Children at the school where two teachers and a pupil were stabbed have been told to stay home while police investigate the horrific attack.
Headteacher James Durbridge has praised staff and pupils for a ‘calm and mature’ response after a 14-year-old girl ‘went mad’ with a knife in the playground.
It is believed she stabbed another girl pupil before using the flick knife on two women teachers. She was taken away in handcuffs after being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The two injured teachers have been named as Head of Year Seven Fiona Elias and special needs teacher Liz Hopkin. Rugby teacher Darrel Campbell stepped in to restrain the alleged assailant until police arrived.
Pupils hid in toilets and cupboards as Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, went into lockdown for four hours.
On the school’s website, Mr Durbridge said: ‘Today has been a very difficult day. It goes without saying that my thoughts are with the three individuals and their families, who have been affected by today’s incident.
Children at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman (pictured) have been told to stay at home after a 14-year-old girl ‘went mad’ with a knife in the playground. Pictured: Police outside the school yesterday
Liz Hopkin, who works as a special needs teacher, was injured and is said to be recovering in hospital
Drama and Welsh teacher Fiona Elias was revealed to be among the three being treated for non-life threatening injuries
‘We are proud to have witnessed pupils embodying the school’s core values while supporting their peers and staff.
‘I wish to commend all staff and pupils for their calm and mature response during today’s lockdown.’
He added that the school’s 1,500 pupils could get ‘wellbeing support’ if they were affected by what they saw in the playground.
Armed with a flick knife, the teenager is said to have targeted the teacher, named locally as Liz Hopkin, before the head of year Eleven Mr Campbell, a former rugby player, overpowered the girl and put her in an armlock until police arrived.
A colleague then bravely stepped in to disarm the schoolgirl, forcing her to drop the weapon.
A schoolgirl witness said: ‘Everyone was running and there were screams that the girl was going mad with a knife. Mr Campbell arrived on the scene and put her in an arm lock and got the knife off her.’
The two injured teachers have been named as Head of Year Seven Fiona Elias and special needs teacher Liz Hopkin.
A colleague told Mail Online that they suffered non-life threatening injuries and were both ‘on the mend’. Dyfed-Powys Police said a knife had been recovered.
The school playground has been designated a crime scene and a path between the old and new school buildings has been cordoned off while forensic officers examine the scene.
The horrifying attack, being treated by police as an ‘attempted murder’, unfolded in front of terrified pupils who fled screaming as the girl lashed out at a secondary school in Wales during break time.
Shocking footage captured on a pupil’s phone showed how heroic teacher Mr Campbell overpowered the alleged assailant, restraining her in an armlock and pulling her back from one of the victims who crumpled to the ground.
The staff member at the school, also known as Amman Valley School, was allegedly ‘slashed across the neck’ in the knife attack shortly after 11.15am yesterday
A teacher is among three people injured after a horror knife attack at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman secondary school in south Wales
Drama teacher Fiona Elias (left) was injured after intervening when a pupil allegedly targeted her colleague Liz Hopkin
Teacher Darrel Campbell (pictured) is said to have intervened to wrestle the flick knife from the teenage girl
In the 15-second clip being shared on social media, panicked fellow pupils could be heard shouting: ‘That girl’s got stabbed’ before a teacher orders them to, ‘Get to class now’.
Hundreds of pupils were locked down in their classrooms as police raced to Amman Valley School in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire shortly after 11.20am.
On Wednesday night detectives were quizzing a Year 9 pupil, who was arrested at the scene. Eyewitnesses described seeing a wounded teacher bleeding from the throat as she was carried by paramedics to an air ambulance which landed on the school playing field.
A second wounded teacher, Fiona Elias, and a pupil were also taken to a local hospital, but police confirmed on Wednesday night that none of the injuries were life threatening.
A source close to the case said: ‘The teacher targeted in the attack is lucky to be alive.
‘She was stabbed in the neck, it was incredibly serious, but we have been told she will recover.
‘A second teacher was also stabbed and a pupil who tried to intervene was stabbed.
‘Another teacher then intervened and saved them.
‘They acted incredibly bravely, the girl was restrained until police arrived.’
Yesterday a source close to Mr Campbell confirmed his pivotal role, saying: ‘Darrel Campbell intervened and was able to disarm the girl, bringing the situation to an end before police arrived. He acted very bravely in the circumstances.’
Pupils hid in toilets and classroom cupboards for hours after hearing a ‘Code Red’ alarm ring out around the comprehensive also known as Ysgol Dyffryn Aman. which has 1,800 pupils aged 11-18.
Dyfed-Powys Police later allowed pupils and staff to leave around 3pm after announcing that an arrest had been made and they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the stabbings.
Hundreds of parents gathered at the school gates after hearing about the incident on social media when the clip was posted within minutes of the attack.
One male pupil said: ‘It was horrible, there was blood all over the ground.
Parents seen waiting outside the school gates yesterday before they tearfully embraced their sons and daughters when they were released at about 3.20pm
Emergency services including police and two air ambulances raced to the school yesterday morning following reports of a ‘major incident’
An aerial view of the scene following the Ysgol Dyffryn Aman (Aman valley School) stabbing
Police and worried parents waiting at the school gates of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, also known as Amman Valley School after a multiple stabbing
‘Both teachers were badly hurt but one was stabbed in the neck. She is one of the best teachers here, everybody likes her.’
On Wednesday night Ms Elias, who also teaches Welsh and is head of year seven at the school, was said to be recovering at home from her injuries.
Her husband, Rhodri, told reporters: ‘She’s going to be fine.’
Her colleague, named locally as Liz Hopkin, who works as a special needs teacher, was said to be recovering in hospital.
On Wednesday night a governor at the Welsh school said ‘a teacher’s job is very dangerous’.
Mair Wyn, whose children go to the school where her husband is head of English, said: ‘It is a complete shock for the community.
‘It’s an excellent school, the pupils are such lovely children and I can’t understand why this issue has happened, it’s unbelievable really.’
She added: ‘It’s a very big concern what the future will hold. The discipline has gone from schools. Things are happening now, a teacher’s job is very dangerous.
‘I fear now for these two teachers that have been injured. Times have changed in the last 10 years.
‘You looked up to a teacher in my time, you were afraid of a teacher. But I think every school is under danger really when you think about it, you don’t know what’s around the corner.’
Superintendent Ross Evans, Carmarthenshire Commander, said: ‘We received a call just after 11.20am advising us people were injured following an incident at the school.
‘Emergency services immediately attended, and the school was locked down for the safety of everyone on the premises.
‘Two teachers and a teenage pupil were taken to hospital with stab wounds. Their injuries are not life threatening.
‘A teenage girl has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and currently remains in police custody.
‘A knife has been recovered as evidence.’
Rishi Sunak said he was ‘shocked’ by the appalling attack.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, the Prime Minister said: ‘I want to thank the police and emergency services for their ongoing response and my thoughts are with all those affected.’
Home Secretary James Cleverly said: ‘Clearly, a situation like this is very, very disconcerting.
‘It must have been horrific for the children that were hurt, their friends, the teaching staff and their families.
The school was put under ‘code red’ and pupils were put in the canteen in order to preserve the crime scene
The school was placed on ‘code red’ and students were not released from lockdown until officers had spoken to classrooms individually, one parent said
One parent said: ‘This is a quiet area and a nice school with a good community. We just can’t figure out what has gone on’
‘I’m not going to speculate because there will be an investigatory process which I don’t want to do anything to undermine or disrupt.
‘But, of course, whenever we see a situation like this we take it very, very seriously.
He added: ‘Thankfully this is rare. We should recognise the UK is a very safe country by any international comparator.’
Secretary of State for Wales, David TC Davies MP, said: ‘The news emerging from Ammanford this afternoon is deeply concerning.
‘My thoughts are with the people, parents and teachers of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, the emergency services and with the wider community during this extremely worrying time.’
Eye-witnesses said one was slashed across the throat with a flick knife and six paramedics carried her into a helicopter on the school playing field.
Grandmother Maria Davies, 50, said: ‘She didn’t look very good – there were medics all around her. We are all just praying she pulls through.
‘Not long after I saw the schoolgirl in handcuffs being taken into a police car.’
Mrs Davies was among hundreds of worried parents who dashed to the school gates after video of the stabbings was posted on social media.
Dyfed-Powys Police later reassured them saying an arrest had been made and they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the stabbings.
A young student who jumped the school fence to escape said: ‘It was at the end of the morning break when I heard Code Red being called over the speakers.
‘I’ve never heard one before but I knew what it meant.
‘You’re supposed to run to a classroom but I was closer to the school fence so me and a few other boys jumped it.’
Some pupils hid in cupboards where they messaged their parents to let them know what was happening inside the bilingual school.
But most were kept inside locked classrooms and told to keep their head down until the danger had passed.
The shocking aftermath of the stabbing was caught on video, in which one boy could be heart shouting: ‘That girl’s got stabbed.’
The video appears to show two girls on the ground in an outside area before one is pulled away by staff.
The alleged incident is said to have taken place at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, also known as Amman Valley School, in Ammanford in the west Wales county. Pictured: Two air ambulances on the school field
The Welsh language school has 1,800 pupil aged 11 to 18. The school is situated in the north of the Ammanford town centre, while the town itself is a few miles north-east of the western terminus of the M4
One boy can be heard saying: ‘What the f***, what the f***?’ before a teacher orders the students to ‘get to class now’.
A male pupil said: ‘It was horrible, there was blood all over the ground but I didn’t panic.
‘Both teachers were badly hurt but one was stabbed in the neck. She is one of the best teachers here, everybody likes her.’
Hundreds of parents arrived at the school gates after hearing about the stabbing on social media.
Superintendent Ross Evans, Carmarthenshire Commander, said: ‘Just after 11.20am this morning we received a call advising us of an incident at Amman Valley School in Carmarthenshire.
‘Emergency services immediately attended and the school was locked down for the safety of all on the premises.
‘Three people – two teachers and a teenage pupil – have been taken to hospital with stab wounds. The family members of all those injured have been informed.
‘A teenage girl has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and currently remains in police custody.
‘I would like to reassure parents and the public that the incident has concluded, and pupils have now left the school.
‘We are working with the school and other agencies to ensure appropriate support is available to all involved.
‘This was a very distressing incident and our thoughts are with the victims, their family and everyone impacted by what has happened.
‘I am aware that there is footage of the incident currently circulating on social media and would ask that this is removed to avoid contempt of court and distress to those affected.
One air ambulance left the field and was reportedly flying towards the University Hospital in Cardiff yesterday. The second remains on site
The alleged incident is said to have taken place at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford in the west Wales county
‘I would also ask that people do not speculate while there is a police investigation ongoing.
‘We are working with the school, Carmarthenshire County Council, and other agencies to ensure appropriate support is available to all involved.
‘Local people will see more police in the area over the coming days as the investigation continues.’
Councillor Karen Davies, a governor at the school, told WalesOnline she was told that two members of staff had sustained stab wounds.
‘It is shocking. You hear about these things happening in Manchester and London but it is literally our comprehensive here,’ she said.
One parent, Charlotte Rogers, who waited for her daughter to be released from the school, said she had been told that three people were stabbed.
Referring to her daughter, Ms Rogers added: ‘She said she was scared. She’s a tough cookie so fingers crossed. I just want to give her a big hug. I just want everyone to be safe. This shouldn’t have happened.’
Adam Price, Plaid Cymru MS for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, who attended the school between 1980 and 1987, described the incident as a ‘bolt from the blue’.
He said there would be lessons to learn to minimise the chances of such an incident happening again.
Mr Price added: ‘It is my home town, my school, and it is an excellent school in a really close-knit community. So a knife attack like this is not something you associate with our community.
‘It was my only secondary school and it is a school that is right at the heart of the community. It is a very big secondary school, a very big comprehensive, and it has a very strong ethos and history going back over 100 years.’
Teaching unions have warned that pupil behaviour and violence in schools has worsened in recent years.
Mair Wyn, who has been a governor at Amman Valley School for 34 years, said ‘times have changed’ and ‘a teacher’s job is very dangerous’.
She said: ‘You looked up to a teacher in my time, you were afraid of a teacher. But I think every school is under danger really when you think about it, you don’t know what’s around the corner.’
Police put all pupils in the school’s canteen as they try to preserve the classroom and surrounding areas as a crime scene.
Children were hugged by their parents after being let out of school at 3.30pm, the usual time.
It is understood both women teachers were flown by air ambulance to the University Hospital of Wales, 70 miles from Ammanford.
Dyfed-Powys Police said: ‘Three people have been injured and are receiving treatment.
‘One person has been arrested and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.
‘Emergency services remain at the scene and the school has been closed while investigations continue.
‘We are working closely with the school and Carmarthenshire County Council. We are aware that there is footage of the incident currently circulating on social media.
‘We would ask that this is removed to avoid contempt of court and distress to those affected. We would ask that people do not speculate while there is a police investigation ongoing.’