Washed out Reading festivalgoers head home after weekend of thick mud, storms & ‘earwig infestation’ as clean-up begins

READING Festival revellers didn’t let a weekend washout of heavy rain and thunderstorms dampen their party spirits. Festival-goers were pictured making their way home today, clutching their belongings and lugging bags through the sodden site. Reading Festival fans leave for home Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Sodden revellers leave the campsite after a weekend of partying Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Punters appeared drenched as they dodged puddles and picked their way through thick, churned-up mud after days of heavy rain. Some were seen struggling through the boggy terrain with bags slung over their shoulders. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Others battled to keep their belongings off the wet ground as they made their way towards the exits. The scenes come after thousands descended on Reading for a bumper Bank Holiday weekend of live music, only to be hit by miserable weather. Revellers leaving the site struggling through the boggy terrain Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Tents are left by revellers who want a quick exit from the site without the baggage of their tents Credit: Chris Gorman / Big Ladder Heavy showers repeatedly battered the festival site throughout the weekend Credit: Freja Millie Festivalgoers frolicking in the rain during the Reading Festival at Little John’s Farm Credit: PA The festival officially wrapped up last night after three days of performances from some of music’s biggest names. But for many exhausted revellers, the final challenge was getting themselves and their soaked belongings home. Heavy showers repeatedly battered the festival site throughout the weekend, leaving parts of the ground waterlogged. Fans were warned to prepare for more torrential downpours and thunderstorms after the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning. Most read in The Sun The warning brought the threat of flooding, travel disruption, hail and lightning across parts of the country. Forecasters said some areas could see between 5mm and 25mm of rain in just an hour during the heaviest downpours. And the miserable conditions meant festival-goers were forced to rely on wellies, waterproofs and plastic ponchos to survive the soggy weekend. Though it wasn’t just the weather revellers were fighting, a suspected invasion of beetle-like earwigs at the Reading site had worried parents up in arms. Reading Festival fans leave the site early and walk back along the muddy fields and Thames Path Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Festival goers shelter from the rain in plastic ponchos Credit: PA Ravers enjoy a mud bath at Reading Festival Credit: PA Spirits weren’t dampened despite the miserable conditions Credit: PA One mum who’d packed her kid off there wrote on the festival’s community Facebook page: “Daughter had earwig infestation in her tent last night, had to empty the tent early hours. Anywhere onsite sell bug killer they can get?” Another added: “My son has messaged to say his tent is infested with woodlice and earwigs everywhere . . . any ideas what he can do?” Despite the weather – and the beetle-like earwigs – crowds still packed in to watch a huge line-up across the festival’s stages. Florence + The Machine headlined the final night, while Chase & Status also performed for thousands of fans. Loyle Carner and Irish rap group Kneecap were among the other acts taking to the stage on Sunday. And there was a surprise appearance from Lola Young, who thrilled fans with an unexpected set at the Grid Stage. Young teased her appearance online before performing hits including her number one single Messy and One Thing. Her return to the festival marked another major step in the singer’s comeback after she cancelled a string of shows last year. She had previously pulled out of Reading in 2025 because of an “unavoidable scheduling conflict”. Young later collapsed on stage during a performance in New York before cancelling her shows for the foreseeable future. She has since returned to the stage with a small run of UK performances and released her reflective single From Down Here in May. Meanwhile, Charli XCX brought her latest era to Reading with an electrifying performance following the release of her new music. The festival’s sister event in Leeds also wrapped up on Sunday, with performances from Raye and rapper Dave. But as the music finally fell silent, attention turned to the mammoth task of getting thousands of muddy and rain-soaked revellers home. And today’s scenes showed just how much of a soaking festival-goers had endured over the Bank Holiday weekend. Comment now