Combines were dusted off at the Elveden Estate near Thetford ready to begin work on its winter barley today.

The estate's managing director Andrew Blenkiron fears the worst for his yields.

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A combine starts harvest in a winter barley field on the Elveden Estate near Thetford (Image: British Agri Photography)

Last year, the crop was devastated after a similar June heatwave which hit yields and prompted an early harvest starting on June 28.

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They were down 40% on the average where they were able to provide some irrigation and 60% where they weren't.

He is expecting a similar dire result this year. A heatwave in 2022 wreaked the same destruction.

The........

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