Upon return to UK I was minded to send a rude email of complaint but could not find a contact (turns out they only have them on the French pages). I did find a snail mail address and for the first time in many years I wrote a (polite) letter of complaint. Several weeks later (It WAS over the Xmas holiday) I received a charming letter from a Jocelyne Munier complete with a bag of 'goodies'. Whilst not accepting that it was possible for the machine to do what it did - she did offer me a full refund which of course I accepted.
I have this lovely image of a little old lady stuck in a corner somewhere of the corporate HQ (she has the most fantastically flowery signature I have ever seen) and it is such a pleasure to report such nice person is still allowed to exist.