Hi Dave – thanks very much for your advice
I put the back cover on again and am running the dryer from another socket via an extension. So far so good. I am still puzzled by a few things though:
1) The washing machine and tumble dryer have both been running fine from the double socket, both separately and together, for years without issue
2) The washing machine is still working fine from this socket
3) When the tumble dryer went dead/lights out, I could return later and start it again without doing anything ie no blown fuses in the plug, no tripping in the fuse box and the washing machine unaffected
Very grateful for your help, the washing has been piling up with this weather
I may be back
Cheers
Mark