Men, women and children ran for their lives as a soldier sounded an air raid siren in a re-enactment marking the 70th anniversary of the first aerial attackof World War II on the island .

Organised by heritage organisation Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna (FWA), the three-day commemoration of that event kicked off at Couvre Porte, Vittoriosa, last Friday with the sounding of a warning at the same time the first enemy plane was sighted.

On June 11, 1940, families desperately dashed into shelters as Italian bombers were spotted in the distance.

That day, eight raids targeted the harbours and their vicinity, killing 22 and wounding 50 and triggering an evacuation of the area.

Italy had only joined the Axis powers the day before and, with Malta serving as the Allies' principal Mediterranean naval base, it was only natural for it to become the first target.

On Saturday, guided tours were organised at the Malta at War Museum and air raid shelters.

Yesterday, a lecture by FWA chairman Mario Farrugia was followed by a re-enactment of the warning procedure used 70 years ago.