Glastonbury helps ticketless fans

A handful of tickets went missing during postal delivery

Music fans whose Glastonbury tickets went missing in the post have been assured they will be able to attend this weekend's festival.

Organiser Michael Eavis told BBC Radio One that the 70-80 people affected have been contacted, and will receive duplicate passes at the gates.

Royal Mail says it is carrying out an "urgent investigation" into how the £145 passes were misplaced.

The festival has now opened its doors, with the first act playing on Thursday.

Largest ever

London-based singer-songwriter Beans On Toast opens proceedings on the Left Field stage, which promotes political activism.

Action on the main stages does not get under way until Friday, with acts on the bill including the Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, CSS, Arcade Fire, The Who and Amy Winehouse.

It is the largest ever Glastonbury Festival, with 177,500 people expected to visit Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset.

Forecasters have warned revellers to pack their wellington boots, with rain expected before, during and after the event.

Sodden attendees will be given the option of leaving their wet tents behind so they can be dried out and reused in impoverished countries.

The Give Me Shelter project, launched by charity Global Hand, hopes more than 1,000 people will donate their camping equipment for countries such as Botswana and Sri Lanka.