The washing machine makes a terrible screeching noise like the fan belt on a car when it starts to spin and during spin. Could it be the drive belt? Is it common and are they easy to replace?
Many Thanks

The belts under the washer get wet, oily from transmission leaks and the noise you describe is not uncommon. Sometimes the idler adjustment pulley will seize or get gight and cause the noise but that is usually accompanied by a rubber small. Depending on the model, some are easy, some are a real pain. You will need to pull the unit out, remove the back panel and look at the arrangement. Make sure not to overload the washer, that's hard on the belts too.

The barring is ****ed , it would probably be cheaper to buy a new one unless you know some one that will fix it for you

It's the barring mate