Shropshire Star

Major clean-up at Weston Park as 85,000 leave V Festival site

A major clean-up operation was swinging into action today as more than 85,000 revellers made their way home from V Festival at Weston Park.

Published
Time to go home – festival-goers leave Weston Park

Ambulance staff and medical volunteers treated 1,385 people during the weekend festival.

Fans had partied hard throughout the weekend, lapping up sets by headliners like Beyonce and Kings of Leon and dancing to support acts like Jessie J and Calvin Harris.

On-site ambulance crews were called out 279 times, and 30 people were taken to hospital.

Today roads were busy around the V Festival site and teams of workers were clearing the site of debris and discarded tents.

V Festival in pictures:

  • Bands - day one

  • Bands - day two

  • The fans

Police and ambulance services were busy throughout the weekend, though they reported no major incidents.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "This year, many of the patients were treated for medical issues and many already had pre-existing medical conditions.

"With thousands of people all in one place, it's always expected that some people will fall ill and require medical help."

The medical cover was provided by almost a team of almost 300 staff and volunteers from West Midlands Ambulance Service, Venture Event Medical Management and the St John Ambulance.

Officers were also breathalysing people suspected of drink or drug driving, to make sure local roads were safe.

The weather stayed clear for most of the weekend, with long periods of sunshine yesterday.

One band was fortunate to make it onto the stage – after previously headlining the event. Travis, who topped V's millennium festival in 2000, had to borrow equipment from other bands after theirs was stranded in Madrid.

The band had played a show in Spain on Friday and had expected its kit to be flown back to Britain. But a mix-up meant it was stranded and they arrived back in the UK without guitars, bass, drums or amps.

Singer Fran Healy said: "It was touch and go. We made it back from Madrid but our kit didn't.

"We managed to borrow stuff from other bands, so we were all right."

Headliner Beyonce stole the show. She changed costume on numerous occasions and played a string of crowd-pleasing hits.

Roads were busy around the V Festival site last night, as weary festival-goers made their way home. There was also heavy traffic today as weekenders left the site.

The festival was launched in style on Saturday morning when the Red Devils performed an aerobatic display.

  • See the four-page special in today's Shropshire Star

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