TRINA Gulliver's run of seven successive world titles was brought to a crushing end as she crashed 2-0 to Russian Anastasia Dobromyslova in Friday's final at the Lakeside. Gulliver, from Wantage, had made the perfect start as she hit a 180 maximum on
Flood Watch alerts were issued today for the Oxfordshire catchments of the rivers Ray, Evenlode, Thame, Ock and Windrush, after heavy rain. The Environment Agency said flooding of low-lying areas and roads was expected and added that householders should
A building worker in his 30s was killed when a giant forklift truck toppled over and crushed a car. Two other men were injured in the accident just after 8am at the Linden Homes building site in Broughton Road, Banbury. The men were sitting in the
A lorry driver who fell asleep at the wheel, killing a family of four in a rush-hour multiple pile-up on the A34, has been jailed for three years and nine months. Ian King ploughed into a line of traffic at the rear of a long tailback near Bletchingdon
POLICE uncovered a major cannabis factory in a raid on a disused tile shop near Banbury. Officers from Northamptonshire Police found 500 plants worth about £150,000 and evidence of large-scale cannabis production when they raided the disused shop in
Skipper Barry Quinn insists Oxford United haven't given up on the play-offs - but says they have to start scoring goals on a more regular basis - and start chalking up some wins. That needs to happen at Salisbury on Saturday as the U's hope to recover
BARRIERS were put up around Bonn Square tree protester Gabriel Chamberlain in Oxford today. The 34-year-old was cut off from food and water supplies from his supporters after the authorities surrounded the tree with fences. During the afternoon spotlights
BRUCE Hegarty returned to continue his sit-in up a tree in Westgate car park for the second time this week - and promised it was for the "long haul". He and a fellow protester dubbed 'Stig' today vowed to remain suspended from a London Plane tree "
THE county is tonight bracing itself for bad weather - with a warning of snow in places. The Met Office are forecasting heavy rain throughout Oxfordshire during the early part of the evening, with up to 4cm of snow on higher ground. Forecasters are
Bruce Hegarty returned to continue his sit-in up a tree in Westgate car park for the second time this week - and promised it was for the "long haul". He and a fellow protester dubbed 'Stig' today vowed to remain suspended from a London Plane tree "for
A 'ring of steel' was erected around Bonn Square tree protester Gabriel Chamberlain today as police and council officials waited for him to surrender. The 34-year-old was cut off from food and water supplies from his supporters after the authorities
The county is tonight bracing itself for bad weather - with snow reported in places. The Met Office are forecasting heavy rain throughout Oxfordshire during the early part of the evening, with up to 4cm of snow on higher ground. The office is advising
The headteacher of an Oxford school is to meet parents to discuss their concerns over the use of halal meat in school dinners. Sue Mortimer, head of Rose Hill Primary School, in The Oval, will join school governors for the meeting on Tuesday. It was
Two Oxford writers are planning a film which they claim is a love letter to the city's Cowley Road. Martyn Chalk and Simon Porritt have been fine-tuning their screenplay, provisionally titled The Cowley Road Drinking Club, for two years. Their script
Artists who had queued around the block to take part in an exhibition in a prestigious Oxford gallery saw their work on display for the first time today. Oxford Open, at Modern Art Oxford, opens to the public tomorrow. The artists - more than 500
Oxford's retailers are facing an uncertain year after counting the cost of sluggish Christmas sales. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said shops across the country had suffered their worst festive returns for three years. According to the BRC,
Life could be worse on an estate hooked on verse' - according to the residents of Blackbird Leys. Budding poets on the Oxford estate submitted their own rhymes to the Leys Linx Centre, in Blackbird Leys Road, for a limerick competition celebrating life
Bagpiper Heath Richardson has presented a 1,150-name petition to city councillors in his bid to stay in Oxford's main shopping street. Mr Richardson, 32, has played to shoppers in Cornmarket Street for the past 14 years. But last month some traders
A businesswoman who raised £10,000 to support orphan girls in Kenya has launched a £35,000 appeal to build accommodation and a medical centre for them. Gay Goodall, 59, the managing director of Oxford Wholefoods, is a trustee and fundraiser for the
Fewer than two months after fire struck an amateur drama group, the curtain will be rising on their annual panto. The cast of Cinderella are perfecting their lines in a dress rehearsal at Witney's Corn Exchange this weekend. The panto hits the stage
The Cowley-built Mini has passed another sales milestone with its best year since its launch in 2001. A total of 222,875 cars were sold worldwide in 2007, an increase of 18.5 per cent on the previous year, with 47,661 of those sold in the UK, up 25
A hospital trolley has been kitted out with £60,000 of equipment, transforming it into a mobile intensive care unit for patients at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital. The trolley is the first of its kind in the Thames Valley, and will make it easier
Innovative talent will be on show at a mini festival celebrating the variety of local music. The festival, which starts tomorrow, has been organised by Oxford Contemporary Music and Modern Art Oxford. They asked musicians from different genres to
Watlington's library is to expanded and modernised. Oxfordshire County Council has lodged plans with South Oxfordshire District Council for the work, which will also include making the upstairs flat, empty for more than 25 years, into two flats, which
I write in response to the letter about the sale of land at Skimmingdish Lane, Bicester, Double dealing by the Church (Oxford Mail, January 5). It is inaccurate to suggest that the Diocese of Oxford evicted any allotment holders in 2005. The Diocese
Chris Brewer is quite right about the Bonn Square vandalism by the city council (Oxford Mail, January 5). What's the betting that six months after the completion of the scheme, we find that the concreted wasteland is awash with rubbish, and covered
Yachtsman Adrian Flanagan will be giving a presentation at the London Boat Show next weekend. The 46-year-old, from Lugershall, near Bicester, was forced to halt his voyage to become the first person to sail round the world via the polar regions, last
The opening of a community cafe on an Oxford estate has moved a step closer, with builders poised to begin work. Community workers have also begun the search for a professional chef and a trainee to help run the project in Barton. Builders are due
There has been much comment about Bonn Square and I would like to explain the processes Oxford City Council undertook before the scheme started. In 2004, the council consulted the public on a proposal to tidy up the square. However, public opinion
Tourism bosses have launched a special website to promote some of Oxfordshire's most historic visitor attractions. People planning to visit the county can find out about centuries-old attractions like Oxford's Radcliffe Camera and Sheldonian Theatre
As a mother and animal lover, I am horrified to read that the pupils at Rose Hill Primary School are being fed halal meat. How would Muslim families feel if their children were being fed non-halal meat? We may not like halal slaughter methods, but
Hospital and council bosses are joining forces to try to prevent a technical blunder delaying the opening of Oxford's new £125m cancer centre. Planning experts said the opening of the world-leading cancer centre could be jeopardised by a legal botch-up
As Muslims, we support the principle that no children of any other faith should be given halal meat in any school, without the knowledge or the permission of the parents. Informed choice is a must to every citizen in this country. The parents have the
I read about the pupils of Rose Hill Primary School in Oxford "being forced" to eat halal meat without prior notification by the school (Oxford Mail, January 5) Surely this is an infringement of human rights? The European Courts of Human Rights should
AEA Technology 80 BMW 3170 Electrocomponents 181.75 Nationwide Accident Repair 123.5 Oxford Biomedica 22 Oxford Catalyst 146.5 Oxford Instruments 182.5 Reed 641.75 RM 203.5 RPS Group 268.75 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
Police have arrested two men in connection with an armed robbery on a bookmakers in Oxford. A man wearing a balaclava and armed with a shotgun and machete threatened staff at Ladbrokes, Blackbird Leys Road, in November last year and fled with £2,000
POLICE have arrested two men in connection with an armed robbery in Oxford. A man wearing a balaclava and armed with a shotgun and machete threatened staff at Ladbrokes, Blackbird Leys Road, in November 24 last year and fled with £2,000. Officers
Tributes have been pouring in for Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary after he died aged 88, from a heart attack. He was 33 years old when he became the first man to climb the 8,850m (29,035ft) peak, with Tenzing Norgay, on May 29, 1953. Returning to
Children are to benefit from thousands of pounds being spent on their play areas. Areas in North Hinksey, near Oxford, and Wantage will get a facelift following a successful bid for £200,000 of Lottery cash by the Vale of the White Horse District Council
Oxford professor Richard Dawkins has won yet another award for his controversial book The God Delusion, which puts the case for atheism. He received 3,000 votes to win the Audiobook of the Year award with a recording narrated by his wife, the actress
Division 1 leaders Forum A chalked up a resounding 9-1 victory against two-man St James in the Oxford & District Table Tennis Association. Fraser Harris was the star with a five-set thriller against Oxon No 2 Andy Misseldine. Despite narrowly losing
Former champion trainer Nick Colton could be on his way back to Oxford - if he has his way. Colton, top trainer in 2005, handed in his notice at GRA sister track Hall Green this week and left with immediate effect. He quit Oxford to go to Coventry
There were 16 blanks from a field of 19 fishing the latest Kinloch AC P Woodley Winter League held over at Ridgeway as a hard Saturday night frost took its toll. Fishing down the middle in the deeper water with double red maggot, Dave Wilsdon found
Champion trainer Ian Wills's early tutelage under some of the top names in the sport, paid off when he landed the 2007 top trainer title a Sandy Lane. Wills, who joined Oxford around ten years ago, beat his previous best haul of 200 winners into oblivion
Rail services between Didcot, the West of England and South Wales are being disrupted today by flooding of tracks in Wiltshire and around Bristol. First Great Western trains are suffering delays of up to an hour because of problems caused by heavy rain
Two Oxford & Cherwell Valley College students have bounced back from the heartbreak of being released by professional clubs to enjoy success in the game. Matty Taylor has been given a non-contract deal by Oxford United, while Tom Roberts has been called
DOLTON Oxford kick-boxer Paul Dolton has set his sights on striking gold at the world championships in Paris later this year. The 14-year-old, of Jordan Hill, is the reigning European champion and also holds a brace of national crowns and the overall
Justin Buckingham was in top form as Witney eased into the semi-finals of the Jubilee Cup with a 4-1 victory against Riley A in the Gentworks Oxford & District Snooker League. He eased past Tony Hicks, rattling off breaks of 45 and 47 in the opener.
New Club stayed top of Division 1 of the Oxford & District Billiards League after a 2-1 win over Eynsham. But they got off to a shaky start, with the Division 2 basement boys winning the opener when Mick McCluskey (+90) beat Dave White (+80) 150-143
Banbury Twenty were helped all the way by Byfield as they went top of Division 2 in the Banbury Indoor League. Twenty smashed 125-4 in their ten overs with Richard Hawkins top-scoring on 37 not out, but Byfield conceded a remarkable 42 extras. Only
Oxford City Stars will be without Grant Bailey, Will Skaife and Jacob Smith when they travel to Solihull Barons in ENIHL South Division A on Saturday. The trio are banned for their part in a mass brawl which broke out at the end of their 4-3 home victory
Oxford City eased to a 6-0 win over Launton in the Women's Regional Southern Premier Division. Deanne Tomkins opened the scoring in the 18th minute, and Rachel Catling doubled the lead eight minutes later from Katie Totton's cross. Totton added the
Three boys from Abingdon Gymnastics Club have been selected for the south region men's squad. Brett Bicknell (under 18), Ben Goodall (under 10) and Jack Hodgkins (under 9) were all selected following trials in Basingstoke. Head boys coach, Neil Moulster
Flood Watch alerts were issued today for the Oxfordshire catchments of the rivers Ray and Windrush after recent heavy rain. The Environment Agency said flooding of low-lying areas and roads was expected and added that householders should keep watch on
Police have provided more details about a forklift truck accident in Banbury in which one man died this morning. Three people were involved in the accident, involving the truck falling on a car, at the Linden Homes building site in Broughton Road, at
A MAN in his 30s has died in an accident on a building site in Banbury. Three people were involved in the accident, when a section of a nine-tonne loader fell on a car, at the Linden Homes building site in Broughton Road, at 8.05am. A statement from
I guess we've always known this government could stoop low, but sometimes they bend so far over that all one can do is just breathlessly marvel at the extravagance of their contortions, better suited to the finest limbo dancer that ever lived, rather
One man in his 30s has died in an accident involving a forklift truck in Banbury. Three people were involved in the accident, thought to involve the truck falling on a car, at the Linden Homes building site in Broughton Road, at 8.05am. A spokesman
THREE people from Oxford have been arrested in connection with a burglary in East Ilsley. Detectives investigating said today that they hoped that residents of the village might have seen a vehicle they believe was involved in the incident, which
PROTESTS over the fate of trees at two sites in the centre of Oxford restarted today. At Bonn Square, Gabriel Chamberlain, who has occupied a tree since last week protesting against plans to redevelop the area, had to scurry back up to his perch this
Protests over the fate of trees at two city centre sites kicked back into life this morning. At Bonn Square Gabriel Chamberlain, who has occupied a tree since last week protesting against plans to redevelop the area, had to scurry back up to his perch
DRIVERS travelling into Oxford this morning faced major delays following a collision between two cars on the Iffley Road. Police were called at 8.38am to the junction with the Bullingdon Road following a collision between a Toyota Yaris and a Ford Fiesta
Drivers travelling into Oxford this morning are facing major delays following a collision between two cars on the Iffley Road. Police were called at 8.38am this morning to the junction with the Bullingdon Road following a collision between a Toyota Yaris
Three people were seriously hurt in an accident involving a forklift truck this morning, according to South Central Ambulance. Paramedics were called to the Linden Homes building site in Broughton Road, Banbury, at 8.05am. A spokesman for South Central
JIM Smith has spoken of his amazement at Newcastle United's decision to sack Sam Allardyce after just eight months. The Oxford United director and former manager, who was boss at Newcastle from 1988-91, believes it was purely fans' pressure which forced
OXFORD'S first completely open art exhibition is set to open its doors to the public tomorrow. During two submission days in December, artists - some professional, some amateur - queued round the block so their work could go on display at Modern Art
OXFORD United have lost almost a quarter of their fans at games this season as the club suffers its second season of Conference blues. The average attendance at the Kassam Stadium has fallen from 6,357 last season to 4,846 so far this term - a drop
LANDOWNERS will be told to clear drainage ditches or have it done for them to avoid repeats of last summer's floods in west Oxfordshire. The district council is unveiling a report on the July floods and how to lessen damage in future on Monday.
DARREN Patterson continued his team-building plans at Oxford United yesterday by getting goalkeeper Billy Turley and skipper Barry Quinn to agree new deals with the club. Turley, 34, who has made 117 starts for the U's since joining from Rushden, has
THE BISHOP of Oxford has rejected another senior clergyman's fears that piping out the call to prayer in East Oxford could create a "no-go area" for non-Muslims. The Rt Rev John Pritchard backed plans for the call to prayer in Oxford - rejecting controversial
STAFF at the Midcounties Co-op are celebrating after beating their target for community work with weeks to spare. The society, based in Botley Road, set workers the challenge of completing 11,000 hours of community work over 12 months to the end of
LAWYER Nikki Poole was just days from dying from a mystery illness, when a sharp-eyed doctor spotted she was not suffering from cancer, but a parasitic disease. Now, she is fully recovered and ready to climb her way through jungle, desert and glaciers
OXFORD University looks set to receive outline planning permission to build 150 homes west of the city. If full planning permission is eventually granted, the homes will be built on either side of Tilbury Lane, off the B4044 Eynsham Road at Botley.
Football fans are a fickle bunch at the best - and worst - of times. And today's story about dipping attendances at the Kassam Stadium tells its own story about how the season is going. The average gate at a U's home game is down almost 25 per cent
Sir - Maybe it's your own resolution, or maybe it's your correspondents, but I heartily applaud the total absence of attacks on cyclists from the letters page of your first edition of 2008. Whoever's it is, please keep it up! And if you add attacks
Sir - Had the congregation sung the final phase of Unto us a Boy is born in the way Mr Gray expected (Gray Matter, January 4), he would still have been out of step with everyone else since his rendition contained more syllables than are needed for the
Sir - I was pleased to see from their letter (January 4) that John and Barbara Bunyan, unknown to me, supported everything I had written in my letter of December 21 about the lack of recognition given to the work and sacrifice of Bomber Command in the
CAR-hire firm Avis reckons it is cheaper - by £6,000 and more a year - to downsize from a large fuel-hungry car, such as the Range Rover, into a small city runabout, and then hire a grander machine as and when you need one. Avis takes its figures from
Peugeot recommends that owners of cars with air-conditioning systems use them for five to ten minutes once or twice a month to keep them in top condition, and ready for any coming heatwave this year. "The majority of modern air-conditioning systems
A COUNCIL tax rise of 3.87 per cent will be proposed by Oxfordshire County Council's Tory-controlled cabinet next week. The council pledged to avoid an increase of more than four per cent in 2008-9, despite the prospect of three tough years of belt
CUTE and sexy city cars could soon overtake superminis as the staple sales fare of the British motor market. These easy-to-park, cheap-to-run - and usually cheap-to-buy - vehicles have been given a boost on two fronts with the news that Fiat's new
THREE bus drivers are 99 not out after clocking up almost a century of accident-free motoring. Oxford Bus Company drivers Pete Kilduff, Mohammed Faradoon and Gul Mohammad were honoured after reaching the combined total of 99 years without an insurance
A NEW flagship Toyota Auris hits the streets early this year, giving the range a new sporting edge. The SR180 does not stint on eye-appeal, with Toyota Motorsport lowered suspension springs giving it a ground-hugging stance and a neat new rear spoiler
The Beaujolais region stretches from the granite-based hills just south of Macon to the southern end of Burgundy and is famous for its relatively light and extremely fruity wines made from the Gamay grape variety. These are ultra fresh, aromatic wines
SPANISH car maker SEAT is gearing up for a greener New Year, with news that its ultra-low emissions new Ibiza Ecomotive is now available to order. Deliveries of the firm's most economical, least polluting production model to date are set to begin
PRICES for the all-new Mazda2 diesel range of five-door hatchbacks, which will go on sale in March, have been confirmed and start from £9,499 (on-the-road). Two equipment levels (TS and TS2) will be available and both models will be powered by a newly
AN ACADEMIC has accepted up to £20,000 from her former employees at an Oxford University hall, after they accepted they had unfairly dismissed her. Dr Elaine Storkey, a BBC religious affairs presenter, was awarded the cash from Wycliffe Hall, in Banbury
IN these increasingly confusing days of SUVs, SAVs, MACs and crossovers, it is a real relief to find a car that does what it says on the tin. The original Nissan X-Trail looked like a butch, beefy 4x4 with go-anywhere ability, but enough macho style
HUNDREDS of soldiers who have returned to base in Bicester from active service will next month be welcomed home with a parade and celebration. Bicester Town Council, Cherwell District Council and Oxfordshire County Council have joined forces to provide
MOTHER Alice Gosling told of her relief after her three-year-old daughter, thought to be suffering from a heart murmur, was given the all-clear at the Oxford Children's Hospital. Mrs Gosling, director of fundraising at Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Charitable
A motorist arrested after a retired teacher died in a collision near Witney will not face charges. Christine Diacon, a former teacher at Henry Box School, Witney, died after being hit by a Honda car on the A40 slip road at High Cogges on November
AN Oxfordshire theatre stands to lose £40,000 of funding in what has been described as a "bloodbath" of cuts by the Arts Council. The Theatre, in Chipping Norton, was only informed of the proposed cut to its grant days before Christmas. It has sent
PEOPLE in Bicester say they are feeling safer after a police survey, which identified the town's top crime concerns, led to a major clampdown. Figures released by the police show major reductions in key areas. Police asked 1,500 residents which
Sir - Since I was elected in 1997 I have worked as the lone county councillor with a lot of work to be done, take one example I put in for Herschel Crescent to be resurfaced. I was still an undergraduate at the time learning the ropes. I continued
Sir - Richard Benson (Letters, January 4) offers to "provide a plan" to enable us to "read the whole Bible in the course of a year". What about starting at the beginning and going on till the end? Has he some hidden agenda, that he wants people to
Oxford United have lost almost a quarter of their fans at games this season as the club suffers its second season of Conference blues. The average attendance at the Kassam Stadium has fallen from 6,357 last season to 4,846 so far this term - a drop
Sir - As one of those trying to further the Call to Prayer project at Manzil Way's Central Mosque, I found it very encouraging to read a positive response amongst the contributions to the debate of the last few weeks which have stressed such problems
Sir - Your correspondent Dr Allan Chapman (Letters, January 4) seems to imagine, along with the tabloid press, that the famous Oxford skyline could be filled with the sound of an Islamic call to prayer - from a mosque in Cowley Road! He should know
Sir - Our home is 50 yards from the Manzil Way Mosque. We and our neighbours are very concerned by the proposal to place megaphones on the Mosque. I have lived in Moslem countries and have experienced the stress of living near a minaret. Palestinian
Sir - I was surprised to read recently in The Oxford Times that a complimentary ticket to accompany a disabled person to the New Theatre in Oxford has been withdrawn due to unscrupulous people abusing the system. It is a sad reflection on the times
Sir - It was disappointing to read (Report, January 4) that Green councillor Craig Simmons believes that ". . . incineration produces very small amounts of energy and relatively high levels of climate change". This is far from the experience of the
Sir - I read before Christmas with incredulity that the county council had actually decided to do the right thing and incinerate Oxfordshire's waste. Why the right thing? Well it can be delivered in a reasonable timeframe (hopefully well before 2013
Sir - There has been much comment in the paper about Bonn Square and I would like to explain the processes Oxford City Council has undertaken before the scheme started. In 2004 the council consulted the public on a proposal to tidy up the square.
Sir - Congratulations to our "tree angel" Gabriel for having brought to the public attention the ridiculous waste of taxpayers' money and the tree vandalism of the Bonn Square project. I spoke at two council meetings against going ahead with the project
Sir - I would like to disagree with Chris Brewer (Letters, December 28) and Ann Spokes Symonds (Letters, January 4). The city council should be commended for their vision and tenacity in seeking to make Bonn Square a place everyone can enjoy. This is
Sir - Your report of the discussion about controlled parking zones (CPZs) at December's East Area Parliament (EAP) in December failed to record that councillor Craig Simmons presented an EAP view on CPZs on behalf of his colleagues. My record of the
REG LITTLE talks to 22-year-old Oxford film-maker Vicky Jewson about her new film and attempt to get Richard Branson to ride naked through the city on a horse THE challenge is in the post, with the gauntlet well and truly thrown down to Sir Richard
AN OXFORDSHIRE radio station has taken to the skies and breezed across the continent to find a new pair of listeners. Italian Manuela Erbi, and her dog, Rudy, became Fox FM's furthest-flung pair of fans when they stumbled across one of the station's
We are delighted to join Oxford Civic Society and Oxford City Council in launching the Oxclean Spring Clean 2008. We know from the amount of correspondence that we get that the cleanliness of Oxford and Oxfordshire is a subject dear to our readers
Democracy is a wonderful thing - unless, of course, you have lost the argument. So it is that we find a small group of people leaping around trying to defend some trees that, frankly, have little amenity value. Do not get us wrong. We support the
TWO-tone versions of Ford's best-selling city motor, the Ka, have just gone on sale priced from £7,995. The little Ka might be 11 years old, but it is an evergreen favourite with buyers, and the new Two-Tone special edition comes in four colours,
The Bishop of Oxford has rejected another senior clergyman's fears that broadcasting the Muslim call to prayer in East Oxford could create a "no-go area" for non-Muslims. The Rt Rev John Pritchard backed plans for the call to prayer in Oxford - splitting
Guards working for Oxfordshire rail operator First Great Western are set to go on strike later this month, the RMT union said tonight. The union's executive has called a 48-hour strike, starting at one minute past midnight on Sunday, January 20, after
