Having spent nearly three days at St James Hospital, in Sliema with a gastric infection, I came away with a most positive view of Malta after receiving the best possible care and kindness from the doctor and the nursing staff.

However, today, on my first walk on the island since I came out, I have seen a very different side of Malta. My husband and I visited the very pretty San Anton gardens, then walked back to Ħamrun, following the old aqueduct. Virtually the whole length of the way was littered with dog faeces. There were bins but these were filled to overflowing and very unpleasant to walk past.

This is not an isolated incident because trying to avoid stepping in dog mess has been a constant problem during our stay. We were not always successful, as my poor husband will attest to.

So to those responsible dog owners who clean up after their pets I say a big thank you for respecting the environment you live in but to those who irresponsibly leave their dog’s mess on the footpath I say think again because this is just the sort of thing that will stop tourists returning to the island.

My husband and I will think twice before we take another walk through a dogs’ toilet.