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MESS AT THE FESTS

Music fans will abandon more than one MILLION tents and 600,000 pairs of wellies in festival fields this summer

Music fans are also expected to abandon over half a million pairs of wellies and enough clothing to fill 10,000 wardrobes

MUSIC fans will abandon more than one million tents in festival fields this summer, a survey says.

They will also leave behind more than 700,000 plate and cutlery sets, 600,000 pairs of wellies and enough clothing for 10,000 wardrobes.

 According to the survey, a quarter of people will leave toiletries and a fifth will food behind
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According to the survey, a quarter of people will leave toiletries and a fifth will food behindCredit: Apex Photo Agency Ltd

Half the five million fans going to festivals this year will dump at least one item, the poll suggests.

Twenty-three per cent will leave toiletries, 22 per cent tents, 20 per cent food and 12 per cent wellies.

Eleven per cent will forget hats and ten per cent phones.

 The survey also found that most gig-goers will only see one outdoor show a year
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The survey also found that most gig-goers will only see one outdoor show a yearCredit: Getty Images
 Approximately 137,000 music fans will flock to Worthy Farm, Somerset this month
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Approximately 137,000 music fans will flock to Worthy Farm, Somerset this monthCredit: Reuters

One in five will abandon £200 to £500 of items. The average value is £54, the survey of 18 to 30-year-olds by homeware store Wilko found.

Wilko’s Jodie Glew said: “The volume of items left behind is staggering. There’s a growing trend for people to take items to festivals not intending to bring them back.”

 It cost a total of £780,000 to clean up Worthy Farm after last year's festival
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It cost a total of £780,000 to clean up Worthy Farm after last year's festivalCredit: PA:Press Association

The typical gig-goer sees one outdoor show a year, the store also found. A quarter attend between two and six, with Glastonbury most popular.

Organisers of the festival, which starts on Wednesday, are urging fans to take belongings home after the clearing-up bill hit £780,000 last year.

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