Among all the extraordinary and exquisite formations that have been appearing in fields in the Devizes and Marlborough area this summer a familiar face has appeared.

It is none other than the Rev Awdry's Thomas the Tank Engine, which came to light in a field at West Overton.

The picture was taken by crop circle investigator Dave Bower as he flew over the area on August bank holiday Monday.

It was supplied to the Gazette and Herald, at his request, by fellow crop circle investigator and videographer Peter Sorensen.

Mr Sorensen, an American citizen who visits central Wiltshire each summer to keep up with the plethora of crop formations that appear, would not comment on the source of the Thomas formation.

But it is clearly in a different league to some of the stunning images that have appeared in growing grain this summer.

The high point is the stunning Celtic cross that appeared on Etchilhampton Hill on August 15. Right next to it in the same field is probably the worst formation of the year, a rather drunken, misshapen thing that defies description.