The message
from "amanda pope" contains these words:

Quickest way to get rid ( without hand digging it out) is to use a stump
chipper. I do not think they can be hired as yet but I may be wrong. Look in
yellow pages under tree surgeons and ring round for someone who has one.

It shouldn't cost too much if they don't have far to go.

They can be hired, but it isn't a suitable job/machine for
inexperienced DIY hire so it isn't cheap. The grinder is huge, travels
on a large trailer, and comes with a team of men to operate it.

If a chipper proves to expensive dig it out apples are not too difficult.
There are a lot of no job too small laborours in the local paper if you can
not do it yourself

I agree; if the trunk is only a foot or so across, a teenager on his
holidays would be happy to be paid a fixed sum for what's a simple
muscle and sweat job.

Janet.