Hi. Just thought I'd give a final update in case anyone else comes across this thread with the same issue.
Before I contacted an electrician I tried one last thing. As I mentioned, the washing machine only seemed to trip the electrics when it had a load in it but not if it was empty. Initially, I thought that it might be the weight shifting the drum or putting extra stress on the motor. However, I had also noticed that there was a wire going into the back of the drum about a third of the way up from the bottom. I assumed that this might be a sensor of some kind and that the higher water level was affecting it. I had nothing to lose so I unplugged it and started another wash cycle whilst keeping an eye on it. This time it worked without any problem. So I decided to take the risk and buy a replacement for this component. It turns out that it was the humidity sensor. The replacement cost £30. When I received it I swapped out the old one. I couldn't see anything wrong with the old one. It's literally just two small wires attached to a plug on one end and a sealed plastic probe on the other.
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I was still slightly worried that the fault may lie further down the connection and that by disconnecting the sensor I had just stopped the current from reaching it. However, I have now completed a few full washes with the new sensor and have had no issues.
So there we go. I have no idea how or why that sensor caused such a major issue.
Even though I also bought a new heating element that proved redundant, in the long run, I think I saved money by not having to call out someone to repair it. It was an interesting challenge to work out if nothing else.
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