Group Crusade Against Glastonbury Ticket Touts

Ticket touts beware, a group of Glastonbury fans has set out to block the sale of tickets on internet auction site Ebay.

The group calling themselves the ‘Glastonbury Crusaders’ have took it upon themselves to contact both buyers and sellers of tickets for the festival to warn them of the strict new rules for entry. If this does not work they then report the details of the sellers to the festival organisers.

The BBC reports that organisers have confirmed some tickets have already been cancelled as a result of the crusaders actions. When festival fans bought tickets they had to give their name and address, and will have to prove these details using photo ID at the gates.

One member of the five-strong group, calling herself 'Woodland Maiden', told the BBC: "The festival is about charities - very few people make money from it and the touts damage this. If the sellers are genuine and not touting then they should ask for a refund. If you make a profit, you're a tout.

"Many sellers have co-operated and removed their auctions. When questioned on how bidders might be able to get round the issue of photo ID, some sellers were willing to provide fake ID. Others advised people to arrive at the festival during busy times, when they were less likely to be checked."

A spokesman for the festival said: "What the Crusaders are doing is separate to us. They are passing information on to us, which we pass on to ticket agencies and tickets have been cancelled. We have maybe passed on 20 addresses. We are pleased that it is an initiative that has come from the public."

Ebay has refused to remove adverts from the site saying it is not illegal to sell the tickets, however they have urged buyers to read the terms and conditions of the tickets before they proceed with purchasing them.