27/06/2014 BBC Oxford News

Good evening. for the news where

Police in Swindon have launched a murder investigation

after the body of a man was found on a cycle path in the town.

Officers say he'd been stabbed multiple times.

Forensic teams have continudd working throughout the day `nd the

area, near the Hawkesworth trading estate, has been cordoned off.

The coroner 's van leaving the scene of the crime. Police say thd man's

body was found shortly before midnight. On a cycle path which runs

the Swindon town centre. Thd path is closed off as forensic officers

carry out an investigation. At a press conference this morning, the

police said the mild had bedn subjected to a vicious stabbing

attack. It was an horrendous scene. The victim stood no chance, it was a

multiple attack, a really dhfficult investigation. I am really `ppealing

for the public's help in telling us what has happened, what havd you

heard and seen? They said the murder happened sometime after 10:30 last

night and at the mild, in hhs 6 s, was cycling home. His bicycle was

found nearby. They think thd attacker was unknown to the victim,

a stranger, and they hope the public can help to find the culprit. I

imagine if you know the person, their behaviour will have changed,

they are conscious that we `re trying to find them. They whll

possibly be trying to changd their behaviour. There will be extra

patrols in the centre of Swhndon tonight as the police dry to

reassure the public in the wake of this town centre murder.

A man in Banbury's been handed a five year jail sentence

after carrying out what's bden described as an horrific unprovoked

55`year`old Denis Mawle, who's from Warwickshire,

It happened at Banbury's reservoir last year

when the 69`year`old victim was punched, knocked down an embankment

It takes just a few steps to get from this land

south of Grenoble Road right up to the edge of Oxford city.

But does that make it a vit`l green barrier or an ideal place to build?

For several years, Oxford City Council has thotght it

is the latter. Highly sustainable in terms of

transport links into the city and it is part of an established community

with high level leisure fachlities and commercial facilities and it

makes it very easy to develop a community there which will be

well`balanced and part of the city. The City Council owns some

of the land as does Magdalen College and Thames Water.

The last attempt to get it darmarked for development was overturned

by the government and that is not the only obstacle.

The field may be a stone's throw from Blackbird Leys but thex are

technically in South Oxfordshire. Its District Council says

that must be remembered. Historically it has not

wanted homes here. Countryside campaigners

are opposed to it too. We have seen real terms in the open

countryside on the doorsteps of the people who live therd.

Clearly if we covered it with houses, it would have lost

its environmental value as well as its value as a green belt.

The City Council will decidd next week if it will start formal talks

with other landowners about developing here.

It thinks a recent study suggesting Oxfordshire needs another 100,0 0

homes by 2031 will mean somd bits of the green belt will have to be

surrendered to housing. Npower has announced

the operation to demolish the cooling towers at the Didcot power

plant will take place betwedn 3 00 and 5:00am

on Sunday the 27th of July. The controlled explosion will bring

the southern towers down The firm says

the exact time will be determined by a number of factors including safety

checks, the weather and advhce South Oxfordshire District council

says its disappointed at thd timings We've all taken a wrong turn

at some point, but a driver He's managed to get

his lorry stuck under the r`ilway The incident has caused traffic

problems for hundreds of drhvers A recovery operation's been

underway this afternoon. The importance

of a healthy lifestyle in old age was the subject of

a special event in Buckingh`mshire. Guests were invited to a zulba

class and other exercise sessions. There was also a series

of lectures about how to live The conference was organised

by a number of groups including the county council and

the hosts, Bucks New University Pupils

in Oxfordshire have been taking part in a sumo wrestling event whth

a difference this afternoon ` The Robot Sumo Competition was

hosted at Brookes Universitx after its scientists worked with

nearby school children, helping them gain a better understanding

of computer technology. The challenge given to

the young programmers was to design a machine that would push

its robotic opponent out of a circle without being dhrectly

controlled by its creator, but one of those behind the project says

its more than just a bit of fun The job market

in robotics is going to rocket. The prices of robots are coling

down, the prices of components of robot coming down.

They are becoming household items and so there is a real markdt

opening up which will lead to many, many jobs in this area.

It is sort of deadly, it doesn't really destroy it,

it just pushes it. Our robot is a sumo robot

and it is meant to push another robot out of the ring.

I wouldn't call it deadly, it wasn't exactly very good,

but at least we tried. We're back in BBC Breakfast tomorrow

morning, but for now goodnight We have just one or two showers

easing away through the course Seeing some patchy mist herd

and there. It is quite

a mild night with temperatures Just the odd shower

around through into A misty start perhaps

but some brightness at times. Through the afternoon, we do start

to see though showers buildhng up It looks like we could see tp

to 40 millimetres of rainfall. There is a weather warning

for that through Saturday btt Sunday temperature again 20. Fewer showers.

Most out towards the east. That's the way it is looking.

Good evening. For some the weather put on a show today - lightning and

hail. For others more of a no-show. Showers at Wimbledon stayed away.

They were further west. Torrential downpours with the lightning flashes

over East Anglia. Local flooding in for folk. Showers through

Glastonbury. Thunder storms over Mid Wales

currently. Flashes of