Every day, before the crack of dawn, Joey Farrugia drives around the island in his red and blue truck to do what he has been doing for the past 63 years: selling kerosene.

“I’m Joey tal-Pitrolju,” he says as he introduces himself in Żejtun, where he has been weaving through the roads since 5.30am. There are about 10 of us left selling kerosene this way… some passed away and others stopped working,” the 74-year-old says.

But he has no intention of stopping as, what used to be his job has now become a hobby.

I remember having to constantly refill the tank because it was all sold out

“I don’t get bored. Before, I would be out from 4am to 11pm but now I cut down my hours from 5.30am to about midday,” he says.

Mr Farrugia has been selling kerosene since he was 11 years old when he started working with his father – who inherited the trade from his grandfather.

Malta was very different then. The roads were coated in gravel. A gallon of kerosene, that now costs €6.90, sold for 11 shillings.

As a child, he used to love shouting “Hawn tal-pitrolju” (the kerosene seller is here) at the top of his voice and he admits he still has fun doing so.

“I started selling using a donkey with a cart. On the cart there would be the tank. There was no electricity, so people used to buy much more kerosene. They queued for it.

“I remember having to constantly refill the tank because it was all sold out. It was never-ending. Now, at most, I sell 20 to 30 gallons a day… kerosene is expensive and people are better off using gas or electricity,” he adds.

He bought his truck 50 years ago and some time after, as the demand for kerosene started decreasing, he started selling detergents and other household items also.

In fact, there is no space unused on his Bedford truck and even the passenger’s seat is taken up by rolls of toilet paper.

“I paint it,” he says as he pets the truck. While the truck – his loyal partner at work – requires regular maintenance, it always started in the morning.

“In all these 63 years there were only three days when I did not go out... I was hospitalised because I had a chest pain. But other than that, I never missed a day even if I had a headache or fever,” he says.

Mr Farrugia is very aware of the postcard look he has as he drives around Malta.

“Many people, especially tourists, come up to me. Some ask to take a photo with me or inside my truck and I let them… They offer to pay me but I say: ‘No money’… They also like hearing my shout Hawn tal-pitrolju,” he yells.