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OXFORD United's youth team enjoyed a 5-0 win over Carterton in last night's FA Youth Cup first qualifying round clash. Alex Fisher (2), Declan Benjamin, Richard Groves and James Dobson scored the goals.

Miles Cooper worked as a caretaker at Teversham Church of England primary school - a few miles from his home - since 1995. Education authority Cambridgeshire County Council said checks carried out before Cooper was employed revealed no issues of concern

As Miles Cooper's bombs arrived at offices across the UK, police, journalists and worried office workers struggled to pick out a pattern in the attacks. The first cluster of packages, sent in January, targeted forensic laboratories, leading to theories

Miles Cooper was a shy, introverted schoolboy who grew up to be an "invisible man", according to neighbours. Locals could not recall friends beating a path to the house Cooper shared with his mother Lorraine and sister Sally, also in her 20s, in Cherry

January 18 Letter bombs are received by a forensic science laboratory in Birmingham and two in Oxfordshire, Orchid Cellmark in Abingdon and LGC Forensics in Culham. Michelle Evans is injured in the Abingdon attack but the device sent to Culham is spotted

A school caretaker has been found guilty of carrying out a campaign of letterbomb attacks, including two in Oxfordshire. A jury at Oxford Crown Court took less than three hours today to convict Miles Cooper, of Cambridge, of eight counts of causing

An Oxford academic whose home is infested with rats takes her protest against fortnightly rubbish collections to Oxford Magistrates' Court today. Dr Frances Kennett has been summoned before magistrates after withholding a month's council tax payment

With a second child well on the way, there's a sudden need for more supplies in our house. Regular readers will know I'm an advocate of real nappies. There's nothing cuter - or greener - than a well-padded baby swaddled in Terry towelling. Obviously

A man who made life hell for his neighbours has been given a two-year antisocial behaviour order. Stephen John O'Leary, 47, of Cornish Road, Chipping Norton, appeared at Banbury Magistrates' Court. The court heard O'Leary had played loud music, subjected

There has been a mixed reaction from residents on an Oxford estate over plans to regenerate the area. Residents of Rose Hill were this week shown plans for the redevelopment of the estate at a public exhibition at the Rose Hill Community Centre, in

A man who made life hell for his neighbours has been given a two-year antisocial behaviour order. Stephen John O'Leary, 47, of Cornish Road, Chipping Norton, appeared at Banbury Magistrates' Court to hear district judge Brian Loosely outline four conditions

Kyle Otwell, 21, of Pound Way, Cowley, has been charged with possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine. This followed a search of a house in Cowley where a large amount of heroin was discovered with a street value of £6,000 to £7,000

Residents said they were relieved that roadworks at The Plain in east Oxford finished a week ahead of schedule. Work to repair worn-out road surfaces in St Clement's and The Plain started in July and was due to finish early next month but the work was

Thames Water could be asked to help pay to bring a Victorian drinking fountain back into use. Despite traffic, water quality and cost issues, councillors have vowed they want to see water flowing again through the fountain at the busy Plain roundabout

Cowley Road has moved a step closer to having an all-night cafe. Last month Nuala Young, who represents the area on Oxford City Council, said she believed that what the busy road was lacking was an all-night eatery which did not serve alcohol, and appealed

For the past 28 years the League of Friends shop at the Churchill Hospital, in Headington, Oxford, has been serving tea and cakes to patients and visitors. However, with a declining number of volunteers, the shop has been forced to close on Fridays,

It's a Truck tradition to describe each year's festival as "the best ever". This year, though, its good luck seemed to have run out. July's festival was cancelled at the 11th hour after torrential rain transformed the site into a lake. And there were

Amy Mckay is a woman on a mission. Enthused by the rich artistic life of her native Oxford and keen to get more people involved, she has set out to showcase its creative talents. She has succeeded in rounding up artists from every field - throwing

Surely the No Borders organisation that opposes any immigration controls in the UK and is demonstrating against plans for an immigration centre at Gatwick for the removal of illegal immigrants, is mis-named? It should be renamed 'No Marbles', not 'No

What a wonderful group of people who, to support the Oxford Children's Hospital, bravely abseiled down the 100ft face of the nearby Women's Centre (Oxford Mail, September 25). Many had never done this sort of thing before. Some had dreadful fear of

I didn't mention victims in my email about paedophile Anthony Barron because it wasn't relevant (Oxford Mail, September 20). Steve Chandler's only interest in child victims is to justify his frustrated desire to punish an easy target. But why on earth

Linda Hall says her mother, Sylvia Tompkins, attended two or three meetings per week as a councillor and describes it as hard work (Oxford Mail, September 22). How would she describe the work of other councillors having to attend governors' and parish

Well done, Oxford Mail, for highlighting the flagrant flouting of the law by cyclists in Oxford city centre. It is doubtful whether shouts of "pedestrians only", as suggested by Jean Davies, of the Oxford Pensioners' Action Group, would have the slightest

I donot believe that the Oxford City Council takes its own green recycling policies seriously. At this time of year, people with large gardens are bound to fill extra bags of leaves and clippings. Last Wednesday, I put out more bags than my three yellow

There are two things you really need to know about Aussie film Kenny. Number one, it is about number ones. Number two, it is also about number twos. Because Kenny (Shane Jacobson) is a man charged with portaloo maintenance, delivery and cleanliness

In a society where citizens are afraid to walk the streets, who should take responsibility for restoring order? The government? The police? Or vigilantes? Neil Jordan's provocative thriller, based on a screenplay by Roderick Taylor, Bruce A Taylor

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of an overweight, self-conscious young boy quicker than the prospect of double PE. Everyone remembers the ritual humiliation of being picked last and the verbal lashings from the middle-aged sadist with a whistle,

Tony Gilroy, screenwriter of The Bourne trilogy, makes his directorial debut with this self-penned legal thriller set in a world where money overrules morality. Michael Clayton is incredibly assured - tightly scripted and distinguished by strong performances

POLICE will be getting a group of teenagers to clean up their graffiti in Cumnor, Botley, Hinksey and Dean Court. The area had seen a large increase in graffiti since March this year, with bus stops, private fences, walls, and other property being

Staff at Oxfordshire's largest hospitals have been told to improve single sex accommodation despite claiming they met Government stand- ards. National NHS watchdog the Healthcare Commission has warned the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust that wards

THE MANAGER in charge of the postal service in Oxfordshire claims that the decision to close the county's main sorting office will lead to a more efficient service. Royal Mail area general manager Michael Devanny said the move to shut down the Oxford

OXFORD University's permanent private halls, founded by Christian denominations, have come under scrutiny in a searching review that has looked at their finances and standards of teaching. The seven halls focus on theology-related subjects and still

A recruitment drive has been launched to recruit retained firefighters in the county. The recruits are needed - especially in rural locations - to make sure essential part-time fire engines stay on the road. Retained firefighters provide the bulk

The boss of an Oxfordshire council, named one of the top 10 authorities to work for in the UK, described the accolade as "a testament to the dedication and commitment" of staff and councillors. The chief executive of West Oxfordshire District Council

Oxford's Cowley Road is reaching saturation point when it comes to restaurants offering a taste of the Orient on the cheap. The street has more than its fair share of bargain Asian eats. Two of the most popular are noodle bar Red Star, which opened

Millionaire businessmen around the country will be vying to buy Oxford this week - and cover it with new homes and hotels! There will be no planning battles, however, as all the action will take place on the board of the latest edition of the world-famous

Seven Oxfordshire schools are among an elite of institutions dominating Oxbridge admissions. Oxford High School and Magdalen College School both feature in the top 15 of a 100-strong list of schools which between them monopolise a third of places at

Watching those foolhardy chaps throw themselves from that lumbering aeroplane in the skies above Weston-on-the Green never palls - even though it is unwise to maintain too close an observation while driving down M40 or A34. So on Tuesday morning, I pulled

England will battle South Pacific giants Tonga tomorrow night for a place in the quarter finals of the Rugby World Cup - and they have an almighty fight on their hands, according to Oxford University's director of rugby, Steve Hill. The Dark Blues lost

The Government should reject building new reservoirs "that may never be filled" as the answer to the region's water shortages, a report warns. Thames Water has proposed building a reservoir between Abingdon and Wantage, with half the capacity of Lake

DETECTIVES are appealing through the Crimewatch programme to help identify a man thought to have committed 21 armed robberies across the country, including one in Brackley. Finchley Flying Squad is co-ordinating investigations with officers from other

Despite his often scandalous behaviour, the Rev Georgie Moore was a popular figure in his parish at Cowley, Oxford. He was a member of the local council and hardly ever attended without provoking a violent quarrel. He used the pulpit freely to get

KYLE Otwell, 21, of Pound Way, Cowley, has been charged with possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine. It follows a search of a house in Cowley where a large amount of heroin was discovered with a street value of between £6,000 and

A PRIMARY school caretaker was found guilty today of carrying out a nationwide letter bomb campaign in which eight people were hurt. Miles Cooper, 27, from Cambridge, denied the charges but told a jury at Oxford Crown Court he sent seven devices to

Alice Freeman, of Wallingford, last weekend added a European bronze medal to the world bronze she won three weeks ago. Freeman was in the British eight that took third place in the World Championships in Munich Most of the British senior team then

There are now precious few places where you can get a minute’s peace – and even fewer unlicensed corners of the country where you can settle down without finding yourself transported into a Jeremy Kyle-inspired soap opera. For some reason, spending the

SATURDAY. FOOTBALL. FA CUP. 2nd qualifying round: Oxford City v Weston-super-Mare. BRITISH GAS BUSINESS SOUTHERN LEAGUE. Premier Div: Brackley Tn v Banbury Utd. Div 1 South & West: Abingdon Utd v Slough Tn, Uxbridge v Didcot Tn. FOOTBALL LEAGUE

The jury in the case of alleged serial letter bomber Miles Cooper has been sent out to consider their verdict. Cooper, from Cambridge, admitted sending parcels filled with explosives, including companies in Oxfordshire, but denied intending to hurt

THE jury in the case of alleged serial letter bomber Miles Cooper has been sent out to consider their verdict. Cooper, from Cambridge, admitted sending parcels filled with explosives - including companies in Oxfordshire - but denied intending to hurt

FIRE crews were called to a blaze at a barn at Churchill Farm, Churchill, at 11.30pm last night. Four hundred tonnes of hay smouldered throughout last night and fire crews were still damping down the fire this morning. A spokesman for Oxfordshire

A 26-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with careless driving following a crash that caused chaos on the M40 at junction nine on Tuesday night. The accident, which happened near Bicester at 4.30pm, involved an articulated lorry travelling south, which crossed

A 26-year-old man has been charged with careless driving following a crash that caused chaos on the M40 at junction nine on Tuesday night. The accident, which happened near Bicester at 4.30pm, involved an articulated lorry travelling south, which crossed

Julie Maxwell's debut novel You Can Live Forever is a fertile broth of dysfunctional families, apocalyptic beliefs and first sexual fumblings. It starts with the death of the heroine Alice, inadvertently killed by her Machiavellian father, but knowing

Joe Searby, who lives near Burford discovered the Alexander Technique through his work as a professional actor and is now a trained teacher. His book The Alexander Technique (dbp, £4.99) explains the theory behind the technique.

Daughter Of The Desert: The Remarkable Life of Gertrude Bell Georgina Howell (Pan, £7.99) Gertrude Bell was born into a world of privilege in 1868 at a time when women were still largely excluded from both education and the workplace. One of the first

Alleged serial letter bomber Miles Cooper started a hate campaign after he fought and failed to get his father's DNA removed from a national database after his acquittal on an assault charge, Oxford Crown Court heard today. Cooper, from Cambridge, admitted

Some of the Oxford United players will be in the club shop for the "world's biggest coffee morning", in aid of Macmillan Cancer Research, tomorrow. The event lasts from 10am-4.30pm and the players will be popping in during the afternoon.

THE BURNT HOUSE Faye Kellerman (Harper Collins £12.99)Kellerman's novel comes at a time when we are intrigued by recent advances in the technology of DNA forensic evidence, particularly over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Criminals may be hunted

Thanks to the Northern Rock debacle, we've all heard about sub-prime lenders, but are you a sub-prime borrower? Or would you be one, if the truth were known? Perhaps you exaggerated a little when you filled out your self-certification mortgage form, with

There's an ongoing dispute in our house and it resolves around cheese. More precisely, we can't agree at what point we should be eating it. Hubbie, who has a personal preference to finish his meal on a savoury note, likes it right at the very end. I,

SEVEN Oxfordshire schools are among an elite core of institutions which dominate Oxbridge admissions. Oxford High School and Magdalen College School both feature in the top 15 of a 100-strong list of schools which between them monopolise a third of

AEA Technology 116 BMW 3325 Electrocomponents 254.25 Isoft Group 68.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 150.5 Oxford Biomedica 36.25 Oxford Instruments 239.5 Reed Elsevier 623.75 RM 187.5 RPS Group 350.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

Fire crews were called to a blaze at a barn at Churchill Farm, Churchill, in Kingham Road, West Oxfordshire, at 11.30pm last night. Four hundred tonnes of hay smouldered throughout last night and fire crews were still damping down the fire this morning

BORIS Johnson was today named the official Tory candidate for London mayor. The south Oxfordshire MP shrugged off a challenge from three other hopefuls and secured a massive majority in a London-wide vote. He will now face incumbent mayor Ken Livingstone

BORIS Johnson was today named the official Tory candidate for London mayor. The south Oxfordshire MP shrugged off a challenge from three other hopefuls and secured a massive majority in a London-wide vote. He will now face incumbent mayor Ken Livingstone

While Britain's news-eager public was gripped by the problems of Northern Rock, I was lazing in the Greek sunshine pondering the fortunes of the Saddleford Building Society. You've never heard of it? Not surprising. It was the invention of the writer

RESIDENTS from Didcot North ward are being invited to put forward suggestions for policing priorities in their neighbourhood. The meeting with local Police Community Support Officers takes place at Stephen Freeman School, today at 7.30pm.

He's a handsome little chap, isn't he? And what about those splendid ears? They almost make you think of one of Stephen Spielberg's Gremlins - at least in their cuddly, unwatered form. He is one of a trio of kittens whose loveable looks and . . . well

POP star Jason Donovan has urged Oxfordshire's youngsters to make the right choice - by staying away from drugs. "There is nothing glamorous about taking drugs, it's not cool," he told the The Oxford Times this week. The father-of-two, who lives

Friday night is comedy night - at least, that's the impression some channels try to give. The BBC kicks off with three shows in a row. After You've Gone (BBC1) is back for a second series, even though the first series was dire. It's a sitcom involving

While continuing to celebrate a thousand years of Oxfordshire, let's raise our pint glasses (that the European industry commissioner has now proclaimed we can use), and drink to atmospheric old pubs and Inspired beer. Inspired beer has been specially

The 35th edition of CAMRA's The Good Beer Guide has just been published. It's a beer drinker's bible as it highlights pubs throughout the country that serve the best selection of well kept ales. Both the the King's Arms, Holywell Street, Oxford and the

As I write, it's a typically equinoctial September day with strong winds and scudding rain and (after this year's deluge) I never thought I'd hear myself say that it's welcome rain. But it is, for we have enjoyed a glorious Indian Summer and, ever the

'No musical with swastikas in it will ever be a success," director Billy Wilder told Ernest Lehman, when he heard he was adapting Rodgers and Hammerstein's final stage show for the screen. Dance legend Gene Kelly was even less enthusiastic, telling Lehman

In a society riven by chaos, where citizens are afraid to walk the streets, who should accept responsibility for restoring order? The government? The police? Or the people, meeting the intimidation with an even greater show of force? Neil Jordan's provocative

Tony Gilroy, screenwriter of The Bourne Identity and its adrenaline-charged sequels, makes his directorial debut with a self-penned legal thriller set in a world where money overrules morality. Michael Clayton is an incredibly assured first feature, tightly

One does not expect to hear live punk music at Modern Art Oxford where, despite the varied and challenging nature of the exhibitions, there is nevertheless the atmosphere of veneration of art that needs to be respected in order to be understood. Punk

A COMPETITION has been launched to find the best photograph of the July flooding in Oxfordshire. Science Oxford, a charitable trust based in St Clement's, Oxford, is calling on budding photographers from across the county to submit their best snaps.

Like Michael Frayn's Donkeys' Tears, which I also reviewed this week, Patrick Hamilton's 1929 success Rope shows us Varsity types behaving badly - very badly. Its subject is a murder carried out purely for entertainment by a pair of upper-crust Oxford

Audience members taking their seats at Milton Keynes Theatre this week find themselves confronted, even as they do so, with one of the most convincing reconstructions of an Oxbridge college that they are likely to see on a stage. Donkeys' Years is set

Frank Charlton is part computer geek, part scholar manqué. From his garage in Maidstone he runs a chat show hotline, he has a framed letter from Oxford rejecting his doctoral thesis, and apart from his neighbour Barry (a wannabe pop star) he is friendless

Glancing through Music at Oxford's forthcoming programme, which opens on October 6, the most noticeable thing about it is the sheer variety. Established stars rub shoulders with emerging talent. Seven different venues are featured, from the intimacy of

A £29M BOOK depository for the world-renowned Bodleian Library will be built on an industrial estate on the edge of the city - despite fears that it will be a blot on the landscape. Approval for the store, which will hold nearly eight million books,

Rock group Deep Purple meets Sir Thomas Beecham's august Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. An unlikely combination indeed, especially in 1969. But in that year they joined forces to premiere Concerto for Group and Orchestra by Jon Lord, who had founded Deep

OXFORD'S senior police officer will today launch a personal crusade to get CCTV cameras installed along Cowley Road. Supt Brendan O'Dowda, who is in charge of policing the city, said Oxford's famously cosmopolitan road was "crying out" for cameras.

TWELVE Territorial Army soldiers from the 7 Rifles, based at Slade Park Barracks in Headington, will be among 140 troops attending a grand civic send-off tonight before they fly to Afghanistan to begin their six-month tour of duty in Helmand Province

THE trial of alleged letter bomber Miles Cooper was adjourned yesterday before any evidence was heard after a juror called in sick with a migraine. Cooper, from Cambridge denies eight counts of causing injuries by explosions, two charges of using a

Berinsfield SC got their season off to a flying start in Section 2 as they won all their games to whitewash Cavalier 5-0, writes Pete Ewins. Sandra Tebby (4,180), Craig Mave (2,000), Dave Lyne (2,860), Geoff Mace (3,440) and top-scorer Eddie Tebby (

Exciting Abingdon prospect Eddie Pepperell won twice as England beat Scotland 12-3 in their under 16 international at Prestwick St Nicholas. In the morning foursomes Pepperell and partner Tommy Fleetwood stormed to an 8 & 7 victory over their Scottish

Chinnor Academy secured a notable scalp by beating Worcester Warriors Under 19s 31-29 at Kingsey Road. The victory will give them confidence ahead of tomorrow night's clash with Oxford University Under 21s at Iffley Road. Chinnor had the perfect start

Laid back scrum half Anthony Cope said he had no hesitation in accepting the Oxford Harlequins captaincy. The long serving No 9 took up the post this season following Owen Gustafson's move to Chinnor. And although supporters shouldn't expect him to

Oxford City Stars made light work of new-boys Vectis Tigers, running out convincing 11-1 winners with Andy Green notching a four-timer. And that was despite a slow start that only saw them 2-0 ahead by the end of the first period. Lee Featherstone

Oxford Cheetahs have emerged from a very busy week with their heads held high and second place in the Conference League table secured. A 51-41 defeat at Plymouth last Friday was quickly avenged with a 53-38 win over the Devils at Cowley on Sunday.

Studley Wood pipped Frilford Heath 3.5-1.5 to land the Oxfordshire Junior League title and the George Gale Cup. The final between North Division champions Frilford and South Division winners Studley at Magnolia Park proved a showcase for some excellent

Oxford City reached the Shaw Gibbs Oxfordshire Foursomes League Knockout Trophy final after cruising past hosts Shrivenham Park 3-0. City will play either Frilford Heath, The Wychwood or Buckingham in the final at North Oxford on November 3. Craig

Banbury Bulls coach Grant Holmes is backing his youngsters to come of age in Midlands 2 East. Bulls may have lost all three of their matches so far, but Holmes has faith in his side. Holmes said: "Saturday's forward pack had no less than four players

Oxford University completed their USA tour unbeaten after defeating the All-American Collegiate XV 44-0 at West Point Military Academy. After 30 minutes of imprecise rugby, the Dark Blues led by only five points. However as the game wore on, and

Green is happy after marked improvement MAN-of-the-match Alan Green was delighted with the massive improvement as Stars romped to victory against Vectis Tigers. Stars crashed 7-1 against Peterborough Islanders in the League Cup last week, and Green

KEVIN Whately is lamenting the loss of one of his favourite parts of Oxford. "Monica, one of the Randolph's long-standing barmaids has emigrated to Canada," he tells me. "Each year we go there, some of the staff have changed - although we always get

ONLY three community groups have come forward to try to save their rundown play areas in Oxford. Last month, the crisis facing the city's rusting play areas was highlighted when Oxford City Council told action groups to seek Lottery funding and charity

AN EXTRA £10,000 is to be pumped into play areas in East Oxford. Members of the east area committee - one of Oxford's six area committees - said money needed to be spent on improving and developing existing facilities. Craig Simmons, vice chairman

ABINGDON'S film club, the Abingdon College and District Film Society, will be staging 22 screenings this season. Most films are from the last three years with some classics, including Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca and a Christmas special, the Marx Brothers

THOSE interested in learning more about country life will now be able to study at a rural skills centre. Common Leys Farm, in Hailey, near Witney, designed for students from Abingdon and Witney College, is the only centre of its kind in the county.

FORMER teenage tearaway Roxy Cullen has taken her first steps on the road to responsibility by becoming the manager of an Oxford bar. The 19-year-old former Wheatley Park pupil, whose early teenage years was fuelled by a cocktail of alcohol and drugs

WE ALL complain about roadworks and those at The Plain in East Oxford have caused more misery than most. But by all accounts, the project appears to have gone much more smoothly than feared, with inconvenience reduced to a minimum. The contractors

WE WOULD have thought our councillors would be keen to make our streets as safe as possible. But no, it appears they are more interested in protecting civil liberties and human rights. Councillors on the city's East Oxford Parliament are showing a

Pop legend Jason Donovan has urged Oxfordshire's youngsters to make the right choice - by staying away from drugs. "There is nothing glamorous about taking drugs, it's not cool," he told the Oxford Mail yesterday. The father-of-two, who lives near

Oxford's top police chief will todayThurs, Sept27 launch a personal crusade to get CCTV cameras installed along Cowley Road. Supt Brendan O'Dowda, who is in charge of policing the city, said Oxford's famously cosmopolitan road was "crying out" for cameras