Martin Bridges is finishing harvest today (4 October) at Moray Estates, Elgin, Morayshire.

“It’s been purgatory, but we’re better off than most – in Aberdeenshire there are some big areas still to cut.

“The forecast is a bit better this week, so hopefully they’ll get it finished off.”

The last of the wheat had sprouted and discoloured, and spring barley left in the area had brackled quite badly, said Mr Bridges.

“Yields have been pretty poor – this wheat was very wet at the back end of the year, and suffered with a lot of frost.

“Where it’s good it is very good, but there’s a lot of weed growth. All in all it’s been a below average year, although the malting barley has been really good quality.

“The only highlight is that we’ve finally finished.”

Mr Bridges started drilling on Saturday, leaving 323ha (800 acres) to sow. “If it stays like this for a fortnight we’ll be caught up alright. Ground conditions are sticky, but not too wet.”