A fireworks factory in Għaxaq is hoping to smash two national records come Monday night as the village celebrates the Santa Marija feast. 

The Santa Marija fireworks factory's first record attempt will be to launch the country's biggest sfera (cylindrical shell), and the smallest sfera in the same display.

The biggest sfera measures 14 inches in diameter and weighs 183 kilograms, while the smallest sfera weighs 400 grams and has a four-inch diameter.  

Between the two record-breaking fireworks, the Għaxaq factory will launch 10 other sfejjer that gradually grow in size.

The Santa Marija fireworks factory will look to have two national records to its name on Monday evening Photo: Jonathan Borg

"If anyone wants to beat that record, they'll have to launch a firework that weighs less than 400 grams and a firework that weighs more than 183 kilos in the same display," Terrence Abdilla, who made the sfejjer (cylindrical shells) said. 

"I spent around 400 hours making the 12 shells," Abdilla, who has been making fireworks for 20 years, said. 

His brother, Ruben Abdilla, is handling the factory's second record attempt of the evening: to launch the most blalen (spherical shells) in the air within six minutes. 

"The record hinges on weight and size, not the total number of spherical balls," Abdilla said. 

The fireworks will be coordinated with music.

Judging the display on Monday evening will be Jeffrey Saliba of The Malta Records. 

In preparation, Saliba has visited the Għaxaq fireworks factory several times, most recently last week.

"I measured and weighed the cylindrical and spherical shells and took photos to have everything on record," Saliba said. 

Before that, he met the Għaxaq fireworks factory to clarify the specifications of their two record attempts. 

Come Monday night, Saliba will capture the record attempt on video and ensure that everything goes to plan. 

But even if some fireworks fail to explode, the Santa Marija fireworks factory will still become record holders, Saliba said.

"No one has ever attempted these two records before, so they'll still have a record to their name if not everything goes to plan," he said. 

A ground fireworks display will begin at 11.30 pm Photo: Jonathan Borg

Summer is a busy time for The Malta Records as festa enthusiasts often apply to have a national record, Saliba said. 

Last week Ħamrun's St Joseph band club celebrated a Malta record for having the biggest structure made of balloons measuring almost 12 metres in height and over seven metres in width. 

Carnival, Good Friday and Christmas are also busy periods for the organisation as local artisans vie for a national record.

Last December, a crib within a tube measuring 3 cm in diameter and 49 cm in length was given the title of "the smallest crib in the longest miniature tube".

Għaxaq is one of several localities celebrating the Santa Marija feast this week Photo: Jonathan Borg

Monday night's Għaxaq fireworks display will begin at 9.30 pm. Ground fireworks will then follow at 11.30pm. 

Several villages in Malta celebrate the Santa Marija feast, including Gudja, Attard, Mosta, Mqabba, Qrendi, and Victoria Gozo.