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A holidaymaker has blasted passport officials for allowing her to unknowingly travel on a cancelled passport she was told had been reported stolen.
Georgia Haynes was hauled before Greek airport police when she landed in Corfu completely unaware she was travelling with an invalid document.
But the 19-year-old from Dartford says she had not reported the passport stolen and had no idea it was invalid when she boarded her flight at Stansted Airport on September 25.
Greek authorities told her she would not be allowed home using her cancelled passport and had to apply for £100 emergency travel documents out of her own pocket from the British Consulate on the island.
Now back home in Kent after her week-long stay with her boyfriend, Georgia has raised her case with Dartford MP Gareth Johnson about how it was allowed to happen.
Mr Johnson described the situation as "deeply worrying" and has promised to question officials at HM Passport Office, which Georgia says confirmed to her while in Greece that her passport had been cancelled after being reported stolen in 2018.
She says she's confused about being allowed on the plane in the first place if records showed her passport was not valid.
Georgia, who returned home on Friday, says the ordeal has been "a traumatising experience".
Her mother Stacey Hackett, from Leysdown on the Isle of Sheppey, says she's extremely worried how easy it was for her daughter to travel on the cancelled passport.
"What if Georgia was a terrorist?" Ms Hackett said. "She was actually able to board a plane and that's quite scary.
"It kind of makes you wonder how many people have slipped through the system with dodgy passports. Why didn't she get stopped at Stansted or even when she booked the holiday online and put in her passport number?"
Fortunately, Georgia had her driving licence and bank card when she landed and was able to prove to Greek officials she was who she said she was.
She was allowed to travel on to her hotel but throughout the seven-night break had to sort out getting documents which would allow her to come home, which meant a 50-minute drive to the Consulate to pick them up.
"What if Georgia was a terrorist? She was actually able to board a plane and that's quite scary..."
Dartford MP Gareth Johnson said: "I have been in regular contact with Georgia since I got her email to ensure she was getting the consular assistance she needed in Corfu.
"This is a deeply worrying situation and we are urgently seeking an explanation from the UK Visas and Immigration Department to find out what happened.
"Nobody should be able to go through a UK airport with a passport which has been reported cancelled, lost or stolen.
"Georgia has had her holiday spoilt and so we need to find out how this could have happened."
The Home Office – which oversees administration of the HM Passport Office – did not comment when questioned about how Georgia was able to get through security.
A spokesman said: "It is the responsibility of individuals to check their passport is valid for travel.
"Airlines will check the documentation is acceptable for the destination before boarding, which will include a check on dates in the passport."
They added a replacement passport had been issued to Georgia in June.
Further advice for travellers about checking whether they are ready to depart is available on the government website .
