2010 2.2 tdci. 60,000miles. Just MOTd last week.

I was driving fairly fast today and braking hard down a hill. About half a mile later i braked normal for a corner and after that, felt the brakes binding. Stopped to investigate, hand brake would not pull up and both rear brakes very hot and smoking. Front brakes were fine.

Wasn't far from home so crawled back and parked up.

Checked about half hour later and all freed up and handbrake working again.

Any ideas what to investigate? The fact that both sides bound up was making me think it's something hydraulic rather than just a dodgy pad or something.

For both sides to do that at the exact same time, the only common factor is the master cylinder (other than amazing coincidences like both caliper pistons seizing at the same time).

[edit] What you should do is check the pressure in the caliper. Take the rear wheels off, start the car and stomp on the brakes a couple of times (like you did when they seized on). Then undo the bleed valve on each caliper (with a bit of pipe on it to catch the fluid). If there's is pressure locked down there, the fluid will come out with some urgency as the pressure is released. Make sure the brake frees up fully after the pressure is released.

That being the case, you'll probably find yourself swapping out the master cylinder.

Is it drums or disks on the rear of the car?

Is it drums or disks on the rear of the car?

Discs.

It's a 2010 mondeo!

very odd, its not an issue with one of the lines as they always work diagonally. If I am correct, disk brakes have a small drum in which the shoes sit as used in the handbrake... I wonder if the issue is related to this, if the handbrake is seizing in the drum?