Hotpoint door seal - drum clip nightmare

[dal5band]

Just replaced the door seal on my mum's Hotpoint w/m about 6 years old.
Taking it off was ok - remove top, soap dish and then control panel.
But the front panel does not come off on this machine - seems to be welded to the sides. You have to reach through the gaps to get to the "spring" clip which holds the seal onto the drum - it's like a piece of net curtain wire but stronger.

Getting this spring clip back over the seal +drum lip was a nightmare. It took two of us to stretch and pull the spring into place.
Is there a knack to this ?

This was a wmf720PUKR machine. The seal/ drum clamp was one piece spring - no screw clamp to loosen / tighten.

 

[rocks1]

Yes. Thin screwdriver in the door lock hole. That acts as a third hand then put spring over the screwdriver. stretch the spring by about 1 inch and with both hands pull over the seal.