Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Temporary Road Closure – Thame

    Nelson Street and Southern Road, Thame, are to be closed temporarily whilst essential gas main replacement works are carried out.
    The closure will operate in Nelson Street from June 4, for 1 week, and in Southern Road from June 11, for eight weeks. Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and those residents within the closure area, subject to the progress of the works. A copy drawing showing the extent of the temporary road closure and also alternative routes for traffic is available for viewing in the Thame Information Centre in the Town Hall. For further information contact Colin Horne on 07774 956649.

  • Murder Suspect Concerned About Welfare Of Dogs

    See Link

  • Thame Hotelier In Road Accident

    A woman injured in a head-on smash on Friday afternoon (March 23), is recovering in the JR hospital, Oxford.
    Sarah Barrington, who is the proprietor of the prestigious Spread Eagle Hotel in Thame, was injured when her car apparently hit a Mercedes travelling in the opposite direction along the A41 Aylesbury Road just outside Thame.
    Sarah is expected to remain in hospital for another two weeks following an operation on a shattered ankle.

    Photo: Sarah Barrington with actor, John Nettles during the filming of an episode of Midsomer Murders at the Spread Eagle, Thame.

  • Another Scalp For Chinnor Seconds

    Chinnor 2nd, 11 Pts vs. Canterbury 2nd, 10 Pts
    Match Report – Home League Game – March 24.
    Scorers – Tries: Adam Winchester x 1
    Penalties: Thad Cooper x 2

    TALK about a close shave! Chinnor Seconds took another top class scalp Canterbury Seconds by beating them 11pts to 10 in the Canterbury Shield League. This brings it to three out of three for the last three league games. This was quite a feat since Chinnor 2nds had lost five players to the first team, and another four to injury, sickness, travel and work commitments creating nine changes from the normal 15 starting.
    Due to the third team having a bye, we were able to play some of the team and three young players from the Chinnor academy who held their own very well, and it bodes well for Chinnor?s future.
    The two teams played with passion and in the spirit rugby should be played, hard and physical.
    Chinnor came out fired up and ready for the game having lost to Canterbury in the away game. With the advantage of a strong wind at their backs in the first half, Chinnor should have done better, missing many chances but lacked patience. Having said that, great defence by Canterbury who were camped in their own half for most of the first half did not concede a point until the 35th minute when the young academy player, Thad Cooper, was successful with a penalty and the first half finished three – nil.
    With Canterbury having the wind in the second half, they seemed to make better use of it than Chinnor did and went ahead after only seven minutes with a converted try followed four minutes later with a penalty and were in the lead 10 points to three. It took until the 30th minute before Chinnor closed the gap with a try by Adam Winchester. In the last five minutes Chinnor were fortunate to have Thad Cooper give Chinnor the win 11 points to 10 by converting a penalty.
    A big thank-you to young Mark Westaby, Thad Cooper and Ollie Heath and all the others that helped us out.
    Man of the Match was Adam Winchester for his full commitment to the second team, week in and week out and not for his clearance kick towards the end of the game.

    Walter McGuicken
    Second Team Manager

    Photo: Courtesy of Chinnor RFC website

  • Chinnor Firsts Go Down To Canterbury

    Chinnor 1st XV 8 vs. Canterbury 1st XV 43
    National League Three, South – Saturday, March 24
    IN bitter wind and cold, Chinnor?s make shift side went down by 43 points to eight against a sharper Canterbury side on Saturday.
    With absentees, injuries and match day injury problems, Chinnor had to change five of their team on the morning of the match. They held out well but the faster pace and well drilled ploys of their opponents eventually wore them down.

    For the first 10 minutes, Chinnor clearly had the upper hand and were unlucky not to score. From a very quickly taken lineout on their 22, Canterbury ran a sweeping backs move to go five points up, courtesy of an unconverted de Kock try, on 13 minutes. Shortly afterwards, Chinnor lost prop Paddy Conlon to a yellow card for entering a ruck from the side. Canterbury?s Pratt took quick advantage by scoring a try two minutes after, converted by Wolmarans. Running the ball from deep, Chinnor managed to knock on the final ball with an undefended Canterbury line 10 metres ahead.
    On 26 minutes, an indiscretion by Canterbury saw Chinnor?s full back Hewitt score Chinnor?s first points of the afternoon from a penalty goal. Canterbury increased the pressure, particularly at scrums where Chinnor were second best all afternoon. Chinnor?s Hutchings was yellow carded for overenthusiastically freeing himself from being held back. Another Canterbury try from de Kock was matched by a Chinnor breakout by Hewitt who began an intricate interpassing move that saw Duder touch down for an unconverted try on 36 minutes.
    At 17-8 down, Chinnor were holding out when Canterbury ripped the ball from a maul and a surprised lock Keir strolled over unopposed for Canterbury?s fourth try and bonus point. Wolmarans added the twp points for a Canterbury half time lead of 24-8.

    Chinnor once again started the half brightly and were denied a score by a stout Canterbury defence on the line. Seven minutes into the half, lively Canterbury winger Melford touched down for Canterbury, Wolmarans converting. 10 minutes later the other Canterbury winger, Pratt, repeated the treatment, Wolmarans again converting to give Canterbury a 38-8 lead.
    Just on full time Canterbury scored again from lock Keir ? this time unconverted to win the match comfortably, 43-8.

    For Chinnor, Rixon, covering at no 8, carried the ball well and repeatedly got a retreating Chinnor scrum out of trouble. Hewitt attacked well from full back. Canterbury?s fly half de Kock was a class act, scored two tries and steered Canterbury to victory.

    Chinnor: Hewitt, Seymour, Williams, Pritchard, Carter (White 72), Duder, Wiseman, Winpenny, Immelman, Conlon (Whelan 73), Burrows, Hutchings (c), Beets (Jackman 64), Benson, Rixon
    Scorers: Hewitt (pen); Duder (try)

  • Celebrity Auction & Open Day

    IN a bid to raise money for the Breast Cancer Campaign, a team of inspired exercises who work out at The Park Sports Centre in Holton, near Wheatley, have committed themselves to a self-funded trek along the Great Wall of China.
    To help with fund raising for this charity the Leisure Centre are hosting an open day with a ?gourmet twist? this Saturday, March 31, to help raise money and support the committed exercise enthusiasts, Val Edson and Ian Roberts.
    Some activities on the day include a studio marathon, a gymnastic display, a quiz, live music and refreshments as well as activities for the children. The highlight of the event with include a Celebrity Chef Demonstration by Steve Bullmer (director of cookery at the le Manoir) as well as an auction with some fantastic prizes which include amongst other things:

  • Thame Murder Victim Trial Continues

    THE trial of an estranged husband, accused of murdering his wife and her lover from Thame, has been continuing after a temporary halt to the proceeding due to a tragedy in the life of one of the jurors.
    Alex Marshall denies murdering his wife and her lover, Richard Flippance and has been speaking in court about how his wife told him that she wanted Flippance to adopt their son. He has admitted violent behaviour towards his wife.
    Follow the trial by going to: http://www.harboroughtoday.co.uk

  • Chiltern Steam Express To Get 1940s Goodbyes

    ANYONE travelling from Birmingham Moor Street on the ‘Chiltern Steam Express’ on May 5, will be greeted and waved goodbye by people in 1940s attire.
    After attending the launch, members of various Birmingham re-enactment societies will be back for the event. They will be greeting passengers and waving them off as they set off for London Marylebone on the ‘Chiltern Steam Express’.

    The special steam train is running from Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone and back on Saturday 5th May. The steam train will depart Birmingham Moor Street at 08:35 and call at Solihull, Dorridge and Warwick Parkway. The train will return in the evening. The Chiltern Steam Express times have been designed so that passengers are able to enjoy a full afternoon out in London visiting some of the many attractions the city has to offer.

    You have the choice of travelling by steam either way and the other way on a modern 100mph Chiltern Clubman diesel train designed for speed and comfort. The alternate travel option, is to travel both ways by steam! Seats will be individually reserved on the steam train, with unallocated seating on the specially-lengthened Clubman services.

    Sit back and relax as Chiltern Railways transports you back in time. Birmingham Moor Street has recently been restored to its original Edwardian glory and has won numerous awards. London Marylebone, the last London terminus to be opened (in 1899) offers passengers a similar environment to Moor Street and contains many old relics from times gone by.

    A steam train is truly a magical experience. The sight, sound and smell of these “living” engines are enough to inspire the imagination of any child and for adults, it will bring back many child-hood memories.

    Tickets for this unmissable day are now on sale. Advance booking is essential as there are unlikely to be tickets available on the day. To get your tickets call our special Steam Express Ticket Hotline on 01494 420155 (1000 to 1600, Mon to Fri).

    All journeys are from either Birmingham Moor Street, Solihull, Dorridge or Warwick Parkway to Marylebone and return and offer you a full afternoon out in the capital.

    Prices are as follows:
    Standard Class
    To travel one way by steam and the other way by Chiltern Clubman: Adult –

  • Warning After Burglars Steal Vehicles

    HOUSEHOLDERS in the Thames Valley are being warned to keep the keys to their vehicles safe at night following three burglaries in the area.
    Burglars have broken into these properties in the last couple of weeks, sometimes gaining entry through UPVC doors that have not been double locked at night and taken the keys to vehicles and driven them off.
    Although none of these latest offences has been carried out Thame specifically, the warning is a general one for the whole area and Thame has been hit in the past.

    ADVICE – In order to fully engage the locking system, always make sure you use the key to double lock it. This applies when you leave the house and when you lock up for the night before you go to bed.
    Pushing the handle up once you have closed the door is not enough because uPVC doors do not have a chubb-style lock; it is absolutely vital that you use the key inside, or outside, to turn the key twice.

    The handle must be lifted and the key turned in order to complete the double lock. If in doubt, contact the manufacturers for more information.

    Whether you share a house with family or friends, please make sure you make everyone aware that external doors must be double locked whether you are at home at night or out for the day.

    Burglars are usually opportunistic and will hone in on an unlocked back door or open window. Dont make it easy for them.

  • Best Performance of the Season By Thame United (Contributed)

    MATCH REPORT – Thame United 3, Shortwood United 0; Saturday, March 24 – League game.
    THAME United, who are in 18th league place, delivered their best performance this season on Saturday when they convincingly defeated 7th placed Shortwood United. Manager Mark West, who was appointed in January, has transformed the team who have only been beaten once in their last six games.
    The first 20 minutes was fairly even with chances at both ends. Thame than started to pressurise the visitor?s goal and had a good chance on 28 minutes when, following a corner the ball was played to Matt Graves, in space, 10 yards from goal, but his shot was wide. The Thame pressure paid off in the 41st minute when Ben Connelly played a chipped ball into the path of leading goal scorer Nathen Jack who finished confidently with his right foot from eight yards. Shortwood could have equalized two minutes later, when Chris Greenough was through on goal but the courageous Thame keeper Milan Barisic dived at his Greenough?s feet to clear the danger.
    The home team increased their lead in the 45th minute when a corner was cleared to Connelly who hit a strong goal bound shot from 20 yards, which was deflected off of Graves to beat the Shortwood keeper.

    The visitors came out fired up after the break and the pressure was on Thame but the home defence coped well, and the spectators were soon treated to some entertaining end to end football. Both teams had penalty appeals turned down and both keepers were kept busy with Barisic on top form. Shortwood changed their formation to play with three men up front but could not penetrate the much improved Thame defence. Thame?s 3rd goal came in the 79th minute and it was a beauty. Jack, who had just returned to the pitch following an injury and was clearly in pain, picked the ball up at the halfway line, beat his marker and ran at goal before hitting a powerful, well placed, shot from 30 yards low into the right hand corner of the goal. Job done!

    Shortwood are a talented team who were always capable of coming back but Thame richly deserved this win, and to claim what is only their third clean sheet of the season.

    Thame United: Barisic, Ansell, Da Silva (Watkins), Saulsbury, Matt Higgs, Boult, Graves (Rickets), Rhodes, Jack (West), Moore, Connelly.

    Thame travel to 15th placed Highworth Town next Saturday (31st). Their next game at Highworth Stadium is on Easter Monday when they are ?away? to AFC Wallingford.