'Secret boyfriend' charged over school attack

An English teenager has been charged with attempted murder after a 14-year-old girl was stabbed in repeatedly outside her West Midlands high school on Friday.

Sam Tomlinson, 18, and Chloe West were reportedly in a secret relationship after meeting at a stable where Chloe kept her horse.

Tomlinson allegedly attacked Chloe at 8.40am Friday (local time) after driving up to the front of her Ridgewood High School in Stourbridge and shouting abuse at her, the Daily Mail reports.

He then lunged at her, slashing her upper body, neck and face nine times. She was released from hospital last night after having plastic surgery on her face and neck.

Police have praised the 16-year-old student who tackled the attacker to the ground, and the teacher and parent who subdued him while waiting for police.

Superintendant Stuart Johnson said their "incredibly brave" intervention may have saved the teen's life.

Ella Hill, a friend of Chloe West who was waiting to school with her when the attack happened, has spoken publicly of the incident, saying friends had warned Chloe of the dangers of dating an older boy.

"She first spoke about him in October," Ella said.

"She just mentioned that someone had started working at the stable where she kept her horse.

"We warned her about getting too close with an older guy. It was quite an age gap."

The attacker was said by students to have been angry with Chloe after she did not respond to his text messages.

Ella said the teenage boy stopped his car, got out and yelled: "Why haven't you been talking to me?"

"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."

Ella said she jumped on his back in an attempt to stop him but he threw her off, pushed Chloe to the floor and started to stab her.

"He was stabbing her in the face and neck. There was blood all over her. I couldn't recognise her face."

Police confirmed Tomlinson and Chloe knew each other but were still trying to determine the nature of their relationship.

Students were ordered to get into classrooms and stay there after the attack. They have been offered counseling.