Turns out the Database was intact after all. I pulled up a backup and imported it, but I had the same issue. So I folowed the following steps:
- Installed PS1.6.1.5 on a sub domain
- Installed 1-click update
- updated to 1.6.1.24
- imported my backup DB, and everything was working (i.e. all my data was accessible)
- dumped the tables, and imported the suspected corrupt database, and whadda you know, everything was working.
after that it was just a case of dragging over my theme, css, modules and the rest of the stuff that makes a website tick.
So all in all there must have been a corrupted file somewhere, but the shop was back up and running within a coupe of hours, so obviously I'm a happy camper!