Farmers say the weather will have a knock-on effect to next year

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) says thousands of farmers in the region are being forced to stand by to watch crops being ruined in the waterlogged ground.

It says the North East is the most severely affected area in the country, after steady rain, warm conditions and only short dry spells.

The union says it is highlighting the farmers' plight to lessen the impact.

Glen Sanderson, who farms at Morpeth, Northumberland, and is a member of the regional combinable crops commodity board, said: "We have had reports from all over the region of farmers having to abandon their ruined crops.

Heavy losses

"Even those crops that are still salvageable are of very poor quality, governing the price that farmers will get for their grain that will almost certainly be unsuitable for milling and will have to go for animal feed.

"The weather will also have a knock on effect for next year's crop, as not only is there limited availability of seeds as the harvest of seed crops was also affected, the land is now so wet that it's almost impossible to work.

"Further likely effects include a shortage of straw and that will impact not only on livestock farmers, but on horticultural and vegetable growers."

The NFU says it is exploring options to tackle the worst affected, which could run into tens of thousands of pounds lost by some.

It is highlighting the issue with Defra and MPs, and is looking at possible support from Europe

Mr Sanderson said if the weather improved over the next two to three weeks, it was possible some crops could be salvaged, but they are likely to be low quality.