Suspect HGF

You never suspect that a little run to the town for some Christmas shopping would end with potentially a huge price tag.

Suspect HGF based on the sludge, empty expansion bottle, near total loss of oil, and water on the dipstick.

6 hours waiting for the RAC to recover us, and finally got him walking distance from home.

Didn't suspect a thing when innocently suggesting to my wife let's get a head of the game and get the festive shopping done.

Now to decide DIY, or a mobile, experienced mechanic?

Still, looking good on the back of a recovery truck regardless.

That sounds as though trouble had been brewing for a while as that is a catastrophic failure. Normally there are warning signs which regular checks pick up. In earlier times this would be game over but yours is an early VVC and they are becoming sought after ( well, in MGF circles, anyway.) Put it away for the Winter, book a mobile specialist to do the job and change the water pump as well as both belts. A good one knows about liner protrusion, and so should you. The head will need to be checked for flatness, too. Most importantly of all, know for sure why the engine failed. That means checking every pipe thoroughly, ensuring the radiator fan cuts in and that the radiator itself is sound and not blocked. It is a lot of work and you are advised to look upon it as a project. If you can't do that, then you will have to pass it on. You can, of course do it yourself with time, tools and space but it is not the easiest of engines to get a reliable fix on.