AN MP has taken up the case of a mother left begging officials for money to buy food for her five children.

Laundry worker Julie Ornsby, 29, of Woodhouse Close Estate, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, pleaded with Inland Revenue staff for help when her weekly child tax credit payments ended more than two weeks ago.

She relies on the £139-a-week subsidy to support her family -Lorna, 11, Elisha, ten, Tanya, eight, Callum, seven, and four-year-old Kyle.

But she has received nothing because the Inland Revenue has no record of a declaration form she said she sent nearly three weeks ago.

Last night her MP, Derek Foster, blamed incompetence in the revenue system and asked Chancellor Gordon Brown's deputy, Dawn Primarolo, the Paymaster General to the Treasury, to take up Ms Ornsby's case.

He demanded an investigation after two other similar complaints yesterday.

Last night, Ms Ornsby, who works 30 hours a week, had to borrow money from a colleague to buy food.

She said: "I go out to work and do my best for my children. I am proud of what I do. It is very hard work

"But is does not seem worth it when this happens and I get passed around because nobody will give me an answer.

"I was in tears in the Inland Revenue office and so were others. There was a girl who was down to her last two nappies for her baby, but there was nothing for her.

"We were being told to ring a helpline which promised we could get payments over the counter, but this was not right."

Peter Singer, the manager of Wear Valley Citizens Advice Bureau, said: "It is a major problem area for us.

"We have had two clients in today who have not got any money at all, which is awful.

"We are in discussions at the moment to see what can be done."

Mr Foster was told that work to upgrade computers had caused payment problems. The tax credit helpline also advised callers that computers were being upgraded and that a limited service was in operation.

Mr Foster said: "This is not acceptable. People are entitled to these payments and there is obviously a major problem."

An Inland Revenue spokesman said: "I cannot discuss individual cases, but I can confirm that the office of Derek Foster MP has been advised of the remedial action his constituent should take to correct her award status.

"The issues Mr Foster has raised with us are nothing whatever to do with our tax credit computers."