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By LIZ THOMAS and JAYA NARAIN
Professional: Katie is getting on with her X Factor duties in the face of sinister internet threats, but looked grateful for fan support last night in the wake of cyber death threatsControversial contestant is 'disgusted and freaked out'
X Factor bosses beef up her security team
Threats come a week after Katie was 'attacked' in street
Police have been called in to investigate cyber death threats against X Factor contestant Katie Waissel.
Social networking sites including Twitter and Facebook are are awash with sinister messages following Sunday's results show.
X Factor bosses say they have now contacted police over the vile internet messages, which have left the contestant 'disgusted and freaked out.'
Brave face: Katie was all smiles despite chilling internet messages being posted on Twitter and Facebook being investigated by policeChilling messages on Twitter included: 'Who's coming on a murder hunt with me? Target Katie Waissel.'
Another user added: 'Katie DIE DIE!'
'Katie deserves to die right at this minute,' wrote another.
As of today there are more than 40 Facebook groups which hundreds of thousands of members have joined, that either ridicule Miss Waissel or campaign for her to be booted from the competition, with only a handful springing up in support of the singer.
One group, called 'It's easier to get rid of Chlamydia than it is Katie Waissel is on Facebook', has 214,188.
Head to head: Contestant Matt Cardle says judge Simon Cowell backed Waissel over Aiden Grimshaw because she is better for the show's ratings, not because she is a better singer'These threats are disgusting and outrageous,' a spokesperson for the show said.
'This is cyber bullying and we will not put up with it. We are doing what we can to stop it and are contacting police.'
Producers have called in extra, round-the-clock protection for Miss Waissel, who put on a brave face last night despite concerns for her welfare.
The singer was surrounded by fans as she left the studio and looked overcome with emotion as one fans gripped her in a supportive hug.
Rejected: Aiden Grimshaw pictured last night checking into a London hotel after being eliminated from the show
News of the death threats comes a week after Katie was attacked in the street by a fan who threw a banana at her.
The 24-year-old blonde, from Harefield, Hertfordshire, revealed that a viewer had thrown a banana skin and shouted an obscenity at her when she was out in London for rehearsals.
The former receptionist said at the time she is now terrified of what will happen if she leaves the safety of the X Factor house as she believes the situation could have been a lot worse.
She said: 'Somebody threw something at me when I was walking around Convent Garden and even though it was only a banana skin it was still horrible.
'I was just grateful it wasn't a fire extinguisher or something because that could have gone horribly wrong.
Ensemble: The X Factor stars have recorded a cover of David Bowie's classic Heroes in aid of Help for Heroes
Bromance: Frontrunner Matt Cardle is defending his friend Aiden after he was booted from the show'It's a really sh***y situation to be honest with you. It's horrible and I'm still trying to keep my head held high but it's one of those things where I hope I can turn it around.
'This is the first time that has ever happened and hopefully it won't happen again because it was awful.’
On top of this, Katie has now come in the firing line of her fellow contestants, with Matt Cardle criticising Simon Cowell for keeping Katie in the show over talented Aiden Grimshaw purely to get higher viewing figures.
The X Factor favourite said Cowell was treating contestants as 'expendable', arguing that Katie was kept in purely because she is ‘better for the show’, not because she is a better performer.
Aiden, from Blackpool, left the competition on Sunday night after ending up alongside Katie in the bottom two.
Hard days work: Paije looked tired as he accepted gifts from fans, while Cher looked downcast in the carWhen the judges were given the chance to save their preferred contestant, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh nominated Aiden, while Cheryl Cole and Cowell opted for Katie.
The tie meant the decision went to ‘deadlock’, where the public vote decides the contestants’ fate. Aiden had polled the lowest number and left the competition – to gasps of surprise from the audience.
But if Cowell had chosen to save him, Katie – who was in the bottom two for the fourth time – would have been sent home instead.
Matt, 27, said: ‘In terms of the television show, Aiden was expendable. I was shocked when Simon sent him home, but then Katie is better for the show than Aiden is.
Dinner time: Paije, Cher and Matt stocked up on groceries during a late night food shop‘She gets the coverage – she gets the show attention. He just isn’t like that but he is a much better singer.
'It is like losing a brother. When it went to Katie and Aiden in the bottom two, I didn't think he would go. Even when it went to deadlock, I thought he would stay.'
Aiden, 18, said: ‘It is an entertainment show – but I can’t see where the entertainment is coming from [with Katie] as she is not doing that well.
'I think it should be more about singing from now on.’
Snappy: Louis angered all the judges this weekend, including Cheryl, after he branded her act Katie Waissel's performance of Elton John's Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) as 'awful'
source: dailymail [endtext]
