Theft 'spoils' embellishment efforts

The arterial road at Blata l-Bajda, which is being embellished, was given a splash of colour yesterday when 10,000 pansies were planted by staff from the Environmental Landscapes Consortium.

A spokesman for the consortium pledged that the pansies would add touches of colour well into the spring.

"The concerted efforts of our staff to add more life and colour to arterial roads are being spoiled by members of the public who have stolen shrubs and palm trees worth hundreds of liri.

"We are now employing watchmen to keep an eye out for anyone who tries to disrupt this work," the spokesman said.