'Isle Of Wight Festival' Kicks Off Despite Rainfall Of Biblical Proportions

Festival-goers were forced to sleep in cars on gridlocked roads and in anchored boats too cautious to brave the vicious waters last night, as the Isle Of Wight Festival almost had to end before it had even gotten underway.

The torrential rain that has so far blighted the summer came to a peak yesterday, causing chaos for those travelling to the music festival. An estimated 55,000 people travelling to the event were confronted with seven-mile queues of traffic, fields that had been turned to mud baths, and suspended ferry services that left hundreds stranded at bay.

Yet, the show must go on! So despite the festival tundra resembling so many Glastonbury's and IoW Festivals before it, artists such as Tom Petty, Elbow, Lana Del Ray, Noah and the Whale and Example all took to the stage to perform for the sodden crowds.

However, with more rain expected for tonight, things don't look as though they'll be getting any easier as the festival goes on. In response to the catastrophic handling of things so far, organisers have offered frustrated festival-goers refunds for tickets costing up to £190, although these tickets were trading on eBay yesterday for as little as £38.

Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Noel Gallagher, Biffy Clyro, Madness, Jessie J and Band of Skulls are among the other artists due to perform over the rain plagued weekend.