BAE Systems has denied that a shortage of RAF fighter pilots is putting at risk the jobs of thousands of aerospace workers in Lancashire.

Weekend reports claimed the RAF had been forced to delay its orders for the Eurofighter which is assembled in Lancashire by BAE Systems.

More than 6,000 people are employed by BAE in Lancashire and many thousands more engineering jobs at subcontractors throughout the county are reliant on the Eurofighter project.

A BAE spokesperson said the MoD had confirmed there was a shortage of fast-jet pilots, but claimed there would be no impact on the Eurofighter project.

" There will be no change to either the production or delivery schedule, " she added.

The RAF has ordered 232 Eurofighters at a cost of £16 billion which will be delivered by 2014.