MORE than 700 jobs are to be axed at BAE Systems in Warton and Samlesbury, it has been revealed.

The 755 job losses follow an anxious week for workers who had previously been told to expect around 300 redundancies in Lancashire.

All the job cuts are to be in the support sector -- in particular administration and clerical staff.

Management say compulsory redundancies will be 'a last resort' with schemes such as voluntary programmes, early retirement and re-skilling programmes making the bulk of the losses.

Last summer the company shed 900 from its Warton site, near Preston, and in March this year, 200 management positions went from the Samlesbury site.

The cuts are part of the company's 'rationalisation' of the business since BAE Systems was created following the merger of British Aerospace and US company Marconi last year -- creating the second largest defence contractor in the world.

A spokesperson for BAE Systems said: "The re-organisation will start at some point this year with no real time scale as to when it will finish.

"Management are now in discussions with unions and workers as to what happens next." MSF chiefs, the largest union in BAE Systems, say they have been expecting job cuts since the tie-up of the two big league companies.

National Secretary, John Wall, said: "It's important that the company recognise the contribution made by the workforce.

"Their skills and expertise have been invaluable in bringing prosperity to BAE and are crucial to its future.

"MSF will be looking for guarantees that the restructuring will be carried out without resorting to compulsory redundancies."

Bill Morris, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union, reacted to the 3,800 jobs losses nationally, saying: "It is another kick in the teeth for UK manufacturing.

"We have economic stability. The case must be made and will be made by the T&G for industrial stability. The T&G will oppose any compulsory redundancies."

Nigel Evans, MP for Ribble Valley, is now calling for a full DTI investigation into the whole of the aerospace industry.

He said: "I also want to know what role the MOD can play in bringing forward the A400M and Meteor projects in order that the total number of job losses in Warton and Samlesbury can be reduced."