According to officials from the National Farmers' Union (NFU), agriculture in the county has emerged from a rain-sodden May and June having suffered few major ill effects.

But they have warned that, with harvest season fast approaching, crops and livestock could start to suffer unless the weather improves in July.

Northampton's NFU branch chairman, Richard Houghton, who farms 430 acres in Yardley Hastings, east of Northampton, said: "We have been more fortunate in Northamptonshire than many parts of the country, but the time factor is starting to go against us.

"We need the warm and dry weather to come very soon, otherwise we could start to have serious issues."

At this time of year, arable farmers are preparing to harvest their crops and livestock farmers are getting ready to bring in the feed they have been growing for their animals to conserve for the winter.

But, as long as the fields are waterlogged, they will be unable to get near their crops, which will soon start to spoil.

Margaret Smith, who runs Smith's Farm Shop in Chapel Brampton and farms 67 acres, said it was an anxious time for agriculture.

She said: "It's extremely difficult to get on to the land to harvest at the moment.

"Things aren't too bad now, because many crops are only just starting to ripen, but before too long we will desperately need warm and dry weather.

"We can only keep hoping things will take a turn for the better soon. The longer that takes, the more anxious we are going to get."