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A hero teacher bravely disarmed a schoolgirl ‘going mad’ with a knife slashing other teachers and a pupil in the playground.
Darrel Campbell waded into the morning break mayhem to wrestle a butterfly knife from the teenage girl.
An eye-witness said Mr Campbell put the girl into an armlock until police and emergency services arrived. Neither of the injured teachers’ or the pupil’s injuries are life-threatening.
The 1800-pupil Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, was put into lockdown after a ‘Code Red’ was called over the speaker system.
The girl, a Year Nine pupil, was handcuffed and taken away for questioning into what police described as a ‘multiple stabbing’.
Darrel Campbell waded into the morning break mayhem to wrestle a butterfly knife from the teenage girl
Photos show him posing outside the plush Harbourmaster Hotel in Aberaeron
A person has been arrested after three people were left injured following a ‘major incident’ at a Ysgol Dyffryn Aman school in Carmarthenshire. A large police and ambulance presence can be seen
Pupils were walking back into lessons after their mid-morning break when the teenage suspect allegedly stabbed another girl in the stomach.
Two teachers tried to stop the attack and both were knifed, one was slashed across the throat according to a girl pupil who witnessed the stabbings.
She said: ‘Everyone was running and there were screams that the girl had was going mad with a knife.
‘Mr Campbell arrived on the scene and put her in a headlock and got the knife off her.’
Mr Campbell, Head of Year 11, was uninjured in the incident at the 1800-pupil bilingual school.
This afternoon Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that two teachers and a teenage pupil had been taken to hospital with stab wounds.
Investigations are continuing surrounding the incident, which took place just after 11.20am this morning.
The teenage girl remains in police custody and she has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Crowds of parents are seen waiting outside the school gates watching as emergency workers attend the incident
More than 10 police cars and two air ambulance helicopters were sent to the school following the incident
The incident is said to have involved two girls before two staff intervened, a senior educational professional, who does not work at the school, told Wales Online.
It is thought a female teacher is one of those injured, but this is yet to be confirmed. She was said to have been flown by air ambulance 70 miles to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
Terrified students jumped the 7ft-high perimeter fence to escape the horror attack which took place after the mid-morning break, one pupil told The Times.
Police are not looking for anyone else in relation to the emergency situation and warned people who had shared footage on social media to remove it ‘to avoid contempt of court and distressing those affected’.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his ‘shock’ at the news and thanked emergency services as he said his thoughts are with all those affected. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer described it as ‘awful news’.
The school was under ‘code red’ and pupils locked in their classrooms for several hours. They tearfully embraced their parents who had rushed to wait outside as they walked out of the school gates at around 3.20pm.
Carmarthenshire County Council moved to reassured parents to say the incident ‘has been contained’ and that family members of the injured had been informed.
An ambulance can be seen outside the school with worried parents standing outside the building
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, and First Minister Vaughan Gething took to X to express their shock
Teaching union the Association of School and College Leaders Cymru described it as a ‘horrifying incident’.
Director Eithne Hughes said: ‘While we don’t know the full details of what has happened, this is clearly a horrifying incident and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected at the school and in the wider community.’
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. My daughter saw an air ambulance land outside. It is unbelievable.’
Cllr Davies told Wales Online: I have no confirmation on how serious the injuries are. I send my thoughts to those injured and all the people there. I know how well the school rehearsed lockdown and I am sure everything is under control.’
Another concerned parent Lisa Barrett said her daughter texted her saying the school had been placed under a lockdown.
She told BBC Wales: ‘This is not something you expect – you drive your child to school and think they will be safe. It is good to know that the children are locked in the classrooms.’
Mrs Barrett said she had not heard anything from the school as of yet.
‘I am just waiting,’ she added. ‘I don’t know if I should go down there or not.’
Police speak to worried parents outside the school gates after classrooms were put in ‘lockdown’ following the incident
One worried parent said officers would be speaking to classrooms individually before lifting the lockdown
The school is currently under ‘code red’ and pupils have been put in the canteen in order to preserve the crime scene
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
Another mother waiting outside the gates, named Rebecca, told ITV Cymru Wales said the school is being kept on ‘code red’.
‘Obviously I’ve seen the blue lights, and I know we don’t blue light unless we have to and I’ve seen the air ambulance leave,’ she said.
‘They’re keeping the school on lockdown – code red as they’re calling it – and the police will be speaking to the classes individually, then take them to get their lunch, then take them back to their classrooms.’
Plaid Cymru leader Liz Saville Roberts wrote on X that her heart ‘goes out to the pupils, families and staff of the school, and to the emergency services who are responding to the situation’.
While First Minister Vaughan Gething was left ‘shocked to hear news of serious incident in Rhydaman’. He wrote on X: ‘A deeply worrying time for the school, families and community. Diolch to first responders.’
Local councillor Rob James said: ‘My thoughts are with the headteacher, teaching staff, parents and pupils of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman after today’s major incident.
‘I have been in contact with Carmarthenshire Council and will provide any support I can to the school during this difficult time.’
Local MP Jonathan Edwards, who is the MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, expressed his concern about the incident on social media.
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 air ambulance is said to have now left the field and is reportedly flying towards the University Hospital in Cardiff. 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
‘Thoughts are with everyone back home and with the authorities responding,’ he wrote.
Adam Price, Plaid Cymru member of the Senedd for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, and a former pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, said his thoughts were with the school.
Mr Price posted on social media platform X: ‘As we wait for more information to be released, my thoughts, like the rest of us, are with the school’s community.’
The Church of All Saints in Ammanford has opened its doors to offer help and pastoral support in response.
Bishop of St Davids, Dorrien Davies, said: ‘My thoughts and prayers are with the injured, the staff, pupils and families of all at Dyffryn Amman School.’
Dyfed-Powys Police and two air ambulances were called to the scene.
One air ambulance is said to have now left the field and is reportedly flying towards the University Hospital in Cardiff. The second remains on site.
The Welsh language school has 1,800 pupils 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.
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies described the incident at a school ‘extremely concerning’.
