legalities of rope towing

That was my first reaction, but he's rung the supermarket (sainsburys in Costessey) and they are fine about it, I can't get it sorted tonight because (A) its 65 miles away and (B)he's in security, working nights and the company is more likely to shoot me than let me in to get the keys!
Worst bit is if I can't get it going I'll have to tow it right across Norwich

Bars are relatively cheap, got mine from screw fix for £20. The spring loaded ones have a habit of snapping in two though!

Thanks for that all, sounds as though its an alternator/belt fault, been running on the battery until it gave up, so hopefully quite an easy fix, I've got spare belts/laternators/jump leads so going to have a look tomorrow.

I'll avoid towing if at all possible, yes it is the one at Longwater, but I can't say I'm keen on towing round the bypass, too many idiots, last time I actually had someone nearly hit the central barrier and then me, trying to take a pic on his phone of my RRC whilst overtaking me!

If you do end up towing make sure the rope is not too long or else some fool will try to pull into the gap. Also since it's a modernish car make sure the person steering the towed vehicle knows to turn the key to the second position and unlock the steering. Towed my wife's BG Laser with my Wolseley 1300 once and got yanked sideways at the first intersection cos the helper forgot this important step.

I wouldn't class a carpark to which the public has access as a place of safety.

Thanks all, if necessary I was going to use the 'place of safety' line, but I'm hoping to get it fixed in the carpark, have two alternators, three belts, jump leads etc in the back of mine, so wish me luck!
And Igor, yup had that done to me too, by a mate in a Rover 827, but I was towing with a Range Rover (as I tend to do), so it was him that made the corner whether he wanted to or not!

Take a fully charged battery, that will get you 65 miles as long as the altenator is not earthing out especially if you do not need lights

Right, update time.
S_I_L went back to car this morning, after finishing nightshift. Car started perfectly and drove home, about 6 miles, functioning fine. He's gone to bed, so I trolled over, and checked it, battery fine, alternator charging, leads tight, belt Ok, Only thing I can hear the waterpump bearings squealing slightly, but no leaks, and coolant level is OK. so its not wetting the belt etc.

don't you love faults that go away, when you're all sparked up to sort them?. I worry when I can't find anything wrong, particularly when the car is so far from me, and its likely to do it again at an inconvenient moment (or is there a convenient one??)

He's really got no idea about cars, this is an 03 plate fiesta, and I'm not sure what it was actually doing when it broke down,, since he also said it had no dash lights, but was turning over. I'm wondering if the amount of rain we've had over the last few days has got in somewhere and caused a short, which has then dried out and 'cured' itself, but clutching at straws really.

Guess the only option is to see if it breaks again, coz I cant fix a fault that isn't there!

Don't know anything about Fiestas, is there a diagnostic port, does it store error codes that might help?

I am with you though, while it's nice that the faulty has gone away, it's frustrating not to know why.