FARMERS across the region are beginning to harvest their spring crops in a bid to get back on track after last year’s bad weather.

The recent hot weather has given farmers in York and North Yorkshire a head start in harvesting their spring crops.

The bad weather last year meant a delay in planting winter crops, which in turn meant the planting of spring crops, due to be harvested in the summer, was also delayed.

A spokesperson for the National Farmers’ Union said: “It will be a bit of a race against the clock, but most farmers will be aiming to get back on track.

“Everything was a bit delayed this year, but we just have to hope that the good weather we have had allows us to catch up again.”

Farmers are now beginning to harvest their spring wheat crops in what looks set to be one of the best harvests for several years.

The spokesman said: “The weather has given them the best possible chance of getting back on target for next year.

‘‘The better weather has really helped to bring a lot of crops around which are better than we could have predicted.”