Music fans brave the rain to watch a performance
© AFP Carl De SouzaGLASTONBURY, England (AFP) - Heavy downpours have turned the Worthy Farm site into an ankle-deep sticky sludge-fest, leaving revellers struggling to walk through the bog swamping the main pathways.
Dairy farmer-cum-festival supremo Michael Eavis spent 750,000 pounds (1.1 million euros, 1.5 million dollars) installing flood defences to prevent a repeat of 2005, when 300 tents were simply washed away.
"It's been a fantastic weekend," said the bearded 71-year-old.
"It's gone very, very well, in spite of the rain and mud. The drains have actually worked. If they hadn't done I don't know where we'd be.
"It's a pity about the rain, but it does seem to be a regular feature of the English summer. Glastonbury compensates for it and cheers us all up."
He said there were no plans to expand the festival, which already covers 800 acres (320 hectares) of rolling Somerset countryside in south-west England.
The event started with 1,500 people in 1970 and has its roots in hippiedom. This year's Glastonbury was the biggest ever, with an extra 27,500 tickets sold, swelling the crowds to 177,500 people.
Music fans watch a performance
© AFP Carl De SouzaEavis said the festival date was guided by the summer solstice.
"Statistically, there's not one weekend with better weather than another," he explained.
"We're the first on the European festival circuit so the American bands that play here go on and chase around Europe. If we move our dates then everyone in Europe is in total disarray."
Few among the crowd have avoided being plastered in mud, and very few will have managed to bag one of the handful of solar-powered hot showers on site since the gates opened Wednesday.
Police announced that a 26-year-old man had died in hospital Saturday after a suspected drug overdose.
Some 1,820 people sought out medical help, mainly for cuts and bruises after slipping over.
There were 237 reported crimes by Sunday, 41 thefts from tents, with 160 people arrested, mostly for drugs-related offences.
"Overall, I'm pleased to say crime is down, which goes to show that Glastonbury is a safe event," said Avon and Somerset Police Sergeant Hardy Husain.
He said it was the first time that police had used body-worn cameras at any event in Britain, but did not have statistics on their effectiveness.
Lead singer Brandon Flowers of The Killers performs on stage
© AFP Carl De Souza Detectives deployed spy tents with mini cameras in an attempt to catch thieves pinching valuables. Husain could not tell AFP how successful they had been for operational reasons, but said he planned to use them at the next Glastonbury.
British hard rock godfathers The Who have never played the festival in its 37-year history but nonetheless top the bill. They formed in 1964 and are known for hits such as "My Generation".
The main Pyramid Stage line-up includes The Who, Kaiser Chiefs, Manic Street Preachers, Shirley Bassey, James Morrison, Marley Brothers (Bob Marley's sons) and The Waterboys.
On the second Other Stage, Chemical Brothers, The View, The Go! Team, Mika, The Rakes, Cold War Kids and Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly were to perform.
Elsewhere, The Gossip, KT Tunstall, Corinne Bailey Rae, DJ Carl Cox and The Bootleg Beatles were set to play.
The Who have a tough act to follow after US rockers The Killers received a rapturous reception Saturday with a blaze of light and fireworks accompanying hits such as show-stopper "All These Things That I've Done".
Saturday's other top draws included Iggy and the Stooges, The Editors, The Kooks, Paul Weller and Maximo Park.
Friday's opening-day highlights included Arctic Monkeys, Bjork, Kasabian and Arcade Fire.
There has been one complaint from the public about the festival noise.
©AFP