the car was driving as normal then it just stopped running and shuddered to a stop, it seems fuel related its not pumping fuel through is it likely to be the pump or could something else cause the same symptoms, I waited for a while and tried to start it ,it fired up ran for a few seconds, when I tried to accelerate it died again, engine turns over but doesnt fire up.any help or advice would be great.

John from York, January 2011

Make sure there is diesel in the tank, dont trust the fuel gauge.
You dont say what year/engine code the car has.
Sometimes it's a failed crank sensor (easy and cheap to check/change).
Sometimes the EDC on the pump, which is more expensive/difficult to check/change, but still do-able.
If the pump has failed you may find the cost of repair/replacement more than the car is worth.

It may, of course, be nothing to do with the pump, just guesswork without seeing it and doing proper diagnosis.

derv, January 2011