If Rosie Rimmer, from Shoreham, cannot travel on June 22, it could wreck the chances of her dance team, A2 Arts, competing for the world title.

The 17-year-old’s passport was processed on May 25, with officials now saying it is stuck at the printing stage - in Liverpool.

And with less than two weeks until the flight, Rosie's mother Joanne Ledward, is now desperate to know whether Rosie will be able to compete in Spain, and why the document is still in Liverpool.

Joanne Ledward and Rosie Rimmer, right

“You speak to someone on the phone who then requests a call back, and the call back doesn’t happen,” said Joanne.

“Her passport is just sitting there waiting to be printed, but no matter who I speak to, they just don’t care about the situation.”

She was told by officials that it has been ready for “weeks” but there is nothing she can do to “nudge it along”.

A2’s championship hopes now hang in the balance, as the company, which is based in Portslade, would need to change its routine at the last moment should Rosie not be able to travel.

Joanne said: “She’s been at the school since she was three years old. She’s worked really hard and would be absolutely devastated if she couldn’t go.

“Dance is her life, she goes down to the studio every single day.

“It’s a massive opportunity that they’ve been given and I feel like the Passport Office is just taking this away from her – especially as it’s just sitting there.”

A2's world cup hopes are at risk

The Argus contacted the Home Office, which said that Rosie’s application is still within its ten-week window for renewals, and that there were issues early on with supporting documents.

A government spokeswoman said: “Since April 2021, we’ve clearly stated that people should allow up to ten weeks when applying for their passport to factor in the increased demand, which has seen five million people delay their passport application due to the pandemic.

“The latest figures show that over 90 per cent of applications have been completed within six weeks. But we cannot compromise security checks and people should apply with plenty of time prior to travelling.”