A woman who has visited Malta at least 70 times and witnessed the island change dramatically over the years is grateful that village feasts retain the “feeling of a family affair”.

Eileen Harwood, 95, has flown to Malta at least twice a year since 1978, when her daughter, Pauline, married Tony Dowling, a Maltese national.

“My first impression, as I descended the airplane steps at the old airport 37 years ago was that people were nice and family-oriented. I remember Maltese families heading to the airport just to see who was coming and going. It was a day out for them,” she said on her latest trip here.

Ms Harwood, who flew to Malta to attend the wedding of her granddaughter, Toni, was in for a surprise this time, because Air Malta hosted her to a special tea party to thank her for her loyalty. She always used the national airline when visiting the island.

Ms Harwood, who lives on her own in Notting Hill Gate, London, made the trip to Malta unaccompanied up until 12 years ago.

Since her daughter moved back to the UK, the two fly to the island together to visit her three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Reminiscing over the days when the Maltese people left their front doors unlocked – often even leaving the key in the door – Ms Harwood, originally from Liverpool, notes that nowadays people even bar their windows.

“I was born in 1920 and I have been going strong ever since… and, oh, what I’ve seen in between. I’ve travelled backward and forward between London and Malta as much as possible and the island has changed completely.

“I’ve never seen so many cars in all my life. It’s a small island that has been taken over by cars.

“It also seems as if people used to be friendlier. I remember many used to spend the evening out on their doorstep, making lace or playing cards, greeting me whenever I passed by,” she adds.

I’ve never seen so many cars in allmy life. It’s a small island thathas been taken over by cars

Her favourite part of her numerous trips, however, remains her visits to Malta’s churches and village feasts.

“We have nothing of the sort in England, and I believe the feasts are only celebrated this way in Malta, Spain and Sicily.

“It’s lovely to see they haven’t changed and that feasts are still a family affair. Feasts also seem to maintain the Church’s spirit,” Ms Harwood, a Roman Catholic, notes, smiling.

Although she first came to Malta in 1978, her very first link to the island was when her first husband, Bernard Futer, a Royal Navy sailor, was on a ship in the Grand Harbour during the war.

One day, the ship’s crew spotted a dog drowning not far off. Sandy, as the Maltese terrier was later called, was saved and ended up living in Ms Harwood’s house for 10 years.

“It was a lovely dog, just like the Maltese,” she laughs, adding that Sandy would only obey her orders and won all the competitions it took part in.