Extra Police Brought In To Help Isle Of Wight Revellers Get Home

Severe storms and flooding turned the outdoor venue on the island off the south coast of England into a mudbath, leaving thousands of attendees stranded in their vehicles as they made their way to the site.

After severe traffic jams, their journey suffered another setback when ferry operators cancelled boats to the island to prevent a dangerous build-up of crowds.

The sun eventually broke through on Friday (22Jun12) and Saturday (23Jun12), with acts including Pearl Jam, Elbow and Lana Del Rey thrilling the crowds.

Bruce Springsteen and Noel Gallagher will help close the festival on Sunday night, but organisers have warned that revellers returning to mainland Britain will face severe delays.

Fifty extra police officers have been brought in to help fans get off the site and attempt to remove their vehicles from the muddy car parks.

Chief Constable Alex Marshal from England's Hampshire Police says, "Due to the volume of traffic on the site, drivers should expect some delays and we would ask you to be patient and remain with your vehicles, as the organisers work to get you home.

"The unprecedented impact the rain had on the site brought with it a unique challenge in the festival's 11-year history and our officers... and staff worked hard alongside (organisers) Solo and our partner agencies to tackle the situation as quickly as possible."