Britain in new 'pea crisis' as dire weather destroy crops

British peas may be off menu this summer, experts have warned, after the country’s dire weather produced the worst harvest for decades.

Frozen peas work better than fresh for this peas and watercress purée Photo: CHARLIE RICHARDS

Drought conditions followed by record rainfall have left farmers all over Britain facing a dramatic slump in their crop harvests, worth tens of millions of pounds.

As a result experts warned that Britain's families are likely to pay more for the most quintessential of English vegetables this summer, as retailers struggle to meet demand.

Growers say that pea crops are relatively “delicate” and as a result are easily damaged by the wrong conditions.

But the drought conditions earlier this year followed by record heavy rain, dull skies and cool temperatures this summer has caused devastating crop damage.

It has left farmers, from East Anglia to Scotland, facing falling yields of up to 40 per cent on their valuable crops, potentially worth up to £80million.