Best way to kill and clear hedge stumps

seamus

So towards the end of the summer I trimmed down a line of hedging in my back garden - based on a google search I think it was laurel hedging. When I say "trimmed down", I cut them down to half metre stumps left sticking up out of the ground.
At the time I had too much going on, I just couldn't get any further with them. They're still alive, a few leaves have sprouted off them again.

I'm just wondering what my best options are. With the ground so soft at the moment, should I just try get in underneath them and rip them out? I have no idea how deep these roots would be.

Or should I try kill them first to make them easier to lift? I was thinking if I drilled a few holes near the base of each and filled them with something (salt?), that should be effective?

Using heavier equipment is pretty much out of the question because there's no access to the garden except through the house.

Oldtree

Dig down around them and use an axe to cut any large roots, should come out fairly easily on soft ground, using the stumps to leaver over and back. If you had a hand winch it would be easier. Dont think killing them any more will make any difference

seamus

Cheers. I guess I'll just get the mattock out and start hacking away. It tore a palm-like bush I had to pieces with little effort so hopefully these are the same!

Oldtree

A mattock is a very rewarding tool to use