60 per cent. The list includes: Making
Running through the night across the Sahara desert and covering more than 150 miles across sand dunes and mountains would be a tough challenge for any young fit person. But at 68, the Rev Terry Smith, of Kennington, Oxford, was among the oldest competitors
NHS workers are getting ready to perform a swan song for Oxford's oldest hospital. The Radcliffe Orchestra, made up of health workers from across the city, is joining forces with the Headington Singers and Oxford Collutorium to hold a gala concert celebrating
Crime in East Oxford has dropped overall by 12 per cent in the past year, say Thames Valley Police. Insp Jim O'Ryan, who is in charge of policing the area, said violent crime between the start of April last year and the end of March this year had fallen
Tackling blazes could become a thing of the past for Kidlington firefighters if controversial plans get the go-ahead. Union bosses have voiced concern over proposals to remove specialist rescue staff from firefighting duties at Oxfordshire Fire and
A move to get yellow zig-zag lines painted outside schools in a safety drive has been rejected by Oxfordshire County Council. Cowley and Littlemore councillor John Sanders wanted to invite schools to take part in a pilot project aimed at reducing accidents
An Oxford student is playing a part in the project to build a new skyscraper in New York on the site of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Christian Bergner, from Wood Farm, has won a four-month
Police were called out an average of 8.3 times per week to Oxfordshire's four main NHS hospitals during a 12-month period. A request via the Freedom of Information Act to Thames Valley Police revealed officers were called 432 times to the John Radcliffe
FIREFIGHTERS rescued a nest of ducklings which had become trapped in a thatched roof. Six firefighters spent 45 minutes freeing 11 ducklings and their mother after they became trapped under netting on a thatched roof in Leys Road on Sunday morning after
Sam Waley-Cohen enjoyed a perfect confidence-booster ahead of his ride on Liberthine in this weekend's John Smith's Grand National with victory aboard Irilut at Kimble, near Aylesbury, on Saturday. Waley-Cohen gave the 11-year-old, trained by his father
The hunt is on for an Oxford man who could help pinpoint the location of a hoard of sunken Nazi gold.
A foundation in memory of drowned teenager Hassan Hussain is to be set up to teach children to swim. Hassan's father, Bashir Hussain, hopes the fund will one day mean every youngster in the county will have access to swimming lessons. Hassan, 15,
POLICE were called out an average of 8.3 times per week to Oxfordshire's four main NHS hospitals during a 12-month period. A request via the Freedom of Information Act to Thames Valley Police showed officers were called 432 times to the John Radcliffe
A FOUNDATION in memory of drowned teenager Hassan Hussain is to be set up to teach children to swim. Hassan's father, Bashir Hussain, hopes the fund will one day mean every youngster in the county will have access to swimming lessons. Hassan, 15,
Claire Matheson was singing the praises of gift horse Meandmrsjones as she repeated her success of two years ago at the Old Berkshire Hunt meeting at Lockinge, near Wantage, yesterday. Matheson, who gained her first winner in the members race aboard
AN ANGRY homeowner thinks drunken partygoers leaving a late-night student venue at Oxford Brookes University are responsible for vandalising his car. Martin Young, 61, who lives in a private road off Headington Hill, found his car with a 'to let' sign
A COMPLEX of redundant 19th-century barns in Little Wittenham has undergone a transformation - and what lies inside charts the epic changes to our landscape. Project Timescape, the Northmoor Trust's new £700,000 visitor centre, opened its doors to the
VOLUNTEERS joined forces with nature wardens to help preserve some of the rarest trees in Britain. Villagers from Asthall, in west Oxfordshire, teamed up with representatives of the Friends of Wychwood and the Cotswolds Conservation Board to plant black
THREE owls will be on display to members of the Wantage branch of the University of the Third Age, at next month's meeting, on Tuesday, April 17. Chrissie and Tom Harper, who run a private owl sanctuary at their home in Stonesfield, will give a talk
THE Sinodun Inner Wheel Club in Wallingford is holding a home-made tea afternoon at Benson parish hall at 2.30pm on Wednesday, May 16. Proceeds will go to The Bird's Nest Home which looks after orphans and street children in Lebanon, Romania and Central
TWENTY-five people have been charged with aggravated trespass in connection with a protest at Didcot Power Station last November. They are all due to appear at Didcot Magistrates' Court today and on Friday. The protest started in the early hours of
IN A little over a month, one of Oxford's greatest cultural icons will change forever. Since being established by musicians Nick Moorbath and Adrian Hicks 12 years ago, The Zodiac has been at the very centre of the city's thriving music scene. From
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help out at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. Those donating their time can drive and restore steam locomotives, paint buildings or give guided tours. Volunteers must be over 16 and need to be members of the Quainton Railway
FOR someone who didn't know which end of the cue to use, Jamie Saczak has made astonishing progress on the pool and snooker tables of Oxfordshire. And now he has earned himself a place in the England squad for the Youth World Pool Championships. Jamie
ROYAL Navy helicopter pilot Lieutenant Commander James Newton DFC will be visiting Borders Bookshop, in Magdalen Street, to talk about his book Armed Action. He will be signing copies of the book in the store on Thursday, April 12, at 7pm.
