Wiltshire in Pictures: Royalty, sun and results

The Duchess of Edinburgh met Royal Marines veteran James "Jim" Wren

It's been a scorcher in Wiltshire this week, forcing farmers to harvest their wheat crops early.

There has also been a royal visit from Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, for the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, or Victory over Japan Day.

Of course, envelopes revealing A-level results were opened on Thursday.

Over at Stourhead, heavy horses have been brought in by the National Trust to help clear timber.

Serious muscle: Heavy horses have been enlisted by the National Trust to help manage the woodland on the Stourhead estate near Warminster. The Wessex heavy horses, which are good at handling terrains that are tricky for machines, are extracting timber from the 2,650-acre Top Wood.

And relax: Schools and colleges across Wiltshire have been abuzz with pupils finding out their A-level results. Many are celebrating – including these teens at Devizes School.

Sharing wisdom: Residents at Kingston House care home in Calne have been potting plants and sharing advice for younger generations at the same time. Ken Lewis, 81, said: "Don't fear the unknown. If you want to do something, just go for it."

History through heat: Sun-scorched grass has this week revealed the outline of old features at the Longleat estate, including the World War Two American military hospital. The parched marks appear because soil over buried landscape features is shallower than in the surrounding areas.

Speed in the sun: Another day for Salisbury Races as William Buick riding Morris Dancer wins the British Stallion Studs EBF Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury Racecourse.

Food for thought: A Swindon charity welcomed Wiltshire's High Sheriff Martin Nye to the town's Big Breakfast Plus, which is open seven days a week offering a cooked breakfast to homeless and hungry people. Based at the Pilgrim Centre, it sources food locally where it can, such as milk from a farm in Wroughton, sausages from Bishopstone and donations of fruit from a local allotment.

Heat and wheat: The dry weather this year has led to the county's farmers harvesting early and quickly. Combine harvesters and golden fields are regular sights already in Wiltshire this year.

Spooky: A huge mural has been completed in a Warminster car park, marking 60 years since the Warminster Thing, a series of mysterious noises and UFO sightings in the town.

Simply dazzling: While the sun has scorched the grass in some places, other scenes have been sparkling, including this river in Salisbury.