Adlington ends swimming gold drought

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And team-mate Joanne Jackson also took bronze in a thrilling finish to see Britain match their total medal haul from Athens in 2004 in a single race.

Adlington snatched gold ahead of American Katie Hoff, winning by 0.07 seconds in a time of four minutes 3.22secs with Jackson third in 4:03.52s.

The 19-year-old from Mansfield is the first British woman to claim gold since Anita Lonsbrough in 1960, and Lonsbrough - now a newspaper journalist - was almost in tears as she watched from the stands in the National Aquatics Centre.

Adlington and Jackson are also the first British women to win a medal since Sarah Hardcastle in Los Angeles in 1984. That was in the 800m freestyle, the event in which Adlington is ranked world number one in 2008.

A thrilled Adlington said: "We are both so happy to have two British girls on the podium. It was a lot harder this morning. We just tried to ignore the times and race the final."

Victory came on the day it was revealed Adlington's parents had lost £1,100 in a scam after buying tickets online for the 800m final, although they have now secured genuine tickets and will fly to the Chinese capital on Wednesday.

Adlington and Jackson paced their race to perfection, reaching 100m and 200m in sixth and eighth place respectively. Just over half a second separated the field at the halfway point as the British duo began to up the tempo, Adlington reaching 300m in fifth and Jackson just ahead in fourth.

Hoff looked to have a built a decisive lead but Adlington powered up the final 50m to win it at the wall.

Adlington added: "I was so happy to be on the podium - with my best friend - I absolutely love Jo to bits - she's more than just another British swimmer. To see all the team standing there singing the national anthem - not in tune at all!"