are there any fuses behind the alarm keypad that drops down from the driver's side lower dash panel?
if there are how do you get to them?

I *think* so. I have fuses in the area you describe but I don't have a key pad.

By the side of the bonnet release there is something that looks like it could be an ash tray. Pull the handle firmly and it will come out revealing fuses for most of the interior things.

This should be in the handbook ;)

i can see the fuses behind the alarm key pad but cannot work out how to get at them. do you have to unscrew the two screws that seem to be holding the alarm key pad mounting in place or is there some cunning trick with the drop down panel itself? any advice please before i end up wrecking the lower dash panel?

It is the coin tray, and only held in by some plastic "nobules" so pull it firmly and it should just pop-out. Fuses revealed.