Parish rivalry is a common feature in Malta, but the latest spat came in two areas that are not normally in the news for such shenanigans.

Streamers put up in the parish of St Gregory in Sliema and the parish of Balluta in St Julian’s have exposed differences between the two over this weekend.

The two parishes are geographically side by side, as Sliema and St Julian’s share the same borders.

Enthusiasts of the Balluta parish, which celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, stretched a streamer in which they said that they have the most beautiful statue, whereas “you have the ugliest one”, in reference to the statue of St Gregory.

Fans of the St Gregory feast, which was celebrated yesterday, replied with a streamer which said that they had the most beautiful club, and “you could only dream of having one like it”.

We’re sure that the Curia was not amused by this development, and is likely to step in to curb a situation that could go out of hand.