By Cindi John BBC News Online community affairs reporter

Boston has experienced an influx of migrant workers

The agricultural worker travelled thousands of miles from his home in Portugal to the small Lincolnshire market town of Boston, lured by a newspaper advertisement promising steady work and cheap accommodation.

But when he arrived in January, he found neither existed.

"For the first two months I was here I lived like an animal.

"I slept in a garage and had to share a room with as many as ten other people before I managed to get a job," he told BBC News Online.

His story is not uncommon.

Exploited

There are about 3,000 Portugese nationals currently living in Boston, where they make up more than 5% of the population.

More than half the 70,000 agricultural and horticultural workers in the area are believed to be foreign nationals.

We have a client who one week was left with just �6 from his wages after deductions Alison Fairman, Citizens' Advice Bureau

Most are recruited by so-called "gang masters" to work in the farms and packing factories that are the mainstay of the area's economy.

Without them, much of the UK's fruit and vegetable crop would go rotten in the ground.

But the work can be very short-term and the accommodation that goes with it substandard, overcrowded and over-priced.

An increasing number of migrants are finding themselves homeless and penniless in a strange land, or else ruthlessly exploited by mercenary gang masters.

But unlike other migrant workers, who may be in the UK illegally, the Portugese are entitled to the same employment rights as British workers.

Earlier this week, the government published a leaflet advising them of their rights as European Union citizens.

And on Friday a bill proposed by Boston's MP Mark Simmonds, which aims to regulate the activities of gang masters is due for a second reading in the House of Commons.

'Excessive deductions'

But in the meantime, it is Boston's Citizens' Advice Bureau that has the job of dealing with migrant workers in trouble.

Sergio Magalhaes: Housing problems

Many have been charged excessive amounts for rent and transport.

Others are charged for transport to their workplace by unscrupulous gang masters.

"We have a client who one week was left with just �6 from his wages after deductions," says Citizen's Advice Bureau deputy manager Alison Fairman.

But even when they were made aware of their rights as EU citizens, most chose not to go to the authorities to complain about their treatment fearing eviction, she adds.

But in spite of their reluctance to complain, an increasing number of migrant workers in the town are homeless.

However, Andy Statham, head of Community Services at Boston Borough Council, estimates between 15-20% of those registering as homeless with the council's housing department were foreign nationals.

"They don't have rent books, they have no security of tenure," he says.

"They can be in a property for a few months expecting to reside there for the period they have work over here and suddenly find themselves, literally at a moment's notice, out on the streets."

But as most were fit, young men they were not priority cases for re-housing by the council, Mr Statham adds.

'Hot bedding'

Boston's Centrepoint Outreach charity holds drop-in sessions for the town's homeless and those with housing problems.

Either somebody's got to help them like we do or they're going to go out and get involved in crime John Marshall, Centrepoint Outreach

Chief executive John Marshall says they have seen a significant increase in the number of foreign nationals attending over the last couple of years.

But he hits back at the suggestion that - by providing bedding as well as food and advice - the charity is making the problem worse by encouraging overcrowding.

"If somebody's sleeping rough and they've got a chance to have a roof over their heads in the warm, albeit on a mattress in a crowded room, they're going to take that opportunity.

"Either somebody's going to help them like we do or they're going to go out and get involved in crime," he says.

'Jealousy'

But even if they overcome the initial problems with overcrowding and work, migrants are having to deal with a growing tide of racism in the town.

Bar owner Vasco de Mello says racism is increasing

Anti-migrant letters have begun appearing in local newspapers and fights are breaking out between local youths and Portugese or other migrants. There has also been an attack on a Turkish social club in the town.

An anti-migrant campaign group, Boston Citizens United, has also been set up.

Sergio Magalhaes says he and friends have all been the target of abuse from locals.

"If you are in the streets at night, either alone or with friends, they will shout at you and those sort of things," he said.

Local businessman Vasco de Mello who owns a bar and employment agency in the town says he has also suffered as a result of racism, with false complaints about him and his businesses being made to the council.

There aren't enough jobs for local people never mind bringing them in Boston woman

"I can't say it's only racial problems because some people are very jealous but it's not everyone, I have some very good English friends" Mr de Mello said.

In Boston's bustling market place, opinions on the newcomers are divided.

"There aren't enough jobs for local people never mind bringing them in," said one middle-aged woman.

But local factory worker, Barry White, said he had no problems with the Portuguese.

"I don't mind the migrant workers coming in providing they're from the EEC because we're all part of Europe.

" But I do get annoyed at the people skipping into this country who have no right and are just coming here for a gravy ticket," he said.