It was the car show to end all car shows. Thousands of people, most travelling in their own vehicles, flocked to the airport yesterday for a motor spectacle in aid of charity organised by the television show Paq Paq.

As long lines of traffic wended their way slowly towards the area outside the Lufthansa Tecknik hangars from the morning, 850 special cars and scores of motorcycles were assembled waiting to be admired and photographed.

Besides a static display of some fairly unique cars, vehicles of all shapes and sizes whizzed around three tracks at the old airport runway, performing offroading, sprints, drifting and circuit events, to the delight of enthusiasts and fanatics.

Sixty-five motoring clubs took part in the event from which all proceeds will go to annual telethon L-Istrina.

The star of the show was a €5 million Lamborghini Reventon, one of only 20 in the world. It was joined by some other impressive machines, among them the Lamborgini Murcielago Roadster, the latest McLaren F1 car and a Mercedes Benz SLS AMG.

Other cars ranged from sports cars to classic and vintage, as well as offroaders and superbly modified vehicles.

Paqpaqli għall-Istrina has become an annual appointment which contributes tens of thousands of euros to the L-Istrina cause. Money was raised primarily through the €5 entrance tickets.