A UNION leader has written to the Prime Minister urging him to bring forward work on two aircraft carriers to safeguard the future of shipbuilding in the region.

Tom Brennan, regional secretary of the GMB, wrote to Tony Blair asking for the Ministry of Defence to bring forward contracts to bridge a two-year gap in shipbuilding work in the region and prevent job losses.

In the letter, Mr Brennan says: "Our members are losing their jobs on a weekly basis including, I am sorry to say, some of the 150 apprentices taken on in recent years to bolster the skill base on Tyneside.

"The situation has been indirectly aggravated by the demise of Amec at Wallsend, and the loss of a major contract at McNulty Offshore, in South Shields.

"The Northern maritime labour force is in danger of shrinking beyond a critical mass. This will be a tragedy for the North-East when there is so much work in the Ministry of Defence shipbuilding programme on the horizon.

"That will not transpire if there are no contracts brought forward to bridge a two-year gap that exists through the slippage of the build programme,

"It is therefore within the gift of Government to bring a contract forward for Swan Hunter in accordance with this policy."