Shayne's dad threatened

The jailed father of X Factor winner Shayne Ward is living in fear after receiving death threats.

Martin Ward, 50, was targeted by inmates after it emerged he is serving eight years for raping an elderly woman.

Prison bosses were so concerned that they moved him to another jail for his own safety.

Ward, who was jailed five months ago, had told fellow inmates at Liverpool's Walton prison he was sentenced for an axe attack. But when his 21- year- old son won a £1million record deal after his victory in the ITV talent show, the truth emerged. A prison source said of Ward senior: "He had to masquerade as an axe attacker because old lags have their own way of dealing with sex offenders under a villains' 'code'.

"Life for 'nonces' - rapists or child abusers - can be pretty tough inside. They look over their shoulders all the time. His life wouldn't have been worth living." Ward, who was moved during Saturday's X Factor final, is now under 24-hour guard at Preston's Wymott prison.

Shayne, who has not spoken to his father for six years, dedicated the nail-biting win to his 48-year-old mother Philomena but revealed he had received a good luck message from his father.

The singer - raised with his six brothers and sisters in Hattersley, Cheshire - pipped rivals Andy Abraham and Journey South to win. His first single, That's My Goal, will be released on Wednesday and is widely tipped to become the Christmas No 1.

Shayne, one of whose brothers was charged with murdering a pregnant woman seven years ago but was cleared, said his turbulent personal life had spurred him on to win.

He said: "I live for singing and that's what I'm focusing on. It's nice that I can show Mum I've made something of myself and that her hard work was worth it. I want to give her a chance to relax and forget everything that's happened.

"The family just stick together - we rise above it. It's all hurtful but our main focus was the show."

Shayne, who celebrated his win at the G-A-Y nightclub in Charing Cross Road, said of the message from his father: "It was really nice to hear - I was pleased to hear from him. I don't know if I'll visit him ... I'll see how it goes next year and how I feel.

"I've spoken to my mum and she's fine with it. We'll see. I don't really have time to worry about it now." More than nine million viewers tuned in as the show went head to head with its BBC rival, Strictly Come Dancing.