Hundreds of kilos of oranges and lemons were sold yesterday at the annual Citrus Festival in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund.

The fruit, which had been handpicked from San Anton Palace’s private gardens, was sold from stalls set up in its beautiful orchard.

Yesterday’s was the fifth edition of the event, launched by President George Abela as a means to raise funds by selling the citrus fruit grown in the palace’s gardens. The bitter Seville oranges, traditionally used to make marmalade, were also sold along with items such as orange cakes, muffins and savoury good.

Earlier this week, schoolchildren helped harvest the juicy fruit from some 600 trees.

The festival was organised by the Malta Community Chest Fund to raise money for Rise, a foundation that works to rehabilitate former prisoners.