It means that since it was added to the schedule in 2000 Britain's women have won four medals in three Olympics.

 

Stephanie Cook and Kate Allenby, the gold and bronze medallists in Sydney, and Georgina Harland, silver medallist in Athens 2004, were all watching at Allenby's home as Fell finished second to Germany's  Lena Schoneborn in the five-discipline event.

 

It was Allenby's parents who had encouraged Fell to take up the sport in the first place and she had a message for the trio watching her at home.

 

She said: "Thanks for the inspiration guys."

 

Fell, the 2007 European silver medallist, had been in second place overall since the fencing competition, in which she won 20 of her 35 duels and was watched by Prime Minister Gordon Brown who had just jetted into Beijing to attend the closing ceremony on Sunday.

 

She swam a season's best in the 200 metres freestyle swim and retained second place through the equestrian event and into the final 3,000m run.

 

In Modern Pentathlon, the athletes' starts are staggered based on the total points they have accumulated in the first four events.

 

First across the line wins gold.

 

Fell , a 25-year-old from Tavistock who used to work as a barmaid to help support her training, started 19 seconds behind Schoneborn and managed to almost halve the gap but the German was too far ahead.

 

Fell's British team-mate Brit Katy Livingston finished seventh.

 

Fell said: "To have Great Britain come second and seventh is just amazing.

 

"I was going for it in the run, but I realised it wasn't going to happen.

 

"In the end keeping ahead of third was my biggest worry, so it was quite a relief to get second.

 

“It was great fun.

 

"I’ve had a brilliant time all day and to come second, makes it even better.

 

"It’s been amazing to compete in front of so many people.”

 

Harland, who was unfortunate to miss out on a place in Beijing following a series of injury problems, said: "Heather deserves every single inch of that silver medal she has won today.

 

"She has had the most fantastic day from start to finish.

 

"She performed to the absolute best of her ability, producing personal bests in all her events which is all you can ask.

 

"She held her nerve and it produced a medal.

 

"We always thought she would be in with a medal shout but to see the events unfold today was amazing.

 

“Heather has been consistent all year and she is such a talented athlete.

 

"She now has 2012 ahead of her and I hope she gets on that podium and is able to cherish her medal as she deserves.”