SINGLE-use plastic drinks bottles will not be available to purchase at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

Organisers have announced a ban on the bottles in a bid to cut down waste from the event, which saw an estimated 1 million-plus plastic bottles sold in 2017.

"They will also no longer be supplied or available in any of the festival’s backstage, production, catering and dressing room areas," said a festival spokesperson.

"Our partners Greenpeace estimate that, globally, up to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans each year.

"Greenpeace advise that by far the best way to avoid plastic pollution is to reduce plastic usage.

"With more than one million plastic bottles sold at Glastonbury 2017, we feel that stopping their sale is the only way forward."

Festival goers are being urged to use reusable bottles at hundreds of free water points and Water Aid kiosks around the Worthy Farm site, at Pilton. 

Canned soft drinks and canned Life Water will be available to purchase from all traders who previously sold soft drinks in plastic bottles.

Revellers will not be stopped from bringing plastic bottles on site, organisers said. 

“It’s paramount for our planet that we all reduce our plastic consumption, and I’m thrilled that, together, we’ll be able to prevent over a million single-use plastic bottles from being used at this year’s festival," said Emily Eavis.

"I really hope that everyone – from ticket-holder to headliner – will leave Worthy Farm this year knowing that even small, everyday changes can make a real difference.

"It’s now or never."