Cheetahs avoid wooden spoon OXFORD Cheetahs ensured they will not receive the wooden spoon by beating Arena Essex in their final home Sky Sports Elite League fixture on Wednesday night. Cheetahs enjoyed a 55-37 success to condemn Arena to the bottom
Kitty Boggis followed up her impressive win at the Network Group International Horse Trials at Gatcombe last week with another success. Boggis, from Lew, near Bampton, won the South of England event at Ardingly. Her 3.30am start paid off with an emphatic
Promoted Oxford Hawks made an excellent start to their Women's South League season with a 4-2 victory at Wimbledon 1A in their Division 1 debut - Emma Batten smashing all four goals. Twice Batten put Hawks ahead, only to see the hosts draw level.
Andy Nelder will be the man in charge of Isis, the Oxford reserve crew, for next year's Boat Race. Next year's event will be held on April 7, back on a Saturday after a three year's switch to Sunday. Nelder will replace Jonny Singfield, who has taken
Oxford Sports got their tactics spot-on to cause a huge shock and win the Ladies 3-Pair Division 1 titl.e Going into the final match of the season against defending champions Oxford City, Sports knew that only a win would do - and a convincing one at
Wallingford maintained their 100 per cent record in the Berks Bucks & Oxon Prwemier Division with a 31-26 victory at Oxford. But they were almost sunk by their hosts' late comeback. After Oxford took the lead through Luke Wilkins's try, Wallingford
A below-par Witney salvaged a 10-10 draw in their Southern Counties North top-of-the-table clash at Milton Keynes on Saturday. Milton Keynes started strongly and their early pressure told with a penalty and a converted try. However, the visitors were
Henley Hawks made it three wins in a row for the first time since March 2003 with a 34-23 home victory over Cambridge in National League Division 2. After trailing 9-7 early on, Hawks led 31-9 by the 61st minute and, in scoring four tries, earned a
Will Tuffley starred on his debut as Oxford Harlequins pulled off an impressive 31-18 victory in their South West 1 trip to St Ives. The 20-year-old Australian full back scored 21 points in a fine display. St Ives opened the scoring after four minutes
A late Richard Williams penalty secured Chinnor a battling 30-30 draw against Dings Crusaders in their National League Division 3 clash on Saturday . The fly half's fifth successful kick from five punished a moment of indiscipline from Dings replacement
A late Richard Williams penalty secured Chinnor a battling 30-30 draw against Dings Crusaders in their National League Division 3 clash on Saturday . The fly half's fifth successful kick from five punished a moment of indiscipline from Dings replacement
Oxford University were sunk by a last-minute penalty as they went down 19-17 to the Portugal national side. And to make matters worse for the Dark Blues, Danny Palm was taken to hospital with a badly bruised cheekbone as tempers flared in the latter
Mick Channon's West Ilsley string continue to be in fine form - with Youmzain gaining the biggest success of his career in the Group One IVG Preis von Europa at Cologne on Sunday. The three-year-old benefited from a vintage Kieren Fallon ride to get
AEA Technology 96.25 BMW 2831 Electrocomponents 274 Isoft Group 51.25 Oxford Bio 29.25 Oxford Instruments 202.25 Oxonica 144 Reed Elsevier 592.25 RM 181 RPS 232 Torex Retail 44.25 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
AEA Technology 96.25 BMW 2831 Electrocomponents 274 Isoft Group 51.25 Oxford Bio 29.25 Oxford Instruments 202.25 Oxonica 144 Reed Elsevier 592.25 RM 181 RPS 232 Torex Retail 44.25 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
Insects dancing, dawdling and droning have been an important feature in our West Oxfordshire garden this year. Our daily insect watch is still focused on the nectar walk - a 20ft path in full sun between plantings of nectar-rich plants that act as a lure
The spindle tree is one way to brighten up the autumn garden, writes VAL BOURNE Autumn colour should be an essential part of any garden. But we usually have to wait until late October before those fiery reds, oranges and yellows begin to appear and
KEN BENNETT reveals how children's authors and their characters are being brought to life In all, 38 writers and places linked to them and their stories are featured in the Storybook England map Revisit childhood caption to go in this bit d=5,3,1Listen
A new drama group is seeking young talented actors to give them the chance to make and star in their own film. Youngstar Productions, a company based in Hampshire, is looking for actors between ten and 20 to join their group in Oxford, which was set
GILES WOODFORDE talks to Edward Higginbottom as he marks 30 years as New College Choir's director of music The coach was threading its way westwards through the London evening rush-hour traffic. On board was the Choir of New College, Oxford, which
The American star is among a variety of jazz and classical musicans appearing under the banner of Oxford Contemporary Music, writes Paul Medley Oxford Contemporary Music has for 12 years been bringing a wealth of new musical experiences to audiences
NICOLA LISLE on a play touring villages If you go to see Taste, it's possibly the strangest play you'll ever see. It's also one of the most intriguing, compelling, thought-provoking and entertaining. You even get to sample a range of culinary delights
How did the universe come to exist? Paul Davies looks at those asking the questions For thousands of years, humans have gazed in wonder at the world about them and asked the big questions: How did the universe come to exist? What is it made of? Where
EWEN Green, one of Britain's leading historians of 20th-century British Conservatism, has died aged 47. He suffered from multiple sclerosis. The Oxford historian's contribution to our understanding of modern Conservatism is contained in three of Dr
PROFESSOR Alan Raitt, one of the most distinguished scholars of 19th century French literature, has died aged 75. Alan William Raitt was born in Morpeth, Northumberland, in 1930, and began studying modern languages at Magdalen College in 1948. While
THE PEOPLE of Blackbird Leys can now look forward to having a free-to-use cash machine on the estate. The Royal Bank of Scotland last week snubbed Blackbird Leys after deciding it did not qualify for one of the 300 free cash machines being introduced
MORE than 100,000 DNA records have been placed on a national database by Thames Valley Police. Police chiefs held 106,051 different genetic profiles when a survey was carried out in July. The figure - which includes Oxfordshire - was disclosed by
SCORES of investors have been handing over thousands of pounds for land in an Oxfordshire village which has no chance of ever being built on. The allegation that plots of land with no development potential were sold in Eynsham was made by BBC South's
DOUBLE-deckers that drive down a narrow residential street in Oxford are making houses shake, claim residents. People living in Littlehay Road say their lives have been blighted by the number 10 bus, which runs from Carfax in the city centre to the
RESIDENTS in North Oxford are protesting against the demolition of a Victorian house so that five houses can be built in its place. The owner of 26 Lathbury Road has applied for planning permission to demolish the house and build one five-bedroom house
REDBRIDGE park-and-ride users in Oxford should see the new £400,000 passenger terminal open in time for Christmas shopping. Officials are hoping the new facilities at Redbridge - a waiting room, public toilets, baby-changing facilities and cycle racks
SERVICES for the elderly are to transfer from Oxford's Radcliffe Infirmary to the John Radcliffe Hospital this weekend. Tomorrow, Older People's Services are closing at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Walton Street and moving to the John Radcliffe site in
A NEW era in healthcare dawns in Oxfordshire on Monday morning. But the arrival of a new trust with a bigger budget than both the John Radcliffe Hospital is likely to pass largely unnoticed across the county. The Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust comes
OXFORDSHIRE's main hospitals are pressing ahead with plans to win foundation trust status despite having to wrestle with debts of £33m. Trevor Campbell Davis, chief executive of Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Trusts, claimed that the cost-cutting had actually
THE sale of the Territorial Army Centre at the Slade should bring a major windfall for Oxford City Council. As owner of the huge site in New Headington, the city council stands to receive millions from the transformation of the base into a new Oxford
HUNDREDS of horse chestnut trees across Oxfordshire are under threat in what looks to be the worst case of tree blight since Dutch elm disease 30 years ago. The trees have been hit by the arrival in the region of the horse chestnut leaf-mining moth.
TWO ambitious schools initiatives are being unveiled to help gifted children and some of the most deprived pupils in Oxfordshire. New ways of helping youngsters at the extreme ends of the state school system are addressed in separate schemes being examined
TWO men, an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old, have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage following incidents in Wantage on Sunday. They have been bailed pending further inquiries until October 19. The arrests relate to damage caused to 17 cars
PUPILS from Oxfordshire schools had a brush with aristocracy when they had tea with the Duke of Marlborough at his Woodstock home Blenheim Palace. The children were invited to the country estate because they were among the winners of the Duke's annual
Dr Ewen Green, one of the country's leading historians of 20th century British Conservatism, has died aged 47. The reader in modern British history at Magdalen College, Oxford, had been suffering from multiple sclerosis. Among his works on modern Conservatism
Oxford University's Prof Alan Raitt, a world authority on 19th century French literature, has died aged 75. Born in Morpeth, Northumberland, in 1930, he began studying modern languages at Magdalen College in 1948. While an undergraduate, he won the
It was, to say the least, unreal. "Can I have it large?' "Sorry sir?" "No, I'm sorry. I'm English. Can I have it... LAARRRGGGE?" "Oh LAARRRGGGE? You shur kannn." "Well, I'll go LAARRRGGGE then." "But sir, we only sell McLobsters in August.
As a clapped-out old bore myself - so some readers say - I naturally feel drawn to others of the ilk. Thus I tuned in on Sunday to the preposterous (and overpaid) Michael Parkinson's Radio 2 show. How would Parky manage to irritate me this week? Actually
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Oxford East city councillor Stephen Tall is living proof that at least someone listens to what a Liberal Democrat has to say, being as he was, the recipient of his party's 'best blog award' at their conference in Brighton last week. On accepting the honour
The statement quoted by the Pope is a matter of historical record. What's the problem? Because it relates unfavourably to Islam, is no-one allowed to mention it? It's OK for the President of Iran to constantly spout anti-Semitic and anti-Christian
WE COMMENTED yesterday on how people power had blocked plans to open a new nightclub in Oxford and expand another. Today we have another example where the voice of residents has been heard loud and clear. The Royal Bank of Scotland had decided that
I refer to John Green's letter about councillors agreeing to serve four years with the political organisation of their choice, then heading for pastures new before completing their term (Oxford Mail, September 20). People make the effort and the time
Dennis Fogden asks if anyone knows the origin of the lion statue at the Trout Inn at Godstow, Oxford (Oxford Mail, September 23). My father, William (Bill) Loveridge, who is almost 91, spent all his childhood and most of his adult life as a resident
I must reply to Tony Brett's letter, Target the pimps (Oxford Mail, September 21). I can only assume, from his attitude to prostitutes, that he doesn't live in East Oxford. My neighbours and I have been campaigning to the police and the city council
Leonard Woolf died at the age of 88 on my 18th birthday, August 14, 1969. Did his passing register with me at the time? To be honest, I can't remember - perhaps not, amid the celebrations involved in this very special day for me. Coming across the date
Peace has broken out among postal workers in Witney and Carterton after a dispute with management was settled. A mass meeting involving members of the Communication Workers Union saw a unanimous vote to take no further action in the row over allegations
The chairman of an Oxford community centre which came under fire for making residents' lives "hellish" has defended it. Residents living near the East Oxford Community Centre in Princes Street, off Cowley Road, told the Oxford Mail their lives had been
Labour Party members from Oxfordshire yesterday dealt a humiliating blow to the Government's NHS reforms. Delegates at Labour's annual conference in Manchester backed a motion by Oxford West and Abingdon Party demanding a halt to "the headlong rush
The Internet auction for an Oxford Loyal wristband was ended early on Wednesday as bidding reached five times the band's value. The Oxford Mail and Oxford United joined forces to produce the £1 wristbands so loyal fans could show their true colours,
Police are still hunting a masked robber caught on camera as he carried out a knifepoint raid at an Oxford bookmakers. As previously reported, the robber jumped over the counter of the Ladbrokes shop in Banbury Road, Summertown, during the hold-up shortly
Police have interviewed 30 witnesses following the shooting of an Oxford man on Saturday - but are appealing for more to come forward. Niall Sterry, 40, of Illsley Road, Barton, suffered serious leg injuries when he was shot after violent clashes outside
Motorists can name and shame bad drivers on an Oxfordshire man's new website. Drivers and pedestrians can report bad driving to www.betterdrivingplease.com - complete with the errant motorist's licence plate number - in the latest example of cyber-policing
A prisoner was found hanged at Bullingdon Prison less than 48 hours before he was to be sentenced for burglary. John Hughes, 31, from the Cowley area, was the second prisoner to be found dead at the prison, near Bicester, in just over a week. Last
Several of this week's new releases pursue their subjects in such unrelenting close-up that it's sometimes difficult to gain a true perspective. Take, for example, Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno's Zidane - A 21st Century Portrait, for example. This
Oxford businessman Del Tester doesn't normally do the National Lottery on a Wednesday. So he was delighted when he decided to have a go and ended up scooping £72,388. Mr Tester, of Canal Street, Jericho, celebrated with his wife Estelle with Champagne
Oliver Stone, a filmmaker well acquainted with controversy, swallows his usual political bile to craft this harrowing tribute to the men and women of the emergency services who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, in New York City. Faced with so many
Oxford Sinfonia opened its new season on Saturday with a beautifully balanced programme of pieces by Beethoven, Haydn and Strauss, demonstrating once again what a versatile and proficient orchestra this is. Beethoven's Coriolanus and Prometheus were symmetrically
You don't have to be a member of the QI Club, in Turl Street, to view Johnny Dewe Mathews's recent paintings exhibited under the title Syncopated Rhythm. The exhibition, which sprawls up the stairs, into the club's dining room, library and bar is open
Franoise Dupr's residency is being managed by Paintings in Hospitals, a registered charity founded in 1959 to provide original works of art to hospitals, hospices and other healthcare settings across the UK. In 2005, with support from the Max Reinhardt
Apologies for restarting this column rather later than the beginning of the autumn season of jazz and contemporary music. The Spin, at the Wheatsheaf, off Oxford's High Street, kicked off last week and have an exceptional programme including the great
As black forms the backdrop against which we see the stars, works on show at Science Oxford, at the bottom of Headington Hill, have been created from chalk on traditional blackboards. There are a dozen pictures, together with a collection of haikus, which
She emerges from a wheelie bin emitting a series of her trademark high-pitched screams. Dumped again! Once more, an attempt to find Tracy Beaker a home with foster parents has failed because of this sassy 11-year-old's original, but often difficult, take
Multiple sclerosis symptoms can be affected by a pair of "angel and devil" genes that fight to make a patient healthy or ill, Oxford University researchers have found. The discovery could help scientists find new ways of tackling the potentially-devastating
The founder of the Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary has defended rottweiler dogs - despite two horrific attacks on young children in the last week. Five-month-old Cadey-Lee Deacon was mauled to death by two rottweilers in Leicester on Saturday. And 14-month-old
GROVE-based WilliamsF1 has confirmed the re-appointment of Narain Karthikeyan as one of the team's official test drivers for the 2007 season. Karthikeyan, who joined the squad in 2006, will add a vital element of continuity to the team's test and development
Didcot's long-awaited arts centre has been hit by further delays. Work on the £7.3m project will not start until Christmas pushing the opening date back by another six months - to spring 2008. But the town's five screen cinema is on schedule to open
A one-way road in Abingdon will be opened to two-way traffic on Sunday. Stratton Way has been a one-way dual-carriageway for more than 30 years but will become a two-way road as part of a £3.1m highways project in the town centre. Traffic planners
She emerges from a wheelie bin emitting a series of her trademark high-pitched screams. Dumped again! Once more, an attempt to find Tracy Beaker a home with foster parents has failed because of this sassy eleven-year-old's original, but often difficult
Oxford United chairman Nick Merry has lavished praise on the club's supporters after they passed the 3,000 season ticket sales mark. The U's sold the landmark ticket yesterday morning - and the total continues to rise. United's gates are higher this
Until the lashing rain and wind apparently pulled most of it down a couple of days ago, there was a large billboard poster on the Botley Road promoting the Brunel Rooms nightclub in Swindon. Nothing wrong with that, you might say. Generally, I would agree
Oxford Cheetahs 55, Arena Essex 37: A superb maximum from guest Adam Shields ensured Oxford Cheetahs avoided the wooden spoon for the second year running as once again the dubious accolade fell to Arena Essex. Shields was well supported by David Howe
Morrells of Oxford Sunday League: John McMahon smashed a four-timer as Nelson demolished Riverside 8-1 in the Premier Division. McMahon was quickly off the mark completing his impressive haul, which included a 35-yard screamer, in the first 25 minutes
Devenney Cup holders Jackass Inn were given a fright by new boys AFC Cowley, eventually squeezing through to the second round with a 4-2 extra-time victory on Sunday. Bryn Ingram gave Jackass the lead on his return to the club, but Daniel Bruno volleyed
The Didcot League season began with 8-2 victories for two teams who hope to be in the hunt for Division 1 honours. Crown, with a maximum for Nigel Taylor overcame Abingdon A, whose two wins came from substitute Richard Knight. Eddie Herrity won three
Oxfordshire have wrested back the County Challenge Cup that they relinquished last year. Led for the last time by Kevin Tunstall, Oxfordshire remained unbeaten, defeating Berkshire 5-2, North 6-1, Kent 5-2, and last year's winners, Sussex, 4-3. Steven
Oxford Saints landed the Division 2 Championship trophy in Britbowl 2006 after a thrilling 29-28 victory over Glasgow's West Coast Trojans in the play-off final at the Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield. The match always looked likely to be a close affair
FRILFORD HEATH Ladies' September Stableford - Div 1: 1 J Binning 41pts (cb), 2 B Sandys-Lumsdaine 41 (cb), 3 A Gowing 41. Div 2: 1 M Beardall 39, 2 J Preston 38, 3 P Lacy 36 (cb). Div 3: 1 S Duncombe 36, 2 B Dick 28. CHIPPING NORTON Ladies' Lyall
OXFORD City's Adam Wootton shared the BB&O's Autumn Trophy after a superb two-under-par round at Studley Wood. Wootton tied with Adam Glass (Caversham Heath) on 70 after the afternoon action was abandoned due to torrential rain and thunderstorms.
OXFORD City's hopes of defending their Shaw & Co Oxfordshire Foursomes League Section 1 title were dealt a blow with a 2-1 defeat at Ellesborough. City still lie second in the table, but either leaders Tadmarton Heath or third-placed Chipping Norton
EDDIE Pepperell will be gunning for glory in the Faldo Series final at Celtic Manor next week. The 15-year-old Frilford Heath member is one of the favourites to land the boys' under 15 crown after some impressive summer showings including winning the
As barbecues go, it would be difficult to imagine a more intriguing group of guests. Queuing politely in a bustling farmyard in Wytham was a man who knows a good deal about burgers, or at least the art of selling hundreds of millions of them, Steve
A PICTURE of the Hogwarts Express taken on a mobile phone camera has put James Beaney, 27, of Chipping Norton, in the final of Cameraphone News Photographer of the Year 2006 competition. He took the photograph while on a walk with his girlfriend in
ENTERTAINER Pam Ayres posed in pink last week to launch a new fundraising and awareness campaign for Cancer Research UK in Oxfordshire. Pam took time out from signing her new book, Surgically Enhanced, to join Swalcliffe fundraiser Elizabeth Melvin
YOU can surf the net as you ride the Oxford Tube into London from Sunday as part of a three-month free trial. Passengers will get free web access to trial Wi-Fi technology on all 25 vehicles in the Oxford Tube fleet. Stagecoach's trial of the Wi-Fi
THE fate of an Oxford pub - once popular with cricket teams in the 19th century - hangs in the balance as a planning application has been made to knock it down. The Coach and Horses on St Clement's Street, Oxford, has been empty for about two years,
A CHOIRMASTER is appealing for boys to join the girl singers at St Mary's Church, Banbury. Musical director Fred Riches said he was trying to re-introduce the tradition of choirboys as well as choirgirls. Mr Riches said: "We have a dozen good girl
HIGHWAYS managers are planning to solve problems at two Banbury junctions where there have been accidents involving lorries. The A422, Ruscote Avenue, is a busy road linking Warwick Road to the west, and Southam Road to the east, with the M40 beyond
SEVEN people have been arrested in a crackdown on burglaries in Banbury. The arrests came as police searched houses and executed search warrants in connection with a series of break-ins between September 14 and 19. Two men have appeared in court and are
A FOOTBALL match is being organised in memory of popular milkman Pete Hawkins, who died in March. The inaugural match for the Pete Hawkins Memorial Shield has been scheduled for Sunday at Brackley Town Football Club, kick off 2pm. The match will be
THE fight to prevent cutbacks to services at Banbury's Horton Hospital was highlighted on Sunday when four walkers marched from the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford to Banbury. "Save the Horton" campaigners were on hand at the hospital's main entrance
CHILDREN at Christopher Rawlins Primary School, Adderbury, have had an exclusive preview of their new village website. Organisers of www.adderbury.org visited the school to thank the pupils for contributing to the launch of the website - which goes live
AN elderly couple whose Banbury house was targeted by burglars have warned other residents to be on their guard. Tom and Frances Steatham, who live in the Broughton Road area of Banbury, said they were going to install a burglar alarm after the attempted
STAFF and customers at Morrison's supermarket in Banbury have raised over £1,000 for the Save the Horton Hospital campaign. The cheque was presented to supporters of the Horton, represented by local councillor George Parish. He was handed the money
THE National Trust is inviting local people to visit the fascinating Stowe Gardens near Buckingham to help plant snowdrops and bluebells. Head gardener Barry Smith said: "The early spring colour at Stowe will look stunning with the bulbs that have been
