“It‘s not quite desperation, but we‘re definitely concerned.”

“Normally we would be panicking if we had an inch of rain, and this year we‘ve had four times that amount.”

The early wheats harvested before the onslaught of rain came in with good quality. His Hereward‘s hagberg levels ranged from 250 to 300, but now after the rain “Hagbergs have dropped out of sight”.

 “We‘ll drive the combine until it gets stuck,” said Mr Ashton.

He‘s worried that with it being so late on the year, days are shortening and the dews are becoming heavier; wheat will have to be taken off the field very soon.

Mr Ashton still has a little bit of spring barley to do.

“But we can‘t get into the field because the combine just sinks,” he said.

However he remains optimistic. “I‘ve not got too much to complain about at the moment – at least our wheat is still standing.”