Hi Gareth,
And some news:
As expected the selling garage (which aren't Audi dealers) were little help. They said they had handed over what they had and couldn't tell us any owner history (data protection etc).
We have an outline owner history anyway, thanks to the various number plate changes matching with MOT info.
We've sent in a V888 to see what else that might produce.
The good news: we've found the servicing data! And the stamps tally with the data in the selling advert. I was checking the spec for the radio/6CD Bose system fitted to the car and asked my friend if he had the code just in case he ever had a flat battery or needed to disconnect the battery for any reason. He dug out a small folder with the original radio/CD instruction booklet and tucked away behind it was the very slim Audi Service Schedule booklet. Bingo: dealers stamps in there.
Now he can move forward with (sadly) selling this vehicle that he happily had put a lot of money into as he had planned to be keeping it for a couple of years yet.
Life sometimes just doesn't play the way we plan does it?