A data processing system includes a processor operable to execute a program partitioned into a number of discrete instructions, the processor having multiple processing elements each capable of executing more than one instruction per cycle, and an interface configured to read a first program and, on detecting a branch operation by that program creating m number of branches each having a different sequence of instructions, combine an instruction from one of the branches with an instruction from at least one other branch so as to cause a processing element to execute the combined instructions during a single cycle.