Thanks to all for your extremely helpful input. After putting the car on ramps and getting under it I can confirm it is a handbrake cable not a brake line! Silly me😊. After releasing the handbrake I was able to remove the tensioning screw that was preventing the battery to pass, and hey presto I could remove the battery from underneath. The battery was from May 2009 - lasted pretty well. The recent cold spell here in Houston (got down to 5C in my garage) however was the last straw!
Have bought a replacement - had to be the same size to fit, and stayed with the 550 CCA.
Thanks again to all.
David
