The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has made another impassioned plea to keep a Malawian mother and daughter in Scotland.

The Rt Rev John Christie made the appeal in an address to over 2,000 Church of Scotland Guild members at their annual meeting in Dundee’s Caird Hall on Saturday.

He voiced his bitter disappointment at Home Secretary Theresa May, after she refused to intervene in the case of Florence Mhango and her 10-year-old daughter Precious, despite a joint plea from the Moderator, Alex Salmond and Cardinal Keith O’Brien.

In a letter, the three leaders stated: “There are certainly for the three of us, and many others, good reasons for them to be allowed to stay in Scotland.

”This is an opportunity for compassionate love and it would be disappointing, to say the least, if the they are deported.

“The New Testament is full of examples between the tension of the law, and grace and compassion. In these set of exceptional circumstances I believe grace and compassion should prevail.”

Florence and her 10-year-old daughter Precious lost their right to asylum in the UK after Florence left her violent and abusive husband.

They appealed the decision but lost in a High Court hearing in London and were ordered to return to Malawi in July.

They hope to appeal against the deportation ruling, but could now be removed at any time.

The Guild have been long-time campaigners against injustices such as human trafficking and domestic abuse and it is hoped that the Guild will get behind the campaign to keep Florence and Precious in the UK.