Thousands arrive at Glastonbury

About 150,000 people will be on site by Friday

Thousands of people have continued to pour in to the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, a day ahead of the festival's official opening.

Nearly 50,000 people were on site at organiser Michael Eavis' Worthy Farm by early on Thursday afternoon, a spokesman from Avon and Somerset Police told BBC News Online.

"The festival hasn't actually started yet, but you wouldn't know it because of the amount of people here already," he said.

By 0615 BST on Thursday there had been 17 arrests, mainly for drug or theft allegations but some over the alleged sale of forged tickets.

REM played two London club shows ahead of Glastonbury

One person was arrested for carrying a "bladed weapon".

Police are mounting a new campaign against ticket touts in the Pilton area, the village just outside the festival site in Wiltshire.

Touts had set up about six roadside stalls on the approach to the festival selling tickets for up to £250.

One alleged tout said he had received tickets free from an allocation to local villagers.

About 500 people have offered tickets for sale at face value on the Scarlet Mist website, designed to thwart the touts.

Police are warning people that official Glastonbury staff will be checking the validity of tickets at one site only.

If people are approached at any other point by persons wanting to check their tickets they should "be careful", as they could have their tickets stolen, the police spokesman said.

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Both police and Mr Eavis have warned people who do not have tickets to stay away from the festival.

On Thursday a handful of people tried to scale the fence, with some jumping straight into the security area.

Mr Eavis received an anonymous £250 postal order from someone who confessed to have entered illegally three years running.

More than 150,000 people - including artists and staff - will be on site when the festival starts on Friday, the day REM are due to headline on the main stage.

The festival's 112,000 tickets sold out in only 18 hours, a record for the festival.

The 25th Glastonbury will also feature Radiohead and dance star Moby.

Other acts appearing this year include the Manic Street Preachers, Supergrass, David Gray, The Flaming Lips, Morcheeba, Chemical Brothers and Super Furry Animals.