Crime & Safety
Oxford expert’s sunscreen warning as heatwave predicted
Dr Tina Tian, a consultant dermatologist at Stratum Dermatology Clinic Oxford, has provided advice on how to encourage children to wear sunscreen amid a warning about leaving kid’s skin unprotected.
This not only comes ahead of Melanoma Awareness Month (May) but also with a heatwave predicted for much of the south of England.
READ MORE: Named ‘delivery rider’ pleads guilty after cocaine arrest in Oxfordshire town
The Daily Express has said that temperatures in counties, including Oxfordshire, could soon soar to up to 23°C, citing the latest ECMWF weather model.
Its data reveals temperatures are likely to peak on April 29.
Considering this Dr Tian and Dr Ross Perry, GP and medical director of Cosmedics, have highlighted the importance of encouraging children to wear sunscreen.
Dr Perry said: “Children’s skin is significantly more delicate and vulnerable than adult skin.
“The outer barrier isn’t fully developed, which means ultraviolet (UV) radiation penetrates more easily and can cause damage at a deeper cellular level.
“What many people don’t realise is that a proportion of lifetime sun damage actually occurs before the age of 18.
“Even a handful of serious sunburns in childhood can increase the risk of skin cancers, including melanoma, later in life.”
Dr Tian agrees with Dr Perry and has provided some advice on how to encourage children to wear sunscreen.
This includes making it part of their routine, involving them in the process and turning it into a game.
Dr Tian said: “I often ask my daughter what kind of face she wants me to paint with the sunscreen to try to make it more fun.”
She also suggested non-stinging sunscreen.
“When sunscreen gets into children’s eyes, it can really sting so look out for sunscreen that is labelled as non-stinging,” she advised.
“The P20 one is really good due to the fact that it’s so water-resistant, so it doesn’t really move and won’t migrate into the eyes and make them sting.”
The experts also advised explaining why it’s important, using age-appropriate language, and to make it a reciprocal process.
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Dr Tian said: “With my son I find it really helpful to get him to put some sunscreen on me first to make it a bit of a reciprocal thing.”
Finally, she suggested letting children play with the lids and to warm up the cream beforehand.
She said: “A lot of sun creams have lids and you can draw funny faces on the lid and let your kids play with it while you’re doing the cream.”
She added: “Sun cream often feels very cold, so it can help to warm it up in your hands a bit before you start putting it on your child so it’s not too much of a shock for them.”
Leonardo Silvestre, aged 23 and of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A, namely cocaine, at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Monday (April 13).
He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on May 12.
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This follows his arrest on April 10 at Denchworth Road, Wantage.
Thames Valley Police said they stopped a male “posing as a food‑delivery rider after suspicious behaviour caught our attention”.
The force added: “That instinct paid off — during a search we recovered 16 wraps of cocaine and over £1,000 in cash. All seized.”
The police team said that this was part of their ongoing crackdown on drugs in Wantage.
They said: “Our recent survey told us loud and clear that our community wants us to focus on drug-related activity—and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Over the next few days they had several other encounters with possible drugs offenders, including arresting a man, reportedly mid drug deal, on April 11, at Naldertown in Wantage.
The force said: “As a result, a 22-year-old male from outside the area was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
“Drugs and cash were located on him, and his vehicle was seized.”
That man has since been released on police bail until June 26.
On April 12 they saw another man engaging in drug-related activity in Wantage with the suspect running from the police officers.
“Despite our best efforts—and assistance from the police helicopter—we were unable to locate him,” the police said.
They added: “However, we did seize his vehicle, along with cash and significant items inside.”
As of Friday, April 17 no arrests have been made in the case.
In one of their updates the Wantage and Grove neighbourhood police team warned that much of the drugs activity in the area relates to ‘county lines’.
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The police explained: “It’s when organised drug networks from big cities push into smaller towns, exploiting vulnerable people to move drugs and money. It brings violence, fear and exploitation into communities that deserve better.
“This is one of several arrests we’ve made recently. Every time county lines tries to creep into Wantage, we’ll be there — and we’ll stop them.
“A huge thank‑you to our fantastic colleagues from Abingdon and Faringdon neighbourhood police teams for backing us up. Teamwork keeps our communities safe.”
Thames Valley Police said they confiscated the vehicle today (Friday, April 17) as it was on the roads uninsured.
In addition to the vehicle seizure, the driver has been reported.
A spokesperson for the Roads Policing team said: “First vehicle seizure of the late shift today by XRC01 on the A41 near Bicester.
READ MORE: Vauxhall seized as motorist drives from Oxfordshire police
“Driver was going to get around to insuring it at the weekend. Vehicle seized. Driver reported.”
This follows an incident on Wednesday, April 15 when a Vauxhall car was confiscated by Thames Valley Police.
The police attempted to talk to the driver of the car who then “made off” after which the car was located and recovered from its registered address.
The government has opened a new fund for councils to fix neglected infrastructure around the UK.
Donnington Bridge is in need of around £4m worth of repair work having been closed to buses in 2024.
And a major project to replace the ageing Kennington rail bridge is being delayed due to a massive £71m funding shortfall.
Oxford Labour said some of the city’s bridges “are not in good shape” and welcomed the funding opportunity.
“We trust the county council will be applying to this fund and stepping up their surveying and repair work,” a party spokeswoman said.
Isis county councillor Brad Baines said: “We remain extremely concerned about the ongoing uncertainty over the future of Donnington Bridge.
“The county council has refused to commit to funding the reinforcement or replacement of the bridge or restoration of bus connections across it.”
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An inspection confirmed the bridge must be repaired or replaced before full‑sized buses can return.
Repairs could cost £4 million and take two years, while replacement might cost up to £30 million and take much longer.
The council said feasibility work on options is due by summer but expanding the service “would, unfortunately, be prohibitive.”
Oxford resident and campaigner Siobhan Lancaster added: “Residents in south and east Oxford need certainty about the future of this vital infrastructure and this new fund could provide that.
“We continue to call on the county council to provide this, apply to this fund and get the job done.”
Oxfordshire County Council’s spokesman said: “We welcome any extra money being made available for repairing structures such as this fund.
“Oxfordshire has many historic bridges and other infrastructure that is in need of attention and we will look into the criteria to make sure the county gets its fair share of this money.”
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander, who was a recent victim to one of Oxfordshire’s potholes, said: “Crumbling bridges and worn-out flyovers have been patched up rather than properly fixed for far too long, leading to frustrating weight limits and lengthy diversions.
“Every closed bridge is a barrier to growth; a blocked route to work, a delayed delivery, a family unable to reach the services they depend on.
“Councils have known what needs fixing for years but simply haven’t had the resources to act.
“We’re changing that, making sure structures are repaired properly, so people can live in properly connected communities.”
Funding decisions will be announced in autumn 2026, with all successful schemes required to complete works by March 2030.
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