A British woman has been stabbed to death on a tram in Jerusalem.

She has been named as 21-year-old University of Birmingham student Hannah Bladon.

Ms Bladon was stabbed several times in the chest while she travelled on a tram in Tzahal Square and died in hospital. A 57-year-old Palestinian man was detained at the scene.

She had been on an exchange at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which expressed “deep sorrow” over her death.

‘Inquisitive and adventurous’

Ms Bladon had been taking classes in bible studies, archaeology and Hebrew at the Rothberg International School, part of The Hebrew University.

The school said: “Her friends described her as an inquisitive and adventurous student who made the most of her opportunity to learn and experience life in Israel.”

The University of Birmingham also paid tribute to the 21-year-old saying it was “deeply saddened” to hear of Ms Bladon’s death and that it would provide support to its students.

Police say the suspect, a resident of Ras al-Amud in east Jerusalem, was recently released from a psychiatric hospital.

Jerusalem police chief Yoram Halevy told the AFP news agency that the man was “very mentally disturbed”.

An off-duty policeman travelling on the tram pulled an emergency brake and then tackled the attacker, with the help of another passenger.

He told the AFP news agency: “I was travelling with my family when I heard the cries of ‘attack, attack’.

“I sounded the alarm then rushed to the scene of the attack. We overpowered him.”

A 30-year-old pregnant woman and a 50-year-old man were also injured in the attack.

BBC Middle East correspondent Tom Bateman said the pair, who were much less seriously injured than the British woman, were either hurt when the tram came to a sudden stop or in the panic to get away.

‘Filled with sadness’

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We can confirm the tragic death of a British national in Jerusalem.

“We are providing support to her family at this difficult time and are in touch with local authorities.”

There will continue to be heightened security in Jerusalem after measures were brought in ahead of the Jewish Passover Festival and Easter celebrations.

Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin said he was “filled with sadness about the attack” and that his thoughts and prayers were with the family of the victim.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld tweeted a picture of the knife used in the attack.