OLYMPIC silver medallist Ian Peel was sent into seventh heaven after claiming his seventh Commonwealth Games medal.

Peel, from Blackburn, and partner Chris Dean picked up a silver in the Trap Pairs on Saturday - but were unlucky not to get gold after tying with the Australians on 187. The Aussies won it on countback at the National Shooting Centre in Bisley.

The pair were taking turns to each shoot at 25 clay pigeons over four rounds.

Peel clocked up 22, 24, 25 and 22 - achieving the maximum of 25 was a tremendous achievement which pushed the English towards first spot.

However, his main rival in the singles Australian Michael Diamond and his partner Adam Valla clinched the victory.

"Overall I was a little disappointed," said Peel.

"By the end we knew we were in with a chance of winning gold when the Australians missed on the last round.

"Unfortunately we let them back in, so I am disappointed to get silver in the end.

"It would have been my third gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and it would have been brilliant.

"Chris set me up for winning gold. Somehow everyone remembers who won gold, no on remembers who won the silver medal."

Peel will now compete in the Trap Singles on Tuesday and Wednesday where he aims to add another medal to his tally.

The Blackburn sharp-shooter had said he would retire after he reached the high point of a long career by clinching second spot in Sydney in 2000.

However, the 44-year-old found it too tempting to compete in his own back yard and celebrated another success.

Peel won two golds in the Trap Pair and Trap Singles in Edinburgh in 1986, won the pairs and got a bronze in the singles in Auckland in 1990 and, at Kuala Lumpur four years ago, he was second in the Trap and got a bronze in the pairs.

But his crowning glory came in Australia - when he was the first British shooting medallist for 12 years.