Two teams from St Helen and St Katharine School in Abingon are through to the Oxfordshire area finals of the Rotary Club's national public speaking competition. In the Abingdon district competition, both the junior and senior sections of the girls' school
The Magic Cafe is a revered name whispered from one mother's ear to another. And although it's an appropriate title, the Magic Kingdom would be more apt, because it's like venturing into a forgotten world. Full of relieved looking mums desperate to sit
A motorist accused of racing his car against a friend's is standing trial for his alleged part in the death of a 17-year-old cyclist. Michael Parry, 22, of Columbia Way, Grove, near Wantage, denies aiding and abetting the cause of death by dangerous driving
A third of state secondary pupils in Oxford and Abingdon played truant during the past year, according to Government figures. Statistics reveal that 35.9 per cent of pupils in the Oxford East and Oxford West and Abingdon constituencies -- 3,589 out of
I'll see Royal Mail in court SIR -- I find it amazing to read the constant tales of woe at the Royal Mail and mail delivery problems it is having, or should I? It deserves everything that happens to it. We are a bag drop and a bike watch -- our postman
Abingdon's ambulance station in Springfield Drive is to be sold off for new homes. It is one of seven stations across the county being disposed of as part of the Oxfordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust's new strategy involving ambulances based at various
Alan Ayckbourn recalled a member of the first-night audience for Absent Friends saying: "If I'd known what I was laughing at while I was watching it, I wouldn't have laughed." What she (or possibly he) was laughing at was death -- in various ways but,
A lorry driver who is losing sleep because of low-flying military helicopters says the problem could force him to move out of the village. Micky Preece, of White Horse Crescent, Grove, has complained to RAF Benson, but has been told that the Wantage area
Thame United manager Mark West has warned defender John Mills to keep his discipline after he completed his five-match ban for two sendings off. Mills received his first red card for stamping on a Forest Green Rovers player in the FA Cup, and he got his
Midlands Div 3 East South: Banbury came within 60 seconds of victory away to third-placed Stewart and Lloyds, only for an injury-time try to condemn them to a 23-22 defeat. The home side had hammered the Bulls 53-8 at Bodicote Park earlier in the season
Women's matches: Rover Oxford resumed their outdoor South League Division 1 campaign in style with an impressive 6-0 win over local rivals Reading 1A at Iffley Road. The win keeps alive Rover's hopes of a return to the EHL as they are now only two points
After a seasonal flirtation with Dickens and his Christmas Carol, Creation Theatre Company is back to what it does best -- Shakespeare for the masses. No rudeness is intended here, no suggestion of dumbing down. I mean that this splendid group always
The scale of the truancy problem affecting our schools is truly alarming. More than a third of secondary school pupils in the two Oxford constituencies missed lessons without permission during 2003-4. It appears that pupils and parents have quickly forgotten
An agency set up almost a decade ago to improve business and community links in Didcot will close its doors at the end of April. Funding for the Didcot Development Agency has dried up and its one employee Vic Clinch, the town centre development manager
Residents in a row of bungalows in have discovered a drawback to living on the edge of the Blenheim estate -- a row of tall trees is causing havoc with their TV reception. Fed up with an unwatchable set when the trees are in leaf, and only slightly better
Edward Carter, who died in December, arranged the funerals of notables including the late, great Sir Winston Churchill. Forty years on from Churchill's death, Mr Carter's son Nigel has discovered fascinating memorabilia from the seven-year project officially
A public meeting being held to discuss the South East Plan will take place on February 9 at Oxford Town Hall. In February 7's Oxford Mail it was stated the meeting was on February 22. We would like to apologise for the error. The meeting has been organised
Oxford United had to pay chairman Firoz Kassam's company Firoka (Oxford United Stadium) Ltd £385,224 last year to rent the Kassam Stadium, writes JON MURRAY. That works out at more than £7,000 a week. The figure is revealed in the latest set of club accounts
Argentine midfielder Juan Pablo Raponi is on his way to Oxford United, according to newspapers in Argentina. The 24-year-old playmaker is set to link up with his former River Plate boss Ramon Diaz at the Kassam Stadium and will probably sign this week
SIR -- Was George Morton's letter (Oxford Mail, February 1) delayed for a few decades in the post? If he believes that the infiltration of Americanisms into British English is the major threat to our way of life in 2005, he must be leading a very sheltered
Elderly patients who need false teeth treatment will soon be able to get care without leaving the comfort of their living rooms. Dentist Dr John Davies, pictured, is starting a new service visiting pensioners in their own homes and in nursing care. The
South West 1: Oxford Harlequins were pipped 8-7 on a gluepot of a pitch at Clevedon. The heavy conditions did not suit Quins' game but they were unlucky not to come away with the points. They started at a fast pace, with their front row of Richard Ralph
Southern Counties North: Bicester's hopes of avoiding the drop suffered a blow when they went down 34-7 away to fellow strugglers Slough. Despite the emphatic scoreline, a much-depleted Bicester side competed bravely against a rejuvenated Slough outfit
An Oxford special school has overcome its difficulties to become "effective and caring", according to Ofsted inspectors. A team from the Office for Standards in Education found that Iffley Mead School is "making rapid improvement", since it was found
South Men's League: A lacklustre Rover Oxford performance saw them slump to a 6-3 defeat at high-flying Henley in a free-scoring game that was reminiscent of their 6-5 defeat by the same opposition earlier in the season. Rover started the Regional League
Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier Division: Littlemore survived a late spell of pressure to pip local rivals Gosford All Blacks 29-27 at Stratfield Brake A total contrast in styles saw Gosford playing an expansive game, while the visitors kept it tight,
Villagers who took part in a charity auction in Kings Sutton, near Banbury, on Sunday raised £27,000 to help tsunami survivors. The hall was packed for the sale which was opened by local resident, TV presenter John Craven. Chairman of the organising committee
More than 200 early years and childcare professionals will attend a conference in Oxford on February 9. The Oxfordshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership annual conference takes place at The Oxford Hotel, Wolvercote Roundabout, from 9am
Rail passengers who use First Great Western and FGW Link trains are to get a say on the development of Oxfordshire services. The companies are setting up customer panels for regular passengers to discuss with managers ways to improve services. Those keen
Accountants are optimistic that a buyer will be found for the Oxford branch of Allders, following news that the department store chain is to be broken up. The store in the Westgate Centre was not on the list of 10 which have not found buyers. Accountants
Students were hit by two separate crime sprees over the weekend. There was a spate of laptop thefts from east Oxford, in many cases through unlocked windows, and break-ins at four Oxford University boathouses, with valuables grabbed while students were
A public inquiry is hanging over Oxford City Council into the controversial sale of land at Minchery Farm, now home to Oxford United Football Club. Council chiefs have been given four months to explain how they arrived at the £1.5m valuation of the land
Ian "Digger" Beesley, who gained worldwide fame demolishing a county council speed hump, and his wife are selling their Oxford home. Mr Beesley, 44, used a JCB in November 2002 to dig up the hump, which had been installed by the council to improve road
A disabled resident and a councillor who collected hundreds of names on a petition have met traffic engineers to call for a pedestrian crossing on a busy Oxford road. Hazel Bleay, 73, who has osteoporosis in her spine, collected almost 600 signatures
SIR -- There has been a lot in the papers and on TV warning against credit card fraud, but you never think it will happen to you. I got the dreaded phone call from my bank on Friday to say that my card had been copied and money was going out of my account
SIR -- The Conservatives (supposedly the low tax and charging party) on the county council, with their strange bedfellows the Liberal Democrats (the highest taxing party), are plotting together to introduce higher council taxes and to charge Oxford residents
SIR -- I sympathise with Dave Bond (Oxford Mail, January 28) who fell victim to a police "piggy bank camera" on an empty road at Jordan Hill in north Oxford. I, too, saw the BBC's Traffic Cops programme and was appalled at how the poor motorcyclist was
