This is the tiny village in the Albanian hills where the comfortable, modern houses have all been built on money sent home by migrants illegally entering Britain.
Picturesque Muzhak has a population of around 1,200 – and in every family there has at least one member – and in some cases up to three – living in the UK.
Over the last 15 years at least 300 of young people born and raised in Muzhak have left the village, which is around two hours north of the capital Tirana, for the UK using trucks, boats and planes for what they say is a ‘better life’ – and earn six times the wages on offer in Albania.
In the neighbouring town of Burrel, mayor Agrom Malaj told MailOnline that 500 young people have left the region for the UK in search of work in the past 12 months alone, leaving villages there looking like ghost towns.
‘Our region has seen the most people leave and head to the United Kingdom because they see it as a land of opportunity, they can earn a good salary while here options for them are limited, he said.
‘Everyone in Burrel and the neighbouring villages has someone in their family who has left for Britain and in some cases all the children of a family have gone leaving only the parents behind.
‘If you live here or in the countryside outside the town there is not much opportunity so I don’t blame the young people for leaving, we have seen a whole generation of men go.
Read More: The entire Albanian village built on British cash: