Crime & Safety
Oxfordshire golfer to take on gruelling 200-hole challenge
Roger Longshaw, a member of The Oxfordshire Golf Club in Thame, will attempt the feat on Friday, July 17, as part of the club’s Captain’s Charity Day.
Play will begin at around 4.30am and is expected to finish around 9.45pm.
Chris Webb, club captain, said: “Seeing what Dave, and my sister went through was awful and I’m determined to do what I can to help raise money to support others.
“Roger is extremely fit and he’s really looking forward to this challenge.
“He has taken part in endurance events like this before but has never sought donations so this is very much a one-off.”
The challenge involves covering around 65 miles and 4,500ft of elevation – equivalent to climbing Ben Nevis.
Mr Webb chose to support the MND Association in memory of his brother-in-law Dave, who died from the disease in 2022.
Luke Robson from the MND Association said: “In the time it takes Roger to complete his incredible challenge, six people in the UK will have been told they have MND, and in that moment, life changes forever.
“Thanks to the efforts of people like Roger, Chris and the players at The Oxfordshire Golf Club, we can help to fund more research which gets us closer to the development of potential new treatments for people with this devastating disease.
“We are so grateful for everything the team at the club is doing.”
Crime & Safety
Oxford Technology Park plans unveiled for major expansion
The plans, submitted by Bloombridge LLP and the Blenheim Estate, are for ‘Oxford Technology Park 2’, on land adjoining and north of Begbroke Lane, in Begbroke.
The scheme, submitted to Cherwell District Council, includes 93,000sqm of employment floorspace, associated car parking, provision of an education facility, sport and recreation facilities, new public open space and new access and junction in Langford Lane.
The site is just next to the existing Oxford Technology Park, near Woodstock Road.
So far no members of the public have submitted comments in support or objection to the major plans.
READ MORE: Skyscrapers and ships built faster than Oxford Botley Road closure
Oxford Technology Park 2 masterplan (Image: Cherwell District Council)
In the application’s planning documents, it said: “Oxford Technology Park 2 is conceived as a next-generation mid-tech innovation campus, building upon the success of Oxford Technology Park, designed to bring together research, enterprise, education, and community in a sustainable and inclusive environment.
“Anchored within the Oxfordshire knowledge economy, the park will provide high-quality facilities that both respond to local needs and contribute to the region’s global reputation for science, technology, and innovation.
“A central ambition is to foster stronger links between the academic and business communities.
“The park will extend Oxfordshire’s Innovation Avenue, establishing a dedicated hub where companies, schools, universities, and technical training providers can come together.
“Facilities will include collaborative learning environments and outdoor ‘learning through landscapes’ initiatives that connect people with the natural environment.
“These elements will ensure that education, training, and enterprise are embedded within the design of the park, creating pathways for future skills and employment.”
The documents added: “The application site is located at a pivotal point on the Oxford Cambridge Growth Corridor, within the Science North cluster and emerging Innovation District centred on the University of Oxford’s Begbroke Science Park, Oxford Technology Park and London Oxford Airport.
“The opportunity to grow the economy in this location is compelling, and has national and international significance.
“The proposals to expand Oxford Technology Park align with national objectives and represents a significant opportunity to support economic growth within the District by delivering high-quality, flexible science and technology accommodation adjoining the successful first phase of development.
“The scheme responds to a clear and compelling unmet need for modern research and innovation space within the area known as ‘Science North’ – extending from the A34 immediately north of Oxford, through Kidlington, to London Oxford Airport, Langford Lane and Begbroke Science Park.
“This opportunity area is of particular importance given its proximity to Oxford, the university, and established innovation clusters.”
Crime & Safety
Eamonn Holmes in hospital after suffering a stroke
In a statement on Saturday, a GB News spokesperson said Holmes, 66, “was taken ill last week and it was later confirmed he had suffered a stroke”.
“He is currently responding well to treatment,” the spokesperson added.
“Eamonn has asked for privacy as he focuses on getting better.
“His colleagues and everyone at GB News wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to the people’s channel when he is ready to return.”
BREAKING: Eamonn Holmes recovering in hospital after suffering strokehttps://t.co/gIAD0jFzMH
— GB News (@GBNEWS) April 11, 2026
Eamonn Holmes is recovering from a stroke
The Northern Irish broadcaster presents GB News Breakfast with his co-host Ellie Costello.
Alex Armstrong will present in his absence this week, the broadcaster added.
Angelos Frangopoulos, chief executive of GB News, said: “Eamonn is a loved member of the GB News family, and we’re with him every step of the way as he recovers.”
Holmes presented on Sky News and ITV before he joined GB News in 2022 to host its breakfast show.
The TV presenter previously opened up about his health, sharing: “Well obviously I’ve been better.
“I’ve got this back and paralysis problem which has been with me now for three years.
“It’s terrible to come to terms with.
“The thing is, nobody seems to know what the problem is so I just stick with it and hopefully they’ll find a cure one day.”
GB News CEO Angelos Frangopoulos shared in a brief statement: “Eamonn is a loved member of the GB News family, and we’re with him every step of the way as he recovers.”
A stroke takes place when blood stops flowing to a part of the brain, according to the NHS.
Crime & Safety
Inside Jeremy Clarkson’s Cotswolds pub with sublime views
The Farmer’s Dog, situated just outside Burford in West Oxfordshire, is the Oxford Mail’s Pub of the Week.
Long before the TV cameras rolled in, locals knew the spot as The Windmill, a restaurant, bar and wedding venue set in several acres with sublime sweeping views over the Cotswolds.
It traded as a refurbished barn‑style destination with a strong food offering and event space, drawing in diners from Witney, Burford and beyond.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson offering public free tickets to new music festival
Jeremy Clarkson, Lisa Hogan and Kaleb Cooper in the Cotswolds pub. (Image: Prime Video)
When the business went up for sale, locals were left wondering what might come next for the place, given how many pubs have closed in recent years.
Enter Clarkson. The former Top Gear and Grand Tour presenter revealed in 2024 that he had snapped up The Windmill for around £1,000,000 after a lengthy search for a pub of his own.
The site was reborn as The Farmer’s Dog and featured in the most recent series of Clarkson’s Farm on Prime Video, with fans turning up in their droves for opening day in August 2024.
Since then, Mr Clarkson has set about turning the Asthall pub into what he bills as a “proper British pub” with a twist.
READ MORE: Historic England issues statement to Jeremy Clarkson over Cotswolds pub
The tractor suspended from the roof. (Image: Newsquest)
The building has been renovated and expanded, with more catering space, outdoor seating and a striking marquee from The Grand Tour parked up in the grounds to act as an extension of the offer.
Inside, visitors will find a polished country‑chic interior, a busy bar and even the odd piano performance beneath a tractor suspended from the ceiling.
What really sets The Farmer’s Dog apart, though, is its fiercely local ethos, with Mr Clarkson insisting that the pub relies solely on produce made in Britain.
The pub avoids imported ingredients wherever possible, meaning that those in search of ketchup or cola will be left disappointed.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson to make member of public millionaire this month
A pint of Hawkstone at the bar in The Farmer’s Dog. (Image: Newsquest)
An outdoor kitchen, dubbed The Farmer’s Puppy, serves meaty street‑food style dishes to those who prefer something quick over the in-pub restaurant.
Hops & Chops, the on‑site butcher and Hawkstone shop, and a small Diddly Squat Farm Shop outpost both sit in the Grand Tour tent on the pub’s grounds alongside another bar.
No Clarkson venue would be complete without Hawkstone, the drinks brand he helped create using barley from Diddly Squat Farm.
Hawkstone lager and IPA, brewed at Hawkstone Brewery near Bourton‑on‑the‑Water, feature prominently on the bar, giving punters the chance to drink beer made with grain grown just up the road at his Chadlington farm.
READ MORE: Rock legend pays surprise visit to Jeremy Clarkson’s Cotswolds pub
The tables inside the Cotswolds watering hole. (Image: Newsquest)
Ciders and other Hawkstone lines help reinforce the all‑British and farming theme, and today, The Farmer’s Dog is far more than a celebrity vanity project, which several anticipated.
TripAdvisor reviewers praise its fresh, locally sourced British cooking and friendly staff, even if some baulk at Cotswolds‑level prices.
With a restaurant, bar, outdoor tent, butcher, bottle shop and farm‑shop add‑on, it has become a full day out for Clarkson fans, food lovers and curious locals alike.
Gorgeous surrounding views, good drinks on tap and a beautiful stone watering hole with a huge garden make for a worthwhile trip, whatever the weather.
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