Oxford News
Air ambulance medics scrambled to save Ozzy Osbourne’s life
The Black Sabbath rocker died one year ago today (July 22, 2025), with his family announcing the news later that evening.
It was reported that the Thames Valley air ambulance landed in a field close to Welders House, the Osbournes’ Grade II listed country mansion.
This was around 10.30am on that Tuesday morning, according to MailOnline, with it believed that calls from Welders House had led call handlers to believe that Mr Osbourne’s life was uncertain.
READ MORE: Award-winning UK private school appoints new headteacher in Cotswolds
A helicopter was dispatched from the Thames Valley ambulance base at RAF Benson in Ewelme near Wallingford, about 27 miles from the mansion, which is situated close to the village of Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire.
According to MailOnline, the crew was airborne for around 15 minutes before landing in the grounds of the mansion and were then with Mr Osbourne for around two hours, trying but failing to save his life, it’s understood.
His death was announced by his family in a statement which read: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.
“He was with his family and surrounded by love.”
READ MORE: TV legend daughter’s £3.95m Oxfordshire mansion with swimming pool unsold
Locals in the village of Jordans, which adjoins the Osbournes’ home, told MailOnline that they realised “something serious” was taking place when they heard a helicopter hovering above Welders and then saw it land nearby.
Locals also told MailOnline that after seeing it land, they saw it take off again and fly over Jordans at around 12.30pm.
A spokesperson for Thames Valley Air Ambulance told MailOnline: “We can confirm that our helicopter was dispatched to provide advanced critical care at an incident near Chalfont St Giles yesterday.”
The Osbournes’ 125-year-old home is surrounded by a 350-acre estate, which Ozzy and Sharon bought in the summer of 1993 for an undisclosed sum.
READ MORE: TV legend ‘heartbroken’ to leave £4m home in Cotswolds after 40 years
Lord Mayor of Birmingham at the time, Zafar Iqbal, said that Mr Osbourne was a “proud Brummie” who helped to put the city “on the world map”.
Mr Iqbal met the founding members of the heavy metal band, formed in the city in 1968, when they were presented with the Freedom of Birmingham in June.
He said: “He (Ozzy Osbourne) was very important and he was a proud Brummie.
“He loved the city. He will be much missed, I think, and he was loved by so many people in the city. I think he put Birmingham, and especially Aston, on the world map.
“He’s done so much for the city, and we honoured him with the freedom of the city as well, which we were grateful that he came [to] and received about six weeks ago.”
Hoards of residents of all ages attended Motown music night, hosted by Bicester Town Council at Garth Park.
Dressed in long, summery frocks and floral shirts, and armed with plastic cups filled with bubbly, the town descended to enjoy Princes of Motown as the sun descended.
Attendees smiled, danced and cheered to the four-man band, who wore dark blue sequined dinner jackets, black waist coats and velvet bow ties.
They sung a myriad of Motown songs to the crowd, which grew out of Motown Records in Detroit in the late 1950s onwards.
Notable songs from that period include Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, The Jackson 5’s I want you back, and Superstition by Stevie Wonder.
Food was available throughout the night, provided by Garth Park Kitchen, Fudge Sake, and Little Fizz Van.
The Telegraph has launched a guide to the 650 Best Pubs in the UK, with a focus on unique character, history and good beer.
Following the success of its 500 Best Pubs in England guide in 2025, the guide has been expanded to include an additional 150 pubs from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
READ MORE: Ludwig creator reveals secret of success of detective series
To help pub lovers navigate the selection of pubs, a bespoke tool lets users search by postcode or county.
There are also filters – such as “pets welcome”, “beer garden” and “overnight stay” – to further their search.
The pubs have been selected by a panel of pub experts, using the same criteria established last year; a welcoming, lively atmosphere, high-quality drinks and a strong sense of community.
Will Hawkes returns as the pub expert for England and is joined by new experts for Scotland; Robin McKelvie and Mike MacEacheran; David Atkinson and Kerry Walker for Wales and Nicola Brady for Northern Ireland.
In Oxford, three pubs highlighted are The Rose & Crown in North Parade Avenue, The Lamb & Flag in St Giles, and The Bear Inn in Alfred Street.
All three pubs have featured in the past as the Oxford Mail Pub of the Week, and the Lamb & Flag is chosen once again for the title – as it is also catering for drinkers who used to frequent the Eagle and Child, on the opposite side of St Giles, which has been closed since 2020.
The Eagle and Child has been bought by the Ellison Institute of Technology and is due to reopen in 2027.
The Lamb & Flag was shut down by its owners St John’s College at the start of 2021 due to a fall in trade caused by the pandemic, but it reopened in October 2022 following a takeover by the Inklings community group and has been busy ever since.
It is now so popular that it stocks its own merchandise and is often packed with students and locals, serving a varied selection of local ales.
One of the guest beers has been the delicious breakfast stout Broken Dream, produced by Berkshire-based Siren brewery. At 6.5 per cent, it is probably best consumed some time after breakfast.
This year The Telegraph has been campaigning to save Britain’s pubs, chronicling the economic pressures crippling the hospitality industry as an average of four pubs per day close in 2026. The Telegraph’s 650 Best Pubs Guide aims to encourage people to discover some of the UK’s finest venues.
Will Hawkes, The Telegraph’s beer, food and travel journalist, said: “Despite desperate operating conditions, Britain still has hundreds of magnificent pubs, offering warmth, atmosphere, character and fantastic drinks. You’ll find the best of the best in our guide.
“This year, we have expanded the guide to cover all of the UK, meaning there are now great pubs to discover from Shetland all the way down to Lands End.
“My colleagues and I have spent the first part of the year scouring the nation to find these magnificent pubs – a truly joyous experience. We’re sure that readers will enjoy discovering these amazing pubs as much as we did.”
Charlotte Allen and her family opened Lottie’s Bakeaway in Stert Street early in 2023 and since then has been selling boxes of cupcakes and serving drinks to customers in the cafe at the back of the shop.
But the cost of living reduced the number of customers and the owner decided to spend more time with her family – her partner Kevin and two sons Riley, 14, and Louie, eight.
READ MORE: Popular brunch restaurant chain to open in Oxford
It was the last day’s trading on Saturday, and Ms Allen posted on the shop’s Facebook page at the end of the day: “The end of an era – I’m an emotional wreck but thank you so much to everyone who came to say goodbye today.
“For all the kind words, hugs, cards and presents! I’ve cried a lot but am excited for the next chapter.”
Ms Allen will continue to run the business, supplying cakes to farm shops in the area, including one in the village of Sunningwell.
The closure of Lottie’s Bakeaway will leave two neighbouring empty units in Stert Street as it is next door to a former stationery shop.
Price’s Stationers announced it was to close after 31 years at the end of 2021, and the unit has remained unoccupied since.
The Finishing Touch in Stert Street, a boutique selling jewellery and gifts, has also announced it is expected to close this month after 23 years in the town.
Stert Street was given a boost when Jill Carver’s Added Ingredients, a popular deli which closed in 2022, returned in November 2025.
Cay Khe, a Vietnamese cafe and noodle bar, opened in the street last year.
The street is also the home of a long serving Oxfam shop and Mostly Books, which recently celebrated its 20th birthday.
-
Oxford News4 weeks agoJune heatwave would be ‘virtually impossible’ in 1976
-
Oxford Events4 weeks agoStage Watch: ‘I think we need much more laughter in the world’ says John Cleese
-
Business & Technology6 days agoHSBC UK & Visa test AI shopping with live payments
-
Oxford Events4 weeks agoStage Watch: Lord of the Dance celebrating 30 years with spectacular return to Oxford
-
Oxford Events4 weeks agoWhat’s on in Oxford & Oxfordshire this July
-
Business & Technology6 days agoValarian lands USD $50 million backing for sovereign AI
-
Oxford News2 weeks agoNew romantasy bookshop attracts queues of customers
-
Oxford Events3 weeks agoOxford’s traffic filters questions answered