Update
After spending time considering options my computer developed other problems so I decided that it was probably the hard drive, rather than IE especially when other programs refused to open and screens merged and froze . I was frantically checking everything was backed up before it failed. I asked around for advice and got nowhere (I don't know of a reliable local computer shop). However, I checked everything I could think of (it's amazing what you forget and have to dredge from the depths of your memory when things are done automatically). The upshot being things improved gradually until everything became normal (for the time being). I've no idea what the problem was, but am keeping my fingers crossed.
Tofgem
