Dash out I am afraid. Can't gain access the way you have suggested as its just a finishing trim for the windscreen.

 

Yup thats about it. Be careful because there's a plastic lip that pushes into a groove that holds the edge in. But as the plastic gets brittle with age it will break easily..

 

Take the tension off the wiper arms to remove them by pushing down slightly on the arm (close to the end, where the spring is). When you take the plastic scuttle trim off start at one end by pulling upwards away from the screen and go easy all the way along T:

 

Guess what i have just finished putting in after taking it out to recover it in leather....
is my current thinking,

 

Also is there a knack to getting windscreen wiper arms off without breaking them?

Thankyou in advance for any advice

I was having the same problem removing the arms and the mechanic at my local VW garage loaned me a small puller which I've since seen listed in an online tool catalogue as a battery terminal removal tool. Works a treat and saves scratching paintwork with screwdrivers and levers. Deinitely worth searching for .
Cheers
Johnjo