The Marsa Sports Club is fighting an application by the 26^th July Fireworks Factory of Sta Venera to let off fireworks from the vicinity of the club.

The club filed an application against the factory and the police commissioner in the Civil Court calling on the court to stop the factory from letting off fireworks from its vicinity.

The club said it organised several sports and social activities, including golf, tennis, squash, cricket and pool.

It said that fireworks were let off from the club's perimeter for the feast of St Sebastian last weekend, only five metres away from an area where members practiced their sport.

At around 10.30 p.m. last Saturday, 300 people were at a social activity organised by the club when a petard fell on the roof of the locker room and everything caught fire.

The room was destroyed as a result and the fire spread to the restaurant. Had it not been for Civil Protection employees, it would have reached the gas tanks which were close by.

The club said it was approached by the 26^th July Fireworks Factory which gave informed it that it had applied with the Police Commissioner for a permit to let off fireworks from the club's perimeter. Their application was for fireworks to be let off from a zone that was even closer to where people took part in activities andjust a few metres away from the parking zone of Lowenbrau's factory, Pavi Supermarket and private residences.

The factory justified its request with a declaration that it had bigger petards this year and it was not possible to let them off from where it usually did because of the bigger risk they carried.

The club argued that the factory's request was insensitive and could put the society's property and its members and visitors in danger.

The police commissioner, the club said, had allowed the letting off of fireworks from fields without informing the affected residents, including the club, with the relative applications giving them the opportunity to object.