Five things from Oxfordshire

  • Published

Here are five stories from Oxfordshire which have been attracting attention this week.

1. BNP mural picture removed from Rightmove

Image source, Rightmove
Image caption,

The Rightmove advert included pictures of the wall-sized mural with the words "vote BNP"

Photos of a property on Rightmove, which included a Nazi iconography and a mural with the words "vote BNP", have been removed by the estate agent.

Pictures of the three-bedroom property in Didcot showed the giant poster which appeared to style former British National Party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin as Adolf Hitler.

The politician's eyes also appear to have swastikas inside them.

2. Officers praised for saving girl on bridge

Image source, TVP Federation
Image caption,

PCs Matthew Huard and Victoria Justice, Sgt Andy Fiddler, and Ch Insp Henry Parsons

Four police officers will receive an award for saving the life of a schoolgirl who was teetering on the edge of a bridge above a motorway.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) was called after reports that a girl from a school in South Oxfordshire had climbed onto the edge of a bridge above the M40.

They will receive the TVP Federation Bravery Award on 28 February.

3. Art exhibition showcases homelessness

Image source, Homeless Oxfordshire
Image caption,

'Behind the Spires' shows life on the streets for Oxford's homeless community

Photographs taken by homeless people in Oxford are being exhibited to dispel myths surrounding homelessness.

Residents of Homeless Oxfordshire's 56-bed O'Hanlon House hostel and community housing projects were given disposable cameras.

More than 280 photographs were taken by 10 homeless people over two months.

4. Newspaper letters page drops 'sexist' Sir

Image caption,

A reader of the Henley Standard said it was "a ridiculous and offensive tradition"

A local newspaper has removed "Sir" from its letters pages after a reader called it a "ridiculous and offensive tradition".

Liz Hatch wrote to the Henley Standard in Oxfordshire, disputing the need to preface "all letters to the editor with 'Sir'".

She said other papers had "eradicated this sexist attitude".

5. Homeless deaths referred for investigation

Image source, Dave Price
Image caption,

Five homeless people have died in Oxford in recent months

The deaths of five homeless people in Oxford in three months have been referred to an independent body for an investigation.

Oxford City Council has asked the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board to look into whether the deaths could have been prevented.

All five were either sleeping rough or were staying in council-run supported accommodation and died since November.