MARY and David Nunn, from Cheriton Fitzpaine, have just returned from a holiday with a difference - in Malta.

They area both members of Tiverton St. John Ambulance which is twinned with Birzebuggia - a Division with a similar type and number of membership.

At the request of the Malta St. John Commissioner, Mrs. Gemma Sirol, the intrepid pair spent a week helping, encouraging and guiding trainers in ambulance work and first aid.

The Malta Divisions are very poorly equipped so, with the assistance of St. John members in Devon and Somerset, the three divisions of Birzebuggia; Paola Taxxien and Valletta were each presented with Oxygen Saturation monitors; additional Oxygen masks (with a discount from a firm in Exmouth) and a carrying chair.

The year 2009 is also the Centenary of St. John Ambulance on the island. (The Order of St. John was forced to disband when Napoleon landed).

There were many celebrations, including an evening dinner and Mass in the Carmelite Church in Valletta.

To the Priest's dismay, the organ had "blown up" two days before the service but, nothing daunted, a small group of Cadets, with their leader on the keyboard, played and led the hymns.

Unfortunately for the English visitors, the entire service was in Maltese, but a whispered commentary from a fellow trainer in the row behind, kept them in the picture.

On one morning, Mary and David visited the Fort of St. Madaleina, built originally by the Knights of St. John and now used for training by the Marine Corps of the organization, who act as auxiliary coastguards.

A crowd of young people, wearing hard hats and well roped were practising abseiling down the walls of the moat.

Mary and David are First Responders who cover the Cheriton Fitzpaine area in an emergency and aid a patient until an ambulance arrives.