FOR a pop-loving festival-goer living in the News Shopper patch, the only way is V Festival this summer.

Let’s be honest, there are several advantages V Festival has over this summer’s rival music festivals in the south of England.

Presuming you’re prepared to eat, drink and sleep Essex-style at the site in Chelmsford, it’s not going to take you longer than an hour to get from your doorstep to the campsite.

There’s no need for a lengthy cross-country trek, a la Glastonbury, to get there or a trip across the Solent if you were heading to the Isle of Wight Festival.

And if the worst came to the worst and the festival was deluged in rain, you could pop home for the night and dry off.

On top of that, you get to hang out with Essex’s finest revellers and have the chance to enjoy more than 60 acts across four packed stages.

And where else could you spend your Saturday night hanging out with Beyonce?

If Beyonce really isn’t you thing then Sunday night’s headline acts on the main stage have a rockier feeling to them, with Stereophonics preceding Kings of Leon.

Essex’s very own Olly Murs will also take to the stage whilst the (non-pregnant members of) The Saturdays will strut their stuff.

But if girlbands aren’t your thing then there’s plenty for the ladies too, with Take That star Mark Owen popping by and McFly performing on Sunday.

There’s even a slot reserved for last year’s X Factor winner James Arthur on the 4Music Stage, where he will showcase some of his debut material.

Getting there

So what if you don’t fancy the drive around the M25 and a battle across the Dartford Crossing to get there?

Or maybe you already know you’ll be in no fit state to drive home on Monday morning?

Chelmsford is as easy to get to on the train and you can then hop on a bus at the railway station and be at the campsite within minutes.

If you’re based in Bromley, Bexley, Greenwich or Lewisham, head up to London Bridge where you can get on the Jubilee Line, which will drop you off at Stratford in about 15 minutes.

From there, trains travel every five minutes or so towards Chelmsford, with the onward journey taking about 25 minutes.

V Festival is on August 17 and 18 at Hylands Park, Chelmsford.

Visit vfestival.co.uk.

August 17

Virgin Media Stage: Beyonce, The Script, Jessie J, Two Door Cinema Club, Paloma Faith, James, Deacon Blue, The Fratellis

4Music Stage: Beady Eye, The Courteeners, FUN, Labrinth, Of Monsters And Men, Maverick Sabre, James Arthur, Lissie, Conor Maynard, The Pigeon Detectives

Arena stage: Steve Angello, DJ Fresh, Travis, Mark Owen, Katy B, Jessie Ware, Netsky Live!, Gabrielle Alpin, Nina Nesbitt, K-Koke

Futures stage: Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Monsta, Misha B, Hoffmaestro, Sam Smith, Tori Kelly, A*M*E, Goldie Lookin Chain, Nell Bryden, Ed Drewett, Moya, Silouette

August 18

Virgin Media Stage: Kings of Leon, Stereophonics, Emeli Sande, The Vaccines, Olly Murs, Jason Mraz, Ocean Colour Scene, The Saturdays

4Music Stage: Calvin Harris, Rita Ora, Kendrick Lamar, Maximo Park, Rudimental, Scouting For Girls, Tom O'Dell, The Heavy

Arena stage: Basement Jaxx, Jaguar Skills, Ellie Goulding, The Eels, Lianne La Havas, McFly, Little Mix, Everything Everything, Laura Mvula, 5ive, The Original Rudeboys

Futures stage: Jamie Cullum, James Skelly and The Intenders, Lewis Watson, The Skints, Lucy Spraggan, Diana Vickers, John Newman, Exit Calm