Hi Fiona and welcome to GoY. The hard winter affected a lot of Crinodendrons, you need to prune it back to growing wood - even if this means pruning to the ground. We've had to do that and there is a good chance that it will re-grow. Of course if we get another bad winter it may not survive.

Even if it gets killed to ground level, it may shoot again from the roots (especially as it's a well established shrub). Don't give up on it until late July

Thanks so much for your replies. I was checking my roses the other day when another gardening neighbour walked past and we got talking about the chilean lantern tree. He told me to cut all the dead wood too. I hate pruning as I never feel like I'm doing it right and am causing damage but I think I'll give it a go and leave the parts with leaves on. BTW - I live in North Belfast where it can get very cold - would this maybe be a problem to prune now or leave to later. We had some frost only last week. What do you think?

Prune now Fiona the dead parts of the Crinodendron wont regrow. Just keep cutting back until you are into green wood. You'll be able to check before you cut approximately where the live wood is by carefully scraping away a little of the bark, if it look brown underneath then it is dead - green and it is alive. Even the parts with leaves on are possibly dead... only time will tell.