Front shock removal - Peugeot 306?

I am trying to remove the front shock absorber and cannot remove the nuts which connect to the ball jounts top and bottom.
-there is a vertical plastic strut from the roll bar to the flange on the shock and ther appears to be no way of stopping the ball joint turning and therefore not able to remove nut.
Also on rear shocks nuts securing top and bottom are locknuts with what appears to be metal sleeve rather than nylon and extremely hard to remove with conventional spanners.
-I am reluctnat to force any harder in case i damge the threads.