What is wrong with my washer/dryer?HELP!!?

I have an Ariston Margherita 2000, a few weeks ago when using the dryer it actually put water back into the machine making the clothes wetter than after the spin.Not overly concerned as i dont use the dryer a lot but now it has started stopping mid cycle on the wash (usually at the rinse/spin stage) and the dial keeps clicking round and the light flashes.
If you turn the machine off for a while and restart the cycle it works(sometimes)but you have to be there watching it constantly which is a major pain when you work and have 3 kids!
I do appreciate this question has been posed before re other machines but on searching I could not find a specific answer to the question and dont really want to have to get someone out and pay them to be told its not worth fixing.
Please HELP