Alex_RM Thanks. Everything is now working again (grateful to Rahul), with some extra work updating each computer and iphone. However,
1) The episode has severely shaken our faith in Virgin email.
2) We suspect that not all Virgin phone support staff are clued up on unblocking email accounts
3) The design of the email website needs a hard look. Important options can be hidden and the layout is often counterintuitive. Some options are ambiguous, e.g. Does "Enter Password" mean existing password or changed password? On the main user email webpage, does delete a link to an associated email delete the link or delete the entire email account.
NB This is intended as constructive criticism.