Car mechanics please save my already meagre christmas -wifes rover 216 auto overheating badly?

To be honest the water pump or thermostat are probably no longer the main problem. uming its the Rover K series 1.6 because it has overheated there is a very good chance that it has blown the head gasket too. If that is the case then i'm afraid there are no miracles, the car needs the head taken off, skimmed & the head gasket replaced, as well as the original problem, whatever that may be, sorry to be the bearer of bad news.