Me dogs are traped in the boot!!!

As you can probably tell from the title the boot mechanism has completly craped out on me. I got the back seats folded down and laughed a lot when my dogs limboed under the dog guard but cant open the boot with the outside or inside handle even with the locking knob pulled up. The trim panel has been off for about 4 months since I disconected the central locking servo that packed up so I do have access to the workings but pulling on the different linkages seems to have no effect and has very little resistance. If the mechanism needs replacing or repairing I think the boot would need to be open to remove it so has any one got any sugestions??? Am I tuggin on the reet bit???

Ah ha! Using my highly evolved brain I 1) pushed a large philips screwdriver through one of the mechanism levers in the door cavity 2) Found somthing sturdy at the pointy end of the screwdriver 3) Grunted and leved the fekker open. Have now scraped all the crud off the linkages and splurged 3 in 1 oil over everything that looks even slightly lockish. Now opens again inside and out! Wooo and for my next trick I shall make fire... when the central locking wiring in me boot goes up