HUNDREDS of East Lancashire workers could find jobs at aerospace giant BAE Systems after the firm announced a recruitment drive for 1,000 staff.

The firm, which already employs almost 4,000 at its aerodrome in Samlesbury, has begun hiring staff for specialist roles within the firm, including structural engineering and avionics.

The move was revealed after the firm announced its sales had grown by 21 per cent, partly thanks to a deal which will see 72 Eurofighter Typhoons delivered to Saudi Arabia.

This middle eastern deal has meant BAE has needed to take on extra staff to cope with the workload, and the firm has been holding job fairs across the country.

It is hoped may of the jobs will go to local workers, but because of the specialist nature of the work, some staff will be taken on from further afield.

The extra jobs will allow the firm, which makes parts for aircraft including the Eurofighter and Airbus to keep up with its orders.

A spokesman said: "We are recruiting into specialist skill areas like structural engineering, avionics and software engineering.

"These are quite specific skills we know we have got to have, to deliver over the next ten or 15 years. Twelve months ago we had a requirement for 600 to 650 jobs we knew we needed.

"Then the confirmation of the Saudi royal family's interest in the Typhoon upped the figure to 1,000.

"They are specialist roles we need and the recruitment has already started. We have been having recruitment fairs around the country for three or four months now, and we have held our own job roadshows.

"We are hoping to recruit as many as we can from the North West but because of the specialist nature of the jobs we are having to cast the net wider as well."

The jobs will be spread over the firm's two Lancashire sites, in Samlesbury, and Warton. Some will also be filled by taking on apprentices already with the firm.