Field report

The Mean Fiddler Organisation have bought a 20% stake in Glastonbury 2002.

Under the terms of the deal, Fiddler M.D. Melvin Benn will act as Operations Director for the festival, which runs from June 28th to 30th.

"The Mean Fiddler is very pleased to play a role in assuring Glastonbury's future, which will help to maintain the income for the charities that have always benefited from the event," says Benn who's no stranger to the Wiltshire countryside.

"Melvin cut his teeth at Glastonbury through the '80s working on the gates and he knows the event inside out and understands what makes it tick," explains Glasto mainman Michael Eavis. "His subsequent experience at The Mean Fiddler has taken him to new heights of festival management. I'm pleased that the link up with them will help greatly in taking us into the next decade."

Although Eavis never makes the Glastonbury bill public until all the tickets are sold, it's an open secret that Gorillaz, Blur, Coldplay, Pulp, The Strokes, Starsailor, Basement Jaxx and Stereophonics will be among this year's headliners.