HARD-WORKING Polish immigrants who moved to Swindon, are heading home.

So say a town centre shopkeeper, a nightclub boss, national recruitment companies and building firms.

For the past four years the UK and Swindon have welcomed thousands of Polish workers, who moved to Britain to take jobs with high-paying companies.

Supermarkets in Swindon stocked Polish products and many of the town's biggest employers, including Honda, took on Polish staff.

But now the plummeting value of the pound and an anticipated boom in Poland mean that the number of incoming immigrants is falling and many of those who have been here for some time are heading home.

Maryla Smolicz, who was born in Poland but has lived in Swindon for 50 years, runs a shop in Groundwell Road.

She is not surprised Poles are heading home.

"The zloty is soaring now against sterling," she said.

"When Polish workers began legally working in Britain, in May 2004, they could convert each pound saved into 7.2 zloty.

"Three years ago I could find a room for a Polish person in Swindon at £40 a week.

"Now that would cost £70 and people, of course, won't pay."

Last week it was revealed the Polish rush to Britain was slowing.

Government immigration registers showed that the number of workers coming to the UK from the eastern European country was falling for the first time since 2004.

Gerry Keane runs town nightspot The Broadwalk, in Bridge Street.

Last year demand for special Polish theme nights was so high that the venue began running events every Saturday.

But, in recent months, Mr Keane has heard from Poles that they are turning their backs on Britain.

They are blaming the economic slowdown here and the prospect of a building boom back home.

"I think Swindon is losing out as the Poles leave town," he said.

"Irrespective of what some people claim, the Poles who came to Swindon have done a great service to this town.

"I know that some of the Polish community in Swindon has been fairly transient.

"But from the people I have been speaking to I can see that even the size of that group has reduced since Christmas.

"I think that the number of Poles here will continue going down this year - which is Swindon's loss."