Grey screen, flashing folder with "?" - stuck disc.

This is apparently what happened.
My daughter put a cd with a divx file in the insert of her macbook pro. She got the spinning beech ball and after a long hang my mother in law shut down via the on/off button. Now, with the same cd inserted it wont boot. We get a white / grey screen and every now and then a folder icon with a ? symbol on it flashes. I try the eject button, the disc tries to come out but doesn't and i'm still stuck.
I did some research, something about pressing 'v' whilst booting in the hope of a safe mode boot.......nothing.
Any suggestions most welcome.
Thanks

^ Stridemat

I'm a Stride by name - how very strange.
Anyway, I did the start and option key, for the first time tonight i got a cursor but no start up disc images. I tried eject, it did try - i swear i can see perhaps a mm sticking out of the dust flaps but then it goes back in.

I then tried the method holding the track pad on boot. Again, it gave a good attempt at ejecting but just as I thought it was going to plop out, back in she goes. I wonder if theres two discs in there?

Disc out care of option key

What process next guys - anything special?

Thanks

Well, i'm not quite there, must be more underlying issues.

The disc is out but not booting to anything other than whitish screen.

Done boot with option key, get a cursor nothing more.

Done boot with 'v' key - nothing at all..............

^ thanks to all so far.
I tried to install from start up disc - but it wouldn't locate the hd to have it installed.
I then noticed you can use time machine, i tried that but it said i didn't have enough free memory to proceed.
At this point I thought stuff it and did a disc utility check - it started but then a message came up about bad sectors - i then tried to erase the disc, it did about 50% then faltered again. I guess the HD is truly goosed.
So, I think i need a new one. The item has a description of hitachi hts541612j9sa00. I googled it and it would appear to not be in circulation any more??? Only second hand ones on ebay at buy it now circa £25.

Is this true? Can you recommend other model / brands?
Thanks

same really, young daughters machine, nothing intensive happening here.

great suggestion - thanks for all your help.

More help required please.

I've replaced the HD and on firing up it's booting staright from s/leopard install disc which is now in the drive.

When the prompt appears 'select the disc where you want OS X' - nothing is highlighted.

When I go to disc utility it is there?

How do I get it to appear to load OS X on to.

Thanks

^
cheers