Wife uses dead husband's passport to go on holiday

A widow managed to get all the way to the Canary Islands using her dead husband's passport.

Pauline Briggs unknowingly packed her late husband's passport instead of her own before jetting off to Fuerteventura, reports the Metro.

Mrs Briggs, 64, passed through two security checks at East Midlands Airport using the picture of her husband, Paul.

It wasn't until she arrived in Fuerteventura with her granddaughter, grandson-in-law and their two children that she was stopped by passport control and questioned over the whereabouts of her husband.

The grandmother of ten was confused by the question and explained that her husband is dead, still unaware that she was mistakingly using his passport.

It was only when the officer showed her the passport that she realised her error.

Worryingly, Pauline easily passed through two security checks in Blighty before boarding a Ryanair flight without a single person questioning her sex, reports the Daily Mail.

The holidaymaker continued: 'I know it was my mistake to pick up the wrong passport but I was appalled at the lack of security.

'I would have expected that my error would mean I would have to go home and get another flight out, but because it was missed I got right through to Fuerteventura.

'I am an innocent holidaymaker but what if I had more sinister motives – it's not very reassuring.'

Luckily, security on the Canary Island allowed Mrs Briggs and her family through but Pauline had to pay £120 to have a temporary passport issued.

Head of communications at Ryanair, Robin Kiely, said: 'We have asked our third party handling agent at East Midlands to investigate this matter and ensure it does not happen again.'

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