A DAY which started with mud and downpours ended with fireworks and clear skies on Friday at Glastonbury.

American crooner Neil Young played a marathon set - sending crowds 'Rockin' In the Free World' - to close out the first day's entertainment on the Pyramid Stage.

The mood amoung 177,000 bedraggled fans at Worthy Farm turned with the weather - as the gloom surrounding the rain subsided with the emergence of the sun and some sizzling performances.

On the festival's main stage it was N.E.R.D who put in the first show-stopping performance in the sun.

Front man Pharrell Williams encouraged audience members up on stage to dance - prompting a huge reaction from the crowd.

But their set was cut short due to earlier technical difficulties.

Lily Allen, watched by dad Keith Allen and stepdad Harry Enfield, performed to a massive crowd in the early evening.

Wearing a purple wig and high heels, Allen belted out hits such as 'Smile' and 'LDN', before tearing off her wig for an energetic finish with 'It's not fair'.

Over on the Other Stage Lady Gaga produced a typically off-the-wall performance, changing costume four times during her set.

She, quite literally, blew the audience away performing her hit singles, with an exploding bra.

The Ting Tings then got everybody dancing as darkness began to fall.

With only one album full of hits, the Salford duo, who played in front of a crowd of just 75 two years ago, entertained thousands of fans.

It was then left to Bloc Party and Neil Young to close out the festival's first day.

*T-Shirts mourning the death of Michael Jackson have already gone on sale around Worthy Farm.

Fans wore shirts proclaiming 'RIP Michael Jackson', as a tribute to the King of Pop's death.

SEE more pictures of this year's festival by clicking on our online gallery.