Used a cheap reciprocating saw from Screwfix with a decent Bosch
greenwood blade to strip branches of 49 leylandii. Using a cheaper
blade I cut through roots after digging away soil, Used the stripped
trunk to lever them out of ground and then cut of root ball from trunk
(4" - 5" dia) coped with the lot without a problem. Used about six
cheap blades cutting through roots (hit the odd stone) and only one
decent blade for the rest of the work.