People who have worked on their carnival floats for a whole year will be keeping their fingers crossed this weekend as bad weather hits Malta on the eve of the start of carnival activities.

It was the Knights of St John who, in 1535, originally brought Carnival to Malta, a festival reserved for the elite. Since then, festivity and general euphoria have characterised the Maltese Carnival every year.

Between today and Tuesday, the streets and squares of Valletta, Floriana and several other towns and villages are ignited by the fervour of carnival.

But those who have worked for a whole year on their papier-mâché floats are certainly rather disappointed with how the weather took a turn for the worse yesterday. As if the rain was not enough, fierce winds have also hit the island, and these are expected to increase over the weekend.