It was the beautiful setting admired by many a performer at Radio 1’s Big Weekend - but a week after the artists left Mote Park was still looking like a “rubbish tip”, visitors claim.

It was not until last night that the park was finally cleared of all the debris.

On Sunday, a week after the event, bottles, cans, paper, clothes and pallets were still strewn across the open space where 40,000 people enjoyed acts like Nelly, Usher, Madonna and the Raconteurs.

India Best, three, was at the park with her parents to watch Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life on Sunday, when she got caught in some wire left on the site. Her father, Mark Best, of Loose Road, Maidstone, said: “It was like wading through debris. The park was a total state, just like a rubbish tip.

“India got herself tangled in some pallet wire and although she wasn’t hurt it shows that from a good weekend the park has been left in a complete mess."

Another visitor, Bob Barman, of Salisbury Road, Maidstone, said said:“The council claimed 800 black sacks were cleared away but it could probably fill that number of bags again, judging by the state of the park. “

The council began the tidy-up while the event was still on, with dozens of staff working around the clock to remove litter as it was dropped.

They carried on every day since, council spokesman Roger Adley said. They finally managed to clear the site completely last night.

He added: “Obviously there was quite a lot to do, which is understandable.”

He added that many people had simply thrown down their litter rather than using designated bins. Much of the rubbish will be recycled, he added.