TOM DALEY is back in his comfort zone and charting exactly the right progress towards Rio next summer, according to Olympic silver medallist Leon Taylor.

Last year was all change for Daley, who relocated from his native Plymouth to London, where he now works at the Olympic pool with new coach Jane Figueiredo.

He also made the decision to ditch what he referred to as his 'demon dive' and replace it with an equally difficult 'twister'.

Daley failed to make the final of Diving's World Series event in Beijing but got a silver medal a week later in Dubai.

He now believes he's got arch-rival Qiu Bo in his sights - and May's Diving World Series event at his home pool in London could witness a showdown to remember, according to Taylor.

"Tom Daley is very comfortable now,” he said. “The dive he was having the most challenge with, He and his coach made a big call to change completely the dive he was most challenged by.

"He's made up a new dive. He's the only one to perform this particular dive from the 10m and it carries the same degree of difficulty as the dive he was struggling with.

"Now, he has six really solid dives, and his performance in Dubai was a reflection of that - but he still got beaten by Qiu Bo because he is a formidable force.

"But it's not just Qiu Bo. It's whoever the Chinese decide to field in that 10m platform.

“They are incredible. In fact you could field anyone from the top ten at the Chinese National Championships and they would be formidable because that is the strength in depth the nation has in that event."

Daley has become used to being the standard bearer and headline act of British diving.

But others are starting to share the burden of expectation. Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow are established as one of the world's leading synchronised diving pairs and Jack Laugher became the first non-Chinese diver to win at this year's World Series when he took 3m springboard gold in Dubai.

"It's going to be great to see these guys in London and get that home advantage on our side," added Taylor. "The Olympic pool is just a magical place. There are so many memories in there.

"It's invite-only, the top six in the world for the synchro, top eight in the world for individual. What more could you ask for?”

See the world's best divers take part in the FINA/NVC Diving World Series at the London Aquatics Centre, May 1-3. Tickets from £7 now on sale at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/diving