Category: More News

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a burglary in Thame, during which a father-of-two was assaulted.

Three offenders gained entry to a property in Brookside, Thame, at about 8pm on Wednesday (22/2). It was while the offenders were searching the property that they assaulted the victim, a 49-year-old man, who was at home with his wife and two children.

The offenders then fled the scene on foot towards Lambert Walk and Queen’s Close, empty handed.

As a result of the assault, the victim sustained minor injuries which needed to be treated at his local GP surgery

Investigating officer, DC Georgina Bradley of Local CID in Oxfordshire, said: “I am appealing to anyone who saw or heard anything unusual in the vicinity of Brookside, Lambert Walk or Queen’s Close on Wednesday evening.

“The offenders were wearing dark clothing, including balaclavas, so if you saw anyone in similar clothing in the area then please contact police as soon as possible.

“I believe that the offenders may have been using a small dark vehicle that was parked in or near Queen’s Close. If you saw a vehicle you do not recognise parked in the area or being driven at speed in the vicinity on Wednesday night, then we want to hear from you.

“If you have any information about the incident, even if you think it might be insignificant, please call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.

“If you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.”

THE date for this year’s Thame Tidy and Moreton Muck-Out Day is Saturday, March 25, beetween 10am and 3pm.

This annual community event gives the people of Thame and Moreton the opportunity to help clean up their local area. Last year’s efforts made a real difference and coincided with the national ‘Clean for the Queen’ weekend. Look out for the poster coming soon which will have further details about the event, but in the meantime keep up-to-date on the Thame Tidy 2017 Facebook Page.

STORM Doris, currently raging in the Thame area, has so far caused delays on Chiltern Railways following a fallen tree on the line at Gerrards Cross, blocking some trains towards Birmingham.

Some trains are being altered, delayed, or cancelled. Visit: ChilternRailways.co.uk for details of other trains not running today or restricted to 50mph.

Doris is also causing havoc at Thame Town Cricket Club this afternoon where a wicket cover was blowing around dangerously in the Aylesbury Road, and dealt with my local police officers.

RACQUETS Fitness Centre, located in the busy town centre car park behind the Cattle Market in Thame, is inviting everyone to the unveiling of a new public defibrillator on Friday, February 24.

Sue Martin Downhill of Racquets, explained: “We started raising money for the defibrillator two years ago when one our members, Helen Plant, donated some money to run a Christmas Hamper Raffle in aid of a new defibrillator. This was followed by a not-for-profit DropiT21 seminar and then a number of other events throughout last year. With help from Staying Alive Thame, we finally raised the full amount needed and have now installed it outside the club in the Cattle Market.

Simon Martin, owner of Racquets Fitness Centre, added: “I’d like to dedicate this defibrillator to my dad Richard Martin, who died one year ago of cancer but also suffered with heart arrhythmia. Dad was a dedicated Thame resident and MD of Racquets for 20 years.”

Racquets are inviting everyone to stay for a free drink in the bar immediately after the opening.

The defibrillator will be unveiled by the Mayor of Thame, Linda Emery at 1.30pm on February 24.

THAME’S future growth will undoubtedly put pressures on the the local roads and parking, and Thame Town Council has been explaining the challenges the town faces ahead of next week’s public meeting to debate transport issues.

The town council’s Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Officer, Graham Markland, said today: “Thame will continue to grow considerably in terms of its population over the next few years. New housing and employment developments are either completed or underway and it is expected that we will have to accommodate even more. There will be further additional pressure on our town centre and highways from recent and potential growth in surrounding villages. Haddenham, for example, could double in size over the next 15 years. How do we stop this growth overwhelming the town?

“Transport planning is one important area that we are now focusing on. With both pressures on budgets and arguments around how local government will be provided across Oxfordshire, no-one else will be looking at Thame in a holistic way. How will we join walking & cycling with parking and public transport? How will we manage Thame’s traffic?”

The Agenda for Tuesday’s meeting is as follows:
· Terms of reference explained
· Crossovers with Thame Green Living Plan and 21st Century Thame
· Correspondence received on Transport matters from Thame residents/visitors, e.g. on cycle safety, 20 mph zones, safety on specific roads, parking
provision for market vehicles. Correspondence received from Oxfordshire County Council, attempting to absolve themselves from certain
responsibilities.

· Project frameworks –

o Walking and cycling framework
o Parking provision framework
o Public transport framework
o Traffic management framework

· Framework coordinators
· S106 funds arising from developments
· Watching briefs – Haddenham expansion, Oxford-Cambridge Expressway

Tuesday’s meeting will begin at 6.30pm.

YESTERDAY, Tuesday, February 21, at 07:53, the emergency services were called to a large fire in a horse transporter lorry on Thame Road, Haddenham.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a number of hosereel jets to quickly bring the fire under control and stop it spreading to the adjacent farm house and out buildings.

Incident Commander Watch Manager Andy Ford said: “On arrival the Horse Transporter was fully involved in fire. Our first priority was to stop the fire spreading to the out building and the nearby farm house. Fire crews worked quickly to contain the fire and then extinguish it completely. Fortunately the owner spotted the fire and called the Fire and Rescue Services quickly, so we were able to attend in time to contain the fire to the lorry and stop it spreading further.”

No horses were in the transporter at the time of the fire.

THAME residents are being invited to have their say and contribute ideas to help solve the town’s travel and parking problems.

Thame’s Transport Plan Working Group (TPWG) will be meeting for the first time publicly at 6.30pm on Tuesday, February 28, at the Town Hall.

The working group was set up to identify and deliver the work needed to help solve the problems Thame faces around travel and parking including walking and cycling, public transport, traffic management, travel issues associated with identified projects for the future in Thame (such as the redevelopment of the Cattle Market) and future impacts of expansion in Haddenham and of the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway.

The TPWG aims to look at these issues in a holistic way in terms of current and future growth in Thame.

Anyone interested, or who believes they can help, is invited to attend the public meeting next Tuesday. For more information, contact Thame Town Council on 01844 260495.