Archive
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Public to be asked to help decide cuts
Leaders at cash-strapped Oxford City Council vowed today to ask the public how best to find a bumper £5.2m worth of savings. Earlier this month, the Liberal Democrat administration outlined £3.7m of potential savings, but said it still had a further
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Council throws centre a lifeline
Parents, children and staff at an Oxford play scheme are celebrating a £20,000 funding lifeline. Staff and users of The Dovecote Centre, in Nightingale Avenue, Greater Leys, had an agonising week-long wait to find out if the scheme had a future after
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Fans queue to meet Jason Donovan
More than 100 people queued for up to three hours to meet pop icon Jason Donovan, above, at a book signing in Oxford. Jason was in Borders bookshop, Magdalen Street, to sign copies of his new autobiography Between The Lines - My Story Uncut. The book
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Warneford Meadow inquiry starts
An inquiry to decide the future of Warneford Meadow in Oxford began today. Local residents are trying to save the 18-acre Headington site from the bulldozers at a town green status inquiry at the Town Hall, which is expected to last all week. Opponents
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Maternity units cut new mums’ stays
New mothers are being banned from staying at Oxfordshire's small maternity units for longer than 24 hours after the birth of their children. Until recently, women could enjoy postnatal care at Chipping Norton, Wantage and Wallingford Hospitals until
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Payout over bollard injury
A woman who tripped over a bollard hole in an Oxford car park has received a payout from the city council. Avril Davies, of Cuddesdon, fractured her arm in three places after the incident in St Clements car park three years ago. Her solicitors Irwin
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Fans queue up to meet Jason Donovan
MORE than 100 people queued for up to three hours to meet pop icon Jason Donovan at a book signing in Oxford yesterday. Jason was in Borders bookshop, in Magdalen Street, to sign copies of his new autobiography Between The Lines - My Story Uncut.
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Stay loyal
Oxford United started the season with high hopes of promotion back to the Football League. But suddenly, everything has blown up in their faces. The team's dismal 3-1 defeat at Droylsden has left them 12th, their lowest position, in the Blue Square
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The Why Factor
All arts organisations are fundraising on a daily basis. It is not a business that we necessarily choose but one that we have to engage in. We fundraise not just for redeveloping premises, as Pegasus is currently, but for ongoing running costs. Public
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Today's local share prices (PM)
AEA Technology 115 BMW 3279 Electrocomponents 266.25 Isoft Group 68.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 149 Oxford Biomedica 34.5 Oxford Instruments 220 Reed Elsevier 607.75 RM 195.5 RPS Group 361.75Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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A costly puff as you rock
Of course, Happy Mondays' lead singer Shaun Ryder was wrong to smoke on stage at the new Carling Academy Oxford. He isn't the first to do so, and no doubt he won't be the last. It is the thing rock singers do, and have done so since rock came in in
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Kraft work wins award
A young engineer at the Kraft Foods factory has won a top training award. Claire Goodship, 21, of Manor Road, Banbury, was praised by staff at Coventry training provider Midland Group Training Services. The advanced apprentice was dubbed an exceptional
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Balloons keep HQ hopes alive
Girl Guides released scores of multi-coloured helium balloons to launch a £250,000 appeal to raise funds for a new headquarters. Kidlington District Guides hope to raise a quarter of a million pounds over the next three years to build a new centre in
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Headington Baptist
(Old High Street, Headington, Oxford - on the other side of the street from the city council car park) Cycling up to Headington from the city centre wasn't an option. Who wants to arrive as a newcomer in a place of worship, wafting BO among the faithful
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Monopoly prices
I was fascinated to read your excellent article on the new Monopoly game board (Oxford Mail, September 28), in which Oxford features as one of the cities 'on offer'. The price asked for this most beautiful of locations will be fascinating to see. It
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Seeds of hope are blooming
A leading figure in the Cowley area of Oxford has vowed to "move heaven and earth" to keep the flowers in Florence Park. That is the promise from Bryan Keen, the chairman of Oxford City Council's Cowley area committee. The committee stepped in to
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Coiled for action against theft
Shoppers at Bicester town centre took advantage of a free gift being handed out by police. Brightly coloured key coils, which attach to purses and handbags, were given out as part of the Theft from Purse Initiative - aimed at reducing the number of
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Scrap TV licence
I have a question following the letter from Kate Fisher of TV Licensing, in which she rightly reminds all over 75s to claim their free TV licence (Oxford Mail, September 27). Why don't all pensioners get relief from this iniquitous charge - in fact,
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Continent is years ahead of creaky UK
I'm fresh back from honeymoon in Italy and on top form, bar an aggravated hand sprain from that pre-wedding spill on my bike. The trip made me realise how far behind Oxford is, yet left me optimistic about the future. Supposedly one of the UK's premier
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Juggling act
I was interested to read that Thames Valley Police are taking seriously the law prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving a vehicle, and clobbering offenders by the score. The fine of £60 and three penalty points seems a fair 'reward
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Breast cancer shock for two friends
For Wendy Green, the diagnosis of breast cancer felt like a death sentence. Just six months before, she had lost her best friend Kim Maquire at the age of 40 to the same disease. Mum-of-two Mrs Green said: "Because Kim had been taken by the disease
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Students and MP back CCTV plea
Oxford University Student Union and Oxford East MP Andrew Smith are the latest to throw their weight behind the campaign to bring CCTV to the city's Cowley Road. Martin McCluskey, union chairman, and Mr Smith backed Oxford police Chief Supt Brendan
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We should all share traffic
I refer to your story about rat runs at Cowley, Oxford (Oxford Mail, October 2). It is selfish, undemocratic and illogical that certains roads are closed off. This forces traffic into surrounding roads which are also residential. Traffic noise and
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Councillors back bid to block rat-runners
Councillors have supported plans to move a gate to stop rat-running between Barns Road and Watlington Road. Residents were asked if they wanted the traffic gate moved from Bailey Road to Phipps Road, blocking the short cut. Fifty-four per cent of
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A full-time love affair
Richard Wastie never thought he would get back together again with his teenage sweetheart from more than 20 years ago. But the 41-year-old Witney man found his feelings were strong enough to give up his career and become a full-time carer for his ex-girlfriend
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Steam Stalwart changes train
Jeanette Howse's career at Didcot railway centre has reached the end of the line after an astonishing 35 years. In 1973, Mrs Howse started out as a volunteer at the centre, which preserves Great Western steam engines, and then became the first full-time
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Town green inquiry opens
AN inquiry was launched yesterday to decide the future of Warneford Meadow in Oxford. Local residents are trying to save the 18-acre Headington site from the bulldozers at a town green status inquiry at the Town Hall, which is expected to last all week
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Appeal for A420 crash witnesses
Police are appealing for information on the crash on the A420 in which a cyclist was killed. The 47-year-old woman killed after a collision with a car, near the turning for Southmoor on Saturday. Her identity is expected to be released tomorrow.
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Police appeal for death-crash witnesses
A 47-YEAR-OLD cyclist killed on the A420 after a collision with a car is due to be named tomorrow. Police are now appealing for information on the crash which happened on the Faringdon Road, Kingston Bagpuize, near the turning for Southmoor on Saturday
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Warneford inquiry opens
An inquiry was launched today to decide the future of Warneford Meadow in Oxford. Local residents are trying to save the 18-acre Headington site from the bulldozers at a town green status inquiry at the Town Hall, which is expected to last all week.
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Malmaison celebrates its relaunch
Managers at the Malmaison Hotel are to hold a launch party following its re-opening after a fire in June. The luxury venue at Oxford Castle was closed for almost three weeks after the blaze gutted an electrical room and smoke spread to other parts of
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Young entrepreneurs take first steps
The hunt has started to find the entrepreneurs of the future. Schools from across the county are taking part in the Young Enterprise competition which sees youngsters running their own companies to give them an insight into the world of business.
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Boost for green motorsport hopefuls
Young motorsport designers at Oxford Brookes University have been given a massive boost after a major sponsor agreed to back their green racing car. The university has signed a deal with the Abbey bank, which will see thousands of pounds dedicated to
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Mini drives into the record books again
The runaway success story of the Oxford-built Mini continued in September this year when the premium small car set a new record for numbers sold in one month. Parent company BMW announced that 23,805 cars were sold in September - a 31 per cent increase
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Witney in the pink
WITNEY was in the pink on Saturday, when a dedicated band of women held their annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month fundraiser. The sixth Witney in the Pink Day was an enormous success - with £5,000 raised for the Oxfordshire charity Against Breast Cancer
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Protestors target petrol station
PROTESTERS peacefully blockaded a petrol station in Oxford, claiming the parent company is one of the biggest foreign investors in trouble-hit Burma. Demonstrators moved onto the forecourt of the Total petrol station in Garsington Road, Cowley, on Saturday
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Two trapped in car after coach collision
TWO people, who were trapped in a car following a collision with a coach, were safely removed by the fire brigade. The incident happened on the A4421, near the Stoke Lyne junction, just outside of Bicester, at 4.39pm, yesterday. Oxfordshire Fire and
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Funeral of Oxfam stalwart
The funeral of Oxfam charity shop founder Joe Mitty took place in Cumnor today. Family and friends gathered at St Michael's Church at 11am to pay their last respects to the 88-year-old who died last Sunday after a long illness. Mr Mitty, a great-grandfather
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Funeral for Oxfam stalwart
The funeral of Oxfam charity shop founder Joe Mitty took place in Cumnor today. Family and friends gathered at St Michael's Church at 11am to pay their last respects to the 88-year-old who died last Sunday after a long illness. Mr Mitty, a great-grandfather
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Local prosecutors rated 'good'
A REPORT has called for better prosecution success rates in court and an increase in the speed of dealing with young offenders. Thames Valley Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) - which takes suspected criminals to court once police have levelled charges
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Man arrested over stabbing
A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a stabbing in a park. The incident happened off Chatsworth Drive in the town at about 3am yesterday. A 21-year-old man was taken to the Horton Hospital in Banbury with serious stab wounds. His
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Today's local share prices (AM)
AEA Technology 115 BMW 3265.5 Electrocomponents 265.5 Isoft Group 68.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 149 Oxford Biomedica 33.25 Oxford Instruments 221 Reed Elsevier 613.25 RM 195.5 RPS Group 364 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
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CPS receives 'good' rating
A report has called for better prosecution success rate in court and increase the speed of dealing with young offenders. Thames Valley Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) - which takes suspected criminals to court once police have levelled charges - has
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Seven arrests in crime crackdown
Seven revellers were arrested during the first weekend of a crackdown on booze fuelled crime in East Oxford. Police launched Operation Bratwurst on Thursday in a bid to increase the number of officers in the Cowley Road area at weekends. On Friday
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School and residents fight phone mast
A COMMUNITY has joined forces with a local primary school to fight plans for a mobile phone mast. T-Mobile plans to install a 10-metre high mast and ground base equipment 100 metres from St Andrew's Primary School in Headington. Neighbours are angry
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Police out in force on Cowley Road
POLICE officers have been out in force in East Oxford in a crackdown on drink-fuelled crime and to "set the tone" for new students moving into the area. Operation Bratwurst was launched on Thursday and will be running again next weekend. Insp Brian
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Cameron campaigns in Kennington
TORY leader David Cameron was campaigning for votes in Kennington - just hours before Prime Minister Gordon Brown called off an Autumn election. Mr Cameron has promised to increase the inheritance tax ceiling for properties to £1m and, as he spoke to
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Oxfordshire gets £250,000 floods cash
A CHARITY is to help Oxfordshire's flood victims with a grant worth more than £250,000. The Red Cross has pledged £252,450 to Oxfordshire County Council to help the neediest among more than 6,000 residents who were affected in some way by the floods
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Ryanair doubles 1p flight offer
Due to a technical problem on the Ryanair website, readers were unable to make bookings following our 5,000 flights for 1p promotion last week. The problem has now been rectified, and readers should now be able to book their flights to 17 fantastic European
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Town green inquiry opens
AN inquiry begins today into a bid to save Warneford Meadow in Oxford from devdelopment. Local residents are confident they can save the 18-acre Headington site from development at the town green status inquiry. Those opposing plans by the Oxfordshire
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Cyclist dies on A420
A WOMAN cyclist has died after she was involved in a crash with a car on the A420 between Oxford and Swindon. The accident happened at 8.15am on Saturday on the westbound carriageway between the Longworth and Charney Bassett junctions. An ambulance
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Potted history
Punters at the fair crowd round to make sure that the prize they are hoping to win is the genuine article. The prize in question was a teapot - and the woman running the stall was happy to prove that it would actually pour a cup of tea. The picture
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Drivers continue to flout ban
Motorists are continuing to flout Oxford city centre's daytime traffic ban - and are paying the price for it. Cameras are capturing a motorist every five minutes during the 7.30am to 6.30pm exclusion in the High Street, Castle Street, Magdalen Street
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Kidlington's fightback stuns Milton
Milton Utd 3 (Rusher 13, 27, Davis 48) Kidlington3 (McGlynn 78, Deabill 82, Williams 86) KIDLINGTON recovered from 3-0 down to snatch a draw in the Sport Italia Hellenic League Premier Division. The home opened the scoring on 13 minutes when Vinny
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Odhiambo treble sends Abingdon marching on
Bracknell Town 1 (Lewis pen 10) Abingdon Utd 4 (Odhiambo pen 25, 30, pen 67, Herbert 43) ABINGDON United made it three victories in a row with a convincing display at Bracknell in Division 1 South & West. Anaclet Odhiambo led the way with a hat-trick
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Ardley dish out hammering to woeful Witney
Witney Utd 1 (Wickens 25) Ardley Utd 5 (Brandon og 2, Garbutt 19, Mason pen 36, Martin 46, Hamp 72) ARDLEY gave Witney a lesson in finishing as they cruised into the second round. Ardley had beaten Witney 5-1 in the Hellenic League earlier this
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CITY'S HOT-SHOTS GO ON RAMPAGE
Bishops Cleeve 0 Oxford City 4 (Gunn 46, Stewart 55, McSporran 77, Cattell 90) OXFORD City put on a fine second-half show as they marched into the first qualifying round with a convincing victory in Gloucestershire. The first period sadly lacking
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Didcot storm back in style
Malvern Town 1 (Lyons 8) Didcot Town 3 (Peirson 60, O'Connor 70, Bartley 90) DIDCOT overcame an early scare to set up a first qualifying round tie at Yate Town. Malvern, bottom of the Southern League Midlands Division, took an eighth-minute lead
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Unlucky Banbury are pegged back at death
Mangotsfield Utd 2 (Wilmott 58, Griffin 90) Banbury Utd 2 (Bryan 12, Murphy 87) AN injury-time goal robbed Banbury of a deserved win in the Premier Division on Saturday. Banbury were quickly into their stride and took the lead on 12 minutes when
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Food for thought
GOVERNMENT inspectors have said Jamie Oliver's school dinners revolution is turning more pupils off school meals.o And Oxfordshire's meals chief says more help from parents is needed if children are to choose the new, healthy option. In a report released
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Invitation to see school
LARKMEAD School in Faringdon Road, Abingdon, is holding an open evening on Thursday, October 11, at 6pm. Headteacher Chris Harris will be holding talks for parents and students at 6pm and 8pm. There will also be an open day on Friday, October 12
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Boris on film
MP Boris Johnson is due to present awards at the third annual New Shoots film festival on Friday, October 12, in celebration of young people's film making. The festival is being hosted by Wheatley Park School, in Holton, near Wheatley.
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Fan fury as United crumble
Oxford United supporters, dismayed at one of the worst defeats in the club's history, have called for a demonstration before the next home game. The defeat to Droylsden, at their Butcher's Arms ground, east of Manchester, sees the U's at their lowest
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U's board set for crisis talks
OXFORD United chairman Nick Merry refused to discuss Jim Smith's position as manager after Saturday's embarrassing defeat at bottom club Droylsden. But talks about the future look set to take place at boardroom level - and Smith would be part of those
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Bus gate cash bonanza
What with fuel prices sky high, car tax increasing year-on-year and parking charges at a premium, drivers could be forgiven for thinking the world is against them. And the news we bring today is hardly likely to change their mind. Motorists have been
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Bus gate camera cash rolls in
Enforcement cameras are catching a motorist every six minutes flouting a driving ban in Oxford. New figures show the amount of money generated from fines issued to drivers ignoring a ban on driving along Oxford's High Street could have topped the £1m
