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The defence contractor, BAE Systems, is to cut almost 3,000 jobs, mainly in its military aircraft division.

Factories in Warton and Salmesbury in Lancashire and Brough in East Yorkshire will bear the brunt of the losses.

The company said the cuts would help maintain competitiveness and ensure BAE's long-term future.

Workers have been giving their initial reaction to the news.

Leigh Johnson - manufacturing engineer at Brough

I've got to find a job, I've got a mortgage, I've got a family, I'm the breadwinner so I've got to go out and find something to do.

So if anyone wants a manufacturing engineer with 26 years' experience in machine engineering, I'm on the market.

My son's half way through his A-levels so moving's not an option. I've just got to find something to do.

We were finding everything out on the news last night. We come in here this morning and finally receive an email telling you there's going to be a mass meeting.

That's all we've had so there's been nothing else.

It could have been handled better to be honest, but I don't know how better you could have done it.

To find out the way we found out really stinks.

Edward Potter, maintenance technician at Brough

It is the end of manufacturing at Brough.

We were all resigned to it from what we were fed by the media. There's not really much else to say.

There's not been a lot of work for the last two years anyway.

We have been hanging on for the Hawk contract but it has not materialised.

The vast majority will be out of work at this plant. It is not good for the local area.

Gary Waddingham, worker at Brough for 24 years

I haven't really thought about getting a new job. We will manage.

My family has been able to save up and pay off the mortgage, but other families will lose their homes.

I was expecting it sometime in the future but not now. I thought we would get another order but it hasn't happened.

Michael, worker from Blackburn

Rumours have been rife for a couple of weeks now.

I heard confirmation of these rumours on the radio on Sunday, not by formal notification of possible redundancies by a shop floor briefing etc.

BAE has a poor record of communication amongst our workforce. This only highlights this inadequacy in my opinion.

Personally I gave up a relatively secure job of many years to fulfil a lifelong ambition to work for BAE.

So having worked there only a couple of years, redundancy now would devastate me.

Anonymous, Lancashire

I'm scared that I will lose my job at BAE, being a single mum.

They have a cheek, after offering us a 3% pay rise only last week.

BAE has and always will be top heavy, skilled workers being sacrificed for governance, too many management and executives.