CITY of Oxford's Danielle Watts is celebrating after winning four gold medals for Great Britain at the Paralympic World Championships in Durban, South Africa.

The 26-year-old, from Wheatley, who has cerebral palsy, struck gold in the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle in her classification at the Kings Park Aquatic Centre.

Watts said: "I had a great time out there and the support staff and coaches were amazing. Without their support I wouldn't have achieved what I did. My coach Eddie McCluskey has been brill- iant.

"The work he has done on my starts and turns has really made a difference."

She started her gold medal rush with victory in the 50m freestyle, taking victory in 1min 21.27secs - more than 25 seconds ahead of runner-up Iryna Sotska, of the Ukraine.

An S1 swimmer, Watts was thrilled with her result in the mixed event, which saw her beat less disabled athletes from the S2 classification.

"I knew I was on good form, but I'm really surprised to have beaten the S2 swimmers," she said.

"I've had a consistent period of training at home and I've had a good two weeks of preparation here in South Africa and that's obviously paid off.

"The Ukrainian was faster coming into the meet and so I knew it would be close, but I went for it and that's the best I've swum in quite a while."

Watts picked up her second gold with victory in the 200m freestyle, smashing her lifetime best by six seconds to lower the world record to 6.03.90.

"I'm over the moon," she said. "The British supporters were just amazing. Their cheering spurred me on and they can take some of the credit for my world record."

Watts collected her third gold in the 50m backstroke, touching almost 20 seconds ahead of Sotska in 1.22.26 - and just 0.03secs outside her own world record.

"I'm chuffed with that performance," she said. "It's a shame I just missed out on the world record, but I'll nail it next time.

Watts swam to her fourth gold in the 100m freestyle, touching just outside her lifetime best in 2.57.73, well ahead of lone rival Sotska, who posted 3.28.81.