Gavin, thank you for the reply. I am currently clearing the five foot high grass into a more manageable lawn before I get cracking removing the roots. It has been a slow process. I have cleared a 10'x6' strip so far and that was monday and tuesday evenings and all done by hand with garden shears!! The ground is Bloody hard - it is difficult to get a fork or a shovel into it.
I will carry on regardless though.
   Thanks to all who have replied in this thread.
    Best regards.
    Pete.