DETECTIVES are still hunting a 14-year-old pupil after a teacher was stabbed at a Bradford secondary school today.

It has been suggested that the attack was over an argument about a mobile phone and the pupil used a kitchen knife he had taken into school.

Police were alerted shortly before 9am by paramedics who were attending a report of a member of staff - thought to have only been at the school for four weeks - having been stabbed at Dixons Kings Academy in Lidget Green.

Vincent Uzomah, aged 50, was taken to hospital for treatment to a stab wound to his stomach.

His condition was described as stable.

Students witnessed the stabbing and have been interviewed by police and educational psychologists from Bradford Children's Services have been providing counselling to pupils.

Speaking outside the school gates, the executive principal of the Dixons Academy chain, Nick Weller said: "It happened right at the beginning of the school day and there were some students who witnessed it. A few students witnessed it - in a classroom."

Neil Miley, the school's principal, said: "Staff were called very quickly and paramedics were called immediately into the school."

Asked why they kept the school open, he said: "Because I think it's important that we make sure there's consistency for our students, as students need to be safe and secure.

"And there's support from staff on site, making sure our students are looked after, and they've responded with fantastic maturity."

Police are searching the area to locate a 14-year-old male in connection with the incident.

He is described as Asian, with short dark hair, and was last seen wearing a blue uniform blazer.

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Detective Superintendent Simon Atkinson, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: "We are conducting inquiries in the area to locate a suspect and I would like to reassure residents and staff that all necessary resources are being deployed to investigate this ongoing and clearly very serious incident.

"We would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or knows the whereabouts of the suspect.

"At this stage we do not believe there is an ongoing risk to pupils or staff at the school. The rest of the school is continuing to operate as normal and local officers, including safer schools officers and members of the local area neighbourhood team, are currently at the school and are liaising closely with staff.

"We are also working closely with our partners in the local authorities to investigate the full circumstances of this incident, which will be the subject of a thorough investigation."

In a statement on its website, the school said: "There has been an incident at Dixons Kings Academy this morning. The police and the academy are working together to investigate the incident.

"There is currently no ongoing risk to pupils or staff at the school.

The school is continuing to operate as normal and police officers, including safer schools officers, are on site to support staff and students."

The Yorkshire Amulance Service said in a statement: "A 999 call was received by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust at 8.51am this morning to request help for a teacher who had been stabbed at Dixons Kings Academy in Bradford.

"An ambulance and clinical supervisor were dispatched immediately and a male patient was treated on scene and then conveyed to hospital for further care.

Cllr David Green, Leader of Bradford Council, said: “The stabbing of a teacher at Dixons Kings Academy has deeply shocked and traumatised students, school colleagues and the wider community. Our thoughts are with them and the teacher’s family and friends.

"Our first priority, working with the school and the Police, was to make sure all the students in the school were safe. We immediately provided specialist support to the school staff and students, and this support will continue over the coming days and weeks.”

Conservative group leader Councillor Simon Cooke said: “We are all shocked. Our thoughts are with the teacher who has been stabbed and his family, and the school community there, and we hope the Council is continuing to provide support for them in what is going to be a very difficult time.

“Right now we should be thinking about the teacher, his family and the school at what will be a quite upsetting and traumatic time.”

The attack comes a year after teacher Ann Maguire, 61, was stabbed to death by one of her pupils in a murder that shocked the country.

Will Cornick stabbed Mrs Maguire seven times from behind as she taught a Spanish class at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds on April 28 last year.

Cornick, who was 15 at the time, boasted to his friends he was going to kill her and winked to his classmate before he launched into the attack.

After the killing he told psychiatrists he ''couldn't give a s***'' and added: ''Everything I've done is fine and dandy.''

The murder was branded a "monumental act of cowardice and evil" and Cornick was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison before he is considered for release. But the judge, Mr Justice Coulson, warned him: ''It's quite possible that day may never come.''