Never mind, uninstalling ipython and installing the version below resolved the issue. I'm afraid I can't throw any further light on what the problem was; I was supplied the machine with ipython already installed and didn't ascertain the version before uninstall.
http://pypi.python.org/packages/any/i/ipython/ipython-0.13.py2-win-amd64.exe#md5=945fc78dfd38631c4720c58139a83255 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "spyder" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/spyderlib/-/Kf-kl9UalWMJ. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/spyderlib?hl=en.
