T in the Park: Thousands gather for music festival

Festival-goers usually come equiped for all possible weather conditions

Thousands of people have arrived in Perth and Kinross for Scotland's largest music festival, T in the Park.

This year's event takes place between 6 and 8 July and is expected to draw over 85,000 music fans to the Balado site.

Snow Patrol and Kasabian will join The Stones Roses as the main stage headliners.

About 30,000 campers arrived on Thursday night ahead of the first day, despite warnings of heavy rain.

The Met Office issued an amber warning for Tayside, Central and Fife on Thursday, the second highest alert.

The forecasters predicted scattered heavy showers or thunderstorms with the potential for some torrential downpours in places.

The festival organisers said that so far they had escaped the rain.

A spokeswoman said: "It's been sunny since the gates opened.

"The site is in good condition, for the last few days we've had weather and the site is so well maintained, so it is looking good."

But she warned campers to expect all the Scottish weather can throw at them: "It's so hard to know what to expect, pack as much as you can.

"The weather is dry today, the sun was out, but come prepared for all weathers."

Something different

Nicola Benedetti will perform on the main stage at the festival

Over the three days over 200 artists will be performing, but it is not just pop and rock stars appearing at the festival.

The classical world will also be represented. Ayrshire violinist Nicola Benedetti is to play on the main stage on Sunday.

During the festival, Balado's population expands so much that it would rank as Scotland's fifth largest city.

The increase in numbers requires an increase in policing.

Supt Rick Dunkerley, T in the Park's event commander said:

"With 30,000 people arriving on Thursday and capacity building to 85,000 within the arena throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the festival is not only one of the biggest and the best, but also one of the safest.

"In 2011, levels of crime were low and arrests down on the previous year.

"There was an increase in drugs seizures which highlighted that drugs, and indeed crime in general, will not be tolerated at T in the Park."

Be prepared

Supt Dunkerly also urged festival-goers to plan ahead.

He said: "For those coming to the event be prepared.

"That doesn't just mean being equipped for all weathers and other eventualities.

"It also means taking time to suss out your route to the event and also finding your bearings when you get there."