Summary

  • Updates on Wednesday 17 February 2016

  • News, sport, travel and weather updates resume at 08:00 on Thursday

  1. Our news coverage through the daypublished at 18:00

    That's all for today's Oxfordshire Live.

    We'll be back at 08:00 on Thursday to bring you all the latest news, sport, travel and weather updates for our county.

  2. Latest headlines: Miliband pulls out of Oxford event amid anti-semitism rowpublished at 17:54 GMT 17 February 2016

    Andrew Humphrey
    BBC Local Live

    This evening's top stories in our county:

    • Ed Miliband will not speak at the Oxford University Labour Club after reports of anti-semitism at the group
    • A workplace parking levy in Oxford is being considered to raise funds to pay for frontline county council services
    • A controversial pipeline between two Oxford hospitals may not receive planning permission for another three months
  3. Weather: A cold night with snow in the eastpublished at 17:48 GMT 17 February 2016

    Bee Tucker
    BBC Weather

    The rain should clear through the evening, but there is the risk of some snow falling in eastern parts.

    Bee Tucker

    Where the skies clear it will be a cold night, with lows of -2C (28F).

    You can get a full 10-day forecast on the BBC weather site.

  4. Sport headlines: Appleton still looking to top leaguepublished at 17:43 GMT 17 February 2016

    Rahil Sheikh
    BBC News Oxford

    This evening's top sport stories:

    • Oxford United boss Michael Appleton has refused to rule out the possibility of his side winning the League Two title, but says thoughts of that must be put to one side
    • North Leigh's Southern League match at Bishops Cleeve tonight has been called off due to a waterlogged pitch
    • Former Oxford University scrum half Sam Egerton has agreed a short-term deal, external with Premiership club Harlequins
  5. Tonight's TV: Where will the council find £15m?published at 17:39 GMT 17 February 2016

    Geraldine Peers
    Presenter, BBC South Today

    On South Today this evening: Which services are saved and which are still facing cuts? We'll have the latest after Oxfordshire County Council set its budget.

    Media caption,

    Geraldine Peers brings you the stories coming up at 18:30

    Also, a warning about a scam in Abingdon in which conmen pose as police and target vulnerable people.

    And delayed again - the latest problem in a project to install a pipe between the John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals.

    Join Geraldine Peers for all that and more from 18:30.

  6. On Thursday's Breakfast Show with Howard Benthampublished at 17:30 GMT 17 February 2016

    Howard Bentham
    Radio Oxford presenter

    Everyone knows that when you own your own home, every now and then there are unexpected things that crop up and end up costing a bit to get fixed. But how would you feel if you were suddenly faced with a bill of about £50,000?

    Windrush Tower and Evenlode TowerImage source, Nigel Cox
    Image caption,

    Windrush Tower and Evenlode Tower in Oxford

    That's exactly what's happened to people living in five tower blocks in Oxford built in the 1960s.

    We'll be speaking to the council and the residents hit by the demand.

    Join Howard for all the county's top stories from 07:00.

  7. Ed Miliband withdraws from Oxford University Labour Club dinner after anti-semitism rowpublished at 17:22 GMT 17 February 2016

    The former Labour leader has postponed an appearance at the Oxford University Labour Club after reports of anti-semitic behaviour by some of its members, the New Statesman reports, external.

    Ed MilibandImage source, Getty Images

    Mr Miliband was due to address the club's annual John Smith Memorial Dinner on 4 March, but has pulled out after the group's co-chair resigned in protest over its endorsement of Israel Apartheid Week, and allegations of members using anti-semitic language.

  8. Cotswold Wildlife Park advises people to stay away on Thursdaypublished at 17:09 GMT 17 February 2016

    This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip X post

    Allow X content?

    This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of X post

    The car park, which is located on grass, has become waterlogged, and they recommend checking their Twitter, external or Facebook feeds, external for updates.

  9. Travel latest: Congestion on the A34, in Oxford and at Swinfordpublished at 17:05 GMT 17 February 2016

    Al Ryan
    BBC Oxford travel presenter

    • The A34 is very busy northbound from Abingdon to Botley, and from Peartree up to Weston-on-the-Green
    • In Oxford it's very busy from St Giles to Frideswide Square
    • The Swinford Toll Bridge is looking very slow from the Farmoor approach

    You can see the latest where you are on the BBC Travel site.

  10. Oxford lengths ahead of the country in swimmingpublished at 16:48 GMT 17 February 2016

    BBC Radio Oxford

    Adults in Oxford swim more often than anywhere else in England, according to figures from Diabetes UK.

    Swimming pool

    The charity says 13.5% of Oxford adults swim at least once a week and is challenging swimmers to complete 22 miles in their local pool over three months.

    Quote Message

    We're asking people to swim the equivalent of the width of the English Channel... It's 50 lengths of a 50m pool a week over the three weeks... We want to encourage everybody to get more active.

    Laura Kirkwood, Senior events fundraising manager, Diabetes UK

  11. Tower block residents invited to drop-in session ahead of repairspublished at 16:36 GMT 17 February 2016

    Oxford Times

    Residents of Oxford's five tower blocks are invited to a launch event at Blackbird Leys Community Centre today ahead of repair works, external.

  12. Lush burglary suspects released on bailpublished at 16:08 GMT 17 February 2016

    Joe Nimmo
    BBC News Online

    The two people arrested in connection with the burglary of the Lush store on Cornmarket Street in Oxford have been released on bail until 14 May.

    Lush store in OxfordImage source, Google
    Image caption,

    The Lush store in Oxford was targeted a week ago

    The shop was burgled between 21:00 on Tuesday 9 February and Wednesday 10 February at 07:30.

    A homeless woman, Lottie Pauling-Chamberlain, claimed she challenged the thief and returned the stolen items.

  13. Coming up on Drivetime with David Preverpublished at 15:54 GMT 17 February 2016

    David Prever
    BBC Radio Oxford

    After yesterday's cross-party agreement for the county council budget, we now know some services will be saved, but there is now an even larger black hole in the council's finances.

    Car park

    One of the options is a workplace parking levy - where local companies would be charged for using their car parks.

    I'll hear all about it from the leader of the Labour group on the council.

    For that and more, join David from 16:00.

  14. Months of delays for controversial hospital pipelinepublished at 15:46 GMT 17 February 2016

    BBC Radio Oxford

    A controversial heating pipeline between the John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals in Oxford could be delayed by months after being ruled "invalid" by Oxford City Council.

    Headington pipelines

    The council said that "various bits" of information have not been sent through from the construction company to the planner.

    Quote Message

    As soon as the information comes in from the construction company, and that might take two or three weeks, then the eight-week deliberation period will start and there'll be a whole new round of consultation, so we are looking at something like May at the earliest.

    Ruth Wilkinson, Liberal Democrat councillor for Headington, Oxford City Council

  15. Latest headlines: Hospital heating pipe work delaypublished at 15:31 GMT 17 February 2016

    Andrew Humphrey
    BBC Local Live

    Oxfordshire's top stories this afternoon:

    • A controversial pipeline between two Oxford hospitals may not receive planning permission until May, the city council says
    • Donations are no longer being accepted for a fund set up for a homeless women who said she stopped a burglary in Oxford until the police investigation ends
    • A lane is closed on the A34 northbound before Abingdon after a collision between two lorries
  16. Cancer victim uses will to create 'social change' charitypublished at 15:19 GMT 17 February 2016

    Wallingford Herald

    A cancer victim and former neurologist has achieved his dying wish, external from beyond the grave, setting up a "social change" charity in his will and urging his friends to continue his work.

  17. More of our military need help to deal with stresspublished at 14:58 GMT 17 February 2016

    More people in Oxfordshire are coming forward for help dealing with stress after serving in the military abroad, according to the charity Combat Stress.

    British soldier in IraqImage source, Getty Images

    The group says it has seen a 20% rise in the number of referrals in the last financial year.

    Quote Message

    We're being more proactive about coming forward and encouraging people to talk about their mental health while they're serving, so people from Afghanistan... from Bosnia and Iraq are coming forward sooner.

    Sue Freeth, Chief executive, Combat Stress

  18. Parents of IS suspect Jack Letts bailed againpublished at 14:47 GMT 17 February 2016

    Joe Nimmo
    BBC News Online

    The parents of a British man who reportedly travelled to the Middle East to join the so-called Islamic State group have been bailed again by police until 23 February.

    Jack Letts
    Image caption,

    Jack Letts posted a picture on Facebook claiming to be outside Raqqa in Syria

    John and Sally Letts, from Oxford, said they were arrested after they sent their son Jack money for food and new glasses.

    Mr Letts' parents said he had converted to Islam but dismissed the claims he had joined so-called Islamic State as "false" and said he travelled to the region for humanitarian reasons.

  19. Abingdon fraudsters targeted by policepublished at 14:15 GMT 17 February 2016

    This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip X post

    Allow X content?

    This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of X post

    Police say elderly and vulnerable residents in Abingdon have been targeted by courier fraudsters, where cold callers claim to have spotted a fraudulent payment from their bank account, and then extract pin numbers, cards and cash as they pretend to be investigating the payment.