DEALS worth more than £226 million have been clinched by aero engine giant Rolls-Royce.

The engine orders announced by the firm, which employs more than 1,200 in Barnoldswick, got the Paris Air Show off to a flying start for East Lancashire's aerospace industry.

Rolls-Royce said three aircraft leasing companies had ordered Airbus A320s powered by the UK firm's V2500 engines.

The American based CIT Group has also asked Rolls-Royce to make Trent 700 engines worth £46.9 million to power another three A320s it has on order.

The Barnoldswick site manufactures fan blades and other components for the Trent 700 and the V2500.

News of the deals follows warnings from the world's two biggest aircraft manufacturers - Boeing and Airbus - of a slump in orders of up to 40 per cent this year due to a world economic slowdown.

The warning surprised the aviation industry, with Boeing and Airbus predicting orders would not recover until 2001.

A number of East Lancashire firms are exhibiting at this years Paris air show, the international shop window of the industry.

Weston of Foulridge, Euravia of Kelbrook and Gardner Aerospace, parent firm of Colne-based Cleveland Guest, are among those on a stand organised by the East Lancashire Aerospace Alliance.

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