Category: Thame news

THAME Town Council has rejected a planning application for a new nursery school in the Tithe Barn in Church Road, in case it spoils the view and causes traffic congestion.

The application was discussed at length at last night’s Planning Committee meeting, following an appeal to turn it down from a Church Road resident who feared it would cause noise and make traffic problems their worse.

Cllr David Laver pointed out that traffic already had a problem turning out of The Barns Centre because of parked cars in the road and feared that parents dropping off their children would make matters worse.

“The ambience of the area would be spoiled,” he said, “and the outdoor play equipment would destroy the view across to the church. It would be out of character in that area.”

Other councillors said that they had sympathy for the need for more nursery provision in Thame, but felt that the Tithe Barn was unsuitable.

The town council voted to recommend refusal of the application which will now go to South Oxfordshire District Council for a final decision.

THOUSANDS of people flocked to Thame Show on Saturday, the first time in its 123 year history, that it has been held on a weekend.

The warm weather and the new diary slot moved from september, meant that more families could attend and the extra attractions, like the human circus, this year aimed at them, proved a great crowd puller.

As well as the traditional country show favourites such as the livestock parades and showjumping, the main ring included a spectacular gun carriage race by girls and boys from The Volunteer Cadet Corps, from the Portsmouth naval bases of Dolphin, Sultan, Collingwood, Blockhouse and the Royal Marines. The equipment that the cadets used is the original 7lb muzzle loading field guns used in the late nineteenth century at the Battle of Ladysmith.

A fascinating display of sheepdog herding of ducks and cockerills caused much amusement and one of the highlights for children was the opportunity to meet the packs of hunting dogs after they had been put through their paces by the Master of the Hounds.

Entries for Domestic categories were well down, according to Chief Steward and Show Director, David Bretherton, though the reasons were probably, he thinks, because of the new categories of flowers and vegetable suitable for harvesting in July, rather than September, that entrants will need to get used to.

After meeting the Mayor or Thame, Adam Buckland and his wife Sinead, The Honoury President of the Show, Marie Jean Barnett, who lives at Towersey Manor, presented the Silverware to deserving winners such as The Countryman and the Countrywoman of The Year.

Whether the experiment to hold the show in July will become permanent, will no doubt be discussed by the Thame show committee at their next meeting, but going by the crowds and comments made by the visitors, it looks as though the Oxfordshire and Thame Show will become a permanent fixture in the Summer diary.

BY 1pm today, 477 people had passed through the doors of Thame’s new, state-of-the-art library in North Street, to see for themselves what they had waited for for over ten years.

And they were not disappointed. Hundreds of books, attractively displayed, sofa and chairs to sit on, coffee and tea making machines, internet access, helpful staff and a self-service checking out system for books make this the most modern library in Oxfordshire.

In the afternnon, author and illustrator, Shoo Rayner, the originator of such characters as Ricky Rocket and Vic the Viking, talked about how he came to re-write the Just So stories after a middle-of-the-night epiphany, after his own children had rejected Kiplings tales. His reading of his own story, How the Whale got his throat, was both funny and enspiring for both the children and the adults who sat up in the mezanine floor which includes teenage fiction.

John Ansell, spokesperson for The Friends of Thame Library, who have done so much to fight for Thame’s new library, said: “We are delighted to see what an excellent job Oxfordshire Libraries have made of the new Thame branch. The new building is a tremendous improvement in terms of space and its much more central location in the town. The building capitalises on natural light and is colourful and welcoming; it should be an asset to Thame for many years to come.”

Beatrice Dobie of the Friends added that it was wonderful to see all the work and effort over many years come to fruition.

The North Street library’s opening hours will be 9.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays, except Wednesdays when it will be closed and Thursdays when it will open at 9am and not shut until 7pm, and 9.30am to 4.30pm on Saturdays.

PHOTO: Shoo Rayner reads from his book, How the whale got his throat.

TWENTY TWO cars were damaged by fire at Thame Show yesterday, when a fire in a car park in a stubble field spread to a near-by field, setting alight 50,000 sq M of stubble and crop.

Forty firefighters from four fire stations, including Thame, Wheatley and Oxford were called to reports of a blaze at the showground in Kingsey Road, Thame, at 4.15pm.

Watch Manager at Thame fire station, Andy Ford, said: “Members of the show staff were already trying to put out areas of the fire and the initial fire crews? priority were the cars. Fire fighters got to work and extinguished the areas around the parked cars and any that were starting to burn.

“The fire spread very rapidly across the field driven by a strong breeze and tinder dry stubble. This spread into an adjacent crop field before it could be brought under control. In all it took around 40 Fire-fighters who worked extremely hard in hot and difficult conditions to extinguish Approximately 50,000 sqm of stubble and crop involved in the fire and 22 cars slightly damaged. All the cars involved had to be recovered, due to the fire spreading under them as they could not be driven away in case of any unseen damage which may have affected brakes or fuel lines making them unsafe to drive.

“As Thame Fire Crews were already at the show they were in attendance very quickly and as a result the majority of the cars involved were only slightly affected by the fire, with only a couple suffering more serious damage and fortunately no one was injured.

“The prompt response by the show staff also played a large part in ensuring members of the public were not injured and the damage to visitors? cars was limited.
The exact cause of the fire is unknown but it is thought an area of stubble caught fire. The current weather is making the risk of fire in our countryside very high. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue have been attending numerous grass and field fires over recent weeks.

“We would urge the public to be extra careful and vigilant in these conditions; the ground is tinder dry and discarded rubbish, bottles, cigarettes and
matches or careless use of barbeques or bonfires can quickly start a fire which can spread faster than people realise. Crop fires in the dry and windy conditions we have been experiencing lately travel
very fast. Access for fire vehicles and crews is not always easy and fire fighters have to work very hard to extinguish a large area using beaters, giving time for water jets to be laid out over long distances.”

LINKS to a film of the fire captured by Radio Oxford’s Phil Mercer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-GE1w3qcaQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knb4z7ovKmM

PHOTO: Owners of cars damaged in the fire review the damage to their vehicles with fire officers.

THIS is a Community Message from Thames Valley Police.
Soloman Percy Biddle, date of birth 01/02/1986 of 132 Chaffinch Green Waterlooville, Hampshire has been charged with Aggravated Vehicle taking in Chinnor on 21/07/10, burglary non-dwelling at Summit Service Station Stadhampton on 16/06/10 and handling stolen goods and Shoplifting in Bicester on 20/07/10.

He is currently on remand awaiting trial.

THAME’S Tuesday market was the focus for fun and games yesterday, with stilt walkers, balloon art, a test-your-strength machine, splat the rat and much more, all courtesy of the regular traders as part of a market fun day.

The Mayor of Thame, Cllr Adam Buckland, was on hand to judge the best presented stall, or Flash of the Year, to Mike Smith and his fruit and veg stall, and to hand over a cheque to the Thame Youth Memorial Fund, as a contribution from the market traders’ day’s takings.

An unexpected contribution too came from Thame Fire Officer, Andy Ford, who handed over a cheque representing funds raised when Thame’s contingent of fire officers ran in breathing apparatus, in the recent Thame 10K.

Radio station, Mix ’96 was there with their giant inflatable slide and as well as the Thame Youth Memorial Fund, several other local charities and Societies had stalls, including the Thame Widows and Widowers Club, Ryder-Cheshire Volunteers and Thame Safari Wombles selling their handmade crafts and jewellery.

Chris Hurdman, the Secretary of the Thame Market Traders Cooperative, told ThameNews.Net: “This was a day for anyone with something to promote to let the public know just what they do, want, or need. We are very grateful for the support we get from the people of Thame and its great to be able to put something back.

“Our chosen charity, the Thame Youth Memorial Fund, is a great cause and one we can all relate too in some way.”

PHOTO: Mike smith receives a plaque and medal from Thame’s mayor (Left) assisted by the Deputy Mayor, Don Butler, and the Chair of The Thame Market Co-operative, Mike Braun

A young man from Thame has died after injuring his neck in a fall from his bicycle.

Promising ice hockey player, Jack O’donnell, died in hospital last night, five days after the accident in a Thame park.

Jack, from Youens Drive, Thame, had just completed his GCSEs at Lord Williams’s school, in Thame. He was a member of the Swindon Wildcats Academy and played for the England under 16s Ice Hockey team last season.

WHERE can families enjoy playing together at very little or no cost in Thame? The answer is at this year’s Thame Playday.

Playday is about getting outside and playing games and activities rather than sitting inside playing on a computer!

Playday in Thame this year is being supported by Thame Town Council, Oxfordshire Play Partnership, Oxfordshire Play Association, Oxfordshire Association of Young People and Nexus Leisure. Generous support has also been given by the Co Op and Sainsburys, who are supplying water.

The event is to be held at Southern Road Recreation Ground or THE SOUTH POLE as it is now known, the Cuttlebrook Nature Reserve and Thame Leisure Centre on Wednesday 4th August from 10.30-3.30.

The event is free of charge and there will be various activities taking place across the sites. Those wishing to take park will need to ring the leisure centre direct on 01844 215607 to find out more information and to book onto the activities being held there.

ALL children must be accompanied by an adult.

This is a Community Message from Thames Valley Police.

On Thursday 22nd July, members of the Thame Neighbourhood Policing Team arrested two males in connection with theft of lead from school and business premises in Thame. They are currently on police bail pending further enquiries.

Message Ends.

THAMES Valley Police are appealing for witnesses after a high value burglary between Saturday (17/7/10) and Monday (19/7/10).

Sometime between 12pm on Saturday and 7am on Monday, offenders gained entry to a business property in Haddenham Aerodrome Industrial Estate, Thame Road. They entered a storeroom containing copper cabling, which is stored in drums. They stole approximately