These pictures show the scale of the clean-up operation facing organisers of festivals around the country.

Thousands of tents – many only used once – will now go to landfill because they can’t be re-used or given to charity.

These pictures show those that were left on the side of the River Thames at Reading Festival in Berkshire, but the pictures could be from any festival across the UK.

An estimated 60,000 tents were left behind by people at Reading Festival over the weekend (Picture: INS)

Rather than packing them up and taking them home, festival-goers have just dumped them by the side of the river (Picture: INS)

The cost of clearing away the detritus will come from ticket sales and festival organisers confirmed that most of the tents will be thrown away.


In some areas, huge heaps of already-dismantled £30 tents could be seen while an astonishing sea of litter, dumped drinks cans and cardboard food containers was just left across the huge site.



The operation to clear up the tons of rubbish leftover by festival goers is now in full swing.

Festival organisers have this advice: ‘When packing ready for the festival weekend, remember to pack wisely and only bring essential items, please do not bring any single use plastic (plastic bottles are allowed).

A huge operation will now take place to remove the tents and all the rubbish that was left behind (Picture: INS)

Most of the tents will now be thrown away because they can’t be recycled or given to charity (Picture: INS)

‘If you do bring your own tent we ask you to please take your it along with any other camping equipment home with you. If you leave it in the field it will most likely end up in landfill or incineration.

‘If you have any broken or unwanted tents chairs, gazebos, empty batteries, unopened tins of food after the festival, please take them to the Nifty Recycling Points.

‘If you want to donate your tent to charity, take it to your local charity shop. Please don’t leave it in the field.’

A spokesman for Reading Borough Council said of the clear-up: ‘The festival organisers oversee any clean up on the festival site.

A huge pile of tents ready for collection at the side of one of the campsites (Picture: INS)

The cost of the clear-up will be covered by the festival organisers (Picture: Paul Jacobs/Pictureexclusive.com)

There’s a lot of rubbish left behind following the festival which took place on the banks of the River Thames at the weekend (Picture: Paul Jacobs/Pictureexclusive.com)

‘The council cleans outside of the event area in the surrounding parkland and roads. The cost of any additional clean-up work required is covered by the festival organisers.

‘This work begins on the Tuesday prior to the event and finishes on the Monday bank holiday evening, operating for 21 hours each day.’

An army of volunteers and contracted rubbish collectors are now clearing up the rubbish, supported by trucks and diggers.