Glastonbury hopes for sunshine after chaotic, muddy start

Glastonbury festival-goers will be glad to hear that the sun is predicted to come out on Thursday after arriving to a mud bath the day before as rain flooded the festival site.

Police and the festival organisers urged fans to delay journeys to avoid adding to the chaos.

Some festival goers were left stranded in their cars for up to 14 hours on Wednesday as the heavy rain and mud-clogged roads left travellers and residents alike infuriated.

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Photograph: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Many more ticket holders are expected to pour into the site on Thursday before the music kicks off on Friday.

Tens of thousands of people are expected at the green-field music festival held in southwest England, where Adele, Coldplay and Muse are among the headline performers over the weekend.

Brexit is the talk of the festival.

The site does not have a polling station and in the run-up to the festival, organiser Michael Eavis, who has been outspoken about his support for the Remain campaign, was vocal in urging campers to sign up for a postal vote.

Tensions are likely to run high late on Thursday night into Friday morning as campers await the result.

Hundreds of the festival goers are expected to attend a tribute to murdered MP Jo Cox.

The event had been planned to coincide with vigils taking place in central London and Mrs Cox's Batley and Spen constituency on Wednesday, but was postponed due to travel chaos on the roads leading to the festival site.

Festival co-ordinator Emily Eavis tweeted that the planned tribute on what would have been the MP's 42nd birthday had been pushed back a day.

The thick mud across the festival site could have a chance to dry on Thursday, as meteorologists have predicted the sun will come out.

The UK Met Office is forecasting temperatures of up to 21C, with bright and sunny spells.

However, showers could make a reappearance in the evening.

Agencies