The girlfriend of a man who was critically injured in yesterday's car bomb has uploaded a picture of them together and called for prayers.

Stephanie Tonna wrote: "You always told me, I was your charger for your battery. To me you are everything dar, pls don't leave me alone xxxx Thankyou for all the messages, we need your prayers."

35-year-old restaurateur Darren Degabriele suffered severe burns and is in critical condition after the bomb went off.

The device is suspected to have been a home-made pipe-bomb placed on the chassis under the driver's seat of his Mitsubishi Pajero. Ms Tonna, who was in the front passenger seat, was not injured.

The explosion took place at about 4pm on Żejtun Road and resulted in collisions that involved a car and two vans.

The police are questioning a number of people as part of their investigation.

A search in the court online judgment system showed that, in 2008, Mr Degabriele was cleared of forging a signature onto a cheque and receiving €1,770 in cash from the transaction, which took place in 2003.