Girls scream ‘we want Tom’ as Daley arrives at book shop

By EMMA HALLETT
Published on 18/08/2012 01:52

A THOUSAND screaming fans waited out in heavy rain to greet Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley at a book signing yesterday.

The queue of people hoping to meet the diver at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway, near Bristol, had to be closed after an “unprecedented turnout”.

The public had been told to start arriving from 8am but by 9am the queue had been closed by organisers.

Some of the teen heartthrob’s fans had even camped out overnight following a book signing Daley held yesterday at the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent.

The 18-year-old diver said he was overwhelmed with the amount of support he had been shown since winning the bronze medal in the men’s 10m platform event last Saturday.

Speaking just before hundreds of fans filed into a small space at the back of WHSmith, he said: “It’s crazy to say the least, honestly, about a thousand people are here today and they’ve had to shut the queue because there were too many people turning up.

“Not once did I ever think that was going to happen, so it’s crazy, it really is.

“It’s amazing to think that people have actually camped out since before 11pm last night.

“It’s insane to think about it, that someone really wants to get a signed book and things like that, it’s mind blowing.”

The diver had dedicated his Olympic medal to his father, Rob, who died of cancer, aged 40 last year.

Daley had a close relationship with his father who had taken him to training and been to every competition before he was taken ill.

“I think my Dad would think this is quite funny actually,” Daley said.

Daley later Tweeted: “Officially the biggest signing that Bristol WHSmith has ever had!!! Amazing news!!!”