Midlands rain threat to thriving fruit

Weather experts are predicting further flooding in a weather warning issued today – as it emerged that raspberry crops across the Midlands have been thriving on the recent downpours.

But while the unseasonal rain has helped to produce bumper crops, fruit farms are not cashing in because the weather has put customers off fruit picking.

Staffordshire's Gailey Fruit Farm today revealed that their income was 50 per cent down on a normal season because of the rain.

It comes as the Met Office issued a yellow warning of rain across the south and south west of England, with forecasters adding flooding was likely due to the already rain-sodden ground.

The bad weather is set to continue tomorrow with heavy rain moving across the Midlands, East Anglia and parts of northern England.

And following the wettest April and June on record, Gailey Fruit Farm manager Helen Fortescue said the raspberry crop was ripe for picking.