By Ian Gordon, PA Sport

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Rebecca Cooke celebrated her gold medal success with an early night as she dreamed of double Commonwealth Games glory in Manchester tonight.

The 19-year-old from Reading - who starts a Biology degree in Glasgow later this year - shattered her personal best to triumph in the 800 metres freestyle and give England a magnificent seventh gold medal.

But Cooke will be back in the pool at the Manchester Aquatics Centre this morning to launch her bid in the 400m free, which she is also expected to win.

"It's great to win my first major gold," said Cooke, who won by almost six seconds with a time of eight minutes 28.54secs.

"I was expected to win but there are always last moment nerves. I just wanted to get the job done and the race went exactly as I planned.

"But it will be an early night for me as I still have the 400m. The crowd were just fantastic and the atmosphere in the England team is great, we have done better than we expected."

Natalie du Toit, believed to be the first disabled swimmer to compete in a Games final, finished eighth in 9:13.57.

The South African, who lost her left leg in a horrific motor scooter accident having competed as an able-bodied person at the last Games, said: "I would love to have my leg back, but you get used to it not being there.

"I had it for 17 years of my life but I have to get on with it. I don't see myself as a role model, just a normal person. But if I can show what a disabled person can achieve, I am happy to do so."

England, whose gold medal tally is already two higher than Kuala Lumpur, look certain of more success in the penultimate night of action tonight.

James Gibson and Darren Mew should battle it out for gold having swapped Games records in the 50m breaststroke last night, with Adam Whitehead likely to complete a clean-sweep.

Sarah Price will be looking to add to her 100m backstroke success in the 50m and 200m events while James Hickman is desperate to see off the Australians in the 100m butterfly.

And only a major upset should stop Canada-based Alison Sheppard giving Scotland their first gold

The 29-year-old, who won 50m freestyle silver behind England's Sue Rolph in Malaysia, dominated her semi to win in 24.79secs after breaking her own Commonwealth record with a time of 24.68 in the morning heats.