smoke from dashboard>won't start

Hi there i just thought i would post in case someone can give me some advice about my golf problem! My 1.5 cab is currently off the road for the winter i just went to give it its periodic start up.

I attached a battery starter pack because i knew the battery was bound to be low on charhe and cranked the engine. The starter was going ok and it waas about to start up then stopped so i went to try again and the starter would not spin but the lights were on on the dash. Then i looked over to see smoke wafting from around the fusebox area!!!?

I just had a quick look and all the fuses appear to be fine, any idead as to what it was/is? thankyou, Im going to pop out and keep investigating now  :cry:

bloody old cars aaargh!

Early fuseboxes all had a habit of going duff and burning out pins on the back.
I went through two of these on my old audi and one on the golf.
Ive replaced the original box with a mk2 fusebox cos i was so fed up of the constant monkeying required.
Best to have the box out and check theres nothing about to set fire behind there.

As above Johnnymk1

I kept having probs with smoke coming from the dashboard and it turn out one of the fuses kept blowing.  Got a new box from GSF and got an auto electrician to fit it in 15mins for not alot of money.  That was a couple of years back but if it happened again I'd have a go myself.