Organisers defend dance festival

As many as 50,000 people are thought to be attending the event

The organisers of the Global Gathering dance music festival in Warwickshire have responded to claims that it has taken too long to get into the event.

One festival-goer, Lizzie Allitt, said it took her four-and-a-half hours to access the site at Long Marston, near Stratford-on-Avon, on Friday evening.

She also complained that the camping area was waterlogged.

Organiser James Algate denied the site was boggy and added that 15 minutes was a normal time for entry.

Basement Jaxx

"This year it's been diabolical," Ms Allitt told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire.

"We queued for four-and-a-half hours to get through security to get our tickets.

The council wouldn't have allowed us to open unless they were happy we had the boxes ticked

James Algate

"We got in, the campsite was full. They said it wasn't flooded, it was flooded, it was boggy."

Mr Algate said: "Usually I would say 15 to 20 minutes for getting into the event - I don't know where those people were coming from... I think yesterday's (Friday) queues at a maximum were an hour.

"To be honest, for a festival of this size that's expected.

"Our festival team have worked incredibly hard to make this site both safe and (able to) accommodate the amount of people.

"The council wouldn't have allowed us to open unless they were happy we had the boxes ticked, so to speak."

Up to 50,000 people are believed to have attended the festival, which was headlined by Faithless and Basement Jaxx.