Thousands apply for Big Weekend

Scouting for Girls will play on the main stage on Saturday 10 May

More than half a million people have registered for tickets to Radio One's Big Weekend event in Kent next month.

The deadline for people to register for tickets online for the music festival at Maidstone's Mote Park was 1000 BST.

Madonna will headline the event on 10 and 11 May, and the BBC radio station said the figure of 518,575 requests for tickets had broken records.

A decision will be made over the next few days as to who will get the 30,000 tickets available.

Madonna will be joined on the main stage by artists including Duffy, Usher, Robyn and The Fratellis.

Others set to top the bill over the weekend include The Kooks, Scouting for Girls and OneRepublic.

Across the two days and over four stages, music fans will enjoy more than 50 UK and international artists alongside DJs.