Bicester | Meridian

Live updates

The first food distribution scheme of its kind in the region is set to begin in Bicester in Oxfordshire today.

A new branch of Tesco - which opens at 8am today - will pioneer a service which will see surplus food donated to a foodbank. The store is looking for more charities to sign up to receive unsold fruit, vegetables and packaged foods. The FareShare FoodCloud is being carried out in conjunction with the organisation FareShare.

The initiative follows a pilot scheme at 14 stores last year after which 22 tonnes of food was donated to more than 50 charities.

The new initiative follows a pilot scheme last year Credit: Tesco

“No food that can be eaten should go to waste. We’re really excited to start working on this initiative to ensure that any unsold food we have is made use of. We are looking forward to forging strong links with local charities and community groups in Bicester, and to use this initiative to support their efforts to help vulnerable people in our community.”

– Paul Phillips, Tesco Bicester Store Manager

The Ministry of Justice has announced magistrates courts in Aylesbury, Bicester and Newbury will be shut down.

Read the full story ›

Credit: PA

Hotel chain Travelodge says it is opening 19 new sites - including at Poole and Bicester - creating 450 jobs.

It says it has identified a further 250 locations for possible development this year.

The company says it will be investing £140m into the expansion which will take its total number of hotels to 542.

A prompt emergency call saved two houses in Caversfield from serious fire damage.

At 4:42pm yesterday Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service were called to reports of a large garden shed on fire in Turnpike Road, Caversfield, near Bicester.

Within minutes a crew from Bicester arrived to find a severe fire which was spreading to the rear of two domestic properties. Additional fire engines were immediately requested and Firefighters tackled the fire using two water jets, a high pressure hose reel and thermal imaging cameras.

Fire engines from Bicester, Kidlington, Banbury and Buckingham attended the fire, which is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault. The occupants of all the houses evacuated safely and there were no injuries.

“Thankfully the fire was discovered very quickly and the occupier immediately dialed 999. Fires of this nature grow rapidly and the prompt actions of both the caller and firefighters ensured the damage to both houses was only external. A delay of even a few minutes would likely have resulted in the fire spreading inside both properties.”

– Watch Manager Chris Hollis from Bicester Fire Station