Anthony Morbey is hoping to get on combining again today (27 July) at Cole Ambrose, Ely, Cambridgeshire, after being hampered by showers.

“We have cut one piece of Castille oilseed rape, which seemed to yield about average, but it’s a bit too early to tell. It is only just fit but it would be nice to get into it.”

Roundup didn’t seem to work as well as Reglone this year, perhaps due to the hot weather, said Mr Morbey.

Winter wheat had suffered due to the drought, and was dying off instead of ripening. “We don’t expect to have any record yields.”

Some farmers had been cutting little bits of winter wheat on light land in the area, but it was still very early to be getting into it, he added.