Witnesses rescued stabbed schoolgirl

A teenage girl who was stabbed outside her school yesterday was saved when pupils and teachers leapt on her attacker.

Chloe West, 14, was on her way to Ridgewood High School, in Stourbridge, West Midlands, when a car drew up beside her and a youth leapt out and stabbed her nine times. Last night Chloe was said to be in a stable condition at Birmingham Children's Hospital. Police were questioning a man on suspicion of attempted murder.

The father of one pupil said: "I've been told that a pupil from Year 11, who would be about 16 years old, rugby-tackled him to the floor, and then some of the teachers went and sat on the man and restrained him until police arrived." Ivan Daniels, 69, a neighbour, said: "I heard some screams and then I saw the blood. I couldn't believe it."

Superintendent Stuart Johnson, of West Midlands Police, said: "The young man, who was not a pupil, had been detained by members of the public and was taken into police custody. I would like to pay tribute to some very brave individuals who, without too much thought for their own safety, intervened in the incident. They clearly prevented far more serious injuries."

Clive Nutting, the headteacher, said the school was closed and pupils had been offered counselling.