Penzance rower Helen Glover, and her rowing partner Heather Stanning have won Britain's first gold medals of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Helen, 26, only took up rowing four years ago, but had struck up a strong partnership with Heather Stanning to be ranked world number one coming into the games.

The duo opened a decisive lead within the first quarter of the 2,000 metre race, and won by more than a length's distance from Australia in second and new Zealand in third.

The pair were cheered on by a capacity crowd, including Prince Harry and Prince William.

Glover and Stanning destroyed the field to make history at Eton Dorney as the first British female rowers to be crowned Olympic champions.

Afterwards, Stanning said: "I'm shattered and ecstatic at the same time. In all our races this season, we've got out ahead and tried to stay there."

Glover added: "It shows if you work hard, you can do anything."

While Helen now lives in Caversham, near Reading, she grew up in Newlyn and went to school at Humphry Davy in Penzance,  with former teachers describing her as a "phenomenal all-round talent", who was involved in all sports.

Friends and family unable to make it to the race venue crammed into the hockey club in Penzance to watch the pair destroy the competition, and come away with the gold, live on a giant screen.

Helen's uncle, Rob Evison, told the BBC:  "The family is very emotional, very proud. They were incredible. Beautifully smooth. We're over the moon."

Her former PE teacher, Kate Finch, said: "She always had this phenomenal all-round talent, totally committed and totally reliable.

"You knew if you had Helen in any team you were safe. She took part in everything. She excelled in hockey and cross country.

"Helen was so hard working and so coachable. If you asked her to do something, she would do it."