Eastern Europeans not happy after settling in Bognor offered cash to go home

The financial assistance is a new initiative aimed at those from countries such as Poland and Lithuania, whose experiences of life on the south coast have failed to match their hopes.

They could be trapped in Bognor because they have too little money to go back to their home towns.

Giving them a financial inducement to leave is seen as a way of stopping those without jobs from potentially milling around the town centre and seafront all day.

News of the idea was revealed by Sergeant Craig Wilkie, of the neighbourhood policing team based at Bognor police station.

He said visits were being arranged to the St Martin's day centre with the Arun district's expanding communities team for the first Tuesday of each month.

The presence of team members who speak languages such as Polish, Russian and Lithuanian will enable police officers who go along to talk freely through the translators with those from abroad.

Sgt Wilkie said: "We may be able to give a hand to someone who wants to go home but has not got the finances to do that.

"We may also be able to signpost others in the right direction if they need other help.

"I have got a language barrier talking to them, but someone from the expanding communities team will be able to talk to them in the right language and offer them the help they need.

"It will then be up to that individual to sort out their life. We can't do that for them."

Estimates of how many eastern Europeans have settled around Bognor in the past five years since countries like Poland joined the European Union vary. But the number is probably about 6,000.

Most of them attract little attention, but this summer has seen public anger about sizeable crowds of the migrants getting drunk and indulging in anti-social behaviour in the Sunken Gardens in the town centre.

Concerted police action '“ and increased CCTV coverage of the site '“ has shrunk the problem.

But the murder of Marek Pudlowski, 51, who was found on the seafront by Waterloo Square on August 3, has again highlighted the Eastern European residents.

Police are conducting a murder inquiry into the death of Mr Pudlowski, but their extensive inquiries have yet to result in any arrests.

Sgt Wilkie stated he was unable to comment on the investigation but he said action was being taken behind the scenes as well as in public to stop the behaviour of some Eastern Europeans causing problems. This includes monthly meetings with the various agencies involved with community matters.

The results of the sessions include leaflets in Polish, Lithuanian and Russians explaining the anti-drinking in public places rule which covers all of Bognor.

"It's about getting the right people around the table," he said. "It's happening and it's all coming together very nicely. It would be wrong if we did just go in and get people carted away. I don't think it's ethical to do that. It's about assisting people as well as enforcing the law."

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