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Get your wellies on and crack open a can of cider: the judges have decided the winners of our Festival Tips Competition. We received hundreds of informative, amusing and occasionally bizarre entries which made choosing the winners a tough but entertaining task.

So, congratulations to all the winners, a big thanks to everyone who entered, and for everyone else we hope that these winning tips help you get through the festival season in one piece...

Need The Toilet? You Must Be Menthol

We all know that festival toilets can be very smelly so my top tip is to put some Vicks Vapour Rub under your nose before you go in and you can’t smell a thing!

Lucy Batkin, Cheshire

Wristband Wrangling

Upon entering the festival or sometimes in the post you will receive/be fitted with a wristband, and I cannot stress enough the importance of this: make sure you get it on the opposite arm to the one you wipe your bum with. Nothing is worse that trying to wipe and the tail of the wristband keeps going close to the bowl and picking up germs on it.

Diane Davies, London

The Third Night Rule

If while camping you have become 'friendly' with a fellow camper for the first two nights of the festival, come to a mutual agreement that, for hygiene and general ‘wanting to keep faith in the human race’ reasons, the third night might be best spent apart.

Thomas Rooney, Colchester

Festival Frugality

The less you take the less you have to carry, take care of, not break, not get wet, not lose, not get pissed on by a "wild" drunken teenager. All of this applies to everything including food and camping equipment - if you need it, just scab it off your mates. But also there is another upside: if you don’t eat, you don’t need to go to the toilet as much and you get drunk faster. Take only what you can wear or carry in one hand… There is only one thing though: don’t tell your mates about this tip as if everyone was to go with only minimal supplies, there would be nothing to scab off them!

Sam Little, Hereford

Sounded Like It Was Raining All Night…

Best not to camp near a hedge or fence as this area is attractive to the men who don't fancy queuing to use the loo.

Vivien Taylor, Nairn

The Mosh Pit Triangulation Method

It’s always the case that when you’re stood with your friends in the middle of a crowd the urge to visit the toilets over takes you. The problem is that if you fight your way through the crowd there is no way you can find your way back… unless you employ a little surveying skill. First, find two points that you are between (do not pick a flag in the crowd as they tend to move or be lowered) – this can be either side to side or front to back e.g. a speaker stack on stage and a stall at the back. Now make your way towards the edge of the crowd following the line to your chosen object. Once there you can go off to your chosen activity and when you are finished simply return to that spot. If you now line yourself up with your other chosen object and follow a straight line back… and hey presto: you are back with your friends. This all sounds simple but how many times do you find people roaming aimlessly looking for their mates… especially carrying that cold beer!

Adrienne Hudson, Peterborough

Fancy Dress Friends

Make friends with Power Rangers, Mud Wrestlers and Chewbaccas – they will show you the best time.

George Morriss, Chester

The Cups Of Plenty

Festival food and drink can be VERY expensive, so every penny that can be saved is a great advantage. Most of the major festivals operate a cup recycling scheme, whereby they will refund you a set amount of your drink price on return of the paper cup. This amount is typically only around 10p, but this will add up after a few drinks. You will find that most people are either unaware of this scheme or do not bother to make use of it. In about a minute you could probably pick up 20 discarded paper cups, therefore netting yourself a few quid to spend on your own food. Not only does this save money, but it is great for the environment and you know you are doing your bit to keep the festival site clean. You might get a few odd looks, but hey, it's a festival, nobody cares!

Peter Arnold

Keep It Loose

As soon as you get your hands on the festival timetable don't turn into Captain Itinerary – keep it loose. Pick a few bands that you really have to see but try and keep some spare time during the day to try and find some new bands. This is when you’re going to have the best time, festivals are at the best when you’re having fun with your mates, messing about, relaxing, eating ice cream, getting rub on tattoos. The Park Stage at Glastonbury is a particularly special place to do this, Bombay Bicycle Club at last years event was a joy to behold.

Daniel Groves, Norwich

It’s Not Where You Go, But Who You Go With

Location, line-up and the weather are of course important to enjoying festivals; but the number one ingredient is who you go with. You can meet some great people while you’re there but they’re not going to carry you back to your tent from the Stone Circle, challenge you to drink every Somerset cider, or hug you when The Streets sing Dry Your Eyes Mate. Going to a festival with your other half should always be avoided. While she makes you watch Kate Nash so you can have that ‘special moment’ together, all you will be thinking about is how you should be drunk, topless and crowd surfing to the Gallows at three in the afternoon. Regardless of the line up or if a guy from work has a spare ticket; only go to festivals with people who share your values. They must not judge those who drink at 9 in the morning, those that see baby wipes as a shower, or those who consider spending a day not watching bands as a day well spent.

James Nuthall, Croydon