A TEEN was stabbed with a craft knife during an art lesson, police confirmed today.

Officers were called to a school in Northampton at noon yesterday following reports of a teenage pupil suffering a knife wound.

The boy was taken to hospital by ambulance where he was treated for a chest injury. It is not thought to be life-threatening.

Assault

Northamptonshire Police said a 14-year-old boy, a fellow pupil at Northampton School for Boys, was arrested in connection with a serious assault and was being questioned by cops.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Howard, of Northampton Crime Investigation Unit, said: "This was a classroom incident which sadly resulted in a young boy receiving a knife wound.

"But I must stress that the weapon used was a craft knife which was made available to pupils for a lesson. This was not a case where a knife was brought into the school."

Det Chief Insp Howard said the county did not have a problem with knife crime.

He added: "This is a horrible incident but it should not be taken out of context and it does not signify that Northamptonshire has a problem with knife crime."

A spokesman for Northampton School for Boys today said both police and the school were carrying out inquiries

He said: "An incident occurred in an art lesson at Northampton School for Boys in which a boy was injured by a classroom craft tool.

"As a result one boy was taken to hospital and another boy was taken to Weston Favell Police Station.

"At this point the school has been asked to make no further comments whilst both police and school inquiries still continue."