PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has heralded an early Christmas present for hundreds of workers at Barnoldswick's Rolls Royce plant.

China Airlines, based in Taiwan, has signed a letter of intent for 20 new Airbus 350-900 aircraft - powered by Rolls Royce Trent engines built in East Lancashire.

Mr Prentice lobbied the Taiwanese transport minister over the impending deal at a meeting in October.

The Pendle MP said he felt "let down" that Rolls had missed out on a previous similar order a few years ago, which went to a US aerospace firm instead.

Chih-Chen Yi, assistant director of the Taiwan Representative Office in the UK told the MP in a letter: "This is definitely good news for your constituency."

He also remarked: "But I have to emphasise that the decision has nothing to do with the suggestion you made to the Transportation Minister in Taiwan when we visited him early this October!"

The MP had visited Taiwan two months ago as party of the All-Party Rail Group and Mr Prentice took the opportunity to press home the Barnoldswick plant's case.

The letter of intent, which could be worth $4.2billion to Rolls, includes a firm order for 14 craft and an option on six further planes.

China Airlines hopes to introduce the aircraft, on a rolling basis from 2015 to 2020, to replace its current A340-300 fleet.

Mark King, president of the company's civil aerospace division, said: "We look forward to establishing a long and rewarding relationship with China Airlines.

"Rolls-Royce attaches importance to the Taiwan market, and China Airlines leads the way, having earned a deserved reputation as a forward-looking and innovative carrier."

The announcement is the latest filip for the Barnoldswick workforce, which has seen a slew of multi-billion dollar deals inked in recent months.

British Airways revealed in October that the Trent engines would be powering its fleet of new Dreamliner super jumbos', with the blades for the massive constructions being built in Barnoldswick.

Rolls will also build engines for a dozen Airbus A380s as part of the contract.

If everything goes will with the initial order, a further 18 engines would be needed for the 787 super jumbos and another seven A380s.

Another $5.6billion order, the largest civil aerospace deal secured by Rolls, was also agreed with Qatar Airlines earlier this year.