Glastonbury welcomes music fans

Up to 150,000 music fans are expected at the festival

Hundreds of people have arrived at the Glastonbury Festival after the gates opened to revellers on Wednesday.

Organisers say 300 people were waiting at the gate to get in at 1000 BST, and others have arrived during the day.

About 150,000 people are expected at the three-day event - featuring headline acts Coldplay and Basement Jaxx - when it starts on Friday.

The weather is expected to be fine, with showers forecast only for Friday, according to the BBC weather centre.

A spokesman for the festival said revellers had started pitching their tents, the stalls were open, and organisers were continuing to set up the main stages.

A bronze cow sculpture hovered over Glastonbury's main stage

Festival organiser Michael Eavis said he has "never felt so good about the show".

This year's festival will offer a wealth of attractions, including circus, cabaret and theatre acts and film screenings.

The John Peel stage, named in memory of the late broadcaster who was a regular at the festival, will play host to a number of bands including former Suede stars The Tears and Maximo Park.

Dance act Basement Jaxx were revealed earlier this month as last-minute replacements for Australian pop star Kylie Minogue.

The 37-year-old was forced to cancel her first appearance at the event after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Mr Eavis, who founded the festival on his farm at Pilton in Somerset, said he was very pleased with the sale of tickets for the event earlier this year.

"I know a lot of people were upset they didn't get them but you can't get a quart of milk into a pint bottle," he said.

Coldplay are one of many acts at this year's festival

"In my opinion it did work a treat. We can't do better than that, really," he added.

In 2006 there will be no Glastonbury festival, which Mr Eavis says will be a chance "to stimulate the whole show".

The White Stripes will top the bill at the festival on Friday, while Coldplay will make their third Glastonbury appearance on Saturday.

Basement Jaxx will close the festival on Sunday with their performance on the Pyramid stage.