TWO schoolchildren were injured and one arrested following an alleged stabbing at an Evesham school yesterday.

Ben Townsend, aged 13, was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital after he was stabbed in the back with a three inch screwdriver, while another was treated by paramedics at the scene for hand injuries following the incident at Simon de Montfort Middle School.

Ben's father Richard has said the incident proves violence of this type is not just confined to city schools but spreading to more rural areas as well.

It happened at 2.30pm, but officers from West Mercia Police remained at the scene yesterday evening.

A spokesman for the force said: “Police attended an incident at a school in Evesham after reports that a pupil was assaulted.

“One youth has been arrested in connection with the incident. The assaulted pupil is thought to have suffered non life-threatening injuries.

Enquiries are ongoing.”

The spokesman refused to comment on rumours that a pupil had been stabbed with a screwdriver.

A spokesman for West Mercia Ambulance Service confirmed that an ambulance took one pupil to hospital and treated another for wounds to their hand.

A spokesperson for the school said it was an isolated incident.

The middle school, in Four Pools, Evesham, was put into special measures in 2007.

But in March this year government inspectors marked it “satisfactory”, describing the school as a “rapidly improving” and praising the new executive headteacher Caroline Browne for her drive and high expectations.

A spokesman for Worcestershire County Council said yesterday’s incident was a police matter and it would be inappropriate for them to comment further.