We put in a application for 1st british passports on 3rd of August for my partner, myself & my 2 kids. My partner had his interview at the end of August & got his passport delivered 2 days later! My interview was booked for 4th September so we booked our holiday for 6 in Ibiza flying out in the early hours of the 19th September..I then recieved a phone call from the Durham office saying the interview was cancelled & the documents that were in the post to me they would need back as they released them by accident & hadn't finished all the checks. I explained that on the basis of me having an interview & my partner recieving his passport just 2 days after his interview, we had booked our holiday & I was told I had nothing to worry about & I'd get our passports in time as they weren't at all busy now. I eventually recieved the documents back & sent them special next day delivery to arrive last Thursday by 1pm. Told them they would be with them by 1pm & he still said I had nothing to worry about & we would get our passports in time. I phoned yesterday & they couldn't find my application with my reference number from my check & send reciept or by punching in my name & D.O.B to their computer so se said someone would phone me back....They did & I was told they were still doing checks & it was unlikely I will get our passports in time due to them still being very busy. There is absolutly nothing I can do to speed things up & their mistake has cost my parents almost 4 grand in a holiday we cant go on & a lot of heart ache. Me & the children have never been on holiday before & that once in a life time chance has now been taken away from us. We are completely devestated & have nobody to complain to or talk to to try & get this sorted out in time