Opera buffs almost stuck

Traditionally the drama at Glyndebourne is confined to the stage — but last night’s audience became frantic about missing the last train back to London after the evening’s performance of The Marriage of Figaro started nearly an hour late.

The delay was caused by a horrific traffic jam which tied up the van carrying a crucial part of the evening’s entertainment — the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s instruments.

An elaborate scene change meant there was no possibility of making up for lost time during the interval, so when the curtain came down at 10.20pm the operagoers were left racing for the 23.07 train — anyone who missed that would have struggled to get back to London before 5.34 this morning.