Burning Man festival-goers told to conserve food and water

Burning Man festival-goers have been told to conserve their food and water after heavy rain turned the campsite into a mud bath.

The weather has been so bad that access in and out of the event in the US state of Nevada has been "halted", organisers said in a statement.

US media reported that more than 70,000 people were stuck there on Saturday.

Held in Black Rock Desert, the annual festival is one of America's most well-known cultural events.

Footage on social media shows attendees struggling to walk on muddy paths.

Organisers have said "no driving is permitted until the playa surface dries up, with the exception of emergency services".

"Participants are encouraged to conserve food, water, and fuel, and shelter in a warm, safe space," they added in a statement.

This year, Burning Man is scheduled to run from 27 August to 4 September. It usually features giant interactive art installations and a huge wooden man that is burnt at the end of the event.

The festival was founded in June 1986 when Larry Harvey and his friend Jerry Goodell burned a wooden man on Baker Beach in San Francisco to mark the summer solstice.

It was first held in Nevada's Black Rock Desert in 1990.

Festival-goers sometimes interview to get into popular camps and have to prove their commitment to its ideals.

Some groups spend the entire year planning their camp, artwork and theme. But this year there had been worries about the weather and tickets were changing hands on the secondary market at below market rate.

The desert is usually hot and dusty.