Download Festival 2010 'bans flags'

Download Festival organisers have announced the decision to ban flags in the main arena of the site this year following an "overwhelming" number of complaints at the 2009 event.

Last year, Reading and Leeds Festivals excluded flags, although Glastonbury refused to impose a similar move.

A post on Download's official forum from yesterday evening reads: "Due to an overwhelming number of complaints from people and now we have had chance to view the footage from previous years and can see what everyone means (and not see the acts on stage!), we will be banning flags on sticks in the main arena.

"Hope you all understand that this is to ensure that everyone can enjoy what's on stage."

A later post said that anyone caught with flags "will be stopped at the entrance to the arena and anyone who breaks the rule will be ejected from the festival".

Download Festival 2010 is due to feature headliners AC/DC as well as performances from Them Crooked Vultures, Wolfmother, Bullet For My Valentine, Motörhead, Deftones, Stone Temple Pilots, Volbeat and Megadeth.