By Ian Gordon, PA Sport

Reading's Rebecca Cooke struck gold for England tonight but the hero of the pool was local lad Adrian Turner who completed a remarkable return from a life-threatening illness to grab Commonwealth Games bronze in his home city.

Cooke powered to a crushing win in the 800metres freestyle in eight minutes 28.54secs to claim England's seventh gold of the Games in the Manchester Aquatics Centre.

But moments earlier Turner had stepped from the pool having produced the performance of his life to take bronze in the 400m individual medley in his first major Games since he almost died.

The 25-year-old, whose sister Beverley helps present ITV's Formula One and is engaged to Olympic rowing champion James Cracknell, contracted an illness that affected his kidneys just before Christmas in 1999.

Turner needed six blood transfusions as doctors fought for his life with his parents - who were at the pool tonight along with sister Beverley - spent Boxing Day in a vigil by his bedside.

The Manchester United fan, his hero is Eric Cantona, was affected by a blood disorder that is supposed to only threaten babies and old people.

"I nearly died a couple of years ago so I didn't think I would ever picture myself with a Commonwealth Games medal," said Turner, who was struck down while on holiday in Scotland and spent around two weeks in hospital losing 1.5 stone.

"It is difficult to put into words it is heaven-sent, sometimes I didn't think I would swim again and when you have blood transfusions you don't think you will get in a pool.

"I took it one day at a time and thought about only one thing for the last 12 months. I worked really hard and it has paid off.

"I didn't think I would get a medal, that was only in my dreams. I was a long way down with a 100 to go but I have been working on my back-end speed so technically it was a good race.

"I am not sure where it came from but the home crowd definitely helped. I am delighted Beverley and my mum and dad and rest of my family are all here to see me."

Turner clocked four minutes 18.75secs as Australia's Justin Norris took gold in a Games record of 4:16.95 with Brian Johns of Canada second in 4:17.41.

Canada-based Alison Sheppard looks certain to give Scotland its first gold in the Manchester Aquatics Centre tomorrow when she competes in the 50metres freestyle.

The 29-year-old, who won silver behind England's Sue Rolph in Malaysia dominated her semi to win in 24.79secs having broken her own Commonwealth record with a time of 24.68 in the morning heats.

England's James Gibson was also in record-breaking form as he won his semi-final - taking the Games record which had been set by team-mate Darren Mew in the heats this morning.

The Loughborough University student, who finished third in the 100m breaststroke last night, clocked 27.56 secs to carve 0.43secs off the record established by Mew in an event being held for the first time at the Games.

Bath University swimmer Mew came close to regaining the record in his heat as he won in 27.57 from 100m title-winning team-mate Adam Whitehead, who took second in 28.48.

Cooke, who now swims for the City of Glasgow, shattered her personal best by around three seconds to take gold that ensures England beat Thorpe to the magnificent seven.

The 19-year-old won by almost six seconds from Australia's Amanda Pascoe with Jamaica's Janelle Atkinson taking bronze.

South Africa's Natalie du Toit, believed to be the first disabled swimmer to compete in a final, finished eighth in 9mins 13.57secs.

Du Toit lost her left leg in a horrific motor-scooter accident having competed at the last Games as an able-bodied swimmer.

Cooke said on BBC television: "I just tried to take the race out as hard as I could and hold on.

"That's generally my race plan. It helps me get my rhythm going.

"I was just really looking forward to it and the crowd helped so much.

"I worked very hard for it."