Take That super fans set up camp outside Carrow Road 36 hours before Norwich concert

Take That super fans set up camp outside Carrow Road more than 36 hours before the Norwich leg of the band's tour to secure their place in the queue.

The first group of fans arrived at the Norwich City Football stadium at around 9am Wednesday with deck chairs and coats, determined to be the first in line for Thursday's gig.

Three women, who were booked into a Riverside hotel, were the first to arrive this morning with tents, but were sent away by security to allow work to finish on the stage.

But Norwich City Football Club safety and security manager Andy Batley said the women had been given queue jump wristbands which would reserve them the first three spots in the line.

Later this evening Norwich City staff will prepare a camping area by exit gate six for early bird fans wishing to camp overnight at the venue.

He added that Take That security were providing priority wristbands for the first 500 ticketholders to arrive at the stadium which would guarantee them a place at the front of the queue.

Last Friday more than 50 truck loads of equipment were delivered to Carrow Road where hundreds of technicians, construction workers and designers started work assembling the performance space.

Mr Batley said the team had worked 12-hour days across the bank holiday to prepare the venue.

He said: "The biggest obstacle we've had to overcome is exit strategies for the 27,000 people that will arrive at the stadium for the concert. It's not how many people we can get in but how many we can get out. It's a full match day security team on plus the back stage people who have their own security on too. Come 11pm Thursday night, if everything goes right, it will be an overwhelming sense of achievement. That gives you enough encouragement to go through it again next season."

Work clearing the pitch will begin immediately after the concert to prepare the stadium for wrestling event Fightmare on Sunday, headlined by former Norwich City footballer Grant Holt.