Update: without doubt this post was what stopped the merry-go-round with Apple.
Quote Originally Posted by wileeeeeey View Post
"Apple Products and Consumer Laws in the United Kingdom"
https://www.apple.com/uk/legal/statutory-warranty/
I was put though to the consumer law department numerous times via the apple chat ‘service’ and they requested I visit the apple store again, which I couldn’t due to the Covid restrictions, eventually they buckled and asked for the item to be collected and returned for testing again and sure enough the item was found to be faulty and a replacement is on its way.
Thanks for all the messages with regards to this - knowledge is power with Apple as I very much felt fobbed off early on.