okay........cheers guys, have now managed to get the door open from the inside. turns out the outside door handle trigger, then moves another lever which is part of the locking mechanism, which had stuck in the down position, (thus the feeling like nothing connected behind the trigger from outside). The lever part of the mechanism still sticks down so think i need to either take the whole mechanism off and clean/lubricate and hope that sorts it out or replace it with a new one.....
anyone cleaned one up and found the same prob or just go for the replacement option

?