Police battle Glastonbury thieves

Tent city... but lots of opportunities for thieves

Police at this year's Glastonbury Festival are to use hi-tech fake tents to help trap thieves.

Last year's event was blighted by 1,379 thefts from tents, and the Avon and Somerset force is planning to hit back with "rat trap" tents which it says will be under constant surveillance from the latest monitoring equipment.

Police advice

Leave valuables including credit cards at home

Pitch tents in small groups with entrances facing inward and guy ropes interlinked so there is only one way in and out

Post code all property and use 24-hour free lock-ups

Detective Inspector Gary Davies said: "In the past we've dealt with cases where people have set up their tents and within hours have returned to find everything gone.

"Nobody can tell the difference between these tents and any other and we are hoping this initiative will act as a strong deterrent."

The force has also teamed up with BBC Radio 1 to issue 30,000 free tent and property marking kits.

All quiet, but a spot of rain on Wednesday afternoon

A temporary police station has been set up at Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset, for the festival, which starts on Friday and runs through to Sunday.

Despite rain on the site this week - and current predictions of sunshine and showers - organisers are confident the muddy conditions seen in 1997 and 1998 will not be repeated.

"A lot of extra drainage has been put on the site and hopefully we won't experience the same problems of two and three years ago," a spokesman said.

Over 100,000 people are expected to arrive at Michael Eavis' dairy farm by Friday. Headline acts include David Bowie, Travis and Chemical Brothers.