Oilseed rape is taking a long time to ripen, frustrating farmers in Gloucestershire, where many crops will be ready to combine at the same time.

Ian Branstone said he was likely to make a start on cutting winter oats at Bourton Hill Farm, Bourton-on-the-Water, on Monday (26 July).

“I went to all the trouble of putting the oilseed rape extensions and side bar on the combine, and now I’ve got to take them all off because the oats have come first – they’ve just died off.”

Chris Padfield, from The Hawthorns, Staunton, said he was itching to start combining.

“We don’t have any winter barley – but the vast majority of winter barley in the area is cut. I haven’t seen any oilseed rape or wheat done.

“I’ll be into winter linseed at the end of next week, when the oilseed rape and the Cordiale winter wheat will also be ready. It’s all going to come at once.”