lol Cheers uncle Tony but I've tried that and it failed.....miserably.

It's my understanding that a thermocoupling is 2 different metals 'welded' together wich will give a few millivolts when the weld is heated beyond a certain point? If that's the case this one's still working as it should....

It's doing my head in

So before I send ya 50 quid, give me a tip that'll get the boiler started without calling in a technician