Two pupils arrested after knife attack at prestigious school

Two boys at a British prestigious boarding school were arrested yesterday over a knife attack on another pupil, police said.

A 17-year-old sustained a minor cut to his arm from a craft knife after a fight broke out in one of the boarding houses at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said officers were called to the school at 12.51a.m.

The injured boy was treated at Milton Keynes General Hospital before being released at about 3a.m.

A 17-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, both pupils at the school, are being held by police on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

A spokesman for Stowe School, which has boarding fees of just under £30,000 a year, said a number of items were removed from the school by officers including a craft knife.

She said there were no previous incidences of pupils possessing knifes.

The other boys in the boarding house have been told of the incident and were being reassured by staff yesterday.

Headmaster Dr Anthony Wallersteiner said in a statement: "Aggressive behaviour will never be tolerated here.

"All our pupils are aware that Stowe does not condone violence and adopts a policy of zero tolerance in any unacceptable use of a knife."

The school, which is housed in a neo-classical palace set in 750 acres of parkland, teaches 750 boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 18 and counts Sir Richard Branson among its alumni.

In March it emerged that a kitchen porter at the school was arrested on suspicion of lacing a soup with poison.

Police were called after a chef tasted the carrot and coriander soup due to be served to pupils as part of their evening meal and spat it out, saying it tasted acrid.

The porter was released on bail while forensic investigations take place. Police said there was no apparent motive for the alleged act.

The statement released by the school said: "Two pupils are being interviewed by police after a fight broke out in one of the boys' boarding houses.

"A total of three boys were involved in the incident. All were treated in the School Medical Centre for cuts and bruises.

"One of the boys was later taken to the A&E department at Milton Keynes Hospital where he was treated and discharged. None of the other boys were admitted to hospital and their injuries are not serious.

"The police were called and the incident is being investigated. Two boys (one aged 16, the other aged 17) have been arrested and are currently being interviewed by police.