A woman was forced on a terror drive after being abducted by two men she had stopped to help. She was playing the Good Samaritan when the pair forced their way into her car. The nightmare began as the 30-year-old mum drove from her home in Grove to work
Oxfordshire Under 19s' hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals of the ECB Competition were dashed yesterday when Buckinghamshire pulled off an unlikely two innings victory over Herefordshire at Ross-on-Wye. Oxon, whose match with Bucks had been a rain-affected
The North Berks Motor Cycle Club didn't let us down at Dalton Barracks on Sunday - even though we had to wait for nearly an hour without any action soon after the start, writes John Gaisford. Nine races had gone when the action stopped for the presentation
Kevin Tunstall, from Roke near Benson, has been crowned the All-England singles champion for a record-equalling fourth time. The Oxfordshire champion's latest triumph means he has matched the number of wins by Bernie McCluskey, from Reading. Tunstall,
The Save Our Speedway campaign is still going strong and Chris Brown has outlined some coming events to boost funds. Grand Prix social evenings will be held for the final two GPs on September 2 and 23 when the action will be displayed on a 36-inch screen
Witney Town have announced a host of new signings - including wing back Terry Morrisey, the player whom they were found guilty of making an illegal approach for last season which cost them a 200 fine. The FA slapped the fine on Town after Oxford City
Well, who would have thought it? Victory for JT/Fox Oxford Cheetahs over title-chasing Eastbourne, Martin Dugard and Co, writes John Gaisford. Not too many Cheetahs fans, I suspect, as the Eagles led 43-41 going into the final heat with Joe Screen unbeaten
Carterton are the new Kennington Bowls Specialists Oxford & District League champions after a comfortable win over relegated City & County. With one more round of matches to go, it leaves Summertown and Banbury Central to contest the runners-up
AN environmentally conscious firm is appealing for help with the disposal of broken wooden pallets. Adpac, based in Nuffield Way, Abingdon, is reluctant to throw them on the tip or take them to a landfill site. Managing director John Laker said: "These
Passengers on a key commuter rail route were today expected to be given a 400m investment promise. The pledge is likely from M40 Trains, which runs the London to Birmingham Chiltern Trains' service through Oxfordshire. The cash boost was accompanying
Kind-hearted police staff in Oxford have helped raise 3,500 pounds to buy artificial legs for a nine-year-old boy injured by a mortar bomb during the war in former Yugoslavia. Pc Bob Keylock, based at St Aldate's in Oxford, met Alvis Serifovic and his
Six coaches were ordered off the roads by Thames Valley Police as part of a nationwide crackdown on rogue public service vehicles. Thames Valley Police was one of 34 forces taking part in the scheme, aimed at ensuring high levels of passenger safety at
Tim Henman put in a near-perfect performance last night against clay court specialist Mariano Puerta, beating the Argentine 6-1, 6-2 in the ATP Masters Series event in Cincinnati to set up a clash against Pete Sampras. The reigning Wimbledon champion
PUB-goers in Oxford are being given the chance to preview a new Cuban beer, writes David Duffy. Morro named after Morro Castle which has for centuries defended the city of Havana against invaders is the first major Cuban beer brand to be made available
DRUG discovery company Oxford Molecular is being bought up by an American firm in an 18m deal, writes David Duffy. The group, which employs about 60 people at the Oxford Science Park, is being taken over by a subsidiary of the US firm Pharmacopeia. The
STRONG demand for fibre optic components led to an 84 per cent rise in sales at electronics group Bookham Technology, writes David Duffy. Revenues at Oxfordshire's Business of the year jumped from 2.5m in the first three months of the year to 4.6m in
The musical line-up . . . The annual Cropredy Festival (from August 10-12) goes into extra time this year. For the first time an extra day has been added to the festival, which is now in its 26th year. To the delight of ageing hippies, the festival features
Tim Metcalfe previews this weekend's Cropredy Festival . . . Most rural communities faced with a weekend invasion of hairy, beer-swilling, music fans would be barring their doors and locking up their daughters about now. But the tiny North Oxfordshire
Scientists at a laboratory near Didcot have celebrated the perfect lift-off of a rocket carrying two satellites on the other side of the globe. More than 100 scientists at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory watched the launch of a Russian Soyuz rocket from
Aubrey Wale, the self-styled 'Mr Awkward' of the Oxford Mail letters page, has died at the age of 83. Mr Wale, of London Court, London Road, Headington, was born in Oxford on May 1, 1917, and lived in the city all his life. After leaving school he got
A team of Oxford University scientists has developed machines 100,000 times smaller than the head of a pin that are able to reproduce themselves. They say the techniques used to develop the so-called DNA motors, which resemble tweezers closing and opening
A health trust has apologised for the treatment of an elderly diabetic woman at the Oxford eye clinic. Wheelchair-bound Molly Rawley was kept waiting for more than five hours for a minor laser operation at the Radcliffe Infirmary. She then had to be brought
Experts are lining up to back the Oxford Mail's Can't Talk, I'm Driving campaign. Thames Valley Police traffic inspector Malcolm Collis welcomed our campaign to stop drivers using mobile phones at the wheel. Support has already come from local politicians
A fire chief has warned of the dangers of candles in the home after a family had a lucky escape. Oxfordshire's chief fire officer, Tom Carroll, spoke out after the blaze at a house in Campbell Road, Oxford. A candle left burning next to curtains in a
Villagers have given the thumbs down to plans to create one of the largest schools in Europe on their doorstep. Householders in Grove have condemned proposals put forward by King Alfred's Community and Sports College in Wantage to establish a showpiece
Oxford City take on Carterton Town at Kilkenny Lane tonight. City will come up against one of their former players in striker Paul Sherwood, who has rejoined Carterton after a spell at Thame United. Carterton have also snapped up Abingdon Town trio Nathan
A record field of 96 has entered the Waterstock Junior Classic, which takes place next Monday. The event, sponsored by the Oxford Mail and Cabana Soft Drinks, is a qualifying competition for the Daily Telegraph Centre Parcs Junior Championship. The field
England schoolboy international Tim Parker was in record form as he spreadeagled a 90-strong field to win the club championship at the Springs club, near Wallingford. Following a first round of 75, the 16-year-old, from Didcot, stunned his opponents with
Motorists can save pounds on fuel and help the environment at the same time, thanks to a Carterton garage. Auto Body Services Limited has launched a new service to convert vehicles to run on liquefied petroleum gas. The new fuel is a cleaner alternative
Wallingford residents are being asked how they want their health services run. Anne Kirkpatrick, chief executive of the Wallingford-based South East Oxfordshire Primary Care Group, said: "This is real public consultation. People's views will make a difference
The owner of a mystery card which was delivered 40 years after it was posted has come forward. As revealed in the Oxford Mail, a postcard with no stamp originally posted on May 11, 1960, was delivered to a house in Walton Street, Oxford, last month. It
Sunningwell's village pond grew from a spring which was first identified in 811AD, and then mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1447, writes Helen Peacocke. Visitors are said to have come from miles around to dip their hands in the water during that time
Mark Booth, Witney Lakes' teaching and touring professional, has won yet another pro event by a convincing margin. In the Southern Regional PGA event at Willingdon GC in Eastbourne, Booth shot rounds of 66, and 64, to finish eight under par - a clear
The superb win over Eastbourne has earned the Cheetahs team new tyres, courtesy of Ray and Sue Turner from Charterville Roofing. Both keen speedway fans, they will present the tyres during the meeting against Coventry tomorrow. Skipper Steve Johnston
Katherine MacAlister talks to an Oxford charity worker who knows what the arrested policemen in Serbia are going through . . . When Dr Mark Almond switched on his television two days ago and saw that two British policeman had been taken hostage in Yugoslavia
Organisers of a charity event are looking for fools without horses to do a circuit at Blenheim Palace. The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust wants 500 volunteers to take part in this year's The Only Fools Fun Run as part of the Blenheim International Horse
Technology pioneered by a new Oxford company could save lives from a tiny drop of blood. And the hi-tech hand-held devices could also help Olympic athletes go for gold. Oxford Biosensors, a spin-off company formed by Oxford University academics Prof Allen
Rewind12 months or so, writes Templeton Blake. Oxford's Medal had released their debut album Drop Your Weapon on Polydor. The Porno EP, complete with accompanying video, was set for release - and Medal played the Carling Weekender festivals at Reading
Postal staff turned up at work today but promptly walked out on strike again over a suspended Bicester postman. A total of 52 postmen and women working from the Bicester sorting office, in Murdock Road, decided to continue with the strike after learning
Thirteen people have been arrested as part of a blitz on car crime. The arrests, made during dawn swoops at addresses across Oxford during the past three days, have led to nine men being charged with offences including theft of cars and thefts from cars
The head of security at an exclusive store today told a jury that he stopped the Marquess of Blandford from leaving the shop with three unpaid-for items worth 257. A security alarm was triggered as the 44-year-old aristocrat attempted to leave Harvey
Tributes have been paid to a childcare pioneer who has died at the age of 80. Barbara Kahan, the former Oxfordshire children's officer, was described as 'always on the side of children'. Her love for children helped shape the role of social services nationwide
MP Evan Harris has appealed for buses to slow down in Oxford's High Street to abide by a voluntary speed limit. The MP for Oxford West and Abingdon made his plea days after cyclist Isobell Beckett, 45, of Hillsborough Road, Rose Hill, was killed after
Oxford United midfielder Peter Fear will warn his teammates about the danger of Andy Clarke when Peterborough visit the Manor Ground for Saturday's Division 2 curtain-raiser. Clarke, who played alongside both Fear and Steve Anthrobus when they were all
