We thought we had seen it all - towering cranes, hunters shooting at birds at 5 a.m., and the odd hawker harassing us with his wares. But we were wrong. The village tranquillity of yesteryear seems to have gone forever - as we had to endure a go-karting/quad bike event bang in the middle of a residential area in Gudja.

At 7 a.m. on a Sunday, my seven-month-old daughter was abruptly woken up by the revving of engines more synonymous with the Hal Far or Ta' Qali race tracks, as organisers put up barricades and urged residents to shift their cars.

A few days before, the residents received a note stating that the Malta Transport Authority had granted the permit to hold such an event and gave out the details, listing the roads to be closed. Residents were never consulted about the event but merely presented with a fait accompli. Do the ADT or Gudja council or the organisers of the event consider this as consultation? I would call it imposition. To add insult to injury, the organisers had the cheek to dedicate the entire day to their activity, and to spice up proceedings with mind-shattering music, extending late into the afternoon. We had no choice but to leave our homes to escape the mayhem and din. However, we were not able to leave straightaway.

What if I urgently needed to take a relative to hospital? Would I have had to wait for the last participant to make it round a hairpin bend before being allowed through?

Those involved with the event will no doubt contend that the event was organised for a good cause - to raise money for L-Istrina. But is it right to barricade people in their homes for an entire Sunday?

I suppose I am echoing the sentiments of countless other residents of the Ta' Xlejli area, which feel let down by the local council which should be representing their interests. Peace and quiet seem to have become a luxury in Malta, including our once tranquil villages. But then again, as long as it is for a good cause...