The 24-year-old clocked 17.18sec, bettering the 17.25 she set at the British Athletics Parallel Success event in Newham at the beginning of this month. 

Fellow Briton Kare Adenegan was the runner-up in 18.01, while the United States’ Alexa Halko rounded out the podium in an area record of 18.43.

Victory for Cockroft sees her retain the crown she held since 2011 and adds to her Paralympic triumphs at London 2012 and Rio 2016.

It also maintains her unbeaten record in major competitions.

"I can say I am quite happy with the time," Cockroft said.

"You know, I am always trying to improve and expecting a bit more but I am happy for it.

"When I entered the stadium and the people were shouting my name, I had to hold back a bit.

"It was a bit overwhelming and I needed to stay back and focus."

The one other world record broken this evening came in the men’s shot put F38, an event won by international debutant Cameron Crombie of Australia with a throw of 15.95m.

It bettered the 15.58m mark set by Egypt’s Ibrahim Ahmed Abdelwareth at the 2011 World Championships in Christchurch in New Zealand.

"I have already passed 16m a couple of times in training but the competition is something different so yes, it was a shock for me to break the world record," the 31-year-old Crombie, who is also due to compete in the men’s javelin throw F38 on July 22, said.

"It is a bit surreal.

"I hope I still have got more in the tank."

Iran’s Javad Hardani finished second with 14.13m, while a personal best of 13.63m for Sweden’s Victor Svanesohn earned him the bronze medal.

Back on the track, a personal best of 4:40.40 for Morocco’s Sanaa Benhama was enough to take victory in the women’s 1,500m T13 event.

Tunisian athletes completed the podium with defending world and Paralympic champion Somaya Bousaid second in 4:40.89 and Najah Chouaya third in a season’s best 4:46.16. 

In the men’s 100m T54, five-time Paralympic gold medallist Leo-Pekka Tahti of Finland overcame recent injury concerns and a broken strap on his chair just after the half-way mark to reclaim the global crown he won in 2013, clocking 13.95.

China’s Liu Yang beat Tahti to gold at the 2015 World Championships in Qatar’s capital Doha, but he had to settle for silver on this occasion in a season’s best 14.07. 

The Netherlands’ Kenny van Weeghel came away with bronze in 14.25. 

Out in the field, a season’s best 14.31m secured Brazil’s Thiago Paulino Santos the men’s shot put F57 title.

Rio 2016 gold medallist Wu Guoshan of China also managed a season’s best 13.91m to take silver, while Rio 2016 silver medallist Janusz Rokicki of Poland secured bronze with 13.76m.

There was also success this evening for India as Sundar Singh Gurjar triumphed in the men's javelin throw F46 with a personal best of 60.36m.

Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Priyantha Herath came second with 57.93m, while defending champion Guo Chunliang of China was third with a season’s best 56.14m.

Additionally, two women’s club throw events were held with Algeria’s Mounia Gasmi upgrading from 2015 silver to win the F32 with 25.07m and Ukraine's Zoia Ovsii surprisingly claiming the F51 crown with a Championship record of 23.74m. 

The runners-up spot in the F32 competition went to 2015 champion Maroua Ibrahmi of Tunisia with a season’s best 24.52m, while bronze was won by Britain’s Gemma Prescott with 19.97m.

The US's Cassie Mitchell came second in the F51 competition with a personal best of 23.37m, finishing ahead of compatriot and world record holder Rachael Morrison who registered 22.92m with the final throw.

Pre-event favourite Jo Butterfield of Britain, the Paralympic and world champion, ended up in fourth place with 22.54m. 

Three non-medal events took place earlier in the day with China’s Mi Na achieving success in the women’s shot put F37.

Mi posted a season’s best 12.66m, beating compatriot Li Yingli who managed a personal best of 11.98m.

Czech Republic’s Eva Berná rounded out the top three with a season’s best 11.24m.

Cuba's Omara Durand came out on top in the women's 200m T12 in 23.58.

Germany’s Katrin Mueller-Rottgardt was the runner-up in a season’s best 24.82, followed by Poland’s Malgorzata Ignasiak in 26.97.

The one other event held earlier was the women’s 400m T52, won by Japan’s Teruyo Tanaka in 1:21.20.

Fellow countrywoman Yuka Kiyama finished second in the two-competitor race.

The Championships were officially opened at the start of the evening by London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

He was joined at the centre of proceedings by International Paralympic Committee President Sir Philip Craven and London 2017 co-chairman Ed Warner.

"I’m proud that our city is bringing together the best athletes on our planet to our iconic Olympic Park," Khan said.

"In 2012, London helped to re-define the image of Para-sport.

"And now - over the coming days - we have another opportunity to shine a light on these amazing athletes and to take us to the next level.

"The next level on the journey to full parity - with Para-sport receiving the equal status it deserves."

It was confirmed before the session that total ticket sales for the event, which is scheduled to run until June 23, now stand at 280,000.

Hosts Britain lead the medal table after day one with one gold, one silver and one bronze.