Crime & Safety
Burst pipe near Abingdon as homes without water and school closed
Thames Water reported ‘an issue’ with water supply this morning, Monday, April 27, and said it is affecting homes in the OX14 Sutton Courtenay area.
A team was deployed to the area and discovered a burst pipe, which had to be isolated before it could be repaired.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire primary school closed after burst water pipe
An update from Thames Water, released at about noon on Monday, said: “We are continuing to make progress with the repair of the burst water main near Sutton Courtenay.
“The damaged pipe is currently being isolated to stop the flow of water. This important step will allow our teams to fix the main.
“Isolating the pipe this will also reduce the number of properties impacted without water or experiencing low pressure.
“Thanks for your continued patience while we return your water.”
Further updates are expected to follow on the Thames Water incidents page this afternoon.
St Blaise CofE Primary School in Milton Hill was forced to close for the day as it has no water supply on site.
READ MORE: Oxford man pleads guilty to attack which left victim in hospital
It is expected to reopen on Tuesday, April 28, but this is subject to change and will be reliant on water supply being restored.
Reports say the burst water main is near Sutton Courtenay Environmental Centre off Sutton Courtenay Road, where Thames Water tankers were seen arriving at about 8.30am on Monday.
Thames Water has been approached for comment.
Crime & Safety
Major police presence at Oxford park for emergency incident
The incident reportedly occurred just before 8pm on Sunday evening, April 26, when at least four police vehicles were seen in Godstow Road, Wolvercote.
An eyewitness said an incident occurred on the green opposite The White Hart pub following an altercation on Port Meadow.
Eyewitness images show a large police presence in Wolvercote (Image: Contributed)
READ MORE: A34 crash blocks road near Chilton as delays building
It has not yet been confirm if any arrests have been made or if anyone was injured in the attack.
Eyewitness images show a large police presence in Wolvercote (Image: Contributed)
Multiple reports have been made relating to an assault, possibly involving a weapon, at Port Meadow at the time of this incident.
Thames Valley Police earlier said these reports were unfounded and a ‘medical incident’ with an emergency response from paramedics took place, with no crime identified.
The force has been asked for more information on this suspected incident.
Crime & Safety
London Marathon: Didcot runner completes 19th race
Eileen Naughton, from Didcot, finished the 2026 race on Sunday, April 26, in three hours and 16 minutes, bringing her total fundraising to £39,000 over 19 years.
Ms Naughton said: “Thank you to everyone who encourages me and the kind messages of support I received.”
She raised funds for Children With Cancer and was interviewed on BBC during the race at mile 21 by Gladiator Nitro, also known as Harry Aikines.
Ms Naughton trains with Didcot Runners and works on a trauma ward at the John Radcliffe Hospital.
Crime & Safety
Olympic legend aiming to break world record in Oxfordshire
Jonny Brownlee, one of the most decorated triathletes in history, will attempt to set a new record for the Weekend Warrior challenge at Supertri Blenheim Palace in Woodstock in June.
He is aiming to set a new record by completing a staggering 10 sprint triathlons across the two-day event, targeting a mark no athlete has previously attempted in the challenge’s history.
Crucially, Mr Brownlee will not race in isolation as he will line up in the start waves alongside the thousands of everyday athletes who make up the Supertri Blenheim Palace field.
READ MORE: Christian Horner makes paddock return amid £6.5bn purchase plans
The Supertri event at Blenheim Palace (Image: Supertri)
He will swim, ride, and run the same course, at the same time, as first-timers, club athletes and seasoned age-groupers, and that, he says, is the point.
“You don’t need to be a pro to take part in something special,” said Mr Brownlee.
“Blenheim has always been about people coming together to challenge themselves.
“I’ll be racing all weekend. It’s an immense challenge given the time cut-offs, but the best part is sharing the course with the triathlon community from first-timers to seasoned age-groupers.”
The record attempt will see Mr Brownlee complete approximately 7.5km of swimming, 200km of cycling and 50km of running across the weekend, competing in multiple waves each day alongside regular race entrants.
READ MORE: King Charles offers £30,000 sum for help at home in Cotswolds
Jonny Brownlee. (Image: PA)
Each sprint distance race covers 750m swimming in the waters of the Great Lake, 20km biking on a fast closed-road course through Blenheim Palace’s historic grounds, and 5km of scenic running around Queen Pool at the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mr Brownlee has a storied history at Blenheim Palace. He and his brother Alistair raced the event as a warm-up for their London 2012 Olympic glories, with the pair officially finishing in a dead heat for first.
He returns to Blenheim Palace under Supertri’s stewardship, with 2026 marking the first year the event has been run by Supertri.
The event is the biggest triathlon in the UK and one of the five largest in the world by participant numbers. It has been staged at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, for more than two decades.
Michael D’hulst, CEO of Supertri, said: “Jonny taking on this challenge captures everything we believe triathlon should be.
READ MORE: First look at Clarkson’s Farm series five as new photos released
“The best moments in this sport happen when people race together, regardless of where they finish.
“To see someone of Jonny’s calibre lining up wave after wave alongside athletes who might be doing their very first triathlon is incredibly inspirational and speaks to our values of triathlon bringing shared connection, purpose and achievement.”
Supertri Blenheim Palace takes place between Saturday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7, and is open for registration now.
Entry options include SuperSprint, Sprint, Sprint Relay and the Weekend Warrior, which Mr Brownlee is undertaking.
The event also hosts a Supertri Pro Series race, bringing the world’s best triathletes into the same arena as the mass-participation field.
-
Crime & Safety7 days agoBicester man denies sexually assaulting two young girls
-
Oxford News4 weeks agoOxfordshire village fear for welfare incident update issued
-
Oxford News4 weeks agoDrug driving arrest carried out in Oxfordshire market town
-
UK News7 days agoStarmer says it ‘beggars belief’ he wasn’t told about Mandelson vetting failure as he faces Commons – UK politics live | Politics
-
Crime & Safety2 weeks agoLorry overturns on Oxfordshire A43 roundabout with driver trapped
-
UK News5 days agoTV tonight: Shetland meets CSI in a new drama about a disgraced cop | Television
-
Oxford News1 week agoBanbury cake company with 400 year history shut down
-
UK News1 week agoFears over rogue parking by sunrise-chasers at national park after overnight ban
