It wasn't intill I noticed lydia holding two staves that I realised they are classed as single handed weapons. She alutomatically seems to pick up the best weapon so I gave her a couple of enchanted staves to hold and the next fight she cast a storm antriarch with a conjouring staff in on ehand and fire bolts with another staff in the other. Previously she had been using a 2 handed sword.

Um how the hell do you give her stuff?

Talk to her. theres an option to trade with her

If its anything like Oblivion, reverse pickpocket.

Go into "I'd like to trade some things with you"

HAHA! I feel like a complete imbicle. I assumed all the dialog options were visible. Anyway thank you all very much. She now looks pretty damn wicked in the suit of Ork armor I crafted her. And a steel sword? Please! Also I noted she was out of arrows and had discharged her staffs which I recharged for her.

Really??? That really interest me for my mage. Conjure my own helper and then have my companion call there own as well. That will be really nice.