A GRANDMOTHER-of-four who is part of the Windrush generation has been left feeling "angry" and "let down" by her country.

Lena Someville, who lives in Leigh, moved to England from Jamaica in 1962 at the age of seven with her stepsister to live with her great auntie.

After years of raising a family and working, Lena spent her holidays in the UK and it was only in 2004 when she became interested in going abroad that she realised there was a problem with getting a passport to travel.

Lena's case is part of the Windrush scandal that has been widely publicised in the last week which affects people who arrived from Caribbean countries between1948 and 1971.

Records were not kept of people allowed to remain in the UK and there was no paperwork to back this up leading to difficulties in arrivals proving they could stay legally.

Matters were made worse in 2010 when Windrush migrants' landing cards were destroyed by the Home Office.

People who do not have documents have since been told to give evidence to keep working, have NHS treatment or even risk being deported.

Prime Minister Theresa May and Home Secretary Amber Rudd have publicly apologised about the situation and have promised that the Government will look into each case.

Lena, 63, said: "It is horrible what has happened to people like me and has made me feel angry, sad and let down by my country.

"It gave me the impression that I was not wanted here even though this is my home and I love it here.

"I have tried getting a UK and a Jamaican passport in the past but whoever I got in touch with, including the Jamaican Embassy, could not help me

"I am happy the problem has been highlighted now because I did not know where else to turn."

After getting in touch with an immigrating organisation in Manchester a few years ago, Lena has been granted "indefinite leave to remain" (ILR) status even though she was required to track information dating back to her childhood such as her GP and school records to do this.

Lena's ILR status ensures she is not at risk of losing the right to work or being forced to leave the country.  

She also passed a Life in the UK test but this still failed to grant her a passport.

Lena added: "I have seen that there have been booklets made to help people in case they get deported to Jamaica which gives advice on things like talking in the right accent.

"I could not imagine going there; the culture is so different and I have no connection with it at all.

"How do you become Jamaican when you are not?"

Lena, who was brought up in Chorley before moving to Leigh, worked in various roles for the NHS over the years and also run a fish stall in Oswestry in Shropshire.

She is now employed as a mental health nurse for the Making Space rehabilitation unit in Lowton.

Lena has contacted Leigh MP Jo Platt who will ask the Home Office to look into her case.

She has a list of places she would like to travel to in the future including Jamaica.