Chaos at the Passport Agency could jeopardise a York family's dream holiday.

PASSPORT PERIL: The Henderson Family, who are hoping to go on holiday in Spain but are still waiting for a passport for 18-month-old Levi-Victoria Picture: Frank Dwyer

Vicky and Mark Henderson, their seven-year-old son Liam, and 18-month-old daughter, Levi-Victoria, were looking forward to two weeks on Spain's Costa Brava - a holiday they booked more than a year ago.

But what should have been an exciting fortnight of preparation has become a race against time to get a passport for Levi-Victoria. And the couple fear their £1,500 holiday might not happen.

Vicky 29, of Leeman Road, sent the application off in March, anticipating a backlog caused by a new rule that requires children to have their own passports.

Her cheque has not been banked, there is no sign of the passport, and the agency in Liverpool is permanently on an answering machine.

At first a message said it was possible to purchase a passport over the counter in Liverpool for £10 but at the beginning of the week the message changed to say demand was so great no more applications could be made this way.

"It's the first family holiday since Levi-Victoria was born and we've saved up and were looking forward to it but now I'm a nervous wreck.

"This is a nightmare and it's not like I sent the application last minute - I gave them good warning and they can't even tell me if they've got it," said Vicky.

Another York holidaymaker, Mark Clewes, sent his application off two months before his holiday to Tenerife and after several phone calls got his passport by courier at 5pm the day before he flew out.

The Evening Press was unable to get through to the Passport Agency today as the phone was constantly engaged.

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