The complaint echoed by most are about fruitless attempts to get help from the automated telephone system - and when someone does answer they give "little meaningful information".   

HM Passport Office has defended its record saying between March and May 98.5 per cent of applications were completed within the published processing time of ten weeks.

Read more: Great Ayton family forced to miss flights over Durham Passport Office chaos

The Northern Echo visited the Durham passport office to gauge the mood and speak to people about their individual plights.  

Most of those who had come to Durham without making a prior appointment in the hope of getting answers - their much needed documents. 

People in the queue, coming from as far afield as Scotland and Coventry, were all enduring a nail-biting wait, as expensive flights abroad and holidays hung in the balance. 

Chino Karyan of Coventry

Chino Karyan, 20, who travelled from Coventry said: “I applied for renewal eight weeks ago and told it was being processed. I asked for an fast track but got no update and I'm leaving for Greece next week.

"They told me over the phone that they could fast track it and I was told to call back in eight weeks if he hadn't heard anything.

“So we did that, but you just can't get through on the phone line. I am really angry."

Tim and Jane Bonfield of North Berwick, Scotland

Tim Bonfield, 68 and his wife Jane, 63, made the three-hour journey from their home in North Berwick, Scotland.

Mr Bonfield said: “We applied at the Post Office in May 1 and a week later got a text from the passport office saying they had all our documents and would contact us if they needed anything else.

“It’s just a renewal, so there were no changes of address. We tried to get through on the phone and were given two options - if you've waited more than 10 weeks press 1 and if you haven't wait ten weeks and you need your passport urgently press 2.

“So you go through and you are prompted to give your reference number, which you do. Then an automated reply says 'thank you very much. We've got your application thanks for your call goodbye'.

Read more: Durham Passport Office: Glasgow man travels 160 miles on night before Italy flight

“There's no one you can say 'but, but, but' to."

He added: "I know our passes are in there (the passport office).

"We have tickets to see Andre Rieu in Amsterdam, which was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

“If we don't get our passports we've lost our tickets and won't get a refund.

"This is a bit like the airline scenario where they knew people would start to fly and want to go away. You don't wait for it to happen you prepare for it.”

Maureen Stenhouse, 51, of Newcastle, said she was due to fly to Alicante the following morning.

She said: “I've been waiting for 10 weeks. It’s been absolutely horrific.

“You go through all these options on the phone and you get hold of somebody and they can’t tell you anything over the phone, even though you've given him all of your personal details.

“I've tried 10 times to get through. I sent an e-mail to an advice line last Wednesday and they said they'd ring us back within 24 hours but I heard nothing. They finally called me on Tuesday morning, but said they could not help.”

Mareen said she learned her passport was in Liverpool and had been told she would get a call back with an appointment time, but did not."

She said: "I am due to fly to Alicante with friends to celebrate my 50th birthday, which I was unable to do because of Covid. 

"If I don't get my ticket my 10 friends will be going - but they will have to celebrate without me. 

Reverend Nick Biggar of Denby Dale, West Yorkshire

Reverend Nick Biggar of Denby Dale, West Yorkshire, said: “I'm here to collect my grandson’s passport. He's 13-years-old and this is his first trip abroad. His mother is out of work and cannot afford it.

"I applied for his passport over ten weeks ago. I have had lots of generally unproductive phone calls.

"We are flying from Manchester tomorrow to Malta there is no escalation, though we've been told it would be expedited.

"We spoke to somebody and they told us we would be contacted back and we should get it.

"We were told on Saturday we would get a call on Monday, but nobody called. Every time you ring them you get a different story.

“There isn't a standard. Nobody can say where it is. Nobody is absolutely certain. It just leads to a whole frustration.

"At the end of the day is a 13-year old who is excited about his first trip overseas."

Ben Openshaw, 20, of Sunderland, applied for his passport renewal 16 weeks ago and is still waiting.

He said: “Whenever called and gave my reference number the phone just went dead .

“At first I tried to make an emergency appointment but that got cancelled.

“This is the second time I've come down here. About two weeks ago I waited for four hours and got all the way to the front when the computers went down. I'm going away in three to four days to Cyprus.”

A HM Passport Office spokesperson said: “Staff are processing approximately 250,000 passport applications each week, and between March and May 98.5 per cent of applications were completed within the published processing time of ten weeks. 

“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.”

Further details about the passport office's urgent services, available from all of HM Passport Office’s seven public counters across the UK, can be found by clicking here. 

Factsheet available by clicking here. 

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