The week so far in Thame!

EXTREME HOT WEATHER WARNING – AS it is looking very likely that the temperature could reach 39°C somewhere in southern and eastern England today – the hottest temperature ever recorded in the UK is 38.5°C – the public is being advised to take precautions.

Tips to survive the heat:

* Drink water, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Take a bottle with you always.
* Hot cars kill. Never leave kids, older people or pets in cars. The
   temperature inside a parked car can double within minutes.
* Keep cool. Seek out air-conditioned buildings, draw your blinds, use a fan,
   take cool showers and dress in light and loose clothing made from natural
   fabrics.
* Plan ahead. Schedule activities in the coolest part of the day and avoid
   exercising in the heat. If you must go out,
* wear a hat and sunscreen and take a bottle of water with you.
* Check in on others. Look after those most at risk in the heat – your
   neighbour living alone, the elderly, the young, people with a medical
   condition and don’t forget your pets
* Be aware of the dangers of playing near or swimming in rivers, lakes and
   reservoirs

The police locally have particularly warned of the dangers of jumping into the old quarry lakes at Chinnor, which are surrounded by crumbling cliffs and the very cold water is shallow in places, concealing hidden objects. Traces of chemicals in the water from the previous operations at the quarry, have caused skin irriatations in some people. Apart from anything else, the site is now privately owned and anyone caught there could be charged with trespass.

Two in court for causing suffering to a fox

ISSUES surrounding identification and a planned independent expert report which would dispute ‘whether the necessary suffering would have been caused in the circumstances described’ were raised in court where two Kimblewick huntsmen faced charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

Ian James Kirby Parkinson, 64, of Lower Road, Haddenham, and Mark Anthony Vincent, 53, of Kimblewick, near Aylesbury, President of the Kimblewick Hunt, face a trial on October 30.

The charges relate to an incident near Moreton Field Farm, in Moreton, near Thame, on January 1, 2019. Members of the Hunt Saboteurs Association had released footage claiming to show an incident on the same date where a fox was forced out of an artificial earth using drain rods and then thrown towards hunt hounds.

Both defendants were given bail.

Road Closed following two incidents now re-opened

THE Aylesbury Road, the A418 at Scotsgrove, was closed for a while yesterday, following a road collision and a broken-down combine harvester. The 280/X8 bus route was affected by the temporary closure.

Sponsors needed for Thame’s Christmas Lights Switch-On

THAME Town Council is looking for local businesses to sponsor this year’s Christmas Lights Switch-On, planned this year for Friday, December 6. Lucy Electric have already agreed to sponsor the lights themselves.

Prices start from £50. Sponsorship Opportunities can be viewed here: https://www.thametowncouncil.gov.uk/community/christmas/ or email: info@thametowncouncil.gov.uk

Review of Polling Stations

SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council is carrying out a review of local polling stations to ensure that they meet the needs of voters. Suggestions for alternative polling station locations are also welcome. The public consultation is now open and you can have your say at: http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/services-and-advice/local-democracy/elections/review-polling-districts-and-polling-places

Town Centre Car Wash rejected by town council

MEMBERS of Thame Town Council’s Planning and Environment Committee have turned down a proposal for a mobile Steam Car Wash service based in the Upper High Street park.

Councillors felt that the space the operation would take up in a busy car park, the dirt and pollution it would cause, meant that the business was inappropriate for the intended location.  It was suggessted that the Cattle Market car park might be a better location for the operation.