COMMONWEALTH Games fever came to town as a North Yorkshire community celebrated Jack Laugher’s triple gold achievement in this year’s games.

Jack completed his Commonwealth gold medal hat-trick on Friday after triumphing in the men's synchronised 3m springboard with Chris Mears in Australia's Gold Coast.

Back in his Ripon hometown, his parents Jackie and Dave were watching the action from the comfort of their living room before being whisked away to a surprise celebration party at the Ripon Spa Hotel.

Mr and Mrs Laugher were escorted to the bash by one of the most successful British swimmers of all time, Mark Foster, and were greeted by rapturous applause and a sea of England flags and Jack Laugher masks as they entered the hotel.

Clearly moved by the occasion and their son’s incredible achievement, Mrs Laugher said they would never get used to seeing Jack winning gold medals.

She said: “We were very nervous for him, he was so wanting the hat-trick of golds and we went through every emotion with him.”

Mr Laugher said it was difficult to express how proud they were.

“I’m really glad,” he said. “But when he comes home he doesn’t get any special treatment."

Mrs Laugher added: “He has just achieved so much in the past few days.

“He had an awful run up to the Commonwealth Games, he has been injured and hasn’t been able to do his training and at one point we were even questioning whether he was going to compete.

“So he has done phenomenally well and we’re just so proud of him.”

Another party-goer who was also feeling the pride was Sylvia Grice who first taught Jack to swim as a small child at the Ripon Spa Baths.

She said: “It is really wonderful, absolutely amazing.

“At the time he was three-and-a-half years old so he was just learning to swim, but he had all the diving skills because he was always underwater and doing somersaults.

“He was obviously going to be a natural, you can more or less spot the ones that are going to make it because they have that confidence – not a swagger, but a bit of confidence, he was never cocky and is a really down to earth family boy.”

The surprise party was organised by family friend and Jack’s former PE teacher Helen Makenzie and was backed by Team England sponsors Npower.

Ms Mackenzie said it had been stressful organising the event within a week but was delighted with the turnout and Jack winning gold on the day.

“Whatever happened we wanted to do something, it would still have been a celebration,” she said.

“Jackie and Dave should be amazingly proud of his achievements and the fact that he is such a fine young man.”

The Mayor of Ripon, Pauline McHardy, also praised Jack as an “inspiration” to the city’s youngsters.

She presented Mr and Mrs Laugher with their own medals in recognition of how their support has helped Jack achieve what he has so far and Mark Foster congratulated them on Jack’s impressive medal haul.

Mrs Laugher was also presented with a diving-themed cake to help her celebrate her birthday today.