After a night spent mourning Michael Jackson and battling a deluge, Glastonbury revellers are heading back to the Seventies today.

In a brave move by organisers, Abba tribute act Bjorn Again opens the festival’s main Pyramid Stage this morning.

If Seventies styling and Dancing Queen weren’t quite what the 137,000 festivalgoers were expecting when they purchased their tickets, the upbeat set might turn out to be just what they need this morning.

The festival’s Somerset site was hit by thunder, lightening and torrential rain last night causing a rush for cover and the sudden appearance of thousands of pairs of wellies.

But revelers, long used to the iconic three-day event’s consistent bad luck with the weather, soldiered on, determined to see the first acts appearing on the smaller stages before the main event kicked off today.

David Harris, 27, a website producer from Oxford said: "The rain certainly hasn't stopped us enjoying ourselves even though it was torrential rain with thunder and lightning for about half and hour."

"No one seems worried about the weather to come. We're going to listen to some music, put on our wellies, and have as much fun as possible."

But it was the news of Michael Jackson’s death that was harder to shake off last night. Festivalgoers, many of whom had bought tickets to see the King of Pop at London’s 02 this summer, were stunned as news travelled through Worthy Farm that Jackson had died of a cardiac arrest.

The festival’s hundreds of acts are expected to pay their respects to the iconic pop star on stage, with organiser Emily Eavis promising that the event will remember Jackson.

“So sad to hear the news about MJ. There will be tributes all over the site all weekend,” she said on Twitter.

After Bjorn Again open the Pyramid Stage at 11am, Pharrell William’s American hip-hop group N*E*R*D, pop star Lily Allen and the British band The Specials go on before veteran musician Neil Young headlines.

Also playing today are The Ting Tings, Bloc Party and the woman famous for wearing her underwear as outerwear - Lady GaGa.

Their fans can look forward to more settled weather today with the Met Office predicting sunny spells this morning. This afternoon, however, could see further thundery rain showers.

Also, copy to go in the rolling Glasto weather page (6568089):

After the thunder and rain that hit Glastonbury last night, revellers can look forward to drier weather this morning with bursts of sunshine. By afternoon, however, more thundery showers are expected.

Saturday and Sunday should be brighter, with patches of sunshine and temperatures of up to 25C. But heavy, isolated showers remain a risk.

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