- Teachers, pupils and parents sat on the attacker until police arrived
- Assailant 'did not attend school' where attack occurred
- Victim's injures are 'serious' but she is stable
© Caters News AgencyStabbed: Chloe West, 14, was attacked outside her school in Stourbridge on Friday morning. She is pictured here taking a riding lesson
Chloe West was attacked from behind by an 18-year-old man - said to be a former boyfriend - who had driven up a quiet tree-lined street at 60mph to confront her.
A 16-year-old pupil 'rugby tackled' the man to the ground and a teacher and a parent subdued him until police arrived at Ridgewood High School in Stourbridge, West Midlands.
© Press AssociationPolice cordon: Ridgewood High School, Stourbridge, is sealed off as police investigate the attack
Chloe a keen rider who keeps her own horse nearby, was airlifted to Birmingham Children's Hospital, where she had surgery on wounds to her face, head and neck.
Last night she was in a stable condition. Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Her alleged attacker was identified locally as Sam Tomlinson, the son of a teacher.
Chloe's best friend told of the terrifying moment the knifeman struck. Ella Hill, 14, said she jumped on his back and pulled his hair in an unsuccessful attempt to halt the attack, carried out with what appeared to be a kitchen knife.
Speaking with her parents' permission, Ella said the assailant stopped his car, jumped out and started yelling: 'Why haven't you been talking to me.'
She added: 'Chloe replied to him, "What are you doing here?, why are you here?" Then he grabbed Chloe in a headlock and started hitting her in the face.
'I jumped on him and started trying to pull him back, but he threw me off and on to the floor and then he got Chloe on the floor and then got on top of her and started to stab her.
'He was stabbing her in the face and the neck. There was blood all over her. I couldn't recognise her face.'
© Caters News AgencyAn 18-year-old man, named locally as Sam Tomlinson (left) is alleged to have stabbed 14-year-old Chloe West (right) outside her West Midlands school
Police said the knifeman had been seen cruising up and down the road shortly before the attack.
Some students said he slashed her across the face as well as stabbing her after the schoolgirl apparently ignored a series of text messages from him.
Others said Chloe had recently rejected him.
Police confirmed the pair knew each other but said they were still trying to establish the exact nature of their relationship. Chloe lives with her 12-year-old brother, Jack, and parents Nigel, 53, a painter and decorator, and Rosemary, a 47-year-old cleaner, in a semi-detached home less than a mile from the school.
Chloe's parents were at her bedside last night as her half-brother Aaron Nicholls, 24, told the Daily Mail of his shock.
Mr Nicholls, a builder, said: 'I was at work when Mum called and said "Get home".'
He added: 'It's horrendous. Chloe's just a normal, fun-loving girl. I didn't even know she had a boyfriend, but then if she did, perhaps she wouldn't want to tell her older brother that sort of stuff.'
© PAShocked: Officers have praised staff and pupils who came to Miss West's aid during the alleged assault
© unknownScene of the attack: Miss West was stabbed outside Ridgewood High School in Wollaston, Stourbridge
'They showed tremendous bravery in intervening and detaining the suspect and in my opinion - based on medical evidence - they clearly prevented far more serious injuries to Chloe.' He said the Year 11 student, Ben Hudson, suffered 'scuffle-type' injuries as he fought the attacker. Ben's family refused to comment on the incident.
One pupil said: 'Her ex was angry because he was texting her and she wasn't replying. My friends said he came racing up the road at 60mph, jumped out of his car and punched her repeatedly.'
Pupils were ordered to get to their classrooms and stay there after the 8.40am incident. Later the school, a specialist science college, was closed. A spokesman said pupils would be offered counselling.
Last night Sam Tomlinson was being questioned by police on suspicion of attempted murder.
He is the oldest of four children who live with their mother, Angela, a teacher at the town's Bishop Milner Catholic School, which he is thought to have attended until last year.
Looking drawn and worried, Mrs Tomlinson, 48, said: 'I've been told not to comment.'
A neighbour said: 'I'd be staggered if he was caught up in something like this. He's a real studious type of boy who barely leaves the house.'
Attacked: A school portrait shows 14-year-old Chloe West smiling in her uniform (left) while a map shows the location of the alleged stabbing
© Caters News AgencyHorrific: The school is circled white and Chloe's house is circled in red - police arrested an 18-year-old man at the scene of the incident
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