THOUSANDS of people who attended Basingstoke Live yesterday ended up covered in mud as the festival site turned into a quagmire.

With the ground already wet from unseasonal heavy rain, the grass at War Memorial Park was churned up from vehicles and people walking on it.

Cars trying to leave the site became stuck in the deep mud, and pushchairs were abandoned by parents unable to negotiate their way through the mess.

Despite the dire state of the park last night, the festival is still going ahead today, with From the Jam headlining on the main stage at 6pm. See Thursday’s Gazette for a full report and pictures on the weekend event.