Organisers are hailing the V2002 festivals in Staffordshire and Essex a success after warm weather greeted sets by Manic Street Preachers, Chemical Brothers and Stereophonics.

Some 180,000 people attended the two-day event, held at two sites - Weston Park, Staffordshire and Hylands Park, Chelmsford.

Fans adapted themselves to the conditions

Stereophonics, Primal Scream, Doves and Beverley Knight were among the bands playing at Weston Park on Saturday, moving onto the Essex venue on Sunday.

Manic Street Preachers, Chemical Brothers, Badly Drawn Boy, Alanis Morrissette and Supergrass played at Chelmsford on Saturday, before heading north on Sunday.

Temperatures hit 30C at Hylands Park - in contrast to 2001's event, which saw the site become a mudbath thanks to heavy rain. On-site medical services dealt with 800 people, many suffering from sunstroke.

However, conditions at both venues were cooler on Sunday.

Supergrass singer Gaz Coombes enjoys himself

Police at the Staffordshire site seized 2.4kg of cannabis, cautioning 325 people - including DJing duo Weekend Players, who were stopped and searched entering the venue, although they were allowed to continue with their set on Saturday.

A further 263 ecstasy tablets were seized along with 64g of amphetamines and 7.8g of cocaine. 29 people were arrested - seven more than at the Essex venue.

Festival spokesman Andy Redhead said: "The police presence in stopping and searching for drugs increased by 50% this year.

Counting Crows singer Adam Duritz at Chelmsford

"We have worked closely with police over the last 10 months and we are very pleased with the way things have gone."

Big Brother 3 housemates Spencer Smith and PJ Ellis made their DJing debuts on the Essex stage on Sunday, while Starsailor singer James Walsh took a swipe at Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher, who had attacked the band in a magazine interview.

He said: "It's nice to be good but it would be good if you were nice."

Pop trio Sugababes celebrated their second number one, Round Round, with champagne while Canadian band Nickelback amused organisers with their backstage demands.

Life after Big Brother for PJ and Spencer

They wanted to spend the afternoon playing golf before their performance on the main stage.

But former Soft Cell frontman Marc Almond wanted two dressing rooms, wanted only cornflakes for dinner and would only wipe his hands on red towels, organisers said.