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Page last updated at 15:52 GMT, Saturday, 11 July 2009 16:52 UK

Sun shines on T in the Park fans

Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga was one of the early acts on the main stage on Saturday

By Natalie Higgins
At T in the Park for BBC Scotland

Over 80,000 people have flocked to Balado for day two of T in the Park, Scotland's biggest music festival.

Early crowds at the main stage enjoyed sets from Dumfries-born Calvin Harris and US singer Lady Gaga.

The Kinross-shire event has so far been blessed with decent weather, although there are fears for Sunday.

Tayside Police welcomed the "positive atmosphere" as a spokesman said by midday on Saturday, 130 crimes had been reported and 42 arrests made.

Drug amnesty bins have been placed at the entrance to the campsites for people to dispose of any illegal substances without being excluded from the event or prosecuted.

Plainclothes officers and sniffer dogs were also due to attend the festival.

People at the festival
About 85,000 people are expected on each day of the festival

Neil McDonald, event commander for the Scottish Ambulance Service, said almost 700 people suffering mostly minor ailments had been treated by medical teams.

He said: "We are seeing the usual cases of asthma, hayfever, too much sun and a few minor injuries, but overall we have a good-natured crowd on site."

The headline acts on Saturday night were the Killers and Razorlight, as well as the Manic Street Preachers and Glasvegas. The festival reaches its climax on Sunday with performances from Snow Patrol and recently-reformed 90s favourites Blur.

Rob Dalton, who is attending the event with his wife and five children, said: "I'm looking forward to seeing the Specials again - I saw them about 25 years ago.

"I'd like to see the Killers again as well, they were great here a couple of years ago so it will be interesting to see if they've moved on."

The T in the Park festival is a fixture for his family, he said.

"This is the sixth or seventh year. The kids like it - it's good fun and a safe environment for them, and generally the weather's great. It's a good experience for them to see music and to be somewhere safe and have a good time.

"It's such a welcoming atmosphere at T in the Park, it always is. And they see some unusual sights, but it helps them grow up a bit."

Peter Rutherford, 47, travelled from his home in Zurich to attend the festival with his 18-year-old son.

He said the atmosphere at T in the Park differed greatly from his experience of other UK festivals.

People camping
About 20,000 people arrived at the campsite on Thursday

"The people are so friendly, that's what makes the difference really. If people push you they say sorry, if people stand on your toe they say excuse me, and you have a laugh together."

Sharing musical tastes with his son was making it easy to decide which acts to see, he said.

"He's discovered the stuff I enjoy and I've discovered the stuff he enjoys - so now when we're dancing around to the punk stuff and the ska stuff it takes me back to when I was his age."

Derek Reid, from Glasgow, said being at the festival with four friends was like "a summer holiday".

"We've been coming up for years and years. "We felt a wee bit rough this morning when we woke up after last night but other than that we're fine and dandy.

"I couldn't even begin to imagine what time we got to bed - the small hours of the morning, daylight was breaking."

Flexibility was the key to their festival philosophy, he said.

"No team meetings or anything, just go with whatever happens."



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SEE ALSO
T time for music fans at festival
10 Jul 09 |  Tayside and Central
T in the Park fans do fancy dress
10 Jul 09 |  Music
T in the Park safety advice given
07 Jul 09 |  Tayside and Central
T-goers monitored by night vision
02 Jul 09 |  Tayside and Central
New acts introduced to T festival
24 Jun 09 |  Tayside and Central
Pair jailed for festival stabbing
16 Jun 09 |  Tayside and Central
Lily added to T in the Park bill
24 Feb 09 |  Tayside and Central
The Killers head to T in the Park
18 Feb 09 |  Tayside and Central

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