Beyonce debut closes Glastonbury

26 June 2011 Last updated at 23:57 GMT Beyonce performs Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)

US singer Beyonce made her debut at Glastonbury, bringing the three-day festival to a close.

She headlined the main Pyramid Stage, making her one of a handful of women to do so over the past 40 years.

Beyonce played all her biggest hits and a medley of Destiny's Child songs and got a great reception from the crowd.

The 29-year-old opened her set with Crazy In Love and afterwards told the audience: "I want you all to know right now you're witnessing my dream."

"I always wanted to be a rock star and tonight we are all rock stars," she added.

But there was no appearance on stage from her husband Jay-Z, who headlined Glastonbury in 2008.

The couple were spotted watching Coldplay perform on Saturday and there were rumours Jay-Z may join her on stage.

It is believed Beyonce has spent the last three weeks in the UK, at a rehearsal studio in London. She is supported on stage by backing singers The Mamas.

Beyonce told the crowd she would never forget the night

Beyonce arrived on stage to a burst of fireworks and her first words to the crowd were: "Glastonbury, are you ready?"

Her 90-minute set included all her signature songs, including Single Ladies, Independent Women, Halo and If I Was A Boy.

But she also paid homage to several other artists, with her own versions of Alanis Morissette's You Oughta Know, the Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams and Kings of Leon's Sex On Fire.

She was joined on stage by Bristolian artist Tricky for Baby Boy.

Many fans gave rave reviews of Beyonce's performance.

"The best performance she has ever done in her life, she is my idol," Lucy Horton from Bath told the BBC.

Pete Andrew, from Devon, watched the last 20 minutes of the gig having watched US rock band Queens of the Stone Age on another stage.

"If it didn't clash with anything then we would have turned up to see it earlier," he said.

Beyonce was something of a controversial headline choice for some fans who think it's further indication that Glastonbury is becoming more mainstream.

But Mr Andrew countered: "If it's what people want to hear, then that's what should be on."

Jay Z's announcement as a headliner at a predominantly rock music festival two years ago, sparked a debate over rap music's place at Glastonbury - spearheaded by Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher.

Suzanne Vega, who was the first woman to headline at Glastonbury in 1989, headlined on the acoustic stage at the same time as Beyonce.

Elsewhere on the site, artists like Plan B, Paul Simon and Brit winner Laura Marling played to crowd basking in some hot sunshine.

After a wet start to the weekend, it's estimated temperatures reached up to 25C on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Christopher Shale, chairman of West Oxfordshire Conservative Association and a friend of David Cameron, was found dead at the festival on Worthy Farm, Somerset.

The 56-year-old was found in a portable toilet in one of the inter-stage hospitality areas.

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Mud greets Glastonbury arrivals

23 June 2011 Last updated at 12:12 GMT Torrential rain greeted the first people to reach Worthy Farm

Festivalgoers facing muddy conditions on the first day of Glastonbury have been warned to expect more heavy downpours over the next four days.

More than 137,000 people were due in total at the site at Worthy Farm, Pilton.

Police made 36 arrests for possession of drugs, theft and assault after the gates opened on Wednesday morning.

U2, Coldplay and Beyonce are the headline acts for the event, which sold out in four hours last October.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said the number of arrests made was higher than during the same time period last year but said reported crime had fallen from 50 to 41 cases this year. A quantity of drugs was seized.

Thirty of the arrests were for drug offences while the remainder were for assault, theft, and being drunk and disorderly.

Although some sunshine is forecast for Thursday, the mud is due to get worse with heavy showers expected on Friday.

BBC West's weatherman Ian Fergusson said festivalgoers could expect heavy downpours on Friday though the rain should ease up as the weekend progresses.

The best weather is expected on Sunday with temperatures expected to reach 22C, although conditions are predicted to be humid.

For the first year, a new route was being used by people travelling to the site by car, allowing drivers to be directed towards Wells on the A39 to try to avoid the traditionally-long queues on the A361 towards Pilton from Glastonbury.

Queues of traffic were reported for an hour earlier on the main festival routes, including the A303 at the Podimore Roundabout and the A37 at Pensford.

A Madame Tussauds waxwork of singer Beyonce was at London's Paddington Station as revellers boarded trains to the West Country.

Tomato fight

This year, about 15,000 of the revellers are thought to be more than 50 years old, according to insurance company, Saga.

Pat Rogers, 61, has been to every Glastonbury Festival.

He said: "There's so many things to see and do for all ages, my father who's 91 who doesn't go down there is very interested, he watches a bit on the telly, I don't think we're too old."

Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis said he thought this year's festival "moment" would be a tomato fight in his new "medieval bullring" Campo Pequeno, which has been made out of lockgates from canals in Somerset and Wiltshire.

Other new features this year include The Spirit Of '71 stage, featuring acts which played at one of the first Glastonbury festivals 40 years ago.

The festival features 60 official stages and there will be more than 2,200 performances, including speakers and poetry readings.

The site also has more than 3,200 toilets which will be serviced by a team of 300 during the event.

The annual festival will be taking a year off in 2012 to allow the dairy farm's land to rest.

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Green message to Glastonbury fans

15 June 2011 Last updated at 14:22 GMT Organisers have promised there will be enough toilet rolls to go round Free toilet roll will be provided for revellers at Glastonbury Festival in a bid to boost recycling rates.

More than 100,000 free recycled rolls will be handed out to drive up recycling rates from 49% last year to this year's target of 60%.

Glastonbury boss, Michael Eavis said: "There will be more than enough for everyone and more importantly it will be the right kind of loo roll."

He has teamed up with a manufacturer who will provide the free rolls.

Other plans have also been announced to make the festival more environmentally friendly.

People who cycle to the festival will have access to a special camping area and will also be offered discount vouchers at the food stalls.

A recycling barn will also be set up for festival goers to drop off cans, bottles and packaging. A team of 80 volunteers will sort and separate it out for recycling.

The festival runs from 23 to 26 June and coincides with Recycle Week 2011.

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