A BBC crew filmed throughout the city to make the programme, on BBC2, at 9pm, called The Poles are Coming, which forms the centrepiece of network's White season – exploring how the white working classes are coping with immigration.

As well as speaking to city figures, the BBC attended a meeting of the Millfield and New England Regeneration Partnership (Manerp), where some residents branded their neighbourhood a ghetto.

But the key question under the spotlight is what would happen to Peterborough's economy if Polish workers returned home.

It followed a visit by Gdansk's leaders to the city to plead with their countrymen to come back, after struggling to find enough workers to fill its shipyards or build its football stadium.

Presenter Tim Samuels spends time with both Polish immigrants and disenchanted residents in a bid to throw light on the complex issues and mixed feelings.

On Wednesday the Evening Telegraph will run the views of people we have invited to watch the show. But if you tune in, let us know your thoughts.
Does it paint a fair picture of Peterborough?
Does it paint a fair picture of the immigration issue?
Does it paint a fair picture of the people who have come here looking for work?
Email eteditor@peterboroughtoday.co.uk or comment below


Up to 20,000 migrants are thought to have arrived in Peterborough since the widening of the European Union in 2004, putting a strain on services, while the influx also prompted Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire police Julie Spence to call for more funding.

Council leader Cllr John Peach said: "To a degree, it's good people can see the shambles the Government has made by opening the labour market up in a totally uncontrolled way and leaving local
authorities to foot the bill.

"Our local authority is working with 12 others in the UK to try and convince the Government for the case for more funding to put this right.

"These economic migrants do work very hard and do jobs other people might not wish to do. Having said that, there are people in Peterborough who want to work but because of economic migration, firms are using a lot of cheap labour and not wishing to put the wage up."

Chairwoman of Manerp Hema Patel said she hoped the programme would tell it like it is

She said: "As residents, we highlighted all the problems we have had as a result of the increased number of migrants.

"We told them about housing, increased traffic and the impact the open door policy had had.

"We are not anti-immigration, we want families to come here and settle, but integrate, too."