PLANEMAKERS in East Lancashire got a badly-needed five billion dollar boost.

A massive order for new European Airbus jets secured hundreds of jobs at British Aerospace, Samlesbury, and Rolls-Royce, Barnoldswick.

The breakthrough in the big US market came after days of disappointments over the Euro Fighter project, in which both companies were also involved.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.