Holy Necrothread!
I answered "Which Magazine" Whirlpool (covers quite a few makes of tumble driers) faulty tumble drier online form the other week as our 10 year old Creda tumble drier was one of the serial numbered models affected.
The government got involved and more or less told them to recall the faulty models as they are at risk of catching fire as has been the case in a few instances.
Just got an email back from them this afternoon and they will replace it free of charge with a like for like model
Or you can have an engineer come out and repair your old drier or the option of an upgrade to a higher grade model for £56 or £99.
No brainer to get a free like for like drier as ours has been well used over those years.
Better than a poke in the eye wi a mucky stick.