AN 18-year-old armed with an axe and knives attacked his school with petrol bombs, wounding nine classmates before he was shot and arrested.

He entered the Carolinum High School in the town of Ansbach and threw one bomb before police were alerted and arrived at the scene. The attacker was shot five times and was in a critical condition.

The pupil, who had no police record, started his rampage armed with three petrol bombs, the axe and two knives. Two teenage girls were seriously injured - one suffering burns and the other head injuries.