Teenager stabs himself in stomach at school

A Devon teenage boy is in hospital with knife injuries which were believed to be self-inflicted at school, police have said.

The 13-year-old's injuries are not life threatening, a Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said.

Police said a knife was used to inflict the injuries, and investigations were under way as to where it came from.

Police were called to Dawlish Community College following reports that a boy had been wounded, and the teenager was taken to hospital. He was suffering from what police believe to be self-inflicted injuries to his stomach.

The incident happened at around 9am in a tutor room in the school while other students were present. The room was sealed off, and inquiries are continuing, although police are not treating the incident as suspicious at this time, said a force spokesman.

The boy was taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter, for surgery where his condition is described as "stable and conscious," said police.

School Principal Andrew Davis said: "We are deeply shocked by this tragic incident at our school, and our immediate and paramount concern is the welfare of the injured student and those who witnessed the incident.

"The students who witnessed the incident were all cared for by staff including our school counsellor. We contacted the parents and carers of those students who were too upset to continue at school and those students will spend the day at home.

"We will be putting additional counselling services in place at the school over the coming days for any student who has been affected by this incident.

"Occurrences such as these are, thankfully, very rare and it has hit both staff and students at the school very hard, but I would like to praise the positive way staff and students involved responded to the incident," he said.