Fort Delimara’s ditch recently breathed a sigh of relief as it saw the last heaps of waste being lifted away from it after years of illegal dumping, Heritage Malta said in a statement.

Around 500 tonnes of material were removed from the ditch over a span of six weeks. The litter had accumulated over several decades, presumably since the time when the fort was decommissioned by the British Services.

The extensive cleansing exercise was implemented by Parks Malta, fulfilling one of the provisions of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Heritage Malta and Parks Malta in November 2021.

Following the clean-up, concrete slabs were placed along the ditch’s perimeter as a deterrent against illegal dumping in future. A CCTV system has been installed for constant surveillance of the internal and external areas of the fort.

The cleansing exercise complements the considerable efforts by Heritage Malta during the past months to bring back Fort Delimara to its pre-1964 state. These include the thorough cleaning of the underground sections and the parade ground, and the removal of several alien accretions and dangerous structures.

A new electricity and water system has also been installed. Fort Delimara was built between 1876 and 1878 to defend the approaches to Marsaxlokk Harbour and is a classic example of a Victorian coastal fortification.

Amongst other attractions, the fort still houses four of the original six 38-ton rifled muzzle loading guns which are the last surviving examples in the world, still on their carriages in their original casemate emplacements.

The fort remained operational until 1956. It was later used as a farm for more than 25 years, until it was placed under Heritage Malta’s protection in 2005.