Doreen Taylor wrote:
Anyone got one of these? Does it `do what it says on the tin`, if
not any other recommendations for lady allotment holder with
backache?

If you have well cultivated soil which simply needs the top 4 to 6
inches to be rotovated, then, yes it will do the job.
If you are looking to break up a compacted surface, then you may well
find that the vibration and physical (wo)man handling of the machine
may well cause you more backache than doing the job manually.
I would recommend that you hire one for a day to see how you get on
with it before buying.
I'm not familiar with the Mantis. If it has electric starting, that
won't be a problem. But some of the pull cord starters can be very
temperamental and could aggravate your back condition.

--
ned