UK job losses as Spain gets planes work

Britain's manufacturing industry suffered a blow yesterday when defence group Cobham said a major military planes contract will move from southern England to Spain, leading to up to 320 job losses.

Staff at Cobham's facility at Bournemouth airport had been working on converting the UK's A330 Voyager aircraft to air-to-air refuelling jets. Two planes are being converted there but the rest will be upgraded in Spain. A spokesman said some staff could transfer to Spain.