Warm start problem

[hx31192]

My 04 plate 1.9tdi has developed a starting problem when the engine is between cold and hot. The engine will initially start but die almost immediately, it will do this several times until I can catch it on the throttle and give it good footful. It will then seem to rev out and tick over normally. Usually after this it will then drive normally, but occasionally after a few hundred yards the engine will lose power and judder as if its in a too high gear. If I then declutch and take my foot off the throttle the engine drops to tickover revs and I can then re-engage the gear and drive off normally. After one of these "episodes" the engine will behave normally for the rest of the journey. The engine always starts from cold (even when it was -10 the other morning) and will start ok from hot after a long run, the main problem seems to be when the engine is between dead cold and fully warm. While this may be a different problem, I have also started using coolant with no obvious signs of where its going (suspect head gasket?) I can see no staining or steam.
Many thanks for any suggestions.