A family's £5,000 all-inclusive holiday to Egypt has turned into a nightmare after they were told a three-year-old's passport was delayed as the Passport Office used a picture of the wrong child.

Mum Jasmeen Basi, 34, of Shirley, was hoping to take her young daughter Daya abroad but the blunder has left Jasmeen worried they will not make the flight.

Upset Jasmeen contacted the Passport Office to chase Daya's delayed passport application around 12 weeks after submitting it - only to be told a picture of a different child had been attached to her daughter’s application.

The picture was of an older Asian child, between the age of seven and 12.

Jasmeen told the Echo: “It’s quite scary, especially if they can’t find my child’s picture. Where has it gone?”

She added: “We have saved up so much for this holiday and it now means only my husband and other daughter will be able to go when in a normal situation, we would all go.”Daily Echo: Left to right: Sofia Birring, five, Jasmeen Basi, 34, Daya Birring, three and Dillon Birring, 38Left to right: Sofia Birring, five, Jasmeen Basi, 34, Daya Birring, three and Dillon Birring, 38 (Image: Jasmeen Basi)

Jasmeen first applied on December 22 - attaching Daya’s picture - after it was taken at the Post Office branch in Shirley.

She had been told the application would be sent and she would receive it back in three weeks.

She also received an email from January 4 stating that all information needed had been received and it was all on track.

Given time was ticking for their long-awaited family get-away, she called to check on the application and was advised to ask for it to be fast-tracked when it gets to two weeks before travel.

She did this but was then was told the fast-track request had been denied with no answer given.

Last week, when she called to check, she was finally told the Passport Office had mistakenly swapped the picture.

'How does a government agency do this?'

The education consultant told the Echo: “How have they possibly mixed it up? Does this mean my child’s picture is attached to someone’s child application?

“How does a government agency do this?

“We would never have booked the holiday if we knew this was going to happen. We were assured that it would only take about three weeks.”

Jasmeen may now have to stay at home, while her husband, Dillon Birring, 38, and their eldest daughter Sofia, five, jet off to the sandy beaches of Sharm El-Sheikh.

She said: “Daya had never been on holiday before because she was a Covid baby so this was her first family holiday with us.

“We were so excited and now I have had to tell her it might not happen.”

'Passport Office aware of travel date'

A spokesperson for the Passport Office said: “We are aware of Ms Basi’s travel date and are in touch with her directly regarding next steps for her application.”

They said the vast majority of people receive a new passport within three weeks.