Clean the machine

My washing machine hasn't been working properly lately. It stops before the rinse and spin bit and a red light comes on. I've been moving the dial manually onto a rinse and spin cycle and that works but I was concerned about why it just wasn't managing to do a proper full cycle on its own. Al suggested I try cleaning out the filter thingymajig and this is what I found in it.

I recall hearing about a survey once where it turned out that 90% of belly button fluff is blue. Seems the same may be true for washing machine gubbins. Doubt whether you would find a chewing gum wrapper, a piece of cellophane, a plastic strip from a bottle lid, a lollipop stick, a matchstick and an ice cream spoon in your belly button though. Anyway this did the trick and the washing machine is working again. Well done the big Al - your advice was brilliant once again.