A number of Rabat residents have written to t=the Office of the Prime Minister calling for a stretch of Howard Garden to be returned to its original state after landscaping works raised eyebrows.

The works, carried out by a group of French students, saw a part of the garden's hedge removed and covered in white gravel. The works sparked a barrage of comments on social media with more than 500 residents and garden lovers taking to Facebook to lament the unwelcome facelift.

Representing the residents, Christopher Farrugia said the residents felt the works did not conform with the garden's "classical British aesthetics".

He said the group of residents had approached the Mdina Local council but received no feedback. The council had approved the students' work.

Flora expert Joe Sultana said the removed hedge used to act as a buffer from the continuous car exhaust fumes. He also raised concerns that the heavy gravel could pose a disease risk to many of the garden's trees.

The Prime Minister's Private Secretary, Sandro Craus, accepted the letter on the steps of the Auberge de Castille. Mr Craus said the government would be discussing the issue with experts before taking any decisions.