MEN who claimed they were kept as slaves on a travellers' site escaped by jumping into a canal, hiding in a back garden and confiding in a community service officer, a jury heard today.

The victims were allegedly held in servitude at the Green Acres travellers site, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, and forced to carry out unpaid work for the Connors family's block paving business.

One of the family members accused of exploiting the vulnerable men is 28-year-old Johnny who lives at the travellers' site in Chiswell Green Lane, St Albans.

A jury was told how there was a rumour that someone was buried in a field next to the site and workers had been warned: "If you run away you'll end up like the person in the field back there."

Frances Oldham QC alleges that the Connors family made large amounts of money by controlling and exploiting vulnerable men. Over 15 years they are said to have kept dozens of victims in camps under orders not to leave.

Their heads were shaved, they were paid little or nothing, were verbally abused and on occasions beaten, Luton Crown Court heard. One worker described it as being 'like a concentration camp'.

Seven members of the Connors family, six of who live at the site in Leighton Buzzard, face 20 charges.

They are: Tommy Connors Senior, 52, and his sons Tommy, 26, James, 24, Patrick, 20, and Johnny from St Albans.

Johnny Connors is charged with one count of conspiring to hold a person in servitude and one of conspiring to require a person to perform forced and compulsory labour.

Continuing the opening of the case Mrs Oldham told how one man was picked up at Charring Cross in London where he had been sleeping rough for six weeks. He had been offered £50 a day, food and accommodation in a caravan.

After being assaulted he is said to have decided to climb over the fence and run away.

Another worker was recruited in Wembley and he was allegedly told if he tried to leave they would get one of the other men to murder him.

The court was told how one worker never received payment for a job costing up to £6,000. He said he would work for ten to 14 hours doing heavy lifting. The only protective equipment was steel capped boots, no goggles, gloves or other safety equipment.

The trial continues.