Polish worker Mariusz Pewtowski (left) with the BBC's Tim Samuels High wages have drawn scores of Eastern Europeans to at least one corner of England. But not everyone welcomes this new workforce, even if unemployed locals themselves refuse to do the same jobs.
Polish worker Mariusz Pewtowski (left) with the BBC's Tim Samuels By Tim Samuels High wages have drawn scores of Eastern Europeans to at least one corner of England. But not everyone welcomes this new workforce even if unemployed locals themselves refuse to do the same jobs.
A slice of today's British countryside. Giant butternut squash nestle in the ground waiting to be plucked and dispatched to satisfy gastropub tastes. Half a dozen workers trudge behind a tractor bending down to pick and load the squash. And the only person in the field who's British is the bloke driving the tractor. The rest are all from Eastern Europe.
A slice of today's British countryside. Giant butternut squash nestle in the ground waiting to be plucked and dispatched to satisfy gastropub tastes. Half a dozen workers trudge behind a tractor bending down to pick and load the squash. And the only person in the field who's British is the bloke driving the tractor. The rest are all from Eastern Europe.
The crew of Latvians, Lithuanians and a Pole includes a former nurse who's earning four times what she was making in the hospital back home. It's monotonous, physical work with 60-hour weeks, but no-one's complaining - or taking a tea break.
The crew of Latvians, Lithuanians and a Pole includes a former nurse who's earning four times what she was making in the hospital back home. It's monotonous, physical work with 60-hour weeks, but no-one's complaining - or taking a tea break.
The translation says it all"It's wonderful here," says Mariusz, fresh in from Poland.
The translation says it all"It's wonderful here," says Mariusz, fresh in from Poland.
A dream workforce for the farmer surveying the workers toiling on his land outside Peterborough. "We have a job to get anyone else to do the work."
A dream workforce for the farmer surveying the workers toiling on his land outside Peterborough. "We have a job to get anyone else to do the work."
He has all but given up on using locals to work in the fields. "They don't work as hard."
He has all but given up on using locals to work in the fields. "They don't work as hard."
In fact, they barely work in the fields at all. The agency supplying this farm with labour has had hundreds of Eastern Europeans pass through its doors in the last two years - and of all three English people.
In fact, they barely work in the fields at all. The agency supplying this farm with labour has had hundreds of Eastern Europeans pass through its doors in the last two years - and of all three English people.
"We've a job to get anybody else to do the work," says farmer Cam Allan. "The rates of pay are above minimum wage. It's just finding the people to do this type of work we've got."
"We've a job to get anybody else to do the work," says farmer Cam Allan. "The rates of pay are above minimum wage. It's just finding the people to do this type of work we've got."
The agricultural sector would be in dire straits without the immigrants willing to do the hard graft on the land. Labour which can net workers up to £25,000-a-year with overtime.
The agricultural sector would be in dire straits without the immigrants willing to do the hard graft on the land. Labour which can net workers up to £25,000-a-year with overtime.
'Prefer to sign-on'
'Prefer to sign-on'
But that's not enough to entice some of the local lads picking up their dole money in Peterborough. A constant trickle of young men are in and out of the office collecting their state benefits. But there's little appetite for taking one of those vegetable-picking jobs of up to £7-an-hour. One group of lads:
But that's not enough to entice some of the local lads picking up their dole money in Peterborough. A constant trickle of young men are in and out of the office collecting their state benefits. But there's little appetite for taking one of those vegetable-picking jobs of up to £7-an-hour. One group of lads:
Job for £7 an hour - "I prefer to sign on than do that""No mate I'd prefer to sign-on than do that."
Job for £7 an hour - "I prefer to sign on than do that""No mate I'd prefer to sign-on than do that."
"I don't want to work in like no cornfield."
"I don't want to work in like no cornfield."
"I don't want to work with a load of foreigners."
"I don't want to work with a load of foreigners."
Another lad is picking up his last benefits cheque. He's just got a job after 12 months of searching. "I think because of all the foreigners" he says. "I know people don't like it, but I've never had trouble getting a job before. I've been going for jobs and they've got over 200 people applying for them."
Another lad is picking up his last benefits cheque. He's just got a job after 12 months of searching. "I think because of all the foreigners" he says. "I know people don't like it, but I've never had trouble getting a job before. I've been going for jobs and they've got over 200 people applying for them."
The massive influx of Eastern Europeans may be keeping parts of the economy afloat, but is there a social cost?
The massive influx of Eastern Europeans may be keeping parts of the economy afloat, but is there a social cost?
Britain has experienced its biggest wave of migration in centuries in recent years. No-one really knows how many Eastern Europeans have come to Britain. The official figure is 800,000.
Britain has experienced its biggest wave of migration in centuries in recent years. No-one really knows how many Eastern Europeans have come to Britain. The official figure is 800,000.
One in 10
One in 10
A fair few have ended up in Peterborough - enticed by the demand for farming and factory work. Immigrants now make up around one in 10 of the city's population. Some locals say Peterborough is creaking under the pressure.
A fair few have ended up in Peterborough - enticed by the demand for farming and factory work. Immigrants now make up around one in 10 of the city's population. Some locals say Peterborough is creaking under the pressure.
They should put a stop to immigration totally Hema Patel Charles Swift has been a local councillor for 55 years. As leader of the city council in the early 1970s, he agreed to house Asian families who had been forcibly expelled from Uganda - prompting National Front pickets against him.
They should put a stop to immigration totally Hema Patel Charles Swift has been a local councillor for 55 years. As leader of the city council in the early 1970s, he agreed to house Asian families who had been forcibly expelled from Uganda - prompting National Front pickets against him.
But the councillor feels this latest influx has gone too far - with not enough government money to recognise the real scale and impact of the recent immigration.
But the councillor feels this latest influx has gone too far - with not enough government money to recognise the real scale and impact of the recent immigration.
He points out the local GP surgery which has received a thousand immigrant patients in the last six months and a primary school coping with 24 languages.
He points out the local GP surgery which has received a thousand immigrant patients in the last six months and a primary school coping with 24 languages.
"The ordinary crappie in the street, if you stop and talk to them, they're right pig-sick, fed up to the teeth. They can see standards deteriorating all the way round and they repeatedly say to you 'enough is enough Charles. We've had enough of it'."
"The ordinary crappie in the street, if you stop and talk to them, they're right pig-sick, fed up to the teeth. They can see standards deteriorating all the way round and they repeatedly say to you 'enough is enough Charles. We've had enough of it'."
Putting down roots
Putting down roots
Resident Hema Patel agrees. "They should put a stop to immigration totally," she says "...whether they be Europeans, from the Far East, whatever. And they should sort out the problems now."
Resident Hema Patel agrees. "They should put a stop to immigration totally," she says "...whether they be Europeans, from the Far East, whatever. And they should sort out the problems now."
The local farmers and factory owners would say Peterborough hasn't had enough of it. They're still short of labour. But with immigration it's hard to see beyond the particular impact it's having on your immediate life - and that impact will be very different between a boss trying to keep his business afloat and someone whose street has become a magnet for immigrants.
The local farmers and factory owners would say Peterborough hasn't had enough of it. They're still short of labour. But with immigration it's hard to see beyond the particular impact it's having on your immediate life - and that impact will be very different between a boss trying to keep his business afloat and someone whose street has become a magnet for immigrants.
What's striking in Peterborough is how many of the recent migrants are actually here for the long haul - and not just a year of two to make some money and head home
What's striking in Peterborough is how many of the recent migrants are actually here for the long haul - and not just a year of two to make some money and head home
In a church hall, a Polish politician addresses a room full of his countrymen - seeing whether any might be tempted back home to a country now short of workers.
In a church hall, a Polish politician addresses a room full of his countrymen - seeing whether any might be tempted back home to a country now short of workers.
Out of the whole room, only one Pole says she is considering going back home. The rest are here to stay.
Out of the whole room, only one Pole says she is considering going back home. The rest are here to stay.
One young mother says, "I've a flat here now and my children are with me. They're at school and have made friends here. So I couldn't go back to Poland now - even if the situation there improved very quickly."
One young mother says, "I've a flat here now and my children are with me. They're at school and have made friends here. So I couldn't go back to Poland now - even if the situation there improved very quickly."
The Poles are Coming will be broadcast on Tuesday, 11 March at 2100 GMT on BBC Two.Add your comments on this story, using the form below.
The Poles are Coming will be broadcast on Tuesday, 11 March at 2100 GMT on BBC Two.Add your comments on this story, using the form below.
