A City of Ely councillor has lost his seat after failing to attend a meeting for six months.

Jeremy Tyrrell was informed by the City of Ely Council in December that he had “ceased to be a member” after he failed to attend a single meeting during six consecutive months.

He was elected to the Ely South ward in February 2013. As there is less than six months to the next election, the City of Ely Council voted not to fill the vacancy left by Mr Tyrrell’s departure.

When contacted by the Ely Standard, Mr Tyrrell said that he had been “heavily occupied elsewhere” and added that there had been “pressure with other commitments” that had prevented him attending meetings.

He said that he accepted the council’s decision and would not be seeking re-election in May.

Mr Tyrrell has stood for UKIP in elections for seats on both East Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council.

He made headlines in 2013 when he came to the rescue of Portuguese migrant Victor David, who was ordered to stop running his water bike business by council officials.

Mr David was told he was “trading illegally” by Ely’s Waterside as he was offering a service to the public on the quayside and on the slipway that leads onto the River Great Ouse without a licence.

As a result, Mr David had to pack up his 11 water bikes at the height of the summer, costing him hundreds of pounds in lost trade.

Mr Tyrrell stepped in on Mr David’s behalf, however, lobbying council officials and allowing Mr David to trade from his land while the dispute was resolved.