Big Weston Park clear-up begins when the V Festival music stops
[gallery] This is the scene after tens of thousands of music fans partied the weekend away at the V Festival in front of international stars including Beyonce and the Kings of Leon.
Thousands of abandoned tents littered the grounds of Weston Park, on the county border yesterday, alongside discarded sleeping bags, camping chairs, clothes, food and drink cartons.
But organisers promise that when the gardens of the stately home reopen to the public on Thursday, visitors will not know that the last of the 95,000 revellers left the site just 48 hours before.
A team of 500 volunteers began to clear the site yesterday as campers made their way home. They will clear the site of rubbish and gather discarded tents and camping equipment to send to charities.
V festival organiser Dawn Woodhouse said: "In terms of litter, already in the main arena you would hardly know that anything had taken place. I believe we employ one of the best cleaning companies in the country who bring hundreds of staff and machines on site to clear up overnight.
"To see the clean-up operation is quite amazing. Hundreds of staff walk together in a line and walk across the fields. They leave nothing behind."
Meanwhile, fewer tents were left behind on Monday than in previous years.
Dawn said: "The weather was kinder this year so campers are more inclined to take them home. We always try and push the message that the best way to recycle your tent is to take it home and reuse it. Rotary clubs come and help clear up the camp sites and collect unwanted tents and donate them to charities and local organisations."
It is estimated that up to 5,000 tents will be donated to International Aid Trust for use anywhere in the world.
A spokesperson for International Aid Trust said: "We are most grateful for the equipment given to us. It is then sorted, cleaned and packed for distribution where there is a need. Much of this goes to children's summer camps in various parts of the world."
Weston Park is owned and maintained by the Weston Park Foundation. Colin Sweeney, its chief executive, said: "We were delighted with yet another fantastic V Festival. The clean-up operation is very speedy and the park recovers well. "
* The next event at Weston Park will be Midland Game Fair on the weekend of September 14 and 15.
See also: 10 per cent drop in crime at V Festival this year
