It looks like our son has broken the bonnet cable just behind the key part in the grill! 

 

Does anyone know how/if you can open the bonnet without damaging it too much?

 

I've looked through the bonnet catch thread but it's a slightly different fault and it seems you need to have the cable intact for it to work. 

 

MOT due in a couple of months and there's no water in the windscreen washer bottle 🙄

Pretty sure you'll have to break the grill tbh.  Then it's simply a case of pulling the old cable out and using a large flat screwdriver to turn the lock.

Mk2 grill costs about £30 on ebay but might be able to find cheaper at a scrap yard or private breaker.

Thanks for that. I've looked on YouTube and apparently it is possible to just knock off the 2 plastic screw/pin things at each end of the grill with a small chisel but looks a bit tight and I might scratch or dent the bonnet so looking like sacrificing the grill is the way to go. 

 

I do go into our local scrappy in connection with my work so I'll keep an eye out for a Focus in there. I'll just need to keep a big flathead in the car meantime.

 

Cheers. 

Well, touchwood, I think I've fixed it! 

Masking tape on bonnet to stop scratching, wedged bonnet open a bit with an axe(redneck fix, only wedge I had lying about) knocked the 2 screws out with hammer and chisel, pulled bottom of grill out by threading a bit of copper wire through the bottom of the grill and pulling. Transferred wire to the top of the grill and pulled hard. Grill came away. Looks like the saddle shaped bit just came off the back of the lock, reattached it and worked it a few times to check. Reattached grill using screw/pin assembly stolen from elsewhere under the hood! Spraygease around the catch, closed bonnet. 😎