Handbrake adjusting

Hi all, I'm new to this forum having just purchased a Freelander. I am having difficulty with the handbrake and have ran a search of the threads relating to how to adjust it and read through them. I followed the instruction posted by "Ming" but still no success. I have owned the Freelander for a week now and my wife is really struggling to apply the handbrake. She can only get it up 2 clicks which isn't enough to apply the brakes, and then she needs to use both hands to release it. I can get 5 clicks but admittedly that is a fairly hefty pull and this seems to hold it on a slope, and once the footbrake is released there is a rather disturbing sound from the drums. Not a grind but more of a binding sound, if that makes sense? a lot of creaks! I have tried adjusting the cable under the centre console but can't seem to get it right. My wife managed to get 5 clicks fairly easy with her left hand but the brakes were no where near applied and struggled to hold the weight on the slightest of slopes. I have now reset the cable to where it was originally and all is well again. If anyone has any other ideas of what this might be then I would be grateful for any info. We are due to head to Scotland tomorrow for a week and I don't fancy driving round the highlands in a Freelander with a dodgy handbrake. I am considering just taking it to Kwik Fit in the morning and getting them to sort it out!! Once again many thanks

I would start by removing the drums and checking that the mechanism is not partially seized. One shoe in each drum has a pivoting lever on it and this can seize up. Once all is right within the drums then re-adjust the handbrake within the car.

OK I shall give that a try tomorrow. Hopefully it will be simple to do as I don't really want to have to be splashing out money to have a garage do it. But time is running out with my trip tomorrow evening. Many thanks for that!!