Updates on Thursday 26 November 2015
News, sport, travel and weather updates resume at 08:00 on Friday
Andrew Peach
BBC Radio Oxford
On the show this evening: We'll have more on the news that the electrification of the Great Western main line is running four years behind schedule.
Oxford's rail expert Hugh Jaeger will give us his assessment of the modernisation programme, and we'll be finding out from Network Rail just what has gone wrong.
Andrew Humphrey
BBC Local Live
This afternoon's top stories in Oxfordshire:
Tickets to see Elton John on the opening night of next year’s Henley Festival are being sold for almost 15 times their face value, external.
South Today
In the first half of this year, more independent shops closed than opened in Oxford.
The city had the worst record in the South for closures, with 15 shutting up shop in the first six months, as Alastair Fee reports.
Staff at Abingdon and Witney College had their talents recognised when the institution was handed a Queen’s Anniversary Prize, external for its horse industry training programme.
Andrew Humphrey
BBC Local Live
It hasn't been an inspiring day weather wise, with the sun struggling to break through the cloud, as shown here in Burford.
Image source, RosieBBC Weather Watchers, such as Rosie who took the picture above, share photos and weather reports, and you can get involved. Find out more and become a Weather Watcher here.
BBC Radio Oxford
Oxfordshire's schools will not benefit from achange in the way schools are fundedby the government, theNational Union of Teachers (NUT) says, external.
Secretary of the Oxfordshire branch of the NUT Gawain Little says that, when inflation and additional employer costs such as National Insurance increases are taken into account, schools in the county will be 5% worse off.
Quote MessageWe're really concerned that schools are painted as a winner from the Autumn Statement when in fact what we'll see in the classroom is cuts to teachers, cuts to teaching assistants and worse for our children.
Gawain Little
Police were called to a suspicious looking package in New Inn Hall street in Oxford only to discover it was a homeless person's belongings, external.
Andrew Humphrey
BBC Local Live
As bargain hunters prepare for this year's Black Firday shopping spree, the BBC's Emma Simpson has looked at the origin of the phenomenon and its impact on the UK economy.
BBC Radio Oxford
Back in July the Wantage Male Voice Choir was at risk of finishing due to a lack of members, but an appeal on BBC Radio Oxford for fresh talent has worked to rejuvenate the group.
The choir descended on BBC Oxford's Summertown offices to give us a taste of their choral expertise.
Oxfordshire medics who went to West Africa to battle Ebola have won medals for bravery, external.
South Today
On South Today this afternoon:
The Chancellor yesterday signalled that our economy was continuing to grow, but conditions are still tough for some small businesses in particular retailers.
Oxford has been one of the hardest hit, with 15 shops shut within the first six months of this year.
Join Roger Finn at 13:30 for more on that and the rest of the region's news.
A mostly cloudy day with some sunny spells and the odd spot of rain, especially this afternoon.
You can get the latest forecast on the BBC Weather site.
Ross Heaton
BBC Oxford Sport
Oxford United have bolstered their squad with the signing of young Fulham left-back Jordan Evans, external on a youth loan until 16 January.
The 20-year-old is yet to make a first-team appearance in the Football League but has trained with the U's today.
Quote MessageI've been desperate to get out on loan because I want to play first team games so when this chance came along I was straight at it.
Jordan Evans
Andrew Humphrey
BBC Local Live
This lunchtime's top stories in our county:
BBC Radio Oxford
A request by concrete supplier Hanson to use a route through Sutton village to avoid the A40 roadworks would be a temporary measure, the company says.
Hanson's David Weeks says: "It's only for a short period of time... we're talking about one truck every half an hour."
A group of creative men and women living in a Banbury old people’s home have written and published their own book of poems, external.
Joe Nimmo
BBC News Online
Waste in Windsor and Maidenhead will no longer be sent to landfill after the borough council signed a 15-year contract to transport it to the Ardley Energy Recovery Facility near Bicester.
Image source, ViridorAbout 36,000 tonnes of non-recycled rubbish a year will now be sent to Oxfordshire, saving £500,000.
Non-recyclable waste is used to generate electricity at Viridor's £205m site.
CCTV of a man police would like to speak to in connection with an assault which took place outside an Oxford pub, external in September has been released.
Image source, Thames Valley PoliceAt about 01:30 on Sunday 20 September two men left the Bell and Compass in New Road, when one elbowed the other in the face.
The victim, a man in his 50s, was knocked into a wall and taken to hospital but later discharged.
The government has responded to a report from Network Rail which says the electrification of the Great Western main line was running four years late, by claiming the railways "are truly on the road to recovery".
Quote MessageRadical schemes such as Crossrail, Thameslink and works on the Great Western will make journeys better, simpler, faster and more reliable throughout the South East and South West. Britain's railways are truly on the road to recovery, despite years of underinvestment by successive Governments.
Patrick McLoughlin, Secretary of State for Transport
