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Plans for next year's monumental 40th Glastonbury Festival are already well underway, and eager Glasto lovers will be able to get their hands on tickets to the bash from 4 October.

Organiser Michael Eavis has been hosting the iconic weekender since 1970, and says he can't wait to celebrate the anticipated anniversary.

In an official statement, he revealed: "It does seem like my whole life has been consumed by it, which is great, because it's been such a fantastic exercise.

"People are very interested in this 40-year thing. Everywhere I go, people are asking about. The expectations are really high. So we have to deliver on that. We're trying to get the best headliners in the world."

The dairy farmer also professed his delight with the success of this year's sell-out weekender, particularly following the controversy surrounding 2008's hip-hop headliner Jay-Z.

Michael continued: "This year's was absolutely brilliant. It really was the best.

"I know I've said that before, but everywhere I go people tell me how much they loved it. With [Bruce] Springsteen and Neil Young and Blur, as well as all the other things that were going on, like Trash City, Arcadia, Shangri-la and The Park. Those things on their own kind of create another headliner now.

"Year before last I was stressed, trying to sell all the tickets with the Jay-Z situation, or whatever it was. But in the end it all turned around at the last minute. It was such a huge thing, with Jay-Z and his wife [Beyoncé] standing there in the wings. It was amazing. She said she'd never seen anything like it in her whole life."

Tickets for the 2010 event will go on sale at 9am on Sunday 4 October priced at £185 (plus £5 booking fee). As in previous years, anyone wishing to buy a ticket will need to register beforehand here.

To relive the highs of Glastonbury 2009, visit our 100 Hours In A Field blog, where we kept track of the true Glasto experience.

You can also get your mitts on the best tracks from performers at this year's bash by  checking out our selection on the right-hand side.