Life’s a beach for Bruce Springsteen at the Isle of Wight Festival

A GIANT beach is being created at the Isle of Wight Festival to give revellers a place to relax in between the acts being headlined by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Pearl Jam.

Promoter John Giddings decided to expand the beach because he wanted to help the festival-goers enjoy the holiday atmosphere of the event.

Creating the artificial beach by the River Medina which flows next to the site at Seaclose Park, Newport, has involved importing 400 tonnes of sand from nearby Bembridge beach.

And to recreate the feel of a real British seaside resort it has been fitted out with deck chairs and beach balls.

As well as a beach, Mr Giddings has added a big screen to the site to allow football fans to enjoy the Euro 2012 matches during the festival which runs from Thursday to Sunday.

Mr Giddings said: “The Isle of Wight Festival is for people who like good music and like going to a relaxed atmosphere at a holiday destination and know they are going to have fun. Our audiences like to have a good time. Our very own beach on the festival site is back and bigger than before – a beach by day and a massive party by night.

“There really is something for all ages and it’s a great time for festival-goers to celebrate the start of summer. Great music, great atmosphere, great people, great fun, I can’t wait.”

The line-up features a mix of up-and-coming acts such as Zulu Winter and The Pierces through to well-established names including Katy B, Jessie J and Tinie Tempah as well as Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Madness, and The Charlatans.