An Oxfordshire man has been shot dead in southern Iraq while working for a private security firm. Simon Hall lost his life in what is believed to have been a drive-by attack by terrorists near a customs border point. Mr Hall, who was in his early
The man accused of killing Guy Thomas told a jury he had been play fighting with the victim before his death. Peter Rous, 32, and Sara Kingston, 33, have denied murdering Guy Thomas and are standing trial at Oxford Crown Court. Mr Thomas, 41, was
THE equivalent of 321 pupils a day are skipping school in Oxfordshire with some missing vital lessons to jet away on cheap holidays with their families. According to the latest figures, 61,144 days were lost last year because of unauthorised absences
POLICE today appealed for witnesses after an elderly woman died following a car crash near Bicester. A gold-coloured Ford Fiesta, travelling towards Fringford, came off the road and hit a tree some time between 11.15am and 11.30am on Friday on an unmarked
AEA Technology 99.5 BMW 3015 Electrocomponents 283.75 Isoft Group 38.25 Oxford Biomedica 31.75 Oxford Instruments 196.25 Oxonica 162.5 Reed Elsevier 568.75 RM 173.25 RPS 236.25 Torex Retail 51.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
A MAN walking for a children's charity collapsed and died while climbing Africa's highest mountain, Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He was Norman Buckler, 62, the former secretary of the Abingdon Bridge Youth advisory project. Mr Buckler, who lived in
THE Russian leader who oversaw the Cold War's end is to visit Oxfordshire and talk about the British leader who watched it begin. Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of the Soviet Union, is to give a lecture on Winston Churchill, Britain's war-time
I have been trying to persuade the Tory controlled County Council to adopt a very simple FREE parking scheme. It is based on ideas from Sheffield, recently adapted by Mayor Ken Livingstone for the future of the congestion charge in London. At the last
PEOPLE in Banbury and surrounding villages are being warned about possible rogue antiques dealers operating in their area. In two recent cases a man had called at houses offering to buy furniture and books less than two weeks before the burglary.
SILVERSTONE has confirmed five major dates as it draws up its calendar of events for 2007. The Bennetts British Superbike Championship round will be held on April 27/28/29, followed on May 4/5/6 by the FIA GT Championship, the opening round of the 2007
RANDOM searches for knives and bladed weapons using airport-style security scanners are to be carried out by police as part of a major new campaign. Thames Valley Police is launching Operation Blunt today to tackle knife crime and reduce the number
Home owners are at risk of being flooded with sewage because vital equipment worth £3m is not vandal-proof. Residents in Ferry Road, Marston, Oxford, had a smelly blast from the past last month when their houses were surrounded by dirty water - complete
PUPILS carrying mini-windmills will help Henley MP Boris Johnson launch their school's new wind turbine - the first in the county. The event at Berinsfield School, on Friday, will be followed by Mr Johnson cutting a wind turbine cake. The 50ft high
DRIVERS are being urged not to leave satellite navigation systems in cars and vans following a series of thefts in north Oxfordshire. There has been a sharp increase in the theft of sat navs from vehicles in the South Cherwell area. Six systems were
GLOBETROTTING yachtsman Adrian Flanagan is to give a public talk in aid of charity about his adventures on the ocean waves now he has returned home. Mr Flanagan, of Ludgershall, will be at the Gallery Hadley in Thame on Thursday, November 30, to talk
DRUNKEN behaviour and violence are among the problems police have pledged to tackle in East Oxford with their new neighbourhood team. To launch the new team, police asked the community to name its top worries - with the usual issues being flagged up
A man suffered head injuries after he was attacked in an alleyway in Headington, Oxford. Police are appealing for information after the 24-year-old was robbed as he walked down Cox's Alley, near Quarry High Street, at about 8pm on Thursday. He was
AEA Technology 99.5 BMW 2982 Electrocomponents 282.25 Isoft Group 37 Oxford Biomedica 31.25 Oxford Instruments 195.75 Oxonica 162.5 Reed Elsevier 568.75 RM 171.75 RPS 258.5 Torex Retail 49.5 Courtesy of Redmayne Bentley, Abingdon
A MAN suffered head injuries after he was attacked in an alleyway in Headington by a mugger who stole his mobile phone. Police are appealing for information after the 24-year-old was struck as he walked down Cox's alley near Quarry High Street. At
NEW Super Aguri F1 team driver Anthony Davidson said he was determined to do a good job for the small Oxfordshire team in 2007. Davidson, who lines up alongside Takuma Sato, said he had competed against Sato in Formula 3 and then worked with him at
An armed man stormed a high school in north-western Germany today, injuring several people with handgun. The man stormed the Geschwister Scholl school at about 8.30am in Emsdetten, near the border with the Netherlands, and fired several shots. N-tv
Oxford Manager Jim Smith struggles to see the first-half action from the Gravesend Director's box.
POLICE officers from Oxfordshire were commended for outstanding service at a ceremony. Three officers from Kidlington and Bicester were among 15 people recognised for their work at a ceremony organised by Thames Valley Police. PC John Ellis and PC
THE mayor of Witney has condemned vandals who desecrated ten graves in the town's Tower Hill Cemetery. The tombstones were covered with offensive graffiti sprayed on with gold paint which has since been cleaned off by council workmen. Police scenes
ANIMAL rights demonstrators in Oxford have adopted a new tactic - demonstrating on local roundabouts. Injunctions and bail conditions have been imposed against a number of protesters, who have been prevented from demonstrating outside the new animal
Animal rights extemists have claimed responsibility for a firebomb attack which caused £250,000 damage to lorries at an egg farm near Witney. An anonymous cell acting for the Animal Liberation Front has said it set fire to six lorries packed with eggs
ANIMAL rights activists have claimed responsibility for a firebomb attack which caused £250,000 damage to lorries at an egg farm near Witney. An anonymous cell acting for the Animal Liberation Front has said it set fire to six lorries packed with eggs
Banbury MP Tony Baldry has described the Government's new council tax plans as a 'scam.' Mr Baldry has criticised new laws that give council tax inspectors the right to enter homes and fine householders. Residents face penalties of £1,000 a time,
Pupils carrying mini-windmills will help Henley MP Boris Johnson launch their school's new wind turbine - the first in the county. The event at Berinsfield School on Friday will be followed by Mr Johnson cutting a wind turbine cake. The 50ft high
A COUPLE originally from Oxford have been killed in a horrific car crash during a family holiday in Namibia. Allan and Sylvia Graham, 69 and 65 respectively, were travelling with his brother Arthur and sister-in-law Patricia when car crashed off the
A former student of Balliol College has called for Oxford University to give out degrees of dishonour to mirror its annual Encaenia ceremony. Journalist Richard Heller has asked Chris Patten, Chancellor of the University, to consider the idea and give
A couple originally from Oxford have been killed in a horrific car crash during a family holiday in Namibia. Allan and Sylvia Graham, 69 and 65 respectively, were travelling with his brother Arthur and sister-in-law Patricia when their car crashed off
Police are investigating an arson attack on an Oxford University sports pavilion. Fifteen firefighters were called to The Queen's College sports pavilion, off Abingdon Road, at 9.45pm on Saturday. They discovered a fire in the roof of the pavilion
Campaigners gathered at the BMW Mini car plant in Oxford yesterday for a horseback protest against the proposed closure of a bridleway through the site. In August, city councillors gave the go-ahead for a replacement £500,000 cycle route and footpath
A leading Muslim scholar yesterday delivered a sermon at a church in Oxford condemning the so-called clash of civilisations as a "fictitious division". Dr Taj Hargey, chairman of the Muslim Education Centre Oxford (Meco), spoke to a congregation of
Families who have lost relatives in accidents on Oxfordshire roads attended a special commemorative service yesterday. The multi-faith service, held at St Mary the Virgin Church, in Thame, marked a national memorial day for all those who have lost their
NATIONWIDE CONFERENCE Gravesend & Northfleet 1, Oxford Utd 0. BRITISH GAS BUSINESS SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Div: Cheshunt 1, Banbury Utd 2. Div 1 South & West: Didcot Tn 3, Marlow 2; Hillingdon 1, Abingdon Utd 2; Oxford City 4, Beaconsfield 2. FA
Wallingford squash player Scott Handley saw his hopes of landing the Wolverhampton Open dashed by No 3 seed Borja Golan, from Spain. Handley defeated No 1 seed Alex Gough in a five-set quarter-final, but showed signs of fatigue as Golan ran out a 11
Oxford Cheetahs boss Colin Horton has welcomed the rule changes brought in at the sport's AGM over the weekend. The controversial tactical ride rule has been modifed, with the development of British youngsters another topic. Under the previous ruling
Publications of yesteryear give a fascinating insight into life in Oxford in the past. The guide book to Oxfordshire, which Henry Spilberg bought in a charity shop, is no exception. Mr Spilberg, of Fern Hill Road, Cowley, writes: "For me, the most
CHESHUNT 1 BANBURY UNITED 2 BANBURY United's remarkable unbeaten away record continued at lowly Cheshunt on Saturday. United looked the stronger of the two sides in the first 45 minutes, but failed to take advantage with too many goal attempts ending
When anyone had a problem with their wireless, they invariably found themselves in the Oxford shop of Mr FFC King. He was such a specialist in the early radio business that some people nicknamed him King of Oxford. A reader has sent in a copy of an
BANBURY'S Subaru's World Rally Team driver Petter Solberg finished sixth in the Rally New Zealand, an event that saw Ford clinch the manufacturers' world title. With Ford's two drivers Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen finishing first and second on
Animal rights demonstrators in Oxford have adopted a new tactic - demonstrating on local roundabouts. Injunctions and bail conditions have been imposed against a number of protesters, who have been prevented from demonstrating outside the new animal
A consultant at an Oxford hospital has condemned plans to charge dozens of students £125 for a week's work placement. The proposal has been outlined in a document to consultants working at Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the John Radcliffe
A Witney mother is distressed that her mentally ill 18-year-old daughter is to be cared for more than 60 miles away in Southampton. Lesley Sykes, of Blakes Avenue, is upset that her daughter Victoria Plowman who, she says, has a mental age of five,
This week is the busiest travel period of the year in the United States, as Americans of all stripes, colours and creeds scurry home for a long weekend of rapacious eating, enduring tedious relatives, watching (American) football, and, oh, rapacious eating
So who is to blame for the Farepak scandal? With Christmas rapidly approaching, we still don't know. The firm's bosses blame the bank, the bank blames the bosses. Left in the middle are the thousands of unfortunate people whose money has mysteriously
I was absolutely disgusted with an Oxford Bus Company driver on November 9. After all the talk about a bus driver being distracted at the wheel, resulting in a fatal accident, this one was driving along the A34 during the rush hour with a newspaper
Again the Government has seen fit to attack rural Oxfordshire (Oxford Mail, November 10). In its submission to the public inquiry into the South East Plan, the Government Office of the South East calls both for building in Oxford's Green Belt and for
Globetrotting yachtsman Adrian Flanagan is to give a public talk in aid of charity about his adventures on the ocean waves now he has returned home. Mr Flanagan, who lives near Bicester, will be at the Gallery Hadley in Thame on Thursday, November 30
Three of the county's historic buildings have been singled out for praise by English Heritage for successful preservation and restoration. At a time when English Heritage says many historic buildings are at risk, the Oxford Castle regeneration project
Home owners are at risk of being flooded with sewage because vital equipment worth £3m is not vandal-proof. Residents in Ferry Road, Marston, Oxford, had a smelly blast from the past last month when their houses were surrounded by dirty water - complete
CAMPAIGNERS gathered at the Mini car plant in Oxford yesterday for a horseback protest against the proposed closure of a bridleway through the site. In August, city councillors gave the go-ahead for a replacement £500,000 cycle route and footpath around
A LEADING Muslim scholar yesterday delivered a sermon at a church in Oxford condemning the so-called clash of civilisations as a "fictitious division". Dr Taj Hargey, chairman of the Muslim Education Centre Oxford (Meco), spoke to a congregation of
Drunken behaviour and violence are among the problems police have pledged to tackle in East Oxford with their new neighbourhood team. To launch the new team, police asked the community to name its top worries - with the usual issues being flagged up
FAMILIES who have lost relatives in accidents on Oxfordshire roads attended a special commemorative service yesterday. The multi-faith service, held at St Mary the Virgin Church, in Thame, marked a national memorial day for all those who have lost their
Sub-zero temperatures gave more than 100 people a harsh insight into the reality of homelessness. Students, professionals and Oxford's Lord Mayor Jim Campbell were among those taking part in the annual Sleepout at St Clement's churchyard on Saturday
HUNDREDS of customers and Mini enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the launch of the new model of the Cowley-built Mini. About 200 people crowded into the North Oxford Garage Mini dealership at Long Hanborough to see the new car unveiled before it went
A GUNMAN shot at a van driver in a road rage attack after following him for seven miles. The victim believes the motorist was angry at being blocked off at a roundabout at the M40 Oxford Services at Wheatley. He then followed his van to Thame along
POLICE are investigating an arson attack on an Oxford college's sports pavilion. Fifteen firefighters were called to The Queen's College sports pavilion, off Abingdon Road, at 9.45pm on Saturday. They discovered a fire in the roof of the pavilion,
Families facing a bleak Christmas after the Farepak collapse have reacted angrily that they may get back just 4p for every pound they put in. Administrators for the Swindon-based hamper firm, which collapsed last month, also warned devastated customers
FATHER Tony Hogg yesterday told his Oxfordshire congregation he had endured "six months of hell" after being falsely accused of molesting a ten-year-old street boy in South Africa. During an emotional service at St James's Church in Denchworth, near
A 15-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl was allegedly raped by a youth she had just met in an Oxford park on Saturday. The teenager and a friend were in the park off Bertie Place, in South Oxford, when they were approached by two 16-year-old boys, Det Insp Simon Morton
A tenant is being evicted from sheltered housing in Oxford after his elderly neighbours complained of years of drink-fuelled disturbances. Bernard Shines has two weeks to leave his flat in Rowlands House, in Risinghurst, after Oxford City Council was
Father Tony Hogg yesterday told his Oxfordshire congregation he had endured "six months of hell" after being falsely accused of molesting a 10-year-old street boy in South Africa. During an emotional service at St James's Church in Denchworth, near
A 15-year-old schoolgirl was allegedly raped by a youth she had just met in an Oxford park on Saturday. The teenager and a friend were in the park off Bertie Place, in South Oxford, when they were approached by two 16-year-old boys, Det Insp Simon Morton
JIM Smith admitted his Oxford United side "weren't at the races" as they surrendered their unbeaten league record at Gravesend on Saturday. For the first time this season, the U's just didn't turn up, and they could have no complaints about their 1-
Matt Hayward scored his first goal for Banbury United as they maintained their unbeaten British Gas Business Southern League Premier Division away record with a 2-1 victory at lowly Cheshunt on Saturday. United looked the stronger of the two sides in
Mark Jones scored twice as Oxford City overcame fellow strugglers Beaconsfield SYCOB 4-2 in Division 1 South & West at Court Place Farm on Saturday. Jones was involved in City's opener after 12 minutes, combining with Alex Stewart to set up Ray Spence
Didcot Town continued their winning streak with a 3-2 victory over Marlow at the npower Loop Meadow Stadium on Saturday to move up to third in the British Gas Business Southern League Division 1 South & West. The Railwaymen kick-started their third
Shortwood Utd 2, Witney Utd 1 WITNEY United lost their 12-game unbeaten Premier Division record as Shortwood snatching a dramatic injury-time winner. Witney had battled gamely with ten men for almost an hour after striker Lee Keyes was sent off for
Abingdon United came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory at Hillingdon Borough in the British Gas Business Southern League Division 1 South & West on Saturday. United's plans got off to the worst possible start when three players were delayed and late
Old Woodstock Town 3, Kidlington 1 ANDY Smith scored two cracking goals as Old Woodstock Town shocked local rivals Kidlington in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup first round. Ben Moses fired Hellenic League Premier Division Kidlington into a sixth-minute
North Leigh 2, Eastbourne Tn 3 (aet) NORTH Leigh threw away a two-goal lead as they crashed out against Eastbourne in their FA Vase second-round tie at Eynsham Park. Following two first-half strikes from Kevin Lewis, North Leigh appeared to be strolling
