3,000 jobs at risk unless MoD signs helicopter order, sources say

Skilled workers at Leonardo Helicopters fear it will close Yeovil site if Ministry of Defence delays awarding contract

The UK's last military helicopter factory must land a long-awaited order from the Ministry of Defence within the coming weeks to secure about 3,000 manufacturing jobs, industry sources suggest.

Skilled workers at Leonardo Helicopters - the Italian owner of the former Westland factory in Yeovil, Somerset - fear the company will follow through on threats to close the facility at the end of March, if the UK military fails to place an order for new helicopters by that time.