Dickons was delighted with her display in Finland

The 16-year-old knocked more than four seconds off her personal best as she claimed her first senior medal.

And Kate Haywood took silver in the 50m breaststroke despite a poor start.

Dickons said: "I just can't believe it. It wasn't something I expected when I made the squad and to get the British record just tops it all off."

Haywood finished just dow n on Germany's Janne Schaefer, with Russia's Elena Bogomazova taking the bronze.

Haywood said: "It's a new best time and an improvement on last year where I won bronze so I'm heading in the right direction.

"Considering I'm not rested like some of the athletes it's a really positive swim."

Impressive British teenagers

James Goddard and Gregor Tait narrowly missed out on the medals in the 200m backstroke, finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

But Chris Cook put himself in contention for the medals on Friday when he qualified fourth fastest for the final of the 100m breaststroke.

Another British teenager to impress was Fran Halsall, who just missed out on a seven-year-old British record in the semi-final of the 100m freestyle.

And 15-year-old Lizzie Simmonds made it to the final of the 100m backstroke as the eighth-fastest qualifier.

But the British team will be without Commonwealth champion David Carry for the rest of the meet after the Loughborough University swimmer was forced to withdraw with a flu-type virus.