Workers engaged by the Lands Department this morning started demolishing stables which the department says were built illegally in a field rented by the government in Sannat.

The operation, however, was brought to a halt when the court in Gozo issued a warrant of prohibitory injunction at the request of lawyer Anton Refalo, acting on behalf of the farmer.

The farmer had been served with a notice calling on him to restore the field to its original state. He was also warned that failure would cause the department to remove the stables itself, and he would be sent the bill.

Policemen from the mounted section were on the scene this morning ready to take the horses to their own stables, but the farmer said, before requesting the court warrant, that he would remove them himself.