UNIONS today welcomed the support of Foreign Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw in the fight to safeguard the future of 400 jobs at BAE Systems in Samlesbury.

Fear is mounting that civil aircraft work at the site might get sold off in the coming months.

BAE bosses have hinted that it did not regard its Aerostructures operation, which also has a base in Prestwick, as "core business".

But with the Foreign Secretary "on side", it is hoped that the aerospace giant will think twice before selling the projects.

Unions have threatened industrial action to save what they believe to be a "jewel" in the business. Neil Sheenan, convenor at BAE, was one of eight people to join Mr Straw for talks at the Samlesbury site yesterday.

He said: "We have been to all our local MPs and we hope, with someone as influential as Jack Straw on board, our campaign to save this part of the company will move forward.

"There are issues over civil contracts being removed, the loss of employment and the knock on effects of these changes over work which is the jewel in the crown. There has always been a benefit of having military and civil contracts as workers have swopped between sites."