The fatal crash occurred on the A417 Reading Road in East Hendred, near Wantage, on Thursday, April 9 just before 7.20pm.

Police say they were contacted by South Central Ambulance Service to report the crash, which involved a silver Volkswagen Golf and a pedestrian.

The pedestrian, a man in his 70s, died at the scene of the crash.

Thames Valley Police said the man’s family has been informed and is being supported by specially trained officers.

No arrests have so far been made, but police are now appealing for any witnesses to the crash to come forward.

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Tributes have been paid to the man, who is named in the comments as Chris.

Lucy Dunsdon said: “I’m so sorry for your loss. Chris was the kindest man with a heart of gold. He’ll be sadly missed by many.”

Keith Sessions added: “Chris was a great guy, always remember our chats when he left his day working at the chicken farm, always farming or walking the greyhounds. RIP, taken so tragically.”

Anyone with information or footage should contact police by calling 101 or submitting a report to the Thames Valley Police website, quoting the reference number 43260172791.

Alternatively, make an anonymous report to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or through its website.

In her latest book, Novel Crime Scenes: Twenty Deadly Landscapes, Christina Hardyment explores the landscapes behind 20 crime novels, examining how real places have fuelled fictional mysteries.

Due to be released on April 16 by Bodleian Library Publishing, the book considers locations ranging from Devon’s misty moors in The Hound of the Baskervilles to the vibrant streets of Brick Lane in Ajay Chowdhury’s The Waiter.

The book journeys across Britain, tracing the literary geography of crime fiction from John Buchan’s Galloway Hills to Ellis Peters’s Shropshire, Margery Allingham’s Essex, Colin Dexter’s Oxford, and Peter May’s Hebrides.

Times journalist and broadcaster Libby Purves said: “Hardyment walks appreciatively through dark imaginings, paying enjoyably grateful, sometimes quizzical tribute to the spirit of landscape in classic crime fiction.”

Each chapter uncovers the real-world setting behind the fiction and features specially commissioned maps of these ‘deadly scenes’.

Ms Hardyment also considers what these settings meant to the authors, often by retracing their steps or exploring the locations herself.

Aimed at both armchair detectives and literary travellers, the book offers new perspectives on familiar tales and spotlights lesser-known crime fiction destinations.

Christina Hardyment is a writer and journalist specialising in literary geography and medieval history mysteries.

She is also the author of Novel Houses and Writing The Thames and lives near Oxford.

For more information or to contact Christina Hardyment, readers can reach out to Emma O’Bryen at emma@obryen.co.uk.

The findings relate to plans to expand digital applications for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which helps people with long-term health conditions or disabilities cover extra living costs.

Data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) suggests:

• PIP registrations rose by 22% in the first year of the trial
• Successful claims increased by 7% in the first 19 weeks

The report concluded that digital applications were less stressful and more convenient than phone or paper applications.

Some applicants reported that phone applications required them to be “in the right headspace”, while paper forms were considered “daunting”.

We are closing two outdated benefits today

Income Support and income-related Jobseeker’s Allowance have been replaced by Universal Credit, which opens up a range of support to help people move closer to or into work

Find out more https://t.co/C4xnK5DWGk pic.twitter.com/FW8Xn4GUkA

— Department for Work and Pensions (@DWPgovuk) March 31, 2026

Digital applications, on the other hand, were given the following feedback:

• More flexible
• Easier to complete
• Less anxiety-inducing

The trial indicates that online applications could make PIP more accessible to people who may have struggled with traditional methods. But, there is no ‘one size fits all’ method to any application process.

Recommended reading:

How to apply for PIP online

Applying for PIP online is now straightforward and can increase your chances of a smooth claim. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Check eligibility

2. Visit the official PIP website

3. Create a Government Gateway account

4. Fill in the online form

   • Provide personal details, medical history, and information on how your condition affects daily life.

5. Attach supporting evidence

6. Submit and track

7. Assessment

Helen Whately, shadow work and pensions secretary, warned that all PIP assessments should remain face-to-face: “The last thing we need is DWP encouraging online assessments – opening up a benefits Pandora’s box with ever easier access.”

The government trial suggests online applications reduce barriers but also increase overall claim numbers, which has raised political debate about the cost of benefits.