Glastonbury 2023: festival officially begins amid torrential downpours

Wet weather forecast to ease by Friday, when there is doubt over whether headliners Arctic Monkeys will perform

The UK's biggest festival has officially begun with the founder greeting attendees at the gates amid a burst of torrential rain. At this year's Glastonbury festival, held on Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, the headliners Arctic Monkeys, Elton John and Guns N' Roses will perform on the Pyramid stage. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend.

Welcome to Glastonbury," the co-organiser Emily Eavis said, addressing thousands of queuing festivalgoers.