Thanks...
Thanks for all the positive responses and suggestions so far.
Mark D: I will DEFINATELY have much better luck with the Sebo, I have used plenty of Sebo's - some of which 15+ years old - and are more than happy with the performance of one's that have had even heavy use in commercial environments. Thankfully I was not hurt, and I was near the back door when I noticed all the smoke, so promptly unplugged and placed outside. I was not hurt, but shocked!
sebo_fan: Yes, I have two Panasonic Upright's, one a 1991(ish) Panasonic MCE-41N - which is my personal daily driver - but the PurePower was bought as a basic vacuum for a daily quick whizz vacuum, I know it wasn't the best, at all, but I didn't want to 'overuse' any of my collectable vacuums. I am sure a Sebo will be a much better cleaner and frankly I should have saved up an extra £100 or so and got a Sebo, and I wouldn't have had any of these problems.
Chris: I knew that Hoover are nothing on what they were before, even going back around 12 years you could only spend around £70 and get a TP2, but still, the TP2 wasn't as good as its predecessors, and back and again so forth. It's planned obsolescence, everything is made that way nowadays. But I definatly am looking forward to a Sebo, as you and many others have so highly rated, and down to personal use, I believe the Sebo is the way to go. I like the vacuum pun, I've noticed I have started more pun's than I did before, much to the annoyance of people who talk to me...
Tayyab: Yes, I am getting a Henry soon, but I was after an upright I could use fairly regularly without using one of my collection, so will be after a Sebo, which have proved to be more reliable than others.
sebo_fan (again): I am hoping to take it back to Argos, as soon as I find the receipt - I've lost it...doh... - but I am also hoping to get in touch with Hoover UK, I also find it unacceptable at only 6 week's old, so will have to see what they will do. What do you think they would do?
John: I'm hoping I'm the only person who this has happened to, as I don't want anyone to end up with a house fire, but I also hope that it's happened before so that Hoover don't just say it's a 'one off'. It definately is not worth having a name with such heritage and brilliance on it. It's not a Hoover to me. It doesn't beat, it doesn't sweep, and in it's current stage, it doesn't clean either, not that it was very good at it before either.
Desert Tortoise: Fair comment, or even a built in sprinkler system on the motor...
Thanks once again for all your positive responses and suggestions. I will report back after the next few days of which I hope involve resolving the problems.
Best wishes to you all.
Jacob