Bcm - thank you for the offer but I'm now happily tapping away having been sorted out by the Currys PC World place as suggested by cellar door.

I now have a charger that looks like it would fit any laptop ever invented and it only set me back £40! Happy days.

Without it I'd be commuting into the city right now rather than sitting in my dining room next to the Christmas tree listening to radio 6 and looking forward to a jaunt around the shops for some last minute gifts at lunchtime. Thank you currys and cellar door, I had no idea those shops were there.