Tom-mania goes on as fans queue overnight for Olympic bronze medallist to sign copies of his new book
By LARISA BROWN
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Having won the hearts of the nation by securing a bronze medal in the Olympics, Tom Daley is certainly not short of fans.
And it seems nothing - not even pouring rain and a night sleeping on the pavement - could put them off waiting to see the young star.
Thousands of screaming supporters waited outside in the heavy rain to greet the 18-year-old diving champion at a book signing today.
Daley signs his new book, My Story, which follows his diving background and success, the attention he has received since competing at the Beijing Olympics and the loss of his father
Come rain or shine: Fans queue to see heartthrob Tom Daley at the book signing at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway near Bristol today
The queue of people hoping to meet Daley at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway, near Bristol, was so long that it had to be closed by organisers.
An 'unprecedented turnout' meant members of the public who arrived for the signing at 9am had to be turned away - even though they had been told to start arriving only an hour earlier.
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.
Daley 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 that was going to happen, so it’s crazy, it really is.
Daley holds up his bronze medal at his book signing attended by thousands of screaming fans today
Even a glimpse will do: Fans fill WHSmith to try and see diving champion Daley. Some had spent the night waiting for him to arrive
And the queue just keeps on going...Fans brave the wind and rain to catch a glimpse of the London 2012 medal winner
'It’s amazing to think that people have actually camped out since before 11pm last night.
'It’s insane really 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.
'He’d probably go around, running around the queues actually winding people up, like saying "Oh, he’s gone home" things like that, he had that kind of sense of humour, so I think he would be enjoying it a lot.'
Signing his book: Daley said he thought it was 'mind-blowing' to think that people wanted to get a signed book from him
A very happy fan: Jasmine Mansyah, 10, shows off her signed copy of Daley's new book
The teenager from Plymouth, Devon, holds up his new book, My Story, which details his journey so far
Daley said winning the medal had been a 'crazy moment', which he had celebrated as if winning gold.
'It was just such a rush of emotions, all my family and friends and especially my team mates,' he said.
'My team mates picked me up and jumped in the pool with me, my performance director jumped in the pool as well with his phone in his pocket and things like that, so it was just an amazing moment because it was something that I had really worked hard for.
'It just means so much to actually have one, that’s the main thing.'
The teenager, from Plymouth, Devon, arrived just after 11am after which his waiting fans were allowed through the doors as hundreds of people - mainly screaming girls - chanted 'We want Tom, We want Tom'.
The WHSmith events team tweeted this morning: 'Due to unprecedented turn out we have now closed the queue for the Tom Daley signing. We advise you not to come down for the signing today.'
Daley competes in the Men's 10m Platform Diving Final on Day 15 of the London 2012 Olympic Games
Among the people braving the pouring rain was Liz Mitchell, from Bath, Somerset, and her children William, 14, Peony, six, and five-year-old Lily.
'The weather is just terrible,' she said.
'We got here just after 8am because they told us to get her for 8.30am but some people were here at midnight.
'The nice thing is that although people were getting soaked they were still in good spirits and enjoying themselves.'
Suzy Riley and her children, from Nailsea, Somerset, got up at 5am to get to Cribbs Causeway for 6am.
'It was really, really good,' she said. 'The weather was bad but it was fine really. The staff here gave us ponchos.
'It was well worth getting up for.'
Daley jumps into the pool at the Aquatics centre after finishing third in the Men's 10m Platform Diving Final
On his way to bronze: Daley cannot believe the reception he gets at The Mall near Bristol after thousands of people queue up to see the diving champion
First in the queue was Jason Peachey, 26, from Cheltenham, who had taken his place at 10.40pm the previous evening.
He told the Bristol Post: 'I’ve been awake for about 30 straight hours now but I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity. He’s an inspiration to me. He’s only 18 now so I think he will win gold in Rio.'
Those who had been turned away from the queue, which snaked around the side of the shopping centre, filled the store for the chance to catch a glimpse of the diving star.
Daley tweeted to his fans braving the rain: 'Thanks 4coming 2Bristol for my book signing at WHSmith.
'They have already had2stop the Q as so many have turned up.sorry2anyone disappointed.'
Daley’s book My Story follows his diving background and success, the attention he has received since competing at the Beijing Olympics and the loss of his father.
Daley later Tweeted: 'Officially the biggest signing that Bristol WHSmith has ever had!!! Amazing news!!!'
Tom Daley tweets his 1.5million Twitter followers after the book signing to say thanks for coming
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2189844/Tom-Daley-Fans-queue-overnight-Olympic-bronze-medallist-sign-copies-new-book.html#ixzz23qQ8r15W
