The threat to deport a student nurse who was a baton-bearer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games has been branded "a disgrace".

Nicola Sturgeon made the remarks in response to a question at Holyrood about the case of Denzel Darku, 23, from Paisley.

The student nurse moved to the UK from Ghana aged 14 and previously served in the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Mr Darku, who says he wants to work in the NHS, is battling to stay in Scotland after he had two appeals against deportation rejected.

His case was raised during First Minister's Questions by Labour MSP Neil Bibby as an example of the UK Government's controversial "hostile environment" immigration policy.

Sturgeon described Mr Darku as "an absolute credit to Scotland" and called the Home Office threat to deport him "scandalous".

She said she would do "everything she can" to help keep the 23-year-old in the UK.

Bibby said: "This is a young man who has built his life in Paisley, once a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, a Commonwealth Games baton-bearer and a student nurse who wants to work in our NHS.

"But (he) is also the victim of bogus migration targets and the hostile environment policy of the Home Office.

"He is someone who has contributed a huge amount to this country and who wants to stay in Scotland and the UK so he can contribute even more.

"And given the reaction of so many people in my community and across the country, it's clear: people want him to stay here too."

He asked Sturgeon to "make clear to the Home Office the impact their immigration policies are having on young people in Denzel's position".

The MSP added: "Does the First Minister agree with me that there can be no justification for driving a young man like Denzel away from the place he calls home?"

Bibby's question was met with applause by much of the chamber, but the Scottish Conservative benches stayed quiet.

Addressing this, Sturgeon said: "I think the complete lack of support that the Tories have just shown for a young man who has Scotland as his home and who wants to continue to have Scotland as his home says everything we need to know about the Conservative party today."

She continued: "I am aware of the case of Denzel Darku.

"I've met Denzel in the past, he is a fine young man, he is an absolute credit to Scotland and it is outrageous, scandalous, a disgrace that he is threatened with deportation.

"We should be trying to attract more young people of his calibre to Scotland, not chasing them away."

The First Minister called for wholesale reform of immigration to create a "more humane policy".

She added: "I will do everything I can to make the case for Denzel Darku."