Freelander 2tailgate stuck

Hi guys n gals, I have a problem with my newly acquired FL2, in that the tailgate is stuck shut, even though the car system thinks it is open, and will therefore not set the alarm. At the moment (away on holiday) am having to lock the car by using the key blade in the passenger door lock - trouble is that this doesn't set the alarm nor lock the fuel filler cap
Any idea as to what I can try, please

If the car thinks it's open, it may just have something like a bit of cloth stuck in the catch. The cure for this is to crawl into the boot and put all your weight against the door, which should then spring open. If it's more serious then you may need to remove the lock from the inside. Too technical for me but you should find some tips using a web search.

Have you tried pressing and holding the lock and unlock buttons on the dashboard whilst someone else is applying pressure to open the tailgate?

It could be the switch has failed due to water ingress

Also check the fuse for the latch

tends to be the latch