Crime & Safety
Manhunt for bald man after ‘assault’ outside Oxford cafe
Thames Valley Police has said they are looking for a man after an incident on Friday, April 10, next to Greens Café in New Inn Hall Street.
A spokesperson for the Oxford unit said: “Do you recognise this man? On Friday 10th April at 17:22 hours, this male assaulted another male on New Inn Hall Street just outside Greens Café.
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Police are searching for this man after an incident in Oxford (Image: TVP)
“He is described as a white male with a bald head, wearing a dark green hooded jumper with a black padded gilet over the top, black shorts and white trainers.
“If you recognise him, please call 101 quoting reference 43260174418.”
If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can contact Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via its website.
Crime & Safety
Update after e-bike rider is injured in collision in town
The collision took place on Marjoram Way, at the turning into Sage Drive, in Didcot on just before 8.10pm on Saturday, May 23.
A man in his 30s was riding an e-bike at the turning when he was involved in a crash with a white Nissan Juke car.
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The e-bike rider suffered a serious head injury and remains in hospital, Thames Valley Police said in a statement on May 27.
The force has now confirmed that the rider is still receiving hospital treatment.
A spokesman for the force said: “No arrests have been made and the rider remains in hospital.”
The driver of the Nissan was not injured in the collision.
Following the incident, the force appealed for witnesses to the serious injury collision to come forward.
Investigating officer police constable Tim Cameron, of the joint operations roads policing unit, said at the time: “We are appealing to anyone who witnessed this collision to please come forward.
“We would also ask motorists who were in the area at the time to check any dash-cam footage, as it may have captured information that could assist our investigation.”
Anyone with information or footage should call 101 or make a report online, quoting the reference 43260256894.
Crime & Safety
Jeremy Clarkson makes major life changes for grandchildren
The Clarkson’s Farm star is back on screens this week with the fifth series of his hit show, which follows his attempts to turn Diddly Squat Farm in rural Oxfordshire into a viable business.
Viewers see him juggling livestock, red tape and unpredictable weather on land near Chadlington and Chipping Norton, but away from the TV chaos, he has also been rethinking his own health and how long he wants to be around for his family.
Around a decade ago, the 65‑year‑old openly mocked the idea of working out, clean eating or cutting back on his vices, cheerfully admitting he never exercised, smoked 40 cigarettes a day and, in his words, drank four pints of wine daily.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson in tears as he’s forced to say ‘hard goodbye’
That attitude has shifted dramatically in recent years, with the broadcaster now talking about longevity and the need to look after himself in a way he once dismissed.
At the centre of this change of heart are his grandchildren and the time he wants to spend with them as they grow up.
Writing in a column for The Times, Mr Clarkson said: “I’m not going to dwell on the joys of being a grandparent because what can be said about it has already been said.
“But I have decided that it is so wonderful that I want it to go on for as long as is humanly possible. Which means I must do everything in my power not to die.”
READ MORE: Boris Johnson wins fight to cut down tree at £3.8m Oxfordshire manor
Health scares have helped concentrate his mind further, starting with a hospital stay for pneumonia in 2017.
He then suffered what he has described as “really bad coronary artery problems” towards the end of 2024, experiencing a sudden downturn in his health that required urgent treatment.
The latest series of Clarkson’s Farm shows that “sudden deterioration” and the moment he needed a stent fitted.
This was to restore proper blood flow, and it underlines the seriousness of the episode for both the 66-year-old and his loved ones.
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Since undergoing the procedure, the former Top Gear presenter has tried to build new habits into his routine, turning to activities that support rather than undermine his long‑term health.
He has started doing reformer Pilates, embracing the low‑impact but tough sessions to work on strength, balance and flexibility as he gets older, according to a new article from Men’s Health.
Back at his Oxfordshire home, he has also had a pickleball court put in, adding the fast‑paced racket sport to his options for staying active without resorting to traditional gym workouts.
Walks have become part of his life too, with Mr Clarkson heading out from the farm when the weather cooperates to stretch his legs along local footpaths and fields.
Crime & Safety
Boris Johnson wins fight over tree at £3.8m Oxfordshire home
The former prime minister and his wife, Carrie Johnson, had asked South Oxfordshire District Council for consent to remove the willow and two ash trees from the gardens.
Their Grade II‑listed riverside property, Brightwell Manor, lies in the countryside between Didcot and Wallingford and was bought in 2023 as a substantial family base away from London.
Mr Johnson has roots in the county, having previously served as Conservative MP for Henley from 2001 to 2008 before going on to be Mayor of London and later entering Downing Street.
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Brightwell Manor in Oxfordshire. (Image: Knight Frank)
Planning documents show photographs of the outdoor pool with the willow standing only a few metres away, close to a barbecue and seating area used for family gatherings.
Councillors have now signed off on the application following a consultation, allowing the felling work to proceed.
In his written case to the authority, Mr Johnson said the willow should be removed because falling leaves “keep filling up the pool and filter – causing damage to the filter” and added that he hoped to replace it with “a new shed”.
Plans also cover two ash trees: a smaller ash suffering from ash dieback and a larger multi‑stemmed tree described as being “too big for the location and [which] shades a new patio area”.
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Boris Johnson and his wife, Carrie Johnson. (Image: Victoria Jones / PA)
The 59-year-old stressed that he intends to “replant many trees in due course”, indicating that new planting is expected elsewhere in the extensive gardens.
No objections were submitted by neighbours during the consultation period, suggesting the proposals have attracted little local opposition.
The ruling follows an earlier dispute over the same pool, when permission was temporarily put on hold amid concerns about the impact on protected great crested newts.
Officials eventually granted approval in 2023 on the condition that the couple created additional wildlife habitats elsewhere in the garden to offset any possible harm.
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Brightwell Manor in Oxfordshire. (Image: Knight Frank)
Soon after the pool was completed, the family shared images of themselves and friends enjoying the water as they celebrated their son Frank’s second birthday.
Writing later in his newspaper column, Mr Johnson insisted he backed conservation efforts, declaring: “If necessary to protect the newts, I will consecrate the entire swimming pool to these wonderful survivors of the vast defeated armies of nature.
“And insofar as I dig a pool, it will be a newt pool and not a pool for human beings.”
He also remarked that, despite his efforts to check, he had yet to uncover any firm proof that great crested newts were actually present in his back garden.
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