These two trees in Żabbar have been pruned in a way that allows for a better view of the statue of Our Lady as the village feast in September draws near.

The Times was alerted to the incident by a resident who said the previously well-kept topiary was ruthlessly destroyed.

“This is vandalism, and not pruning. If these trees were pruned without permission, the Resources Ministry is obliged to take legal action against those who pruned them this way. If there was permission to do so, then this is official vandalism,” said Alfred Baldacchino, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority’s former assistant director in charge of protecting biodiversity.

The Żabbar local council was not available for comment at the time of writing.

Incidentally, Żabbar’s name is thought to have been derived from the Maltese word “jiżbor”, which means to prune.