Man held after nursery stabbings in eastern China

A knife-wielding man went on the rampage in a kindergarten in eastern China, leaving three children and one teacher dead in the country's latest school attack, locals said yesterday.

The official Xinhua News Agency said police had detained a 26-year-old man who had confessed. Officials refused to release details of the attack, saying they feared that reports could inspire copycat killers.

The assault is among the worst of a spate of rampages that have taken place this year in schools and public spaces across China, and have left dozens of people dead and scores wounded.