FARMERS across Worcestershire are counting the cost of damage to crops following this week's flash flooding.

Hundreds of acres of wheat, hops, corn, barley and sweetcorn at farms around the county were submerged after rivers burst their banks in heavy downpours.

At Top Barn Farm at Holt Heath about 100 acres of land was engulfed by the flood waters. Farmer John Harper said: "We expect to be flooded in winter, which is why we only crop land in the summer. So this has taken us totally by surprise.

"Most of the crops are still under water so we need to wait for that to drain away before we can assess the damage. I wouldn't like to estimate what it's going to cost us at this time. It's extremely frustrating and annoying, and I feel totally helpless, but there is just nothing we can do at this time."

Mr Harper, who grows barley, sweetcorn and pumpkins, said if his crops were damaged there would be no means of claiming compensation. "I just hope we can salvage much of the crop," he said.

Matt Richardson, of Otherton Farm, Worcester, said that about 80 acres of his land was swamped by the floodwater.

"The fields were completely covered," he said.

"But the water has all gone now so we need to assess the damage. The corn seems to still be standing, which is a good sign. But I don't know how the potatoes will have faired."

However, the floods failed to destroy hundreds of thousands of strawberry plants at a farm in Upton-upon-Severn thanks to a unique raised bed growing system installed two years ago.

Edward Loveday, farm manager at Clive's Fruit Farm said 350,000 plants would have been lost had it not been for the revolutionary system.

"The water has been about two feet high," he said. "But fortunately, our strawberries are grown at about four-and-a-half feet above the ground, so we managed to save them all. The only problem we have now is that we are cut off by flooded roads so our customers are struggling to get to us."

And at Little Lambswick Farm at Lindridge about 20 acres of hops and wheat were amazingly saved after the river Teme burst its banks, flooding the fields. Farmer Geoff Thompson said the water caused very little damage. "I was preparing myself for the worst when I saw the fields under three and four foot of water," he said.

"But when it drained away, the wheat and hops were still standing and most of it appears to be OK.

"I can't believe how fortunate we have been."