sorry - didnt realise using the mysql_error wouldnt produce any errors....!! Durr...!
I tried
mail("mfacer@bbbb.com","test","testy");
and the page loaded ok - but I never get an email - I have also uploaded the same page to another of my sites on a different server.... and it works fine....
I cannot access any error logs either..... the host of this site is pants - so maybe they might have got the mail function not installed properly??