Glastonbury crowds battle mud

Muddy mayhem reigns again at top UK festival Glastonbury with torrential downpours expected to sweep across the 900-acre site today.

Every inch of Worthy Farm is becoming a sticky quagmire as the remainder of the 170,000-plus revellers pitch their tents.

Welly-clad early arrivals have been putting on a brave face despite hundreds of tents flooding and treacherous conditions under foot.

Clouds cleared over the Pilton hills last night but the rain was due to make an unwelcome return today.

More than half of the ticket-holders for the sold out event will have squelched their way to the site by tonight.

The first of the main acts take to the Pyramid Stage tomorrow.

This year’s event sees U2, Coldplay and Beyonce headline.

Early arrival James Street, 19, from Belfast, was caked in mud from head to toe after slipping in a puddle.

He said: “I’m drenched, obviously. But it’s great just to be here with my pals. Legendary place, legendary line-up.

“We’re not interested in the headliners – there’s so much more to see.”

The weather is set to get drier again this afternoon before the wet weather returns into Friday.

This year’s event see the arrival of a new medieval bullring – Campo Pequeno.

Among a host of theatrical events at the site will be Glastonbury’s own version of La Tomatina.

Other new elements for this year include The Spirit of 71 stage, with acts that played at the festival 40 years ago.

Beyonce, who fell in love with the Somerset festival after watching husband Jay-Z perform three years ago, is believed to have cleared her diary to party in Pilton over three days.

Rapper Jay-Z is even money with bookmakers Ladbrokes to join his wife on stage this Sunday.