Harvest is getting underway in Yorkshire, where David Hinchliffe has started combining oilseed rape at Bank House Farm, Goole.

“We’ve just made a start so it’s too early to get an accurate idea of how it’s yielding, but it looks reasonable,” he said.

Farmers in the area had cut a bit of winter barley and were now starting on rapeseed, he added.

“There are odd bits of barley on light land that have not been very good – but then I’ve heard of some good barley crops as well. It’s a bit variable.”

Farmers were also cutting rapeseed and winter barley east of Hull, and, with a generally dry week ahead, combines were likely to be out in force across the country before showers moved in over the weekend.