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Rain threatens festival mudbath | Rain threatens festival mudbath |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Steady rain is threatening to turn the Glastonbury festival into a mudbath, as the annual extravaganza gets under way. | Steady rain is threatening to turn the Glastonbury festival into a mudbath, as the annual extravaganza gets under way. |
Rain has already transformed the site's main pathways into a couple of inches of mud, with more showers forecast across the rest of the weekend. | Rain has already transformed the site's main pathways into a couple of inches of mud, with more showers forecast across the rest of the weekend. |
Most fans arrived at the site on Wednesday and Thursday, to soak up the atmosphere before the main stages open. | Most fans arrived at the site on Wednesday and Thursday, to soak up the atmosphere before the main stages open. |
Amy Winehouse and Kasabian are due on the main Pyramid stage, with Lily Allen and The Who playing over the weekend. | Amy Winehouse and Kasabian are due on the main Pyramid stage, with Lily Allen and The Who playing over the weekend. |
The Killers, Bjork, Dame Shirley Bassey and The Chemical Brothers are among the other big names performing at the three-day festival. | The Killers, Bjork, Dame Shirley Bassey and The Chemical Brothers are among the other big names performing at the three-day festival. |
Tight security | Tight security |
Tight security greeted the last ticket-holders as they took their places in the event's vast tent city. | Tight security greeted the last ticket-holders as they took their places in the event's vast tent city. |
GLASTONBURY 9AM SNAPSHOT 148,000 people on site30,000 cars in car park13 thefts from tents12 people tried jumping over the fence707 casualties | GLASTONBURY 9AM SNAPSHOT 148,000 people on site30,000 cars in car park13 thefts from tents12 people tried jumping over the fence707 casualties |
The campsites are packed after the capacity was raised to 177,500 - 27,500 more than the last festival in 2005. | The campsites are packed after the capacity was raised to 177,500 - 27,500 more than the last festival in 2005. |
Photo tickets, sniffer dogs, CCTV and bag searches are among the measures being taken to beat touts and crime. | Photo tickets, sniffer dogs, CCTV and bag searches are among the measures being taken to beat touts and crime. |
After successfully stamping out gatecrashers, police and festival security have now turned their attention to drugs. | After successfully stamping out gatecrashers, police and festival security have now turned their attention to drugs. |
Sniffer dogs have been deployed at train stations and on coaches, while random bag searches are taking place at festival gates. | Sniffer dogs have been deployed at train stations and on coaches, while random bag searches are taking place at festival gates. |
Fans have taken to Banksy's toilet sculpture, called Henge | |
Police have also laid traps for tent thieves, erecting "covert capture tents" equipped with cameras. | Police have also laid traps for tent thieves, erecting "covert capture tents" equipped with cameras. |
Fans who arrived early have had the chance to check out the festival's major new addition, an area called The Park. | Fans who arrived early have had the chance to check out the festival's major new addition, an area called The Park. |
It boasts music stages, a tipi village, a silent disco and a 12-metre viewing tower with telescopes. | It boasts music stages, a tipi village, a silent disco and a 12-metre viewing tower with telescopes. |
Another new feature is an installation by cult artist Banksy, a sculpture made out of portable toilets arranged in the manner of an ancient stone circle. | Another new feature is an installation by cult artist Banksy, a sculpture made out of portable toilets arranged in the manner of an ancient stone circle. |
Fittingly for a work by Banksy - who made his name as a graffiti artist - revellers have already spray-painted all over the new creation. | Fittingly for a work by Banksy - who made his name as a graffiti artist - revellers have already spray-painted all over the new creation. |
Glastonbury is also known for its environmental conscience and fundraising, and Thursday also saw the launch of the I Count climate change campaign. | Glastonbury is also known for its environmental conscience and fundraising, and Thursday also saw the launch of the I Count climate change campaign. |
Police have employed new tactics to catch tent thieves | |
Festival founder Michael Eavis launched the drive to get 100,000 people to sign up to the commitment to reduce their carbon footprints. | Festival founder Michael Eavis launched the drive to get 100,000 people to sign up to the commitment to reduce their carbon footprints. |
Laura Fishwick, 19, from Leeds, gave the festival the thumbs-up on her first visit. "This has totally blown me away," she said. | Laura Fishwick, 19, from Leeds, gave the festival the thumbs-up on her first visit. "This has totally blown me away," she said. |
"I thought it would be smaller and more wild, but everyone's really friendly and [it is] really safe," she said. | "I thought it would be smaller and more wild, but everyone's really friendly and [it is] really safe," she said. |
Twenty-four-year-old Angus Vine said: "Even at this stage, you can tell it's more advanced than any other festival around. | Twenty-four-year-old Angus Vine said: "Even at this stage, you can tell it's more advanced than any other festival around. |
"It's very well managed. The weather's the only thing they can't control." | "It's very well managed. The weather's the only thing they can't control." |