Michael McFeat deported after facing jail for comparing Kyrgyzstan's national dish to a horse penis

The British man was arrested after posting a photo of Kyrgyz co-workers queuing for a 'chuchuk' horsemeat sausage. However, BBC's Central Asian service said he was being deported because of wrong documentation. According to the Karakol City Court, police found that McFeat was not inciting ethnic violence through his comments.

On his Facebook page, McFeat posted a picture of his colleagues at the Kumtor gold mine having a "fantastic Hogmanay feast" on 31 December.

It was his later comment that caused controversy: "The Kyrgyz people queuing out of the door for there [sic] special delicacy the horses penis!!!"

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

A local trade union leader confirmed that work at the mine, which accounts for up to 10% of Kyrgyzstan's economic output, resumed on Sunday after a short strike.

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

The mine worker's father, John Mcfeat, said he did not yet know when his son would be returning to the UK. He added the outcome was both "a relief and a sin".

"I haven't spoken to him yet, but he's coming home as far as I'm concerned, and that's a great relief to us,'" he told Mail Online.

"I don't want to say too much at the moment, because I don't want to jeopardise anything."

"But it's actually such a sin, because he loved working over there and he really loved the people, but it was just that silly statement. It's just one of those things.

"They obviously wouldn't have discovered the wrong papers if it hadn't been for all this, but at least he's safe. That's the main thing."