HEAVY rain and mud has seen punters abandon Download Festival before it’s even STARTED.
Fans have trudged out of the rock weekender in Leicestershire while music-lovers were forced to endure what appeared to be a tornado at the Isle of Wight festival.
This summer is expected to the wettest in record with heavy showers expected to continue throughout the weekend.
Forecaster Mark Wilson told The Sun Online: "Temperatures will be higher than we've seen and could even reach 19C in the South East – but the wet weather will continue until Tuesday."
DOWNLOAD WASHOUT
Punters paid hundreds for tickets to see headliners Def Leppard, Slipknot and Tool take to the stage at Donnington Park.
But fans have headed home before the action kicks off due to the horrific weather.
On social media music lovers have even called the festival "Drownload" as crowds battle the deluge.
One gutted fan, who had spent £600 on the weekend, said: “We couldn't have afforded a hotel, we couldn't afford to drive home and then back up today.
"We wanted to save ourselves, our clothes, our belongings before they got drenched and ruined.”
My hips were dislocating from slipping on the mud as we walked in even with wellies. I can't handle it
Samantha Gibben said she left the festival because of the thick mud caused by the deluge.
She told MailOnline: “We had a perfectly watertight tent. Nothing was leaking. But left because of the mud. It's that bad less than a day in.
“I'll never survive. My hips were dislocating from slipping on the mud as we walked in even with wellies. I can't handle it.”
But not all fans were put off by the mud and rain at Download – where umbrellas are banned for security reasons.
Others were seen wrestling in the sludge as they waited to the bands to take to the stage.
In a clip posted to Facebook two men, wearing only shorts grappled in disgusting lake of mud as festival-goers cheered them on.
Meanwhile in Hampshire, pop fans witnessed what appeared to be the start of a tornado as they attended the Isle of Wight Festival.
However, they did not appear to be phased as they pulled on their wellies and waterproofs and geared up for a weekend of music including Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, George Ezra and Biffy Clyro.
Heavy rain led to flooding in many parts of the country this week – bursting river banks and leaving hundreds of cars underwater.
In total, 24 flood warnings are in place across England in areas where flooding is expected, and a further 69 flood alerts, warning people to be prepared.
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