Erith mum furious after daughter refused access to Reading Festival

Gemma Clark, of Mangold Way, was hoping to celebrate her 18th birthday with friends at the popular music festival but was left out after she lost the second part of her ticket.

Speaking to News Shopper, the former North West Kent college pupil explained how she was given entry to the first part of the August festival but then lost her ticket by the time she reached the second entrance.

“I waited for three to four hours,” Miss Clark said, “In the end they said there was nothing they could do.

“I was really upset and I was trying to not to cry.

“In the end I had to go.”

Mum Elaine and her parents chipped in to buy their daughter another ticket

Miss Clark believes her ticket was picked up by a young man in his 20s wearing a yellow backpack.

When she confronted him with her friends however, he ignored her and carried on into the festival.

In order to rectify the situation her mother, Elaine Jolly, 45, drove down to Reading to retrieve her daughter.

Realising how upset she was the family chipped in to get the teen another ticket costing them £500 from a tout outside the festival.

Ms Jolly said: “I was livid at the time.

“I have calmed down a bit but feel disappointed that such a big agency does not have a way of dealing with emergency issues.

“There’s just no contact system in place.

“She can’t be the only one to have lost her ticket half way through.”

Festival Republic, the management in charge of ticketing referred the duo to their terms & conditions arguing that losing a ticket was the same as losing cash - if it’s gone, it’s gone.

As Miss Clark’s ticket hasn’t been handed in at the wristband exchange on the perimeter gate it was still her responsibility to keep it safe, the festival staff have argued.

In spite of the fiasco the teen said she would still go back to the festival again next year.

The festival has apologised to the family for what happened but the family hasn't been issued a refund.