Bonnet not releasing/opening

[slow-n-steady]

Hi everyone. 
I have a Mk1 Alhambra.  To keep a sudden hail storm out of the engine bay, I inadvertently 'dropped' the bonnet.  There are still hoses/ducts off, and tools on top of the engine, therefore I can not drive it. 
The bonnet will now not release.  I have removed the grill to the right (from drivers seat) of the Seat badge, but still can not access the back or top of the catch.  Any suggestions please? 
Slow-n-steady

[regw]

Perhaps the stuff on top of the engine is applying upwards pressure to the sliding catch
making it hard to shift.
I'd get someone to push down on the area above the catch as you pull the lever to
try and counter act this and hopefully allow it to release.

HTH

[slow-n-steady]

Reg,
Thanks.  That was not an immediate fix, but I wedged a piece of wood to keep the release handle at full extension, and kept bouncing on the bonnet until it eventually opened.  The bonnet hasn't been properly closed since some time in November, so when it slammed into the shut position, it stayed.  All lubed up now and exercised a number of times with a piece of 6mm bar bent at a right-angle.  working sweetly. 

While I'm on, can you remind me of the correct way to ask a question please?  I mean which page do you start on and what phrase do you click on?  I know I managed to ask this question, but I have no idea how I got there!
Thanks again. 

[regw]

Hmmm
Well first decide the appropriate forum for your car
for MKI or MKII galaxy, VW Sharan or Seat Alhambra
clicking on any of the first 3 car pics gets you here in the
'old banger' section
That way we don't have to mingle with them in the MKIII and posh car brigade see?

In the forum you'll see a list of 'threads' or 'topics'
which are mainly questions on problems or discussions on related stuff

You can start you own thread or topic ( you already have of course)
and reply to that or threads started by others  using grey 'click to reply' box
or just start typing in the text box below for a plain text reply

If you have more questions on different subjects you go to main forum
and click the grey 'click to start new topic' box

Its usually best practice to start a new thread for a new/different topic
or it can all get a bit confusing.

For instance if a topic headlined 'how do I adjust my seat?'
drifts into talk of wheel bearings, this can make hard to catch up stuff.
There's always a bit of 'mission drift' on forums of course, we've all done it
but the idea is to try and keep topics related to the OPs ( original Poster's) headline question.

 

[regw]

Incindenterally there's no damned edit fucntion
so if you post summat and then notice you dnit spel sumfin proper like
thassit yer screwed

[mike wilson]

There is but only for the first 30 minutes.  I think.  Will find out when I post this.

Modified with the modify button.

[mike wilson]

Yep.  Modify button in top right of post.