aaj wrote:
Many thanks all

scarily, I think I'm going to have a go at growing the grass from
seed (as suggested in one of the earlier posts.)

might be a good experience for a newbie like me. Ill have a peruse
of
the internet for seed recommendations, unless you guys have any
good
ideas.
[...]

Just go to the local garden centre or DIY shed, and read what it says
on the various packets. Each one should describe the kind of use and
situation the particular mixture is meant for. It doesn't actually
matter all that much, but note that ones containing ryegrass will
usually be tougher than others, but can't be cut quite as short. If
you don't care, you might just go for the cheapest -- I probably
would. If you can, spend an extra tenner on a spreader: it's very
hard to get an even spread by hand, though that won't matter in a
couple of years, either. It's not brain surgery. (Do keep the packet:
you may want to know what mixture you used for patching damaged bits
later.)

--
Mike.