Skies 'should clear' for Glastonbury

The skies should be clear by the time headliners Lily Allen and Neil Young take to the Glastonbury stage tomorrow – and festival crime is down too, it was revealed today.

While thunderstorms could hit the 900-acre farm in Pilton, Somerset, this evening, forecasters say severe downpours are unlikely from tomorrow afternoon onwards.

The good weather news was followed by encouraging figures on crime at the event, for which all 137,000 tickets have been sold.

Avon and Somerset police said by 3pm this afternoon only 47 arrests were made and all but two had been for drug possession.

There was just one suspected assault and one person held for offensive weapon possession.

Force spokeswoman Claire Stanley estimated crime had more than halved when compared to the same time last year.

She said: “This is being put down to a lot of the preventative work we are doing, in particular the Neighbourhood Watch scheme. A lot of people are pinning the flags to their tents.”

The scheme aims to encourage festival goers in neighbouring tents to befriend and look out for each other.

Last year’s festival saw 751 arrests in total, of which 177 were drug related.

Forecaster Meteogroup said this afternoon possible storms this evening and tomorrow morning would give way to brighter spells in the afternoon.

The good weather is set to last – an improvement on first predictions - although showers remain a possibility.

Controversial popster Lily Allen, Ska pioneers The Specials and rock legend Neil Young head up the bill on the Pyramid Stage tomorrow.

Dance diva Lady GaGa, who famously appeared on Jonathan Ross’s show with a large tea cup, will grace the Other Stage.

Bruce Springsteen – The Boss – and urban MC Dizzee Rascal provide a diverse display of talents on Saturday.

Pete Doherty – one-time lover of Kate Moss – plays the Other Stage.

The 30-year-old was recently charged with drink-driving and dangerous driving but the terms of his £50,000 bail allow him to play gigs.

On Sunday dark rockers Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds will play before reformed Britpop stars Blur close the festival.

Meteogroup’s Laura Gilchrist said today: “It looks like there might be some thunderstorms tonight. Glastonbury is in the part of the world where they are suspected, so there’s a good chance there might be one or a few.

“The risk will be there tomorrow morning as well, but it looks like improving tomorrow, as that risk moves northward.

“There’s a risk of isolated showers at any point but that risk is very very much less. Suncream won’t be wasted.”

Temperatures could reach 23C tomorrow if the showers hold off, she added.

In 2005, storms and flash flooding caused havoc at the site, with many festival-goers having to use their tents as makeshift boats to float around waterlogged areas.

In 2007, more rain ensured a similar mudbath, though a new draining system meant a repeat of 2005 was avoided.