Passport processing delays continue to affect holidaymakers

Ms Ballagher's old passport was ruined by a leaking bottle of water and she wasn't able to replace it in time

A woman whose passport was ruined by a leaking bottle of water says she has been left £2,000 out of pocket by passport office delays.

Beverly Ballagher's passport was damaged a month before she was due to fly to Australia to see her son.

Ms Ballagher, from Nailsea in North Somerset, said she burst into tears at the Newport office when staff said they couldn't help her replace it in time.

A HM Passport Office spokesperson has apologised for the delays.

Ms Ballagher was due to go on a previous holiday in June when her passport was damaged at the airport.

She travelled to Newport 48 hours before her Australia trip in July.

"An official asked if my application had been in the system for six weeks, when I said I had only been waiting a month I was told they wouldn't see me.

"They could have realised the issue with my passport was an accident, I was so upset when I couldn't go to see my son.

"The passport office is in total chaos," she said.

Roly Harrison's first holiday since the pandemic had been ruined by passport delays

Delays have also affected Roly Harrison's family.

Mr Harrison, from Knowle in Bristol, applied for a passport for his 12-year-old daughter 14 weeks before he was due to fly to Portugal.

While his son's passport came in three weeks, they are still waiting for the other and are due to fly at the start of August.

"I wake up every day hoping there will be a text message saying it has been printed.

"We want to create those memories and family experiences, but the holiday is just a dream for us now," he said.

A spokesperson for the Passport Office said: "We apologise for the delay in issuing these passports.

"These applications have now been prioritised and will be processed as soon as possible."