Manual Excerpt not showing

should be something like this:

<?php
   if (function_exists('has_excerpt') && has_excerpt()) the_excerpt();
   else the_content('More...');
?>

Thanks for the response, I now have the below but still no excerpt. All help greatfully received.

<div class="postcontent">
            <div class="postthumb">
            	<?php the_post_thumbnail(); ?>   <!--This shows the thumbnail in the post, always plase in the loop-->
            </div>
            <div class="postdetail">
            	<h2 class="posttitle"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to <?php the_title_attribute(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h2>
               	<span class="post_date"><?php the_time('j.m.Y') ?></span>
				<?php
   				if (function_exists('has_excerpt') && has_excerpt()) the_excerpt();
  				else the_content('More...');
				?>
                	<!--<div class="postmetabottom"> Use this div to add comments back in
					</div> -->
            </div>
		</div>

are you getting full content and the more link? or just the more link and no content?

I now have the below which shows the read more link but not the excerpt itself, any ideas how I get the excerpt to show. ALl help appreciated

looks like you changed you reply, so now no more link either?
might try:

<div class="postthumb">
            	<?php the_post_thumbnail(); ?>   <!--This shows the thumbnail in the post, always plase in the loop-->
            </div>
            <div class="postdetail">
            	<h2 class="posttitle"><a>" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to <?php the_title_attribute(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h2>
               	<span class="post_date"><?php the_time('j.m.Y') ?></span>

<?php the_excerpt();?>
<p><a>">read more</a></p>
<!--<div class="postmetabottom"> Use this div to add comments back in
					</div> -->
            </div>
		</div>