The hottest festival around

With music ranging from James Brown to Wagner, the Chemical Brothers to Paul McCartney, it draws an amazing variety of people - and fashions.

For some, the vast array of music is the main attraction, whereas to others it is the pure escapism. Vanity goes out of the window as business suits are exchanged for bright colours, unusual patterns and weird and wonderful designs.

Shoes are exchanged for bare feet, platforms, thigh-high boots or even stilts - and the most intoxicating part of it all is that no one bats an eyelid!

The Pilton-based festival, in the heart of England's West Country, is not exactly on our doorstep. However, bearing in mind that people from literally all over the world make this pilgrimage, it really must be appreciated that it is only a mere stone's throw from our beloved town.

The festival seemed a success from start to finish. Even the gloriously unpredictable English weather kept everyone on their toes, almost adding to the fun.

Most arrived during the peak time of Thursday afternoon/evening, although sensible veterans know that Wednesday is the day to turn up if you are going to have any chance of finding a decent spot to live on for the next few days.

A great sea of tents is the fantastic scene to hit you as you catch your first glimpse of Glastonbury - thousands of them.

And then come the masses of people. In the official "Glastonbury Daily" newspaper, it was said that, for the England versus Portugal game, it was the biggest gathering of fans anywhere in the world.

Friday was blissfully hot and relaxed. By early afternoon, all of the eight stages had kicked off with acts including Nellie Furtado, Badly Drawn Boy and, later on, Snow Patrol.

Top-quality acts clashed and choices had to be made carefully, but the highlight of the first day simply had to be Oasis. Ten years after their incredible debut appearance at Glastonbury, the Gallagher brothers were back and delighted the crowds with their unrelenting attitude and their rock 'n' roll performance, with a touching rendition of Hold On especially dedicated to the England football team.

Saturday and Sunday were again crammed with top acts from all walks of the music industry. As the rain came down and the wellies were dusted off, the mud became the new dancefloor and no one cared.

The Black-Eyed Peas gave a stomping performance, followed by that legend in his own lifetime, Sir Paul McCartney.

Meanwhile on the "Other" stage was an excellent show from Basement Jaxx. They attracted such a crowd that, despite the very chilly air, layers were peeling off from body heat!

And, of course, mention must be made of Joss Stone and Jamie Cullum, making sure that the jazz element of the festival was firmly in place.

James Brown, clad in bright red, still kept the funk alive on the Sunday as the end of the festivities started to loom.

But arguably one of the best performances of the weekend had to have come from Muse. The sheer volume and musical talent on the piano and guitar must have produced goosepimples on nearly every listener... it was a fantastic way to bring it all to a close.

There was just so much to see, hear and do that it is virtually impossible to do justice to this amazing festival - people had completely different experiences and chose from so many different genres.

But the beauty of it all is that it's not just about what acts were seen, who listened to whom, who played the best or who pulled the biggest crowd. It's simply about the Glastonbury experience - letting go in your own way, doing nothing or doing everything, browsing around the numerous stalls, seeing extraordinary shows or watching the fascinating people.

No wonder tickets are becoming virtually impossible to come by as, year after year, the news of the excitement and free-feeling that Glastonbury represents spreads further.

Next year, if you have an inkling of curiosity about this festival, don't give up until you've got that ticket - and, judging by the incredible range of ages that go, you're never too old to miss the boat.