A 12 year-old schoolboy has been flown to hospital and his 11 year-old classmate arrested following a suspected assault at Blessed Hugh Faringdon School earlier today.

Having sustained serious injuries, the pupil was given urgent medical attention at the scene before being taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in an air ambulance where he remains in a stable condition.

The 11-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of GBH and is currently in custody.

Det Insp Nick Watts, from Reading Force CID, said: "Officers are currently in attendance conducting enquiries and the schools officer is visiting the school today. I would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information in relation to it.

"I would also appeal to any witnesses who have mobile phone footage of the incident which may assist our investigation.

"I would like to reassure the community, particularly the young people who may have witnessed this incident or have been affected by it, that we take incidents of this nature seriously and are in the early stages of conducting a thorough investigation and they will be offered support."

A statement released on behalf of the Southcote secondary school said the "thoughts and prayers" of the school community were with the pupil and his family.

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 12.56pm and sent a rapid response vehicle, an ambulance and the air ambulance.

"One patient was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford following a medical emergency."

If you don’t want to speak directly to the police, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.