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Alderney's direct air link with Southampton must be preserved at all costs, the president of the island's Chamber of Commerce has said.

Andrew Eggleston described the route as a "lifeline", and compared it to Guernsey's link with Gatwick.

He said the route allowed residents to make day trips to London.

Airline Aurigny operates the link, but announced in August 2011 that it would make cuts to the route, and operate more indirect flights from Alderney.

Mr Eggleston said: "We don't want to have to go via another island, whether it's Guernsey or anywhere else."

Aurigny was left as the only airline serving Alderney, after Blue Islands dropped its services to the island in May 2011.