EAST LANCASHIRE has been given a jobs boost by the decision of seven European nations to buy 225 A400M millitary transport aircraft.

BAE Systems at Samlesbury, and Hurel-Dubois UK in Burnley, are two of the firms which could benefit from the orders which will create and sustain more than 10,000 jobs across the country.

John Weston, BAE Systems' chief executive, said: "This is excellent news for British industry. The announcement gives UK industry a tremendous opportunity to play a full part in the design and manufacture of the A400M.

"This will create and sustain 10,000 jobs across the UK aerospace industry and the many companies in its supply chain."

The news comes just days after the announcement of the first firm commitments for the Airbus double-deck A3XX -- the world's largest passenger aircraft.

The joint declaration by the defence ministers of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Belgium at the Farnborough Air Show set out a commitment to buy a total of 225 A400M aircraft -- significantly more than had been predicted.

In their declaration, the ministers pledged that Belgium will buy seven aircraft, France 50, Germany 73, Italy 16, Luxembourg one, Spain 27, Turkey 26 and the UK 25.

A key advantage of the A400M is its fuselage cross-section. Wide enough to carry two Land Rovers side-bys-de and tall enough to transport helicopters with minimum dismantling, the A400M will do what today's turbo-props.