A planned protest by the Birzebbuga Aquatic Sports Club this morning was transformed into the club welcoming the issuing of a tender for the reconstruction of the pitch, issued yesterday evening.

The redevelopment of the pitch, promised in the budget for 2010, had been preceded in 2009 with the demolishing of a clubhouse which was in a dilapidated and dangerous state.

The tender for the reconstruction of the pitch and clubhouse was meant to be issued, first in October 2011 and again in January 2012, president George Farrugia said.

In an address, Mr Farrugia thanked all those involved, giving a special mention to club honorary president, Nationalist MP Franco Debono, for his persistent lobbying for the project to materialise.

This morning's event was attended by some 100 people, including MPs from both sides of the House.

The club was opened in 1967 but became unusable in the 1990s due to a lower depth which resulted from the development of the Freeport.