Home Office wants to deport the popular volunteer who has lived in Scotland since she was 13

A well-loved charity volunteer is facing deportation after 16 years in Scotland, where she has become a big part of her local community.

An online petition has been signed by 60,000 people demanding the Home Office’s reverses its decision to deport Chennan Fei, who lives in Renton, East Dunbartonshire.

Officials moved to send Fei, who is 29 and has lived in Scotland since she was 13, back to China despite having a degree from Edinburgh University and being engaged to a Scottish man.

The keen community activist has volunteered with the Scottish Refugee Council and is a regular fundraiser for Cancer Research and Save the Children.

She is to attend a hearing on Thursday although a judge at the Court of Session has already ruled that the deportation attempt is not in accordance with the law.

Martin Docherty-Hughes MP said: "Scotland has been Chennan's home for more than half her life. It's where she has grown up, been educated at school and university, and it's where she met and fell in love with her fiancée Duncan.”

“After spending over 16 years building a life here in Scotland, the prospect of Chennan being torn away from her loved ones through no fault of her own has been deeply distressing.”

The problem stems from the fact that Fei’s parents overstayed their visas. Now, Home Office officials say she too must be deported depite there being no rule or provision in the Immigration Act that deals directly with the children of over-stayers.

Despite studying and living in Scotland for 16 years, Fei has never been permitted to undertake paid employment. However, she has used her time productively by volunteering with charities.