You need to pull the emergency release lever in the floor of the boot. It has a yellow handle, have a look in the driver's handbook for it's exact location. This will give slack on the cables, On completion and starting the engine the brake warning will appear on the panel but it should extinguish after a few cycles of handbrake use.

 

IIRC that action will render the handbrake useless & would require a replacement unit (£500 ish)
Davandso, another member had the same issue as yourself and had managed to pull the cables out a bit at a time, to get the cable back to full length.
I'll have a dig round and see if I can find it.

Sorry I can't find the post I was looking for, but did find this comment on another .....

"using molegripes on cable get someone to engage electric handbrake and then dis-engage whilst pulling cable out gives you yards !!!!"

 

Many thanks. The simple solution isn usually the best. Worked a treat. Back on the road.

 

Thanks for your interest. Feel that the emergency release should be only used as a last resort. Found a simpler solution. !!!

 

Found a simpler solution. !!!

....the molegrips?