Vandals have struck at the Għarb trail, smashing most of the information boards and leaving shattered glass scattered on site.

The 10-kilometre trail forms part of the Ta’ Ġurdan Walk, which starts and ends at Għarb village square.

The boards along the route serve as guidelines, with each one giving information on a different landmark and keeping walkers on the right path.

Among the several damaged glass boards are those describing the Valley of Wied Mielaħ, the Wied il-Mielaħ Window as well as the bridge of Wied Ksajjem.

The trail runs down the left hand side of the church and leads to open countryside, passing the St Dimitri Chapel, leading on to the Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary and then taking a road which leads to the village square.

Along the way, those on the trail can enjoy a number of other landmarks.

Questions sent to the Għarb council on the incident and on the cost of the boards were not answered by the time of writing.

In a statement this morning, the Gozo Tourism Association condemned the vandalism and encouraged Gozitans to take better care of the environment.

A number of similar trails had been set up as part of the Rural Development Programme for 2007 to 2013. This project included a range of measures to support and preserve rural areas, such as enhancing economic viability through investment and modernisation and supporting their quality of life. The project was part-financed by the EU.