Police praised the bravery of fellow pupils, teachers and parents who ran to Chloe West’s aid, wrestling the 18-year-old away from her, helping to save her life.
They then pinned the attacker, who is said to have been angry that she had not returned her text messages, to the ground until police arrived and led him away.
He is being questioned over the attack on the horse-loving teenager who had to be airlifted to hospital with knife wounds to her chest, neck and face.
The drama unfolded in front of pupils mingling in the playground at Ridgewood High School in Stourbridge, West Mids, waiting for the morning bell at about 8.40am yesterday.
Chloe was preparing to walk through the gates when the youth drew up in a maroon Volkswagen Golf and began shouting abuse at her, witnesses said.
He then set upon her with a knife, slashing at her upper body, neck and face.
One teenage boy is said to have rugby tackled him as a handful of pupils, male and female, leapt on him.
One heavily built teacher then sat on the youth while others held him down as others ran to Chloe’s aid.
As other pupils looked on, teachers were heard shouting: “Get back inside a classroom, any classroom.”
Those already inside the building were sent emails telling them to stay in their forms but reassuring them that the incident was under control.
Superintendent Stewart Johnson of West Midlands Police, who is leading the investigation, said that the teenager had suffered serious injuries but was conscious and her life is no longer in danger.
"I would just like to pay tribute to the very brave individuals, who without too much thought for their own safety intervened,” he said.
"They showed tremendous bravery in intervening and actually detaining the suspect, and in my opinion, based on medical evidence, they clearly prevented far more serious injuries to Chloe.
"I would really like to pay tribute to those who got involved and fought for their own safety.”
The youth also sustained minor knife wounds to his hand suggesting he was still holding the weapon as he was apprehended, he said.
“Although Chloe attends the school, the suspect does not,” he added.
"We have received information that the two people know each other.”
Pupils claimed that the attacker was a former boyfriend but police sources said last night that they were still trying to untangle the exact nature of their relationship.
One teenager said: "I was coming to school across the fields when someone shouted at me what was going on.
"With it being April Fool's I thought everyone was joking.
"I heard she was lying on the floor and had blood all over her face, the police turned up very quickly.
"Her ex was angry because he was texting her and she wasn't replying.”
Diane Dawes, whose house overlooks the school, said: "I came downstairs for a drink and wondered why all the teachers were stood opposite.
"I had a peek from upstairs and could see a man flat out on the floor surrounded by loads of people it looked like he'd been hit by a car.
"It wasn't until the police came and dragged him away by his arms I realised there was a second person, a young girl, lying down close to him.
"So I went down just as the man was being loaded into the police van handcuffed – he didn't look like he knew where he was or what was going on. Maybe he was in shock at what he had just done.
"But the girl looked in a bad way and the next thing that happened was a helicopter arriving.”
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