And the winner is...

Mgarr’s statue of the Assumption will this evening be carried by a group involved in parish work represented by Kevin Vella, who just after the stroke of midday made the highest offer to win the honour.

In line with a tradition dating back to 1922, four men, egged on by a crowd of parishioners, met by the side of the church where the offering was made.

‘Bids’ started from €2,000 with Mr Ellul submitting the highest, of €8,100, on behalf of his group.

The highest bidder gains the honour of carrying the statue during the procession which starts at 7 p.m. The money goes towards the upkeep of the church.

This tradition started the year the statue was made, when the benefactors who contributed to the purchase of the statue and the rest of the items that went with it were given the right to carry the Assumption.

The statue of the Assumption, made in Marseille, France was restored last year. It had cost £60 and 16 shillings.

Before last year’s restoration, it was last restored in 1958 but that intervention had altered the skin colour and the other hues including those of the drapery.