Thank you so much Mick, I did the check as per your info and it said checks and repairs to one or more items.

When I tried to start again it went to check disc on a blue screen which was where I was yesterday, this time when it got to 4 out of five 2% it stopped again but I ignored it this time and eventually it went through the lot and restarted properly, so hopefully I am now back to normal again, apart from my reduction of free space, which I think I will just have to live with at the moment.

John