Up to 1,000 people braved rain and wind to clench some of the first V2008 tickets.

Residents started queuing outside the Civic Theatre box office as early as 4.30pm yesterday, where tickets to V festival were being sold from 10am today.

The crowd snaked round three corners of the Civic Centre, as people gripped umbrellas and wore plastic ponchos to shield themselves from the weather.

Brad Temperley, 17, Chanelle Wright, 17 and Charlotte Grant, 17, all from the Melbourne area in Chelmsford, were among the first in the queue, arriving at 5pm on Thursday.

Enduring the battering wind and icy rain for around 17 hours, Brad said: "I feel cold and wet, but the V festival was just about one of the best weekends I had last year."

Chanelle added: "It's boring, but the wait is all part of the experience and to get the tickets is an achievement!"

The doors were opened at 10am to a raucous cheer from the crowd, as the end of the mammoth wait was finally in sight.

Sixteen-year-old Ashley Jones, of Bedells Avenue, Black Notley, was the first to lay his hands on a ticket.

With his two-day camping ticket in hand, he said it was worth queuing for 18 hours: "The great thing about V is the atmosphere; the bands are really good, but the mucking about and social side of it makes the experience."