How Lancashire won the battle for cyber space

As befits the nature of the prize at stake, the battle for the headquarters of the UK’s National Cyber Force (NCF) was fought out under the radar, far from prying eyes.

The fact that Lancashire took on Manchester and won is also testament to the united approach taken by the county’s big hitters to secure that victory for Samlesbury.

The village, home to defence giant BAE Systems and a growing enterprise zone (EZ), is understood to have seen off stiff competition from its big city rival, already home of GCHQ’s northern operation, to seal the deal.

It means around £5bn of investment and the creation of between 2,000 and 3,000 highly skilled jobs, according to insiders. Little wonder it has been hailed as a “once in a generation” opportunity for the county.