We are hoping the decision will either be that it is just age-related deterioration - although it is to be hoped it gets very little worse... or that it is something easily treated to halt it. We wait to see.

A large potato would certainly be better than a carrot... this is what the traditional turnips look like -




And yes - an awful lot of rain, and the ground already waterlogged. Also high winds that have blown a lot of the leaves off, so blocking drains and making it even worse.