Tim and Emma Brown found the pass, along with a handful of social work department business cards, during an early spring clean on Monday when they opened the briefcase for the first time since buying it for £3.50 from Barnardo's in West Port three months ago.

Concerned about potential security issues, Emma contacted Scottish Borders Council – which issued the unnamed business cards – only to be met with a frosty reception.

Emma told The Wee Paper: "I explained the situation but they didn't seem to understand and refused to put me through to someone in authority. I didn't even get a thank you.

"Things like that shouldn't be left around, especially with everything you hear in the news about data discs going missing.

"Anyone could use the social work cards and, even if it's out of date, the prison security pass could still be forged or copied."

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) confirmed the security card is the type used by social workers to gain access to Saughton Prison in Edinburgh and conceded it could be forged but played down fears that, in the wrong hands, it could be used to gain unauthorised access, adding that no security passes had even been reported missing.

A spokesperson said: "In the same way as it is possible to forge a passport, then I would have to say it could happen.

"The reality is however, there would be little to gain given the level of observation in the agents' visit area and it couldn't be used by an unauthorised person.

"Even on the occasion it was used, the person would have been accompanied and vouched for with photographic ID."

However, Scottish Borders Council, which issued the social work business cards, this week admitted the blunder and said procedures for issuing cards would be reviewed as a result.

David Cressey, head of housing and social work strategy, told us: "We do take proof of identification very seriously and all staff are issued with photo identification cards which they are expected to use to identify themselves to any member of the public.

"However, as a result of this we will review our procedures for the issuing of business cards.

"Finally, in respect to the way in which the member of the public was dealt with, we would like to apologise for the standard of the service they experienced which was not in keeping with our expected level of customer care."