Richard Cox says he thought the session was over last Wednesday when he saw Guernsey politicians leave.

Mr Cox and fellow representative Lt Col Peter Walter missed the vote on higher taxes for air travel to Alderney.

Mr Cox and Lt Col Walter were the only two men at the sitting from Alderney who would have directly represented the island's interests.

'Genuine mistake'

Mr Cox said: "It was approaching the usual end of session time of 1730 when the Bailiff said he would take one more item and that was an item on the police and the Alderney airport item would be next.

"We mistakenly thought, and it was a genuine mistake, that he was going to terminate the session after the police item and reassemble in the morning.

"Quite a few deputies got up at that time and we left."

The subject was later debated in the pair's absence after Guernsey's Bailiff agreed to allow members to carry on later than normal.