I have just managed to catch up with your thread Mikey.
I feel bad about you having those problems with the car.
The PAS belt had in fact done far less miles then 17k, it had actually done around 12k because it shredded one after only 5k after the cambelt change, but it didn't tangle the cambelt on that occasion. The belt that lasted 5k was also new.
However since then it had had a replacement PAS pump fitted (same time as the clutch),and everything had been checked and assumed to be ok.
I take it the pistons and valves colliding flat spotted the big ends shells and caused your bottom end problems?
It was a shame because until all that the engine was in really good shape.