PRAYERS have been said for the recovery of a 15-year-old boy injured in a school stabbing incident as police charged his alleged assailant with causing grievous bodily harm.

By David Green

PRAYERS have been said for the recovery of a 15-year-old boy injured in a school stabbing incident as police charged his alleged assailant with causing grievous bodily harm.

Benjamin Goddard, who received serious stab wounds in the incident at Stradbroke High School, was still in the intensive care unit at Ipswich Hospital last night .

The hospital was no longer issuing updates to the media yesterday but family friends said his condition was stable – although he was not out of danger yet.

Members of his family have been keeping a bedside vigil.

Prayers for the recovery of Benjamin - a talented soccer player who attends the Norwich City Academy - were said during two services conducted by Rev David Streeter at All Saints Church, Stradbroke, yesterday .

"Everyone is shocked by what happened and our thoughts and prayers are with Benjamin and his family," Mr Streeter said.

The stabbing, which happened at the high school on Friday, has shocked the whole community in what is a quiet rural area.

The area in which the incident took place was sealed off by police soon afterwards to allow forensic investigations to be carried out.

School was restarted after the 360 pupils - from more than a dozen local villages - had been evacuated. Lessons are scheduled to go ahead as normal today .

Counsellors, who helped staff and pupils to cope with the aftermath of Friday's incident, are being made available at the school this week.

Sammy Morgan, director of the Norwich City Football Club Academy, said Benjamin, a member of one of the youth teams, was " a quiet lad".

"He was recommended for trial at the academy and he came here and impressed us. He's a very committed lad.

"He has potential and it is a terrible blow for him. We hope that the fitness he has will get him through this situation," he said.

Mr Morgan said the whole academy was shocked by the attack and everyone was wishing the boy a speedy recovery.

"As a former teacher, when I heard the news on the TV I was shocked that this had happened at a school.

"We were unaware until we received a call from his father yesterday. I have asked him to keep us informed. Our thoughts are with him and his family," he added.

Meanwhile, a 15-year-old youth arrested by police at the school shortly after the attack, was yesterday charged with causing grievous bodily harm.

The youngster, still in police custody, is due to appear at St Edmundsbury Magistrates' Court today .