V Festival gates open: See PICTURES and VIDEO as thousands arrive at a damp Weston Park
Thousands of revellers have arrived at the V Festival at Weston Park despite the damp weather.
There has been congestion throughout the morning on the A5 and the A41 near to the festival site - which opened to crowds this morning.
A police motorcyclist was involved in a crash with a Fiat 500 car at 9am on Watling Street near to Weston Park. Non of the passengers or the officer were seriously injured - but it did cause congestion in the area.
There was also a crash between Junction 10 and Junction 10a of the M6 near to the M54 at about 3.20pm which closed two lanes on the busy route to the festival.
Highways England West Midlands confirmed around 9.30am that a car had broken down on the southbound carriageway between Junctions 12 for Gailey and 13 for Stafford.
The incident has closed two lanes of traffic while two remain open.
A spokesman for the motorway authority said traffic was busy but moving while the vehicle was being recovered.
Festival-goers were being warned to ignore sat-nav instructions on how to reach the site.
They should instead follow yellow signs that have been set up on roads including the A41 and M54.
About 100,000 revellers are expected to attend the popular festival, including campers and day visitors.
West Midlands Ambulance Service today said it will work with St John Ambulance Service to ensure medical services are available in order to make it one of the safest festivals in the country.
Last year, more than 1,000 patients were treated for a variety of injuries, 36 of whom required hospital treatment.
In total there will be about 200 staff and volunteers working throughout the weekend.
A command and control centre will be set up on site, staffed by call takers and dispatchers who will co-ordinate ambulances and medical staff who will be stationed within the park.
Self-contained medical centres staffed by doctors, nurses and staff from St John Ambulance will also be on site and are fully equipped to deal with all types of injuries, helping festival-goers to avoid any unnecessary trips to A&E and continue on with their fun at the festival.
Alongside their ambulances, WMAS will deploy a number of 4×4 vehicles which will help staff gain access to people who may become injured in any difficult locations during the event.
The weather is expected to be wet, which leads to the danger of falls.
The ground on the site is currently dry, but rain combined with thousands of feet are likely to turn some areas muddy.
As well as the weather, there are a number of other factors WMAS is urging all festival-goers to take into account.
Steve Wheaton, assistant chief ambulance officer, said: "First and foremost we want everyone to have a great time and enjoy the music safely.
"In order to do so, it is important to look after each other, make sure you stick together and that you know where your friends are at all times.
"Also, if you are just attending for the day, make sure you have planned your journey home beforehand and only use licensed taxis if that is the option you go for.
"It is also important to pace yourself to make sure you can remember what a good time you had when you wake up in the morning. Too often we see examples of people overdoing it on the first night and sadly having to go home early.
"Have a drink by all means, but make sure you keep yourself hydrated, and whilst doing so, why not keep an eye on your friends as well?
"It is also really important to bring any medication with you that need, and enough of it.
"After all, we want you to spend your weekend in the music tent, not in the medical tent."
