[sachkrimbo]

After all the advice you helpful lot gave me about my failures I have managed to find a fab supplier of horse manure.  They have loads of it ranging from years old to fresh.  Apparently the oldest is like peat now, so is that the best to use or will all the nutrients have leeched out?  Also booked on to a course at Barnsdale gardens, anyone any experiences there?

[Yorkie]

The main purpose of manure is to add organic matter and thus structure / soil conditioner to the soil, rather than nutrients per se.

Go for the oldest stuff. 

[noshed]

The old stuff you can put straight on your beds. It will help with water retention and general soil conditioning. Any new stuff - just pile it up for a year or so and it will be grand. Even better cover it with something and put it in a bin made of pallets.