OK JJW, sounds like one to follow up on.

I'd assumed the ND effect was down to so little give in the springs - lean gently on the front and you can barely move it - and the front end just reacting poorly to the bumps in the road.

Opens up a new line of thought.........

Wouldn't last weeks MOT have picked up the wear aspect (it was blindingly thorough with equipment and manual checks of the front end and much breath holding by me)? It was also at a garage handling a large throughput of Mog MOT's.

Any guidance on how to check other than giving it a wobble?

If it does come to it then a spring swap is going to be almost incidental to the main operation.