Image copyright Facebook Image caption Mr McFeat has been working at the largest gold mine in central Asia

A Scottish mine worker who compared Kyrgyzstan's national dish to a horse's genitalia on Facebook is to be deported from the country.

Michael McFeat, from Abernethy, was said to have been held after posting a picture of Kyrgyz co-workers queuing for a "chuchuk" horsemeat sausage.

He deleted the post and apologised for its caption.

The BBC's Central Asian service said he was being deported because of wrong documentation and not for his joke.

It said, according to the Karakol City Court, police found that Mr McFeat was not inciting ethnic violence through his comments.

In his Facebook post on 31 December, Mr McFeat posted a picture of colleagues at the Kumtor gold mine enjoying what he described as a "fantastic Hogmanay feast".

The post added: "The Kyrgyz people queuing out of the door for there special delicacy the horses penis!!!"

Radio Azattik said that Mr McFeat's post had "caused a lot of discontent and resentment on the part of local staff", who demanded respect for the traditions of the people of Kyrgyzstan, as well as an apology from the mine's management company.

He later deleted the original post and replaced it with an apology on 2 January, which said he had not intended to offend anyone.

Image copyright Facebook

Mr McFeat was reported to have been arrested at Manas International Airport, close to the capital Bishkek, on Sunday.

It had been claimed that he faced up to five years in prison under Kyrgyzstan's race hate laws.

The Kumtor open pit mine is said to be the largest gold mine in the region, with its output accounting for more than one-third of Kyrgyzstan's export of goods and services, according to its website.

The mine is operated by Canadian firm Centerra Gold, based in Toronto.

The foreign office had earlier confirmed it was in contact with the local authorities in Kyrgyzstan after a British national was detained.