A Balzan couple are offering a €2,500 (Lm1,073) reward for anybody willing to supply information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of whoever set fire to the door of a property of theirs in Paola.

The incident happened on March 6, at about 8 p.m. Walter Massa received a call from neighbours the next morning, saying that the front door of his childhood home, in Ninu Cremona Street, which is now vacant, had been burnt.

"Luckily, no one was injured in the incident, but neighbours were terrified when this happened and they naturally feared for their lives and homes," he said.

Forensic personnel went to the site the morning after the incident and a steel door has now been placed over the burnt one to deter other potential attacks and to secure the property.

Mr Massa is now calling on the public for any assistance in providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the fire.

"The individuals who did this may strike again at any time in the same area, and it would be a shame to allow a bully of this sort to terrify people in their own home.

"For this reason, an appeal is being made for anyone having any information on the identity of the arsonist to come forward.

"Whoever committed this crime did it on the eve of the general election to make it somehow seem connected to politics, but we have no allegiances and we don't get involved in these matters. We have our suspicions on who could have done this, but we need proof," he said.

This is the second time that Mr Massa has faced problems over the property he inherited from his father.

A few years ago, the people developing the land behind him seriously damaged Mr Massa's property. In a judgment handed down last October, the court ordered the developers effect repairs, but to this day nothing has been done.

Anyone who saw anything, no matter how irrelevant it may seem, is asked to call the police on 119 or 2122 1111. Confidentiality is guaranteed.