Revellers arrive for Parklife festival in Manchester in best clubbing clobber...

REVELLERS have arrived for Parklife festival in Manchester in their best clubbing clobber as the event makes its long-awaited return.

Nearly 80,000 people are expected to descend on the festival grounds for the two-day event where headliners Dave, Megan Thee Stallion and Disclosure will hit the stage.

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The festival-goers flocked to Heaton Park today donning hot pants, bucket hats and bum bags for the annual dance music festival.

Ready for two days of raving, thousands of excited young faces flooded into the festival grounds wearing colourful mini skirts and crop tops, paired with oversized sunglasses and a beer in hand.

The eagerly-awaited event is one of the last summer festivals to take place without capacity restrictions after the government lifted all restrictions on July 19.

Performances kicked off at 11am on Saturday, with headliners throughout the weekend including Skepta, Jamie XX, Eric Prydz, Aj Tracey and Carl Cox.

It's the biggest party of the year in Manchester and it's one that's been more than two years in the making.

The festival was cancelled last year and it then moved to new dates this year - shifting from its usual June weekend to early autumn instead.

The weekend of music will be spread across eight stages, and attendees can enjoy swish VIP area, and dozens of bars and street food vendors.

But festival-goers have pointed out the cruel irony of Manchester's weather as the glorious sunshine abruptly came to an end just before the festival started.

Thunderstorms and downpours hit the region on Friday - and showers are forecast for this afternoon too.

But the sunshine is set to emerge around 6pm and 7pm, with temperatures hitting 18C.

Despite there not being a mask in sight among most of the young revellers, they are required to provide proof of either a negative lateral flow test, full vaccination or natural immunity before they are allowed into the festival.

Inside the grounds, face masks are not compulsory, but people are encouraged to wear one if it makes them feel more comfortable.

Social distancing will not be required at Parklife after the regulations were scrapped by the government nearly two months ago.

The festival organisers have also introduced a new cashless system to speed up the queues and cut the contact time between staff and festival-goers.

Revellers will instead only be able to pay for food, drink and other items using card or mobile payments.

Organisers have urged ticket-holders to arrive with a card or a fully-charged phone, with cash not accepted anywhere on the site.

It comes as ministers have refused to rule out vaccine passports for nightclubs.

Measures will extend the controversial Covid powers and bring forward plans for Brits to have to prove they are double jabbed to enter nightclubs, stadiums or other large venues from the end of the month.

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