"Kipper, you dont have to remove the seat just to replace the handle.
it just pushes in and you twist the black block at the top end of the cable to secure.
I broke the handle when i had the seat out replacing the cable but i didnt replace it with the new one till the seat was fixed back in."
You're right. But putting the new handle in wasn't the problem, it was getting the old handle surround out. Taking the seat out was a 5 minute job and enabled me to put the seat in any position I wanted in the light to see what I was doing.
"Sometimes its not enough just to read instructions, but you have to ask for help too."
There are several step by step instructions on various forums, but clearly some people give advice without having ever tackled the job themselves. My posting was to share my experience of actually doing the job, and to suggest that if one is unsuccessful in removing the old handle surround by any of the other postings in the forums, an option is to split the old one in half and remove it with pliers piece by piece.