A hero teenager has been praised by a judge for saving the life of a girl who was victim to a “vicious and frenzied” attack as she walked to school in the Black Country.

Chloe West, aged 14, was stabbed 20 times in an attack by 18-year-old Samuel Gayzer-Tomlinson, who was today starting a 13-year sentence after admitting attempted murder and unlawful wounding.

She was only saved when 16-year-old Ben Hudson ignored the threat to his own safety and rugby tackled Gayzer-Tomlinson to the ground.

Ben suffered cuts to his hands from the eight-inch kitchen knife being wielded by the attacker, who planned the attack after his victim spurned his advances, the court heard.

But judge John Warner told him that his actions saved the life of Chloe, a fellow pupil at Ridgewood High School in Wollaston.

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