Anyone got any tricks up their sleeve for a frozen park brake cable on a 1973 220D? Buy a hairdryer?

The front half is frozen and I popped the foot lever end out of it's socket trying to free it, the parking brakes are on.

This is more than frustrating when you get up early in minus 4 temperatures, get the old diesel fired up, spend half an hour scratching ice of the windscreen inside and out, are ready to go and click, handbrake light stays on.

Due to a minor derailment the trains aren't running either, I guess education just wasn't meant to be on the agenda today.

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306D 1975 (camper) - rusting away
W116 450 SEL 1975 - sold
W114 long wheelbase ambulance, 3 litre diesel 1974

VW Golf 1 convertable - midlife crisis item
VW T4 van - support vehicle