Reading Festival gatecrashers share their tips for breaking into festivals on social media including how to dodge security, buy fake wristbands and crawl under holes in the fence

Fence jumpers are sharing tips for breaking into festivals on social media including how to dodge security, buy fake wristbands and crawl under holes in the barriers.

Videos of how to get into Reading and Leeds festivals emerged on popular platforms including TikTok and YouTube over the weekend, with teens boasting of enjoying world-famous headline acts and DJs without paying for a ticket.

Gatecrashers at Reading Festival are a recurring problem, according to security guards who protect the perimeter of Little John’s Farm when around 100,000 people pitch up for the festival that takes place every August Bank Holiday weekend.

Part of this is due to its accessible location just a 15-minute walk from the railway station, with some TikTokers uploading videos of themselves arriving via train before sneaking into the event. 

In one video posted to TikTok, a man based in Newham gloated about it being ‘easy’ to break in, while another uploaded on YouTube shows a group of Australians crawling under a fence to access Leeds festival. 

A member of the ‘bread gang’ attempts to break into Leeds festival by climbing under a fence

A TikTok user posted a video of them attempting to break in through a hole under a fence before using a temporary gate to climb over it. In the video he says staff ‘nearly’ caught him

A video posted to TikTok by a man based in Newham who says it’s ‘easy’ to break into Reading festival

The YouTube video was posted by the group known as ‘bread gang’ and has gained more than 12,000 views. 

A member of the group can be heard saying: ‘Boys are in, boys are in.’ Before the majority of the group is escorted out by security and taken to the ‘police tent’ before being ‘strip searched’. 

One of the men remains at the campsite by disguising himself in a change of clothes and eventually makes it into the festival where he is somehow reunited with the remainder of the group. 

The account also has videos of the men breaking into other festivals such as Boomtown, Tomorrowland and Creamfields. 

The group says it’s much harder to break in to UK festivals compared to Australian festivals. 

One Reading ticket-holder said she was surprised that people were able to break in due to the festival being ‘very well managed’ by security. 

She added that her wristband was checked three or four times before she was allowed access to the main area. 

A TikTok user posted a video of him attempting to break in through a hole under a fence before using a temporary gate to climb over it.  In the video he says staff ‘nearly’ caught him.

The man and his friend show themselves wearing a 7up wrapper as a makeshift wristband, but this ‘failed’ and they switched to wearing a Kirkland spring water label instead, which gained them entry. 

At the end of the video he says he’s ‘ready for another grind tomorrow’. 

TikTok user posted a video of them attempting to break in through a hole under a fence before using a temporary gate to climb over and gain access

The two men pictured gained access to Reading festival by wearing a water bottle wrapper as a wristband

One TikTok user turned up to Reading station at 12am with six other men before breaking into the festival

The Thames runs alongside Reading festival and causes some holes near fences. 

Large towers are set up in each of the main camping grounds. A guard is stationed at each of these and is able to spot people sneaking up to the festival’s perimeter. 

Reading festival has security guards stationed next to all closed gates to prevent people scaling them whilst others are positioned in front of any holes under fences to stop intruders. 

Chancers are turning up with their own ropes and ladders to break into the festival grounds, one security guard told The Times.

He added that some sneak in because they can’t afford tickets while others want to sell drugs. 

The account ‘bread gang’ has videos of the men breaking into festivals such as Boomtown, Tomorrowland and Creamfields – in addition to Leeds festival

Security guards have said it is a recurring problem at the Reading event which attracts around 100,000 people. Part of this is due to its accessible location just a 15-minute walk from the train station

Tickets to the event run by Festival Republic cost £101.20 for a day and £286.20 for the three-day weekend. 

According to security, Sunday is the most popular day for break-ins because the bigger acts perform on the final day – this year included Billie Eilish, Imagine Dragons and Becky Hill.

One security guard said you cannot control every loophole, but they do their best.

Festival Republic, TikTok and YouTube have been contacted for comment.