A Valletta townhouse flying a two-storey-high English flag has become the talk among people in the area, and even across Marsamxett harbour

Norman Hill, 63, known as iċ-Ċiċċo, handcrafted the flag, which flies from a balcony of his modest home in St Sebastian Street.

“Sightseers take photos against it and I see people looking at it all day. I’ve been making flags as far back as I can remember – it’s part of my identity,” he said,

A diehard England fan, Mr Hill watches all the lions’ matches at home, even last week’s, when his wife, a not-so-interested Italy fan, pottered off to bed halfway through.

Mr Hill’s family are synonymous with flag making and have been behind some of the largest football banners at Ta’ Qali stadium. One covered an entire stand at the national stadium and blanketed a large car park when it was still being painted.