There have been no changes to the route the Pope will follow in Luqa, which will taking him past the phallic 'monument' near Lidl supermarket on Saturday afternoon.

"I have not been told of any changes, nor did we request any, we only asked for the monument to be removed," mayor John Schembri said.

People from Luqa this morning had suspected a change of route after workers turned up to tarmac some roads in the village.

But Mr Schembri said that resurfacing was requested by the council itself.

The Pope, he said, would be driven into Luqa soon after he arrived in Malta. He would be driven past the monument as he left the village and headed towards St Vincent de Paule home for the elderly.

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