Seems I may have fixed it myself.
Took off small full width panel (four * security type allen screws) at front of machine under the door. (turning power off first). Found that bottom of machine was full of water, lowered front legs of machine so that water came forward and sponged out water with a cloth. raised legs and turned power back on, hey presto it worked, the machine started taking in water again. i guess there must be some sort of water spillage sensor !!!! which stopped it in the first place ??
I then checked where the water in the bottom of the machine was coming from with a torch and found that water was leaking around the seal of the salt bottle. The salt bottle is held on by a very large plastic nut surrounding the lid where you put the salt in, and it had become slightly loose. There is also no rubber washer under it, so I guess there must be one on the underside and this nut is meant to clamp it water tight, anyway hand tightening didn't cure the leak fully and I didn't have a spanner that big (four inch approx) so I used a screw driver and a plastic mallet to tap it round gently but securley. turned off machine, wiped out water again from bottom of machine and turned back on to check for leaking water.
No leak, and one working machine, great.
mike
February 2010