PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice was today visiting BAE Systems' Warton complex to see how the company is facing up to the crisis engulfing the aerospace industry following last week's terrorist attacks on the United States.

British Airways has axed more than 5,000 jobs because of the slump in airline travel after the hijack and crash horrors.

The BA job losses follow losses of 40,000 jobs among US carriers United Airlines and American Airlines.

And there are now predictions of heavy job losses among aerospace manufacturers as a result.

However, Rolls-Royce, a big employer in Mr Prentice's constituency, has said there will be no immediate impact on jobs although it is too early to make any comment on the longer term implications.

Today the Labour back bencher said: "BAe Systems is a huge employer in the North West. Millions have been spent on the Eurofighter assembly facilities at Warton and Samlesbury and I am very keen indeed to hear more about the investment programme.

"A lot of what they are doing over there is leading edge stuff. Astonishingly, 70 per cent of the Eurofighter service is made of carbon fibre composite.

"The tragic events in America last week will undoubtedly hit the airline industry and aerospace too.

"I want a progress report on how the company is tackling these big challenges."