SWARMS of music lovers carrying more booze than belongings have descended on the peaceful town of Bramham for this year's Leeds Festival.
Each year nearly 100,000 people attend the event, which this year sees the likes of The 1975, Billie Eilish, Sam Fender and The Killers perform.
It's a massive influx of people for the 1,650 residents Bramham, whose park is cordoned off for the fun and frivolities.
But according to many who spoke to The Sun, there's a secret perk of living so close – heavily reduced tickets.
Instead of forking out nearly £290 for a weekend pass, they nab them for just £65 and get a whole host of other benefits.
Local Sue Farthing, 68, says it's the amusing antics as well as the music that draws her to Leeds Festival every year.
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The retired librarian told us: “Where else can you go and see a young lad walking stark naked with stickers all over him because his mates have put them on him?
“Or fellas that have bought a wedding gown from Oxfam, because they have a stall there.”
Sue has been to every festival since it relocated to Bramham back in 2003 and says it pleasantly surprised her.
She adds: “It is something I would have never gone to if I didn’t live here, it’s such an eye-opener, I’ve seen all sorts – Marilyn Manson was an act I’ll never forget.”
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10'Tent fire chaos'
She claims to have “never seen any trouble” but Leeds Festival, like many others, isn’t immune to antisocial behaviour, drug issues and crime.
Last year, a 16-year-old boy died after taking an ecstasy tablet at Leeds Festival and others claimed tents were being burnt and bottles of urine being thrown.
One mum whose daughter attended the festival, told The Yorkshire Evening Post that “there were loads of fires” and described it as “horrendous” and “like a warzone”.
Others said their daughter left early because they “didn’t feel safe” and one 18-year-old described it as “complete carnage”.
At the time, West Yorkshire Police told the Post that they made 50 arrests over four days at Bramham Park and the majority were for alleged drug dealing.
Fortunately for the locals of Bramham, criminality does not appear to spread there and is contained with the gated-off park.
Councillor Linda Richards, 69, told us: “The first year of the festival in Bramham, in 2003, we had police posted all over the village to keep the peace, but they were twiddling their thumbs because not that many people venture this way.
“It’s two miles away from the site and once there they’re not going to move because they are very well provided for. They don't migrate.”
'No-go zone'
One of the main issues for some who are less keen on Leeds Festival is the road closures and additional traffic.
Abigail Prentice, 40, who lives in nearby Bardsey, always coincides her annual holiday with the festival to avoid the mayhem.
The full-time mum told us: “It’s a complete no-go zone when the Festival is on, you can’t get there at all so instead we go away for our holiday.
“We then get to be away for the bank holiday weekend and avoid the noise and traffic.”
4.30am queues
There are 500 tickets allocated to locals in Bramham but they have to go to considerable lengths to nab one.
We're told locals line up from 4.30am, back in April, as they are issued on a first-come first-served basis.
Locals lucky enough to get one are also offered free shuttle bus trips and access to VIP camping, bars and toilets.
The husband of Emma Lees, 35, was one of many who went early to try to get a ticket this year.
She tells us: “My husband queued up, half-drunk, for tickets and got them.
"But then when he booked our holiday to Marbella he didn’t check the date and ended up booking it for the same time as the festival.”
Gutted Emma says the festival was “the one reason we moved here”.
Unlucky student Michael Dewhurst, 19, sadly missed out on tickets but says: “There is always next year, I will go then.”
Aside from discounted tickets, there’s another perk for those who live in the areas surrounding Leeds Festival.
Organisers Festival Republic invests some of the money made from ticket sales back into the Community Fund – and so far £470,000 has been spent on local projects and groups.
Among the beneficiaries are The Sports pavilion, the Village Hall, the Drama Group, All Saints’ Church and the Friends of Bramham School.
Resident Anne Palmer, who helps allocate the Community Fund, says: "Funds have been allocated to the village hall, a scooter shelter for the local school, a communal gazebo for village events… the list is endless.
“The church would have fallen down were it not for the Community Fund.”
Anne adds: “If only everybody could have a festival in their backyard. We’re doing very nicely, thank you."
Business boom
Businesses have been bracing themselves ahead of the mass influx of visitors and it's claimed some "make a killing" during Leeds Festival.
Among those who have been busily stocking up is Bramham Village Stores, who are buying lots of crisps, Pot Noodles and gin cans.
Employee Kal Patel, 36, said: “We are expecting to be really busy with people nipping into the village for final provisions before heading to the festival.
“We’ve only been here a couple of months so we don’t know what to expect so we have been asking the locals what we should get in.
“We’re going to be getting lots of ready-to-eat food like sandwiches and burgers.
“I live upstairs so I’m expecting to be working long hard days. We’re looking forward to it. There’s real excitement in the village for it.”
Overall, locals seemed happy to live so close to the festival grounds and many consider the event a 'rite of passage' for the area's youngsters.
Councillor Richards added: “We benefit so much from the funds and get to experience an idyllic village life because of it, being able to fund things that would not be possible without it.
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“The festival means a lot to the village, it encourages people to be active in community life by helping community groups.
“We are very fortunate and everybody realises that.”
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