A MOTHER facing holiday misery after waiting more than three months for a passport for her daughter says she cannot relax until it is in her hands after a last-minute reprieve.

Laura Scott, from Ambleside, submitted five applications for new passports for her family in April expecting them to arrive in time for a long-awaited holiday to Spain this month.

Mrs Scott received her passport in less than ten days, her husband's in less than three weeks and her twin sons’ in less than six.

But after 13 weeks there was still no sign of her ten-year-old daughter Mia’s passport.

And the family feared they would miss out on the holiday, with their flight scheduled for Tuesday.

But after The Westmorland Gazette contacted the Home Office on Wednesday afternoon, a spokesman said arrangements for collection of the passport were now being made.

“I have sent over the proof of travel they requested,” said Mrs Scott.

“They have said I will be able to collect the passport from Durham.

“I am happy that progress is being made but I can’t relax until I have the passport in my hand.”

Mrs Scott, who is a bar manager, said before she received the latest update from the Home Office: “Nobody can tell me why, there’s nothing showing that there is an issue with the application.

“Nobody can tell me what’s going on with it and I’m passed from pillar to post.

“My mum booked the holiday in December so I made sure I followed what the website said, allow up to ten weeks, I allowed more than 10 weeks.

“I did everything that I could.”

The 37-year-old made three requests for the passport to be expedited, with one of these also being made by MP Tim Farron.

She was also horrified to discover the passport application was being dealt with in Belfast.

“I spoke to the passport office again this morning and found out her application is in Belfast,” she said.

“They said that they wouldn’t usually get to expediting it until two days before we fly, at which point, if that’s in Belfast, that’s not going to arrive here before we fly.

“I am more than happy to drive to anywhere in England to pick it up, but Belfast is too far.”

The situation has taken a toll on Mrs Scott and her daughter, who both suffer from anxiety.

“We’re doing everything we can to reassure her we’re doing everything we can to get it and if it doesn’t arrive in time, we will sort it, so we all get to go even if we have to push the date back,” she said.

“But that’s not ideal because it will probably cost more.

“It’s horrendous, I’ve been diagnosed with severe anxiety as well so it’s not good.

“I’m constantly on edge and panicking.”

A HM Passport Office spokesman said staff numbers have been increased by 850 since April 2021 and it was in the process of recruiting another 350.

“Between March and May, we processed approximately three million applications, and 98.5% of applications were completed within 10 weeks. But we cannot compromise security checks and people should apply with plenty of time prior to travelling," said the spokesman.

“For the small percentage of customers whose applications take longer than ten weeks, there is an expedited service at no additional cost to help ensure that they receive their passport ahead of their travel.”