Update on Sweetie - they think it's the timing that has gone, and it's under guarantee, so huge sigh of relief. So they offered me a good deal - they will fix the timing, and give her a free service, and will pay the shipping one way, so I only have to pay for shipping in one direction.
If I had waited until some time next year, and she needed a service, I would have had to pay for that, and shipping both ways, so I was happy with their offer.
I am waiting for an email now with details on exactly what they want me to send back, and they will arrange for collection, rather than me having to find a courier from this end.
Just to put you in the picture, there are no HQ dealers in the country (Northern Ireland or here), in fact as far as I know, there is only one long arm dealer at all, (Gammill, way down in the south of the country) I knew I would have to deal with the service issue in due course, but hadn't bargained on a timing problem.