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England flags – national pride or public nuisance?

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Controversially, it was revealed in January that Oxfordshire County Council spent £14,800 removing 332 flags across the county – the equivalent of around £44 to remove each flag.

The authority previously warned the public that placing flags or painting them on or near highways can create “serious safety hazards”.

Among the areas where flags have been placed in Oxfordshire include around the Headington Roundabout in Oxford and in towns such as Abingdon, Didcot and Wantage.

St George flags were also painted on the mini roundabouts at Marcham Road and Ock Street in August, when the movement was at its height.

The council has confirmed it has received more than 200 complaints regarding Union Jack and St George’s flags on lampposts.

In January, Oxford Labour councillor Susanna Pressel was caught in a secret recording urging for police to “lie in wait and nab the b******* who are reinstalling them so quickly”.

It caused controversy, but activists then turned up to her street and raised extra flags – leading to safety concerns for Ms Pressel.

The Oxfordshire Raise the Colours group recently said on social media: “It is the council taking our flags down, we will not surrender, we will always find a way to stop you.”

And according to Oxfordshire County Council, workmen hiding their identity with face coverings have encountered “aggressive behaviour” from some individuals when taking down the flags.

But what do you think about having England flags up in your area? Is it national pride or a public nuisance? Let us know in the comments below.





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Aureus School girls were inspired by Navy’s women’s day

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Three Year 10 pupils from Aureus School in Didcot travelled to London for the Royal Navy International Women’s Day event, held on HMS President during Careers Week and designed to showcase opportunities within the Royal Navy and beyond.

Students Antonia Pop, Ellie Swan and Tilly Mulvey are all taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.

Ellie Swan said: “It was fantastic to see the possible career paths within the Navy.”

Rob Hayden, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award manager at Aureus School, accompanied the students to the event.

He said: “During the day, students had talks from individuals within the Navy and from guest speakers, including Hannah Botterman, who last year won both the Rugby World Cup and the Six Nations with England.”

He said: “Students also had the chance to network with the speakers and other attendees.

“The event showed the students a wide range of inspirational females within the Navy and other careers.”

Aureus School, part of the GLF Schools multi-academy trust, says its vision is focused on ‘cultivating ambition’ and ‘high standards for all’.

Headteacher Kirsty Rogers says the Didcot-based co-educational comprehensive has undergone a ‘transformative journey’, creating a community where students feel a strong sense of belonging. She emphasises inclusivity, high expectations, and a broad curriculum that encourages ambition, resilience and respect, supported by dedicated staff and diverse extra-curricular opportunities.





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Ryanair launches two new routes in significant move

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The flights mark a major boost to the airport’s connectivity ahead of the budget airline’s record Summer 2026 schedule.

The new routes form part of Ryanair’s expanded Glasgow programme for Summer 2026, which will see the airline operate over 100 weekly flights across eight routes.

The new double-daily London Stansted service further strengthens Glasgow’s access to the English capital, while the launch of the Warsaw service enhances Glasgow’s international offering.

Jonathan Ford, portfolio manager at AGS Airports, said: “It’s fantastic to see Ryanair’s new services to London Stansted and Warsaw take off today.

“The double-daily Stansted route offers even more flexibility for business and leisure travellers heading to and from England’s innovation corridor, while Warsaw provides a valuable new link that expands the international connectivity available to our passengers.

“These launches mark the start of what will be a record summer for Ryanair at Glasgow, and we look forward to welcoming even more travellers through our doors.”

Last month, Ryanair launched its 2026 plan for Glasgow with 10 routes, including holiday hotspots like Lanzarote, Palma de Mallorca, and Tenerife, as well as city break destinations like Barcelona and Pisa.

The budget airline will also operate extra frequencies on its Alicante, Faro, Pisa, Malaga and Murcia routes.

The new schedule is underpinned by Ryanair’s two Glasgow Prestwick-based aircraft.





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Drug driving arrest carried out in Oxfordshire market town

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Thames Valley Police said it stopped a vehicle yesterday evening (Saturday March 28) after noting it had defective lights in Woodstock.

The car “smelt of cannabis” and following a “positive drugs test” the police arrested the motorist.

READ MORE: Investigation launched as unidentified Toyota ‘hits’ pedestrian near Uni Parks

A positive drugs test (Image: TVP)

A spokesperson for the the roads policing unit said they “stopped a vehicle this evening with defective lights in Woodstock”.

They added: “The vehicle smelt of cannabis. The driver provided a positive drug wipe and was arrested.”

Driving under the influence of drugs (drug driving) is a criminal offence and if found guilty, the driver could face an automatic driving ban, a hefty fine, and potential prison time.





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