Jubilant festivalgoers at Glastonbury have been warned of skin-to-skin contact and the hazard of monkeypox by well being chiefs because the music occasion returns for the primary time in three years after Covid delays.
To the dismay of many festival-goers, showers and thunderstorms are predicted from Friday onwards, and the occasion coincides with three days of deliberate main rail strikes over rail employees’ pay, resulting in journey disruption for individuals making their method to Worthy Farm.
The UK Well being and Safety Company (UKHSA) has now urged the 20,000 people who find themselves set to descend on Worthy Farm in Somerset for the five-day-long competition to be aware of the illness as case numbers within the UK proceed to rise.
To this point 793 individuals within the UK have examined constructive for the virus, with the overwhelming majority of those instances being present in England, and in homosexual and bisexual males.
Earlier this month the World Well being Organisation (WHO) warned that festivals in Europe this summer season might act as tremendous spreading occasions for the illness.
1000’s of individuals queued on the entrance to the farm yesterday morning, keen to start out 5 days of partying and able to get pleasure from a star-studded line-up of music acts together with headliners Billie Eilish, Sir Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar.
And the primary day noticed crowds bathed in wonderful sunshine, because the British summer season welcomed revellers again to Somerset for the primary time since 2019.
Folks each younger and outdated and from all elements of the UK – and a few even from overseas – descended on the farm close to Shepton Mallet, powering by the continuing nationwide rail strike that has paralysed practice networks throughout the nation.
Wearing brightly colored garments and having fun with the competition ambiance, those that acquired there early confirmed no indicators of letting the strike smash their good temper.
The competition’s foremost stage is not going to open till Friday, with headliner Billie Eilish set for the enduring Pyramid Stage adopted by Sir Paul McCartney on Saturday and rapper Kendrick Lamar bringing the occasion to a detailed on Sunday.
Nonetheless, DJs and reside music is deliberate from at the moment for keen followers who’ve arrived on the website early – as greater than 200,000 individuals are anticipated to descend at Glastonbury over the following two days.
A pair embrace within the sundown at Worthy Farm in Somerset yesterday as the primary day of Glastonbury Competition 2022 acquired underway
Competition goers, wearing appropriate clothes for the fantastic sunshine, stroll by the camp as they give the impression of being to soak within the ambiance
Tons of of individuals gathered to sit down on one of many hills on the competition as they made the a lot of the sunshine earlier than forecasted rain later this weekend
Festivalgoers benefit from the Nice Western Railway community to move to Glastonbury Competition at Worthy Farm
Festivalgoers close to the competition signal on day considered one of Glastonbury Competition at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 22
On the first Glastonbury since 2019, Ed proposes to his girlfriend Chelsea because the solar begins to set on the primary day of the competition
Revellers watch the solar go down on the primary official day of Glastonbury Competition at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 22
1000’s of individuals arrived on the competition yesterday, with greater than 20,000 individuals anticipated to attend the five-day-long extravaganza
The Pyramid stage, which can host the likes of Sir Paul McCartney and Billie Eilish over the weekend, looms within the distance amid a sea of tents
Festivalgoers collect round Pleasure-themed paintings at Worthy Farm on the primary day of the primary Glastonbury Competition since 2019
Festivalgoers wasted no time establishing their tents within the huge campsite, which is predicted to host round 20,000 individuals all through the weekend
Teams of mates from everywhere in the UK have come to the competition, powering by the nationwide rail strike which has brought about journey chaos
However these in attendance have been warned to get pleasure from themselves responsibly and be aware of the rising variety of monkeypox instances within the UK.
A spokesperson for the UKHSA mentioned: ‘Competition-goers must also bear in mind that there’s at present transmission of monkeypox within the UK.
‘The an infection primarily spreads between individuals by direct (pores and skin to pores and skin) contact, together with sexual contact, or shut contact with surfaces which were contaminated with the monkeypox virus.
‘If in case you have a rash with blisters, or some other monkeypox signs, do not go to occasions, meet with mates, or have sexual contact. As a substitute, keep at dwelling and speak to 111 or your native sexual well being service for recommendation.
‘If in case you have been suggested to self-isolate, please proceed to take action and you shouldn’t attend the competition with out prior clearance from the related well being authority.’
Dr Hans Henri Kluge, WHO Europe regional director, mentioned earlier this month that the resumption of worldwide journey and occasions resembling festivals had allowed illness to unfold.
‘Fast, amplified transmission has occurred within the context of the current lifting of pandemic restrictions on worldwide journey and occasions,’ he mentioned.
He added the present outbreak was the ‘largest and most geographically widespread’ ever reported, with Europe at its ‘epicentre’.
‘Many – however not all instances – report fleeting and/or a number of sexual companions, typically related to giant occasions or events,’ he added.
The fantastic sunshine was welcomed by festivalgoers who might need been anticipating the traditional British summer season climate of torrential rain. This girl raises her shirt as she will get sprayed with water by a competition employee to chill down
Folks each younger and outdated have come to the competition. This younger boy sits on a girl’s shoulders on the primary day of this 12 months’s occasion
The traditional sight of individuals in fancy-dress has additionally returned for this 12 months’s competition, with this man dressed a zebra and carrying a toy giraffe
This couple additionally got here in fancy costume, sensibly protecting their heads from the worst of the solar with their mushroom-style hats
Festivalgoers collect spherical a campfire because the solar goes down over Somerset on the primary day of this 12 months’s Glastonbury Competition
This group of feminine festivalgoers gave the impression to be having a blast because the solar went down on the primary day of Glastonbury yesterday
Festivalgoers have already been queuing in visitors since daybreak for the primary day of Glastonbury after the chaotic rail strike compelled many to camp in a single day on the four-day Somerset competition.
Organisers informed followers they may start parking on the website from 4pm on Tuesday after trains and Tube providers had been disrupted for a second day operating – forcing revellers to get to Worthy Farm early to beat the frenzy.
The founding father of the Somerset competition Michael Eavis was pictured formally opening the gate to Glastonbury this morning marking the official begin of the four-day music spectacular.
The competition is returning for its fiftieth anniversary after a three-year hiatus as a consequence of Covid-19.
Eavis and his daughter Emily had been stood at one of many competition’s many entry factors and clapped as the primary attendees entered the positioning.
Eavis, 86, informed these coming into the gates: ‘That is going to be the perfect present on the town. Wait and see. You higher imagine it.’
Large crowds of revellers had been pictured sitting on tenting chairs by metallic railings as they secured their spot in line to the doorway of the competition.
Armed with tenting gear and funky containers, excited followers waited patiently as they queued to get in to the UK’s most-anticipated music occasion of the 12 months as they had been met with wonderful 19C (66F) sunshine – a nice change from the same old rain that marks the beginning of the muddy competition.
Festivalgoers have defied the nationwide rail strikes crippling the UK’s transport system and threats of tenting in torrential rain to make it to Glastonbury’s Worthy Farm for the primary time since earlier than Covid (pictured arriving on Wednesday)
This 12 months’s Glastonbury competition is the primary since summer season 2019, and revellers are able to benefit from the star-studded line-up of music acts together with headliners Billie Eilish, Sir Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar over the course of the weekend. A reveller is pictured coming into Glastonbury at the moment
Each excessive climate threats and militant rail strikes happening this week has not stopped the revellers from beginning their five-day competition weekend with a cheer. Pictured is a festivalgoer taking a selfie inside her tent on Wednesday
Folks from all ages and elements of Britain made the journey all the way down to Worthy Farm for Glastonbury competition, which begins at the moment and ends on Sunday evening, full with their vibrant garments and able to benefit from the celebration (pictured at the moment)
Forecasters have put a yellow warning in place between 10am and 11.59pm with torrential downpours anticipated from Sheffield all the way down to Somerset, the place Glastonbury (pictured at the moment) is held
Armed with tenting gear and funky containers, excited followers waited patiently as they queued to get in to the UK’s most-anticipated music occasion of the 12 months
Motorists had been pictured arriving early on the music extravaganza to beat the frenzy at the moment amid ongoing rail strikes
The founding father of the Somerset competition Michael Eavis was pictured opening the gate to Glastonbury this morning marking the official begin of the four-day music spectacular
A girl with pink hair extensions and matching hued sun shades was pictured queuing for entry on the primary day of the Glastonbury Competition at Worthy Farm in Somerset at the moment
Music followers Simon Lampard, (left) 82-year-old Pat Brooks (center) and Linda Brooks-Lampard (proper) arrive on the primary day of the Glastonbury Competition at Worthy Farm in Somerset
Regardless of, Glastonbury normally opening its parking amenities at 9pm the evening earlier than the primary day of the music extravaganza, bosses allowed the automotive parks to open yesterday afternoon – however this morning roads to the positioning had been gridlocked with visitors.
Emily Eavis has mentioned it’s an ‘wonderful feeling’ to see individuals returning to Glastonbury competition.
The music occasion has opened its gates this morning, signalling its return for the primary time in three years after it was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Talking to Lauren Laverne on 6 Music, she mentioned of the gates opening: ‘I imply, I am nonetheless recovering as a result of the construct up has simply been so lengthy, we have by no means had a construct up so long as this, clearly.
‘We have by no means all collectively been by such an excessive time collectively, so it is like, to really be capable to see individuals there and welcome them in and simply watch them streaming in and simply operating to pitch their tents up and fill the fields, it is simply a tremendous feeling.’
Talking in regards to the build-up to this 12 months’s occasion she informed BBC radio presenter Laverne that, as this 12 months celebrates the competition’s fiftieth anniversary, a few of the unique concepts for the 2020 competition are ‘nonetheless sort of enjoying out this 12 months after which we have melded all types of concepts into this one competition and we have had a lot time to sort of take into consideration this one and I believe each element, and sort of a part of the method has been devoured and savoured by everyone, as a result of it is so treasured.’
‘Everyone seems to be appreciating it so, a lot… everyone seems to be simply nonetheless beaming as a result of they’re so happy, everyone seems to be so happy to be again so it is a completely distinctive ambiance, I simply can’t wait to get everybody in right here.’
Shortly earlier than the gates opened, radio host Jo Whiley mentioned Glastonbury is the ‘final competition’ and that Sir Paul McCartney’s headlining slot on the Pyramid Stage on Saturday evening is a ‘very, crucial and important efficiency’.
The previous Beatle, 80, will change into the music competition’s oldest ever solo headliner when he takes to the stage this weekend.
Michael Eavis gestures subsequent to his daughter Emily, as he opens the gate for Glastonbury Competition at Worthy Farm in Somerset
Large crowds of revellers had been pictured sitting on tenting chairs by metallic railings as they secured their spot in line to the doorway of the competition
Festivalgoers arrive on the Glastonbury Competition in Pilton carrying their belongings in wheeled carts
Shortly earlier than the gates formally opened at 8am on Wednesday, tons of of Glastonbury attendees had already been queueing for hours with their luggage and a few mentioned they arrived on the website within the early hours of the morning.
Forward of the five-day occasion, meteorologist Tom Morgan from the Met Workplace informed the PA information company, this 12 months’s climate outlook guarantees to be ‘considered one of two halves’.
Temperatures might attain 27C on the 900-acre website – 9C larger than standard – within the lead-up to the world-famous occasion.
Nonetheless, the mud synonymous with Glastonbury continues to be set to make an look, with showers and thunderstorms predicted from Friday onwards.
To the dismay of many festival-goers the occasion coincides with three days of deliberate main rail strikes over rail employees’ pay, resulting in journey disruption for individuals making their method to Worthy Farm.
Simply 60% of trains will run throughout Wednesday, with walkouts deliberate for Thursday and Saturday.
This 12 months’s much-anticipated competition, operating from Wednesday to Sunday, will host enormous stars from Diana Ross and Sir Paul McCartney, to Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Olivia Rodrigo.
