Sean Baldock has hit back at Darren Campbell's claims Britain's underachieving athletes are living in a "comfort zone" due to their lottery funding.

Baldock missed out on a place in the 400m at Athens after failing to meet the Olympic qualifying standard in his final race before the deadline in Madrid on Saturday.

The Hastings-based runner, who will go to Greece as part of the relay team, is among the 29 lottery-funded athletes who failed to make the cut.

As a result, Britain will be sending its smallest team to the Olympics for 28 years and Campbell says that shows the funding system has made them "go soft".

Those comments have angered Baldock who receives just £6,600 a year to live on and has been forced to move back in with his parents in Hastings just to survive.

Baldock said: "Everyone is entitled to their opinion but most athletes in this country do not earn enough money to go soft. The level of funding is not adequate for the majority of athletes.

"I am not enjoying a great lifestyle or going out partying all the time. For the last two years I have been living on the breadline because I have dedicated my life to being a full time athlete.

"There are some people who are living on former glories by picking up large amounts of money without really doing anything to earn it but to say we all are is a big generalisation.

"I agree the funding system needs to be changed to stop those who are resting on their laurels. That money could then be redistributed to those who really need it."

Top athletes can receive between £20,000 and £30,000 from the lottery to allow them to train full time but Baldock gets just a fraction of that.

As a member of UK Athletics' 'means-tested relay squad performance plan' the 27-year-old picks up just £550 a month to cover his expenses and also has his warm-weather training and physio sessions paid for.

He said: "You are going to rest on your laurels if you get £30,000 but at the very most I receive £11,000 a year in funding. I only see about £6,000 of that and most of it goes on petrol to get me to training and different events so there is nothing left to live on.

"It is not ideal living with my parents but I have no other option if I want to be a full time athlete. I'm sure it would help my athletics if I had my own place but it is not realistic.

"My parents are very supportive but it can cause problems. I need special food to help my training but that is difficult when my mum and dad do all the shopping.

"Running is a lot about mental ability. Being in the right state of mind is almost 80 per cent of the battle so having to worry about money is not helpful."

After finishing third in the Olympic trials in Manchester ten days ago Baldock needed to break 45.55sec in Madrid on Saturday to secure his place in the 400m.

However, he could only manage 46.35sec to leave the way clear for American-born Malachi Davis to grab the third and final spot in the squad .

Meanwhile, Davis has defended his inclusion in the squad and claimed he has his heart set on winning a medal at the Games.

Davis, who was granted a British passport less than a fortnight ago, has been chosen to race in the individual and relay teams at the expense of veterans Iwan Thomas and Du'aine Ladejo.

But he said: "There are a lot of athletes who were upset with my decision because that could possibly take away their chances of making the squad. But, like any athlete around the world, there's a certain standard that you have to get and I got it with about a month and a half to go."