The woman who lost a husband, two sons and a pregnant daughter-in-law in last Sunday's fireworks explosion at Gharb has expressed anger that the feast at Xaghra will go ahead as planned tomorrow.

"After my husband did all that work for them (Xagħra), they should show respect towards them (the victims)," Maria Farrugia said in a hurt tone when contacted by The Times.

The Xaghra Central Feast Committee earlier today defended its decision to hold the feast, pointing out that the fireworks factory - where fireworks for Xaghra were stored - was not part of the parish and the victims did not come from the parish. The only connection between Xaghra and the factory was that the Xaghra fireworks committee had commissioned some fireworks from the factory, the committee said.

Mrs Farrugia lost her husband Nenu and sons Noel, 31, and Raymond, 32, in the blast, along with Noel's wife Antoinette, 27.

Mrs Farriugia said that just five minutes before the explosion she was on the phone with her husband.

He hung up suddenly, Mrs Farrugia said.

"I think he felt something."

Jean Pierre Azzopardi, 27, also died in the blast.

Mrs Farrugia's son-in-law Paul Micallef, 35, who like Raymond Farrugia, is the father of young children, is still in intensive care.

Full story in The Times.