Ticketmaster, which control the sale of tickets for a variety of sporting and musical events in Ireland, is monitoring anti-ticket-tout measures that have been put in place for this year's Glastonbury festival in England.

In a move that organisers claim will finally stop the practice of ticket touting, each ticket to the legendary music event will feature a photograph of the buyer.

Ticket holders will be denied entry if they do not match the photo on their ticket.

Ticketmaster this weekend said that it would be monitoring the success of the system during the Glastonbury festival in June. According to a spokesman for the company, it would consider introducing a similar system into Ireland if it proves successful.

The company recently unveiled a series of measures aimed at combating the growing problem of ticket touting in the run up to major sporting or musical events. Since announcing its decision to cancel tickets found to be on sale on internet auction sites such as eBay, the company claims to have cancelled in the region of 200 tickets.

Since each ticket has a unique code, the company is able to cancel tickets found being sold at more than face value, and then place a new ticket on sale in its place. The ticket being sold at more than face value will then be rendered useless and the person attempting to gain access to an event using it will be denied admission.

The latest anti-touting measures were put in place after tickets to a much sought-after concert in Dublin were advertised on eBay for almost 20 times their face value.

Tickets for two Arcade Fire concerts sold out in less than five minutes but were soon on sale on the internet for almost Euro400.

Ticketmaster, in conjunction with Hot Press music magazine, launched the 'out a tout' campaign in a bid to clamp down on the practice.

Sporting events have also been targeted by touts hoping to cash in on the demand for top rugby, soccer and GAA matches.

Tickets for the upcoming Ireland-France rugby game in Croke Park are currently being advertised on eBay for Euro400.

Michael Eavis, organiser of the Glastonbury festival, said determination to "wipe out ticket touts" led to the decision to implement the photo policy.