A PRESTON pensioner says she is too scared to visit her family in their American home because Customs officers have told her she she looks like a notorious drug smuggler!

Since Savick senior citizen Theresa Ashcroft's (pictured) family emigrated to Oregon in the 1970s, she has longed to visit them in their new homes.

But she claims she will never be able to fly out to see them - because Customs bosses say her double is a well-known drug smuggler!

Theresa's last overseas trip - a ferry crossing to France in the early 1980s - resulted in the 76-year-old being strip-searched by customs officials at Folkestone dock.

"They told me I look exactly like a old woman who they know smuggles heroin from other countries," said Theresa.

"I couldn't believe it when they pulled me out of the queue and searched me. They thought I was smuggling drugs!

"The experience has lived on with me to this day and I daren't fly to see my family in case the same thing happens again.

"I know I wouldn't be able to cope with it."

To add insult to injury, when Theresa complained about her ill-treatment to the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher she got a reply which simply said: "They were obviously doing an excellent job."

Theresa, whose son Francis set up home on the other side of the Atlantic after leaving Preston, has heard rumours that the woman has been caught or may have died, but hasn't been able to confirm anything.

She now fears that if she passes through an airport, someone might make the same mistake again.

She said: "I'd love to travel out to America but I daren't. I have been told I am the spitting image of her and dress the same."

A spokesman for Customs said it was very unlikely the same thing would happen again, adding: "We update our files regularly but would ask all members of the public to co-operate with us."

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