JOBS could go at an aerospace manufacturer with a base in East Lancashire after the company announced plans to shed 2,300 posts worldwide.

Rolls-Royce, which employs around 1,000 people at its Barnoldswick plant, has announced the cuts as part of a drive to reduce costs and improve the running of the business.

The company claims the decision has been taken because of rising raw material prices and a weak US dollar and a would not rule out job losses at the Barnoldswick plant.

It hopes that the majority of jobs losses can be done through a process of voluntary redundancy.

A Rolls Royce spokesman said: "We are looking at all our plants in the UK but the consultation period has only just begun so we can not say where the jobs will be lost at this stage.

"As part of this drive for efficiency it will be the white collar jobs that will go, not those in manufacturing.

"We would like to achieve our UK targets through a voluntary scheme if at all possible."

In all, the firm employs 23,300 people in the UK and approximately 39,500 people in 50 countries around the globe.

In November, it unveiled plans to invest in new facilities in Singapore to assemble part of the Trent family of large jet engines, for use on new Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 passenger jets.

A test and assembly plant for a new range of business jet engines will be built in Virginia.

At the time, the company said the move would not impact on its Barnoldswick plant which produces fan blades.

The Boeing contract was worth an estimated $1.3 billion and followed $14billion worth of contracts secured at the Paris Air Show last June.