Unwanted blessings

As a result, Polish children are flooding UK schools and using the resources of the country's health system, much to the consternation of the locals.

Britain's schools and hospitals are at breaking point following the massive influx of Polish immigrants.

Migrating Poles are placing an enormous strain on Britain's healthcare and education systems as Polish birth rates soar and Eastern European children swamp UK schools. Data revealed by Britain's Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows Polish births in UK hospitals have quadrupled since Poland joined the EU in 2004.

Coined the "Polish baby boom" by British media, the current trend will see more than 13,000 Polish births this year, at a cost of Ł20 (zł.102) million to Britain's National Health Service.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migration watch UK, was quoted by the Evening Standard as saying, "This is proof of the extent of the pressure of immigration on our maternity wards. The government keeps insisting Poles are young, healthy and single, but obviously that is not going to continue forever, as these figures indicate."

In addition, some 240,000 Eastern European children, including 170,000 Poles, have taken up seats in Britain's schools. The National Association of Head Teachers has warned that some schools are at breaking point.

James Chappelow, a senior governor at Hertfordshire's Hemel Hempstead School, explained, "Anyone coming from the EU is entitled to free education. Extra funding is available to the school but it is normally only a few thousand [pounds]. An interpreter is also available for the first year."

Earlier this year the British Home Office launched the Migration Impacts Forum to monitor the impact on public services. Communities Minister Phil Woolas spoke in support of immigrants, saying, "The benefits of immigration for Britain are manifold: migrants to the UK have transformed our economy, they provide vital staff in our public services and they greatly enrich our cultural life."