A major clean up operation was under way at Weston Park today with revellers from this year’s V Festival leaving behind deckchairs, beer and even house keys.

A team of 500 volunteers from Rotary, Lions, Masons clubs and South Staffordshire Council moved onto the site last night and were also spending today there gathering up the tents, which will be sent to charities including International Aid.

There is also a team of 300 litter pickers who are getting rid of rubbish. The tent gathering operation is being organised by the Rotary Club of Brewood & District.

Mike Hampson, from the club, said today: “We estimate that there are around 3,000 tents that we will be able to collect and send overseas. The arena is looking a lot better this year than last time because the weather was good.

“There has been all sorts of things left behind. We have found deckchairs, sleeping bags and even camp beds that are in perfectly good order. There has been various amounts of alcohol found and different sizes and colours of wellies. We have also found a set of house keys.”

The tents and equipment are being sent up to International Aid’s headquarters in Preston where they will be cleaned and sorted .

Around 85,000 people attended the V Festival over the weekend to see bands such as Oasis, The Killers and The Specials. Police said today the number of crimes committed at the music event which ran on Saturday and Sunday increased by a third compared to last year.

Staffordshire Police said 60 people were arrested, mainly for theft and drug-related offences, which is down from 74 last year. But recorded crime increased from 139 last year to 187, the majority of which were thefts.

A total of 1,097 people needed medical treatment.

Meanwhile tickets went on sale today for next year’s V Festival at this year’s price for one week. Weston Park is due to reopen to the public on Thursday.