Archive

  • Driver 'should have fixed mirror'

    A COURT heard how a driver should have fixed a mirror on the side of his truck before an accident which led to the death of a student. Tsz Fok, 22, was killed at the junction of Broad Street and Parks Road in Oxford city centre in April last year.

  • Slugging it out at the Union

    Boxers from Oxford University powered their way to victory at a prestigious Town versus Gown contest. The students, coached by ex-England featherweight boxer Des Brackett, secured wins in seven bouts out of 11 at the Oxford Union debating chamber, in

  • Lorries damage historic bridge

    Villagers are calling for new weight restrictions through their village because lorries have damaged an ancient bridge. A crack appeared in the narrow bridge over the River Ock at Charney Bassett, near Wantage, after truckers' satellite navigation systems

  • Friends drowned in River Thames

    TWO friends drowned in the same spot in the River Thames in Oxford, an inquest heard today. Susan Bark, 54, of East Avenue, Oxford, a former secretary at the Swan School of English, threw herself into the river last August after suffering ongoing

  • Mayor hunts for missing medallion

    THE mayor of Bicester John Cozens has faced many challenges during his year in office. But he has just discovered another occupational hazard - losing the centrepiece of his mayoral chain. Now Mr Cozens is appealing for the public's help in finding

  • Physio died in motorcycle crash

    RUGBY physiotherapist Jacqueline Scott died when she lost control of her motorcycle and crashed into an oncoming car on the way to a match, an inquest heard today. Ms Scott, 42, of Lilac Way, Carterton, was riding her motorcycle on the B4477 near Minster

  • Missing medallion night-mayor!

    Bicester mayor John Cozens has faced many challenges during his year in office. But he has just discovered another occupational hazard - losing the centrepiece of his mayoral chain. Now Mr Cozens is appealing for the public's help in finding the missing

  • Crime figures see rise in assaults

    Wounding and assaults are up but burglary, criminal damage and vehicle thefts are down in west Oxfordshire. That is the picture from crime figures for the past year, released this week by the area's police commander Chief Supt Dennis Evernden. The

  • Depressed school secretary drowned

    Evidence from the best friend of Susan Bark, who threw herself into the River Thames at Iffley Lock, was heard from beyond the grave at her inquest today. Ms Bark, 54, of East Avenue, Oxford, a former secretary at the Swan School of English, threw herself

  • Hodgy sheds a tear for mate

    Alan Hodgkinson will shed a tear on the 50th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. Oxford United's goalkeeping coach lost colleagues and a good friend in the horror that engulfed Flight BEA609 at 3.04pm on February 6, 1958. Among them were Duncan

  • Physio died in crash at bend

    Rugby physiotherapist Jacqueline Scott died when she lost control of her motorcycle and crashed into an oncoming car on the way to a match, an inquest heard today. Ms Scott, 42, of Lilac Way, Carterton, was riding her motorbike on the B4477 near Minster

  • GREYHOUNDS: Wednseday's Oxford runners

    2.18: Avago Will, CORNER HOUND, Sorrell Star, Malibu Moses, Shellgrove Spice 3, Barneys Smasher 2. 2.37: Eabhas Castle, Ninth Life 2, Rays Black Hawk 3, Chasing Cars, SIERRA VISTA, Scarlett Otara. 2.57: Tootsie 2, Young Diva, BROADACRES PEACH, Clune

  • HORSE RACING: Bosley service

    A memorial service for former Oxfordshire trainer John Bosley, who died last week, aged 77, will take place at St Mary's Church, Uffington, on Tuesday, February 26 (2pm).

  • More post offices under threat of closure

    Post Office managers yesterday admitted four more branches faced the axe as it confirmed a leaked list of 22 closures across the county. A string of post office closures was revealed in Saturday's Oxford Mail amid uproar from customers and post masters

  • SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL: Vale fall to Newbury

    Vale of White Horse Under 11s slipped to a 3-1 defeat against leaders Newbury in the County League. Jack Alexander almost fired Vale into an early lead in the clash at Oxford Brookes Westminster Institute of Education. Vale also saw two efforts cleared

  • SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL: Oxon go out of trophy

    Oxfordshire bowed out of the ESFA Premier League Under 16 Inter County Trophy with a 2-0 defeat by Dorset at Shaftesbury Town. Needing a draw to secure a place in the knockout stages, Oxon were left to rue a series of missed chances in the first half

  • SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL: Title up for grabs

    Glory Farm (Bicester) and West Kidlington will battle it out in the final of Oxford United's debtDr Schools Under 11 five-a-side tournament at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday. They will be in action before United's Blue Square Premier clash against Histon

  • FOOTBALL: McCalmon at the double

    New signing Julian McCalmon hit a double as Saxton Rovers ran out 3-1 winners at home to Standlake Garage to stay top in the Autotype UTV League's Alan Alder Trophy, writes TIM SIRET. McCalmon's first goal came from a long throw from James Clarke, but

  • FOOTBALL: James guns down Highfield

    Marlon James hit a hat-trick in Riverside's 7-1 romp against Highfield in their rescheduled Marston's Oxford Sunday League Cup first-round tie, writes GEOFF BOWER. Jermain Jones (2), Dean Simms and Hassan Shah completed the rout, with Chris Nicolls

  • FOOTBALL: Rickaby is Exiles hero

    Gareth Rickaby capped an amazing Wallingford Exiles fightback with an extra-time winner in a 3-2 victory at home to Kennet Valley in the Berks & Bucks Sunday Junior Cup fifth round. Exiles trailed 2-0 with ten minutes to go, but late strikes from Martin

  • FOOTBALL: Rebels go crashing

    Brightwell Rebels were denied by a late equaliser in normal time before going down 4-2 after extra time at Whitley Athletic in the quarter-finals of the Berks & Bucks Sunday Trophy. A Pete McLaughlin double had given Rebels the lead with minutes to

  • FOOTBALL: Cholsey fail to sparkle

    Cholsey United bowed out of the Berks & Bucks Sunday Intermediate Cup with a 2-1 defeat at Eldorado Diamonds in the quarter-final. Brad Chalmers' speculative through ball reduced the deficit, but Eldorado held on.

  • FOOTBALL: Jones hits a hat-trick

    Goal machine Matthew Jones hit a hat-trick to give Cropredy a 3-2 win over Kineton in the Banbury District & Lord Jersey FA Premier Division. The match was switched to Kineton due to Cropredy's pitch being frozen. But it didn't knock Jones out of

  • FOOTBALL: Curran strike makes a point

    Danny Curran hit the late equaliser as Drayton stayed at the top of North Berks League Division 1 with a 1-1 draw against second-placed Saxton Rovers. Benny Sutton headed Saxton in front after a defender cleared Dave Carter's overhead kick off the line

  • Flipping mad for pancake day

    People across Oxfordshire went flipping mad today as they took part in pancake races across the county. In Oxford, staff at the Churchill Hospital in Headington took part in the race to raise funds for the new Cancer and Haematology Centre. More than

  • FOOTBALL: Morris is the hero

    Nathan Morris bagged the winner as Didcot Casuals battled back to reach the quarter-finals of the Berks & Bucks Junior Cup with a 4-3 victory against Theale. Trailing 3-0, it looked all over for Didcot. However, a hat-trick from Jamie Newport ensured

  • FOOTBALL: Sekkat is on song

    Karim Sekkat hit a hat-trick North Oxford Res fought back from two goals down to reach the next round of the RT Harris Oxford City FA Doug Hobbs Cup with a 3-2 win at Union Street. Strikes from Neil Holman and Rich Adams appeared to put Union Street

  • FOOTBALL: Keyes slams four-timer

    Lee Keyes kept up his excellent goalscoring form with a four-timer as Chadlington thrashed BCS Bardwell 7-0 in the Premier Division of the Oxfordshire Senior League. Keyes opened his account on 14 minutes when he got his head to Gary Murphy's cross,

  • FOOTBALL: Woodward is hero for Kennington

    Michael Woodward scored a late winner as Kennington reached the fourth round of the Oxfordshire Senior League's President's Cup with a 2-1 extra-time win against Oxford University Press. After a goalless first half, Woodward twice cleared off the line

  • Disabled man ‘can't board buses’

    A DISABLED man has complained he is being squeezed off buses by mothers with buggies. Both Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach have expressed sympathy for Bob Light, 65, who was unable to board four buses in succession outside The Swan in Cowley Road

  • Lorries damage ancient bridge

    VILLAGERS are calling for new weight restrictions through their village because lorries have damaged an ancient bridge. A crack appeared in the narrow bridge over the River Ock at Charney Bassett, near Wantage, after truckers' satellite navigation

  • Two picked as mental health overseers

    Two Oxfordshire men have been appointed to help oversee the county's mental health services in years to come. As part of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health Partnership's bid for foundation status, governors have been elected to represent

  • School unveils new-look garden

    With spring just around the corner, pupils at an Oxford primary school are looking forward to getting out of the classroom and into their new-look nature garden. Youngsters at Botley Primary School in Elms Road, Botley, will be able to get out and about

  • Disabled man ‘can't board buses’

    A disabled pensioner has complained he is being squeezed off buses by mums with buggies. Both Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach have expressed sympathy for Bob Light, 65, who was unable to board four buses in succession outside The Swan in Cowley Road

  • Pub worker beaten with bat

    An Oxford pub worker was left with a broken arm after being attacked with a baseball bat. The member of staff at the Blue Mile, in Cowley Road, Littlemore, was assaulted after his colleagues refused to serve a man earlier in the day, because of his drunken

  • Belt up and stop talking on the phone

    Drivers in the Wheatley area are being warned to belt up and switch off their mobiles as police officers stage a series of crackdowns in the area. Last Wednesday, January 30, two constables and two PCSOs stopped four drivers in an hour using handheld

  • RAF families make recordings

    Children and families missing their loved ones on military service abroad will soon have their own personalised recordings to remember them by. The Storybook Wings project, based on a similar Prison Service scheme, was launched this month at RAF Brize

  • Today's local share prices (PM)

    AEA Technology 83.25 BMW 2721 Electrocomponents 198.75 Nationwide Accident Repair 119.5 Oxford Biomedica 18.25 Oxford Catalyst 144 Oxford Instruments 182.5 REED 599.25 RM 207 RPS Group 260.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Forest project looks for young volunteers

    Young people are being encouraged to get out into the countryside and join up as volunteers in a royal hunting forest. An award of £150,000 has been given to the Wychwood Project in west Oxfordshire to get 16- to 25-year-olds involved in conservation

  • Police target thieves taking metal

    Police are urging people to protect their property to stop thieves stealing metal. Lead was stolen from the roof of Kingfisher School, in Abingdon, earlier this month and at Matthew Arnold School, in Cumnor, last November. Crime reduction adviser

  • Ice dance star has struck Oyl

    Ice maiden Natasha Mooney is making her mark in the world's top ice spectacular alongside one of the celebrity winners from ITV's Dancing on Ice series. Ms Mooney, 30, from Wheatley, is one of the world class skaters in this year's troupe of Holiday

  • Pub worker beaten with baseball bat

    A PUB worker had an arm broken after he was attacked by a man with a baseball bat in Littlemore. The assault happened after a man was ejected from The Blue Mile Pub in Cowley Road yesterday afternoon for his drunken behaviour. He later returned at

  • GIRLS' FOOTBALL: Holly is the pick

    Oxford Mail Girls League Holly Pickett bagged a brace as Oxford City saw off Benson Saints 5-0 in the Under 16 League Cup. Kick-off was delayed by half an hour while the pitch thawed out, but both teams warmed to the task. Steph Kubat broke the

  • Puppy stolen from family’s garden

    A family has been left heartbroken after their puppy was stolen from their garden near a busy Oxford road. Roxy, a five-month-old bulldog/Staffordshire terrier cross, was seen being whisked away in a van in the Abingdon Road, near the Fox and Hounds

  • LADIES' FOOTBALL: Catling guns down Wycombe

    Rachel Catling scored a hat-trick as Oxford City won 6-0 at Wycombe Wanderers in the Women's Regional Southern Premier Division. Deanne Tomkins bagged a brace with Clare Ostle netting the other in a dominant display. Carterton came from behind to

  • Lost in the post

    I posted two identical A4 size letters on January 10 by first class recorded delivery from the Marston post office in Oxford. One was to an address in Bristol which arrived the next day. The other was to an address in the centre of Oxford. It has

  • Where does he live?

    The Independent Working Class Association is slow with its letter about the alleyway off Windale Avenue at Blackbird Leys, Oxford (Oxford Mail, February 2). The on-site meeting with the county council cabinet member, Ian Hudspeth, to see the longstanding

  • Far from generous

    Michael Heavey (Oxford Mail, January 29) is mistaken to think that money is saved with the alternate week collections of refuse and recyclables in the city. We are now doing two rounds every week, just collecting different materials each time. As

  • Friends on the buses

    I wish to thank you for publishing the obituary on Win Peters, the Oxford bus conductress, driver and inspector (Oxford Mail, January 24). I was a friend of Win's, having worked with her at City of Oxford Motor Services for more than 30 years. We

  • Stop dumping so much on us

    Why is it that everything always seems to be dumped in or around the Blackbird Leys estate in Oxford? We had the threat of 2,000 new homes being built without infrastructure, and the proposed moving of the sewerage treatment works further into the estate

  • Dog stolen from garden

    POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a dog was stolen from the garden of a home in Abingdon Road, Oxford. Between 10.45am and 11am on Wednesday, a five-month-old British Bulldog-Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross called Roxy was taken from the garden

  • Tindall’s happy return

    By Andrew Baldock MIKE TINDALL believes whichever team "hits the ground running" could sprint towards this season's RBS 6 Nations title. Tindall, back in Test match contention for England after recovering from injury that wrecked his World Cup

  • Dark horses ready

    By Andy Nicol THIS is one the of most open RBS 6 Nations Championships for a long time - and Scotland could even be a good outside bet to win it. And that is not my heart ruling my head. Scotland could be the surprise package of the championship

  • Exchange and Mart

    WHEN I saw Warren Gatland's Wales squad for the RBS 6 Nations, the biggest surprise was to see Martyn Williams among the list of names. I was shocked that Martyn had come out of retirement. Wales have struggled for strength in depth, andmaybe

  • Which England will turn

    By Andrew Baldock FOR someone who took his team to the Rugby World Cup final, it seems ridiculous to suggest Brian Ashton has not made his mark. The England coach, though, would probably agree. The 2007 rugby year proved an unforgettable rollercoaster

  • If it ain’t broke,

    ENGLAND were magnificent in the World Cup, but there was criticism that the type of game they played to reach the final was ugly. To me there is no debate. Who would you rather be - England or New Zealand? The All Blacks were fancied by everyone

  • Tributes paid to crash victim

    The motorcyclist who died in a road accident near Witney at the weekend was a member of the town's rugby club, it emerged today. Tributes from the Hailey Road club have been paid to former player Dave Lambourne, 43. He died on Sunday after his red-and-black

  • Death-crash rider named

    THE motorcyclist who died in a road accident near Witney at the weekend was a member of the town's rugby club, it emerged today. Tributes from the Hailey Road club are starting to pour in for former player Dave Lambourne, 43. He died on Sunday after

  • At-risk post offices officially revealed

    The names of the Oxfordshire post offices which face the axe has been officially released. The Post Office is proposing to close 22 branches across the county and replace a further five in west Oxfordshire with mobile vans which could visit at set times

  • Post office closures: The official list

    THE names of the Oxfordshire post offices which face the axe were officially released today. Post Office is proposing to close 22 post offices across the county and replace a further five in West Oxfordshire with mobile vans, which could visit at set

  • Today's local share prices (AM)

    AEA Technology 83.25 BMW 2818 Electrocomponents 202 Nationwide Accident Repair 119.5 Oxford Biomedica 18.5 Oxford Catalyst 144 Oxford Instruments 182 Reed Elsevier 606.75 RM 207.5 RPS Group 268.25 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon

  • Water bill changes unveiled

    THOUSANDS of Thames Water customers are to receive cheaper bills under a new pricing structure based on the size of their homes, the company announced today. Households whose bills are based on the average metered bill, or Average Household Charge,

  • Crash delays traffic

    TRAFFIC was delayed this morning following a two-vehicle accident in north Oxfordshire. Shortly before 7am, the B4100 was partially blocked near the A43 junction at Baynards Green for about 30 minutes. A spokesman for South Central Ambulance said

  • Firm flies into hyperdrive

    A BRITISH team has designed a hypersonic passenger aeroplane that could one day fly passengers between Europe and Australia in less than five hours. The A2 aeroplane was designed by Culham-based Reaction Engines and would carry 300 passengers at a top

  • Culham company flies into hyperdrive

    A British team has designed a hypersonic passenger aeroplane that could one day fly passengers between Europe and Australia in less than five hours. The A2 aeroplane was designed by Culham-based Reaction Engines and would carry 300 passengers at a top

  • Traffic delays after accident

    Traffic was delayed this morning following a two-vehicle accident on the B4100. Shortly before 7am, the road was partially blocked near the A43 junction in Baynard's Green for about 30 minutes. A spokesman for South Central Ambulance said no-one was

  • Thames Water unveils bill changes

    Thousands of Thames Water customers are to receive cheaper bills under a new pricing structure based on the size of their homes, the company announced today. Households whose bills are currently based on the average metered bill, or Average Household

  • RAF families join post office fight

    HUNDREDS of customers - many of them RAF families - are preparing to fight to save a Carterton Post Office. The Stanmore Crescent outlet, in the Spar Naafi shop, is one of only two in the expanding town and is used by wives of servicemen from RAF Brize

  • Battle starts to save post offices

    POST Office branches in Oxfordshire must close to stabilise a business that loses £4m a week, according to consumer watchdog Postwatch. A string of branches across the county have been earmarked for the chop as part of a nationwide programme to axe

  • U's in change of direction

    Darren Patterson admits there has been a sea change in Oxford United's transfer policy, even if the club haven't come out and stated it as such. After trying, unsuccessfully last season, to win promotion with a team built on the foundations of players

  • Appeal over pub seats

    THE Slug and Lettuce pub, in George Street, Oxford, has appealed against a decision forbidding it from having outside seating. The matter will be considered by a planning inspector after Oxford City Council said the venue could not have seven bar tables

  • Pledge to tackle problems

    AN OXFORD parish council is back at full strength less than a year after it was in danger of folding. Blackbird Leys Parish Council has elected a new chairman, vice chairman and treasurer and now boasts a full complement of 14 councillors. The council's

  • Job search

    YOUNG people considering different jobs can get the information they need at Abingdon and Witney College's careers convention this week. The event, aimed at 16- to 19-year-olds, will be held tomorrow, from 3.30pm to 8pm. On the day, teachers and careers

  • Make them listen to your plea

    Customers have just six weeks to save their threatened post offices. Twenty-three in Oxfordshire have been earmarked for closure as the Post Office wrestles with huge losses of £4m a week. No business could sustain such deficits, but the case for

  • Police need to tackle speed

    SPEEDING cars, antisocial behaviour and cycling on pavements are the key issues police need to tackle in Headington, Oxford, according to residents. A public consultation carried out by the police's neighbourhood team found these issues as the priorities

  • Hospital treats Libyan patients

    PATIENTS from Libya being treated privately at an Oxford hospital are helping to boost NHS funds. The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust has struck a deal with the North African country's government to care for its citizens at its three hospitals

  • Library to close

    OXFORDSHIRE County Council is set to agree today to close Oxford's Central Library for a year from September as part of the Westgate Centre redevelopment. The library will relocate to Macclesfield House in New Road during the work.

  • Help for a better future

    YOUNG people looking into different career paths can get all the information they need at Abingdon and Witney College's Careers Convention. The event, aimed at 16 to 19 year-olds, will be held tomorrow from 3.30pm to 8pm. On the day, teachers and

  • Tradesmen hit back over flood workers 'shortage'

    Tradesmen in Oxford have hit back at suggestions there are not enough local workers to bail out flood victims in the city. Self-employed plasterer Joe Digweed said he was shocked to read in Thursday's Oxford Mail that flood-hit residents off Botley

  • 7/7 victim's art goes on show

    AN OXFORD woman is planning to exhibit paintings by her sister, who was killed in the July 7, 2005, terror attacks. Esther Hyman has invited the public to view about 30 pieces of art by her sister Miriam, who died when a bomb exploded on the

  • Theatre group aims to boost reserves

    OXFORD'S Creation Theatre Company has launched an appeal to raise £250,000, as it looks to survive the impact of another disaster like the July floods. Last summer's poor weather, topped off by the floods, almost ruined the Headington-based company

  • RAF families bid to save post office

    Hundreds of customers - many of them RAF families - are preparing to fight to save a Carterton Post Office. The Stanmore Crescent outlet, in the Spar Naafi shop, is one of only two in the expanding town and is used by wives of servicemen from RAF Brize

  • Marriotts work to start

    WORK on the town's £45m Marriotts Close retail and leisure development is due to start today. A turf cutting ceremony, with representatives from West Oxfordshire District Council, Simons Developments and funding partners Kandahar will mark the beginning

  • Bid to save post offices

    Post Office branches in Oxfordshire must close to stabilise a business that loses £4m a week, according to consumer watchdog Postwatch. A string of branches across the county have been earmarked for the chop as part of a nationwide programme to axe

  • GP hours row 'may split NHS'

    GPs in Oxfordshire are warning that a dispute over surgery opening hours could end with them severing ties to the NHS. They say they may follow the example set by dentists and offer patients treatment privately instead. And they claim a planned GP super-surgery

  • Blackwood set for debut

    Oxford United are sending out a strong squad to play Abingdon United in a friendly at Northcourt Road on Tuesday night (7.45). It will be almost a full-strength first team, with the exception of Billy Turley, who is given a rest because of a shoulder