Death threats sent to diving partner of British teenager Tom Daley after Olympics flop

Blake Aldridge, 26, said he has been sent ‘disturbing’ letters and emails after the pair plunged to last place in the final of the 10-metre synchronised dive.

He claimed people also shouted at him in the street after he and 14-year-old dashed the public’s medal expectations earlier this month.

Target: Blake Aldridge, with Tom Daley, right, has also been accosted in the street

The pair had been in line for a bronze after their first dive - but they ended up in a poolside bust-up.

Teenage sensation Tom was furious when Aldridge phoned his mother between dives.

After an angry exchange of words, Aldridge criticised his young partner’s performance.

He said last night: ‘Since what happened I’ve had people coming up to me and having a go at me.

‘I’ve received hate mail and received horrible emails - it’s very upsetting.’

A source close to the diver - who competed in the synchronised men’s 10m platform diving final at the impressive Water Cube indoor swim centre - has been getting death threats.

Bust-up: Tom looks askance as Aldridge chats to his mother during the final

He said: ‘The content of the emails and mail has been extremely disturbing - it’s disgraceful.

‘He’s been really worried because people have been saying they want to harm him.

‘But they clearly don’t understand it’s a team event - the responsibility is shared.

‘It is utterly appalling to target Blake in this way.’

Controversy has dogged the partners after they were feted as potential medal winners - but were involved in a remarkable on-camera dispute in the final.

The pair were shown arguing while taking a shower between their fifth and final dives.

But the diver added he was stunned after reports today that Britain’s second youngest-ever Olympian planned to dump his older partner.

Aldridge said: ‘I’ve not heard anything about Tom dumping me.

‘As far as I am concerned everything is fine between the two of us and we are looking ahead to our next competition.’

Bombed: The pair came last in the synchronised 10-metre dive final

Yet Daley had been quoted as saying that he would ‘definitely’ be looking for a partner nearer his age because it would be good to ‘enjoy each other’s company’.

Blake, however, feels the whole incident has been blown out of proportion.

‘I haven’t fallen out with Tom and the fact the media have said we did is completely out of order,’ he explained.

He denied reports he had blamed his younger partner for the pair’s poor showing.

He said: ‘I would just like people to realise that I was actually paying Tom a compliment.

‘Tom is an astonishingly good diver but during the finals he under-performed.

‘We both didn’t do ourselves justice because going into Beijing we had every chance of getting a medal.’

It is not believed that Aldridge has reported the threats to police.