I have had a cultivated blackberry briar (Bedfordshire something I think) growing on my fence for 24 years. Each year it puts up a new stem (in it's early days it was 2) which grows up to 18 feet in the course of the year while last year's growth is bearing fruit. In the winter I cut the old growth right back to the base, leaving the new stem to bear fruit the following summer.

Yesterday I noticed that this year's new stem, currently about three feet tall, had flopped over - the six inches of green growth at the end is completely flacid There is no sign of damage or withering leaves yet - but this morning it looks even limper.

Looking at the current fruiting stem, I reckon it has a lot less flowers than I'd expect for the time of year, and only on the lower half.

Do blackberry briars simply die of old age??? Or is this a disease? Is there anything I can do?

Advice gratefully recieved.