Thousands of parents could endure an agonising wait through the summer holidays as plans for the shake-up of Oxford schools face a delay until September, writes Mark Templeton. The schools organisation committee will meet next week to decide the future
Twenty Oxfordshire schoolchildren grilled MPs on play and childcare in the House of Commons. The youngsters, aged eight to 14, represented the Oxfordshire Play Association, which promotes play and childcare in Oxford. They were invited to go to Parliament
Thousands of parents could endure an agonising wait through the summer holidays as plans for the shake-up of Oxford schools face a delay until September, writes Mark Templeton. The schools organisation committee will meet next week to decide the future
Tried and trusted - if sometimes extremely unlikely - excuses such as "the cat ate my homework", could soon become a thing of the past with Oxford University's creation of an "agony professor". The fictional professor will be the helpful face of a new
Donley Romain and Colin Brind are the new reserve team managers at Hellenic League Premier Division outfit Abingdon United. The pair are former United players. Raymond Hayward and Steve Morton are again in charge of the first team. Training starts this
Fifteen teams of six contested the ODAA's Benevolent Cup, with the top five weights all coming from Donnington, while a gin-clear Medley fished very poorly. Top bag went to Bob Topher (West Oxford) with 11 bream weighing 32.9.0. Phil Berry (A4 Oxford)
Banbury West End confirmed their dominance of the National Club League's West Midlands region by crushing Mackintosh 6-0 to top the group and finish with a superb 100 per cent record from their seven matches played. West End had already qualified for
This week, three enormous bream weighing 14.8.0, 15.0.0 and 15.8.0 were found dead in Farmoor II reservoir, confirming once again what huge coarse fish exist in the reservoir. The biggest had half of its side eaten away, otherwise it could have topped
The news that British Waterways are conducting a 'make or break' market research survey into the future of canal fishing will be of great interest to local anglers and clubs who lease stretches of this popular fishery, writes Peter Stone. In April, a
A charity shop has been chosen to pilot a scheme transforming it into a one-stop community shop. The Imperial Cancer Research Fund outlet, in Headington, Oxford, is the first to be re-launched by the organisation, in a scheme thought to be a UK first.
Motorists are being warned to expect delays on Oxfordshire roads this Sunday as a huge electricity transformer is moved through the county. The 322-tonne load is being delivered from Stafford to an electricity sub-station in Buckinghamshire. The transformer
Also at the Phoenix until Tuesday is Tony Gatliff's wonderful documentary, Latcho Drom, which will be a must for anyone who enjoyed his earlier study of Romany music, Gadjo Dilo, writes David Parkinson. Following the travelling peoples from their homelands
Considering the school holidays don't start for another month, the last day of June seems an odd time to release what will surely be the hit of the season, writes David Parkinson. But Chicken Run is upon us and no amount of clucking by grown-ups forced
GROUPS in Oxfordshire are to share in a 4m boost for business skills, writes Sarah Parker. The payout by the South East England Development Agency Seeda aims to link businesses and training providers in a series of projects to raise skill levels in a
Walnut trees bred by Oxford scientists will form part of a new 200-acre national forest. The creation of a special Jaguar Woodland moved a step closer with the purchase of a new site to get the woodland started. Over the next three years, Jaguar will
Oxford Mail chief feature writer George Frew is one of the best in the business. At an awards ceremony in London last night, George was named runner-up in the BT Feature Writer of the Year category, beaten narrowly by a national newspaper writer from
Angry residents are calling on environmental officers and police to crack down on noise and drunken hooligans from a pub. Families in Lydalls Road, King Alfred Drive and Edinburgh Drive, Didcot, said garden walls were being smashed and they were kept
A developer has launched a campaign to rally support for a multi-million pound supermarket scheme following fierce opposition from some residents. With just weeks before councillors decide whether to back the Bicester scheme, London-based firm Kimberley
A man who put up posters saying two men were paedophiles has been sent to a mental hospital, writes Richard Abbot. Bicester Magistrates' Court heard that Derrick Scott, 35, displayed posters around Bladon and Chipping Norton, alleging that the men had
Your guide to cinema programmes and times in Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties from June 30 - July 6. Updated every Friday. Send entries to listings editor Wendy Broadway (wendy.broadway@nqo.com). ABC Magdalen Street, Oxford (01865 251998) Chicken
Your guide to events in and around Oxfordshire, between June 30-July 6. Updated every Friday. Send your entries to listings editor Wendy Broadway (wendy.broadway@nqo.com). *********************************** FRIDAY, JUNE 30 **Oxfordshire's Own Millennium
Your guide to theatre, musicals and dance in Oxfordshire from June 30 - July 6. Updated every Friday. Send your entries to listings editor Wendy Broadway (wendy.broadway@nqo.com). ************************************* APOLLO OXFORD, (0870 6063500) Welsh
Witney enjoyed an emphatic 8.5-0.5 win over Cholsey in Men's Division 1 of the Wilson Inter Club league, writes ANDREW PARSONS. First pair Gideon Margo and Peter Kemp led the charge, losing only seven games in their three rubbers. Chris Hampton with Simon
Banbury face High Wycombe this weekend in a game which could go a long way to deciding the destiny of the inaugural ECB Home Counties Premier League title. The north Oxfordshire side surrendered the leadership of the division to Wycombe after a disappointing
Oxford Cavaliers winger Craig Aven is out for the rest of the season with a broken thumb. It's a major blow for Cavaliers as they go into their Rugby League Southern Conference top-of-the-table clash against North London Skolars at Marston Ferry Road
Your guide to classical and other concerts in Oxfordshire from June 30 - July 6. Updated every Friday. Send your entries to listings editor Wendy Broadway (wendy.broadway@nqo.com). ************************************ FRIDAY, JUNE 30 Holywell Music Room
Previews: Bicester & North Oxford v Radlett, Oxford v Tring Park Meanwhile, Aussie all-rounder Damien Alderton returns to the Bicester & North Oxford side for their trip to Hertfordshire to play Radlett. Alderton missed last week's defeat by Reading
Sporting action in the week ahead ----------------------- SATURDAY, JULY 1 CRICKET: HOME COUNTIES LEAGUE Premier Div (12): Banbury v High Wycombe, Radlett v Bicester & North Oxford. Western Feeder: Tring Park v Oxford . CRICKET: CLASSIC PRESS CHERWELL
Youngsters suffering from long-term illness will be able to stay in touch with their school friends as the Radcliffe Infirmary becomes the first hospital to go on-line in Oxfordshire. A new computer has been donated to the classroom at the Oxford hospital
Tried and trusted - if sometimes extremely unlikely - excuses such as "the cat ate my homework", could soon become a thing of the past with Oxford University's creation of an "agony professor". The fictional professor will be the helpful face of a new
Another warning to pensioners to be more careful has gone out after a 78-year-old woman was robbed by bogus officials. The woman let the two smartly-dressed men, who claimed to be from the water board, in to her home in the Box Hill area of Abingdon.
With the violence that has characterised so many of his films toned down to slapstick socko, Kikujiro is Takeshi Kitano's offbeat homage to The Wizard of Oz, writes David Parkinson. As the amoral yakuza, who accompanies nine year-old Yasuke Sekiguchi
Whether working for auteurs like Truffaut and Godard or for more overtly gynocentric film-makers, Natalie Baye has always demonstrated a naturalistic and ambiguous image of feminist femininity that combines both quiet intelligence and emotional fragility
The plot, stars and key facts about movies on current release. AMERICAN PSYCHO (Cert 18, 95 mins) In adapting one of the most controversial novels of the last decade to the screen, Mary Harron has shifted the focus away from the gore and bloodshed and
Just what makes up a hooligan? asks Zahra Akkerhuys. Whether it's disgracing the name of English football at Euro 2000 or causing mayhem in city centres up and down the country every weekend, the Government has firmly fixed the spotlight on the British
George Frew meets Charles Pollard, Oxford's top cop There was a certain irony to be observed recently when a national newspaper ran a feature suggesting that the nation's Chief Constables were more a collection of degree-holding social scientists than
India may soon get its first park and ride scheme modelled on Oxford. A delegation from New Delhi was in the city yesterday to look at the Oxford Transport Strategy in operation. The 14-strong group was said to be particularly impressed with the park
Fears that mobile phone masts on top of schools are bombarding pupils with high levels of radiation have been dismissed by a national radiation watchdog. Tests by the Harwell-based National Radiological Protection Board found roofs soaked up the radiation
A water company has been ordered to clean up a reservoir after bacteria levels were found to be too high, writes Rebecca Smith. Thames Water has drained part of Culham reservoir, at Culham, near Abingdon, after three tests by the Drinking Water Inspectorate
A SOCIAL club steward who "drank heavily and gambled" disappeared with more than 15,000 of club funds, magistrates heard. Malcolm Price, 35, of Mendip Heights, Didcot, was employed at Didcot Labour Club from April 1 last year until May 29 this year when
Spiralling costs could force the air ambulance service to be axed, writes Reg Little. Thames Valley Air Ambulance trustees say they are faced with finding 25,000 a month to keep the life-saving helicopter in operation. And they have called for a review
Tim Henman marched into the third round of Wimbledon yesterday and he's getting better and better. The British No 1 saw off Arnaud Clement of France 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court and declared himself "very satisfied" with the progress he is making. The
Your guide to art and museum exhibitions in Oxfordshire from June 30-July 6. Updated every Friday. Send your entries to listings editor Wendy Broadway (wendy.broadway@nqo.com). ******************************* Museum of Modern Art: Tues-Sun 11am-6pm, Thurs
Gardens open under the National Garden Scheme from July 1-7. *********************************** SATURDAY, JULY 1 Wootton-by-Woodstock: 10am-6pm. 20 Gardens and lake walk. Church decorated. Morning coffee. Teas. Plants. Admission 3. ******************
Twogreat landmark works in the history of 20th-century music have delighted audiences as WNO continues its annual summer visit to the Apollo, writes Chris Gray. On Wednesday, a full house relished the heart-tugging emotion, the sparkling comedy and the
