A bizarre tradition involving a dead duck celebrated only once every 100 years is marked this weekend at an Oxford college. On Sunday evening, Fellows of All Souls' will hunt for their mallard, who went missing almost 600 years ago. According to the tradition
Parents on low incomes in Oxfordshire are not receiving the help to pay for school uniform they could get in other areas. The Citizens Advice Bureaux warned the policy could damage children's education, while Oxford headteachers criticised the shortfall
Six Bells needed a golden goal in extra time to scrape past Middle Barton 2-1 in a tight fourth round tie, writes Geoff Bower Barton startled their visitors with a goal virtually straight from the kick-off and maintained their lead through an even first
Adam Faulkner was a two-goal hero for Thame Boys in their 3-1 victory over Wantage Town in Division 2 of the Elsevier Youth League. Both teams seemed rusty after the Christmas break and it was Wantage who settled the quicker, going in front with a well-taken
Tower Hill Stars maintained their 100 per cent Under 15 record with a 7-1 win over Chipping Norton Swifts. Danny Warren was the star with a hat-trick after coming on as a substitute. Leo Haynes also came off the bench to score, with other goals coming
Oxford's youngsters were in sparkling form to whitewash Coventry B 10-0 in Midland League Junior Division 2 at the Forum Youth Centre, Kidlington. The Oxford trio of Greg Boone, Sam Harrison and Stewart Hamilton won all their sets in two, never allowing
Waterstock are staging a 'pub and social club' competition next summer. Sponsored by Carlsberg Tetley, teams of four will take part in the event on Tuesday, June 12. It is one of a series of tournaments at Waterstock, who will stage the Anthony Nolan
A thumping 25-yard free kick by Craig Simpson sealed Star Wanderers' 4-2 victory away to Wolvercote in the third round of the League Cup. Star took the lead after ten minutes through Stuart Fathers but were pegged back after a further ten minutes. Simpson
Oxford Blackbirds made it 13 games without defeat this season as they saw off St Edmunds B 5-2 in the Under 11 B League. Playing up hill in the first half, Blackbirds raced into a 3-0 lead before Carl Inness scored the goal of the game from 25 yards to
Oxford's Mansfield Road side moved to within two points of leaders Carterton Rangers in Southern Region League Northern Division with a 1-0 home victory over third-placed Wycombe Wanderers. Goalkeeper Jo Kelly denied Wycombe an early lead before Mansfield
Employment specialist Marty Burn is backing an idea that could herald the end of employees "throwing sickies". Mr Burn, of Duncombe Commercial Solicitors, based on Oxford Business Park, says companies in Oxfordshire should introduce "duvet days" to allow
Commuters can now speed on to the World Wide Web thanks to the UK's first computer-connected car. Web firm Bunnyfoot, of Didcot, has developed the prototype 'e-car', affectionately known as the Bunnymobile, that allows drivers to surf the Net while keeping
Two men appeared before Oxford magistrates charged with supplying heroin. Wayne Giles, 21, of Stowford Road, Barton, Oxford, was charged with supplying heroin to Matthew Webb and with possessing heroin. Mr Webb was found dead at a house in Stowford Road
A woman died when her car was in collision with a van on a Bicester road. Police have not yet revealed the identity of the woman who died in a crash at Skimmingdish Lane, Caversfield, at 3pm yesterday. She was driving a K-registration red Ford Escort
Five men arrested in dawn drugs raids across west Oxfordshire have been remanded in custody. They all appeared before Witney Magistrates' Court yesterday on a range of charges connected with the class A drug heroin. All five have been remanded to appear
Pop superstar Michael Jackson is to speak at the Oxford Union to launch his new children's foundation. The 42-year-old singer is expected to address the Union on March 6 with his new mentor, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, on the subject of child welfare. A statement
Oxford United were hoping that up to three new faces would be arriving at the Manor later today. Joe Kinnear and David Kemp have been desperately trying to bring in new blood in a bid to halt United's alarming form which has seen them slide rapidly towards
Hospital care in Oxfordshire is on the brink of seizing up as all 263 of the county's community beds are full. All cottage hospitals and Oxfordshire Social Services nursing homes are now packed. The situation leaves the county's John Radcliffe and Churchill
A headteacher whose school has been shut because of a burst water main is appalled at the delays. More than 800 pupils at Bartholomew School in Eynsham - due back on Tuesday after the Christmas break - have now missed two complete days. Workmen from Thames
Father and son Keith and Steven Sheard crashed out of the Morrells Oxford League Premier Section individual competition at the Isis. Keith was defeated by Ray Sturgess, while young Steven lost out to Maxi McDonnell. Pauline Withey kept the flag flying
Striker Lee Newport donned the gloves to help Chilton overcome a goalkeeping crisis and keep their Divison 1 title challenge alive with some superb saves as they beat East Hendred 2-1, writes Mick Day. Ron Harris opened for Chilton but Mark Hendry's quickly
England junior international Andy Martin, from Chipping Norton, bowed out of the England IBA National Championships with a three-shot defeat in the area semi-finals. Martin went down 21-18 to Paul Maynard, of the Slade club in Buckingham, in the last
Controversy over the morning-after pill was focused this week on Bodyzone clinics in Oxfordshire schools, which are making the pill available to under-16s without parents' knowledge or consent. In a Comment article on Monday, the Oxford Mail questioned
Thames Water has scooped a £50,000 Government hand-out after agreeing a partnership deal between the company and trade unions. The firm, which received the maximum allowed from the Partnership Fund, will match the amount received. Personnel director Julia
Schools computer company RM has announced a tie-up with Reed Educational and Professional Publishing to provide maths and numeracy courses over the Internet. Reed publishes the leading maths schemes used in UK primary schools. The online content will
Dr Dolittle star Phillip Schofield is urging people to give blood and save lives after meeting a two-year-old boy who depends on donors. And the star revealed he had helped to save a life before his father's. After meeting Charlie Whitaker at the John
A crackdown on crime has made Thames Valley one of the safest places in the country to live, according to new performance indicators. The Audit Commission has published figures showing that crime in the area has dropped in the past year. The performance
Businesses are being warned to think twice before giving staff flu drugs from an Oxfordshire firm. Many companies have already taken up "flu crisis management programmes" from Wallingford-based Alliance Health. But Oxfordshire Health Authority said bosses
The family of a seven-year-old boy who battled against cancer for eight months has donated 6,500 to the hospital that saved his life. Mark Brown was referred to the specialist paediatric oncology department at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital with a large
