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Oxfordshire | Archive | 2003 | April

Stories for 07 April 2003

Oxfordshire Business

SPECIAL REPORT: Businesses worry as Americans stay away

Spring begins in Oxford when the first American tourist is heard in Christ Church. So goes the old joke, but this year we are witnessing a strangely silent start to the tourist season, thanks to the war in Iraq. more...

Lights plan gives firm a boost

Managers at support services group Amey believe the future is bright after the firm's recent troubles. more...

Oxfordshire Education

Council reassures over schools plan

Oxfordshire County Council said no firm decisions have been taken on the future of secondary schooling in Banbury. more...

Oxfordshire News

Use rural shops more, urge campaigners

A campaign to encourage more people to use rural shops and post offices has been launched. more...

Nappy time in store for babies

A party for 100 Oxfordshire babies wearing washable nappies has been organised to celebrate national Real Nappy Week. more...

Council may get £200k pool bill

Plans for a new swimming pool at Oxford's Barton estate could leave the city council with a £200,000 bill, if a bid for Lottery cash fails. more...

Bid to restore churchyard

Churchgoers and wildlife conservation volunteers have begun work to restore a Victorian churchyard to its former glory - with some modern twists. more...

Housing developer gets final warning

A housing developer could face legal action after failing to meet planning conditions on a north Oxford development. more...

More night buses on the way

Weekend revellers travelling to Kidlington, Barton and Blackbird Leys in Oxford will soon be able to go home by bus following a late night out in the city. more...

Have a

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Lions chip in to offer free meal

Pensioners in Oxford are looking forward to a free fish 'n' chip supper party hosted by Oxford Isis Lions. more...

Anti-drug service aims to expand

A service to help drug addicts in west Oxfordshire is being expanded. more...

The show must go on

Children are making sure the show goes on, despite the horrific shooting which shocked an Oxford community. more...

Our vine isn't jaded

Staff at Oxford's Botanic Gardens in High Street were tickled pink to see their rare jade vine plant begin to flower. more...

Burglars sent to jail for night of crime

Two men who vandalised a family home with paint during a burglary and ram-raided an Oxford off-licence have been jailed. more...

Historic site to be sold

The Old School building in Gloucester Green, Oxford, will be sold when tourist information staff relocate to a new office in Broad Street. more...

Robot raps about rubbish

A rapping robot has been teaching children about recycling rubbish. more...

Hay bale fire may be arson

A fire involving 1,000 bales of straw at a farm near Didcot may have been started by arsonists, firefighters said. more...

Council reassures over schools plan

Oxfordshire County Council said no firm decisions have been taken on the future of secondary schooling in Banbury. more...

Event seeks to promote tennis

A 'play tennis' day in Banbury could encourage people of all ages to take up the game. more...

Mystery blaze at centre

Fire investigators are trying to discover the cause of a blaze at the Gladstone Road Community Centre in Headington, Oxford, involving an office and roof space. Fire crews from Rewley Road and the Slade tackled the blaze yesterday. No-one was injured. more...

Car theft totals £44k

A silver Mercedes estate worth £28,000, and a blue Ford Escort Cosworth, worth £16,000, were stolen from a farm by the A44 in Yarnton, near the railway bridge. more...

Young gladiators battle flab

Children will have a chance to work off all the chocolate they eat this Easter by becoming gladiators. more...

Overturned lorry spills tons of food

Heavy tailbacks formed on the southbound A43 early today (April 7) after a lorry overturned and tipped more than 20 tons of cat food over the road. more...

Museum plan for old court

Thame's listed courthouse could become the town's museum and tourist information office. more...

Former hospital site bid launched

People in Burford have unanimously voted to push ahead with a bid to buy the town's former community hospital and turn it into a nursing home and day centre. more...

Residents oppose plans for further housing

Residents of two roads in Carterton are lobbying their MP and councillors to protest against plans for more than 100 homes on a new housing estate. more...

Husband and wife join Thames Valley Police

Husband-and-wife police sergeants David and Elisabeth Knight are looking forward to working in Oxfordshire, after moving from the West Midlands. more...

Rider prepares for cattle drive

Carole Justice is overcoming nerves to take part in a cattle drive in Montana, USA, to raise money for the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH). more...

Lofty idea disclosed for railway

When the new owners of a former solicitors' firm in Chipping Norton rummaged in the roof they found a treasure trove of maps and archives. more...

Village holds 'green day'

A 'green day' was held to mark an Oxfordshire village's success in getting all its residents to adopt environmentally-friendly recycling habits. more...

Tour takers to see churches

The third annual tour of some of the county's most historic churches has been organised. more...

Library buys DVDs

Film fans in Faringdon will soon be able to pick up DVDs from the town's library. more...

Fundraising no obstacle for postman

Staff at Wallingford Post Office may find their wallets a bit lighter this week after sponsoring local postman Terence Rumble to run laps of a fundraising obstacle course. more...

Man attacked ex-wife after being hit by ladle

A man has admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on his ex-wife after she hit him with kitchen utensils in an argument at their home. more...

Strawberry Fayre highlights charity week

Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week was launched with a display by the Strawberry Fayre Majorettes in Abingdon's Market Square. more...

Riverside walk aims to help homeless

Volunteers joined a sponsored riverside walk from Oxford to Abingdon to raise money for an Oxford shelter for homeless people. more...

Witness tried to stop shooting

A driving instructor who witnessed an horrific shooting which left a couple dead said he tried to intervene but was too late. more...

Oxford 'second worst' for track vandalism

Oxford has been named the second worst location for crime on railway lines between London Paddington and Oxford stations by Britain's rail network operator. more...

Worker treated after chemical alert at offices

A faulty fridge sparked fears of a major chemical incident and caused traffic hold-ups in the centre of Oxford on Saturday (April 5). more...

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