One of two men missing after being swept out to sea during a Christmas Day swim in rough water has been identified as it emerged the other had tried to rescue him.
Matthew Upham, 63, is feared dead after the tragic incident in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, yesterday. Another man, in his 40s, is also missing having reportedly drowned trying to save him.
One of Mr Upham’s devastated friends told the Daily Mail he is an “exceptionally kind” man who is very well-liked in the area. Several other people were pulled from the water yesterday after emergency services swarmed the beach.
Tannur Anders
Local council warned against swimming
The East Devon District Council warned of the dangers of taking a dip in a Facebook post on Thursday.
“Cold water shock, strong currents, and unpredictable weather can turn a quick dip into a serious emergency. We encourage you to celebrate safely on shore with friends and family instead of a festive sea swim this year,” the local authority said.
Tannur Anders
Local says conditions were ‘worst’ he’d ever seen
Local resident Mike Brown, 60, who most years does the Christmas Day swim in Budleigh Salterton told the BBC that the conditions on Thursday were the “worst” he had ever seen, the Press Association reported.
Brown said he was “unable to get out” of the sea and was helped by two men.
Eliana Nunes
Mr Upham ‘made a very big impact’ on Budleigh
Sarah Giles, who runs a local community swim group on Facebook, told the BBC that Mr Upham is a well-known member of Budleigh Salterton and that the group was “saddened” by the news.
She said: “Budleigh is a very small town, and he made a very big impact on the place. He swam all year-round, he knew what he was doing… we have lost an experienced swimmer.”
Eliana Nunes
‘It will be shocking for the whole community,’ says local
Julia Robb, a local who had been watching swimmers at the beach before the men went missing, described the conditions as “very cold and windy”, with waves “at least 6ft” high. She said she only realised something was wrong when she heard helicopters overhead.
Ms Robb added: “It was a sad thing to happen on what had been such a positive morning. I just feel sorry for those who have been affected. I think it will be shocking for the whole community. We are a small town. People are very friendly. I think it is important to think of the friends and families of those who have been affected.”
Eliana Nunes
Conditions at sea were ‘punishing’, say RNLI crews
RNLI crews from Torbay and Teignmouth, who took part in searches for the two men, described the conditions at sea as “punishing”.
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Family ‘heartbroken by loss’ of ‘beloved’ Matthew Upham
Matthew Upham’s family posted a statement on the Instagram account of his antiques business.
The family said: “Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved family member Matthew Upham, who was reported missing on Christmas morning.
“Matthew is deeply loved and will be forever missed. We would like to express our sincere and heartfelt thanks to the emergency services who responded, particularly the RNLI and coastguard, for their dedication, professionalism, and tireless efforts during this extremely difficult time.
“We are profoundly grateful for their compassion and support. As we grieve and support one another, we kindly ask that our family’s privacy is respected. We thank everyone for their understanding, kindness, and condolences.”
Eliana Nunes
Anyone with information urged to contact police
Devon and Cornwall Police issued their latest update at 1pm.
A force statement reads: “Both men remain missing following this incident off Budleigh Salterton beach on Christmas Day.
“Police enquiries are ongoing. A police presence remains at the scene. Following extensive shoreline and offshore searches, HM Coastguard stood down its response at 5pm on Christmas Day.
“Anyone with any relevant information which may assist police, who has not already spoken to us, is asked to call 101 or report via our website quoting log 191 of 25/12/25.”
Eliana Nunes
Pictures from the scene
Hundreds attended the annual swim in Budleigh Salterton (
Image:
Sonia Mullineux / SWNS)
Eliana Nunes
Waves ‘almost 10ft’ high
One regular swimmer who decided not to enter the water said the waves were “almost 10ft” high.
A resident in a house overlooking the sea said they could see “the helicopter and boat out there looking for them”.
Families given urgent Boxing Day swim warning as two men still missing
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‘He goes swimming practically every day, he’s very fit and he knows the waters locally well’
A friend of missing man Matthew Upham has told the Daily Mail he knew the waters off Budleigh Salterton well.
He said: “He’s an exceptionally kind man, very well liked in the town. He goes swimming practically every day, he’s very fit and knows the waters locally well,” a close friend told the Daily Mail. “We hope he’s found shelter somewhere after being swept further down the shore by a crashing wave.”
Another friend said it would be the “best Christmas present of all to find him safe and well”.
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One of the two missing men identified
One of the two men feared dead after being swept out to sea at Budleigh Salterton has been named as local antiques dealer Matthew Upham.
The 63-year-old has been described by friends as a “very kind” and “cheerful” man who is well liked in the local area.
Matthew Upham
Peter Hennessy
Full RNLI statement
A spokesperson for the RNLI said: “We can confirm that this morning at approximately 10am, RNLI lifeboat crew from Exmouth, Torbay and Teignmouth were tasked by HM Coastguard to assist in a multiagency incident involving people in difficulty in the water in the Budleigh Salterton area.
“RNLI lifeboat crews were involved in the recovery of one person from the water and continued to search throughout the day for two people understood to still be in the water.
“All lifeboat crew were stood down by the Coastguard around 5pm, when they returned to stations.
“Our thoughts are with all those impacted by the incident and the family and friends of the two people who are missing.”
Peter Hennessy
Some swims cancelled due to ‘strong winds’ on Christmas Day
A number of Christmas and Boxing Day swims in Devon and Cornwall were cancelled this year because of a yellow weather warning for wind.
The Met Office warned of “strong and gusty east to northeasterly winds” from 4am until 11.59pm on Christmas Day in parts of south-west England and Wales.
It said peak gusts would reach 45-55mph but these could reach 55-65mph along some exposed coasts and to the west of prominent hills.
There could be disruption to transport and power supplies, the forecaster said.
It added: “Large waves will be an additional hazard on some coasts.”
Anyone with information which may help police is asked to contact Devon and Cornwall Police by calling 101 or through the force’s website, quoting log number 191 of December 25.
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Here’s everything we know so far
Two men are believed to be missing in the sea after going for a swim at a beach in Budleigh Salterton.
Hundreds had gathered for their annual Christmas Day swims at beaches in Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton.
Several official and unofficial swims in Devon and Cornwall had already been cancelled due to a yellow weather warning for strong, gusty winds.
Emergency services were called at 10.25am this morning after reports of a group of people in trouble in the water.
A number of people were “safely recovered” and checked by paramedics, but two men were believed to be missing, according to Devon and Cornwall Police.
A major search operation was launched, involving Exmouth and Beer Coastguard Rescue Teams, RNLI lifeboats from Exmouth, Teignmouth and Torbay, and coastguard search and rescue helicopters.
People on the beach in Exmouth were urged not to enter the sea while the operation was underway.
RNLI and coastguard crews stood down their searches for the two missing men at around 5pm.
Police said the two men are aged in their 40s and 60s. They were still missing in the evening, and their families had been informed, according to the force.
Budleigh Salterton: Everything we know as two missing after Christmas swim
Eliana Nunes
Incident is ‘truly tragic’, says police officer
Det Supt Hayley Costar said: “Today, emergency services have been responding to a truly tragic incident in Budleigh Salterton. Our thoughts remain firmly with the families and friends of the two men who are currently missing and to all who may have witnessed and be impacted by the incident.
“The local community will have seen a significant amount of emergency services in the area throughout the day as extensive enquiries have been ongoing. As dark falls, a number of these searches have been stood down, with some police enquiries on land continuing this evening.
“There have been weather warnings in place this week and a number of official and un-official swims have already been cancelled. While there are no official warnings in place for tomorrow, we urge anyone with plans to go swimming in the sea on Boxing Day not to.”
Rescue helicopters were also involved in the search (
Image:
UKNIP)
Christopher Mallett
Full statement from Devon & Cornwall Police
Police have confirmed two men, in their 40s and 60s, are still missing off Budleigh Salterton.
They said in an update: “Emergency services were called at 10.25am today [25 December] to the beach at Budleigh Salterton following concerns that a group had got into difficulty in the water.
“A number of people were safely recovered to shore and checked either by paramedics at the scene or taken to hospital as a precaution.
“Two men, aged in their 40s and 60s, were not located during the search and remain missing at this time. Their families have been informed of the developments.
“Extensive area searches have been ongoing throughout the day in efforts to locate them. Coastguard and RNLI have now concluded their searches at the scene.”
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Details of missing men revealed
Devon and Cornwall Police say the two missing men are in their 40s and 60s and that their families have been informed of developments.
They have confirmed that the coastguard and RNLI searches have now been called off for the day.
Eliana Nunes
Hundreds of people on beach
Witnesses said hundreds of people had gathered at Exmouth and Budleigh beaches this morning for Christmas Day swims at the time of the incident.
Eliana Nunes
Sea ‘roughest it’s been’, says witness
Phillip Stoneman, a BBC journalist who has visited Budleigh for the annual Christmas swim over the past few years, told the broadcaster: “As soon as we arrived you could tell that the sea was the roughest it’s been and that anyone going in would need to be a lot more cautious than usual.”
He added: “The waves swept some people exiting the sea off their feet and other swimmers were helping them out.”
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Coastguard part of search stood down
“Searches have continued throughout the day to find two men believed to still be in the water,” a spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said. “After extensive shoreline and offshore searches, the coastguard part of the search was stood down at 5pm.”
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Image shows rescue boat on choppy waters
A lifeboat involved in the search for two missing swimmers in the Budleigh Salterton area (
Image:
Jenner’s Expedition / SWNS)Don’t Miss
Eliana Nunes
People urged not to swim while rescue is underway
Police urged members of the public not to swim at the beach in Exmouth while emergency services responded to the incident at Budleigh Salterton.
Hundreds of swimmers gathered for the traditional Christmas Day dip at Exmouth (
Image:
UKNIP)
Eliana Nunes
Which weather warnings are in place today?
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for strong, gusty winds, in force from 4am until the end of the day. The warning covers South West England and Wales.
“East to northeasterly winds will become particularly strong and gusty during Christmas Day, with peak gusts fairly widely of 45-55 mph, but 55-65 mph along some exposed coasts and to the west of prominent hills,” the Met Office said. “Large waves will be an additional hazard on some coasts.”
The yellow wind warning had already led to the cancellation of several Christmas and Boxing Day swims in Devon and Cornwall.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also issued a yellow alert for cold in South West England, in force until midday on Saturday.
Eliana Nunes
‘Do not enter water for public safety reasons,’ police say
“Two men remain missing at this time and searches and enquiries are ongoing in efforts to locate them,” a spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said this afternoon.
“The next of kin of one man have been spoken to. Enquiries to speak to the family of the second man are ongoing, however a local friend has been informed as part of these efforts.
“A significant amount of emergency service personnel were deployed to the incident and we ask that people do not enter the water for public safety reasons – due to the current weather warnings we ask that this is the case today and for any Boxing Day swims.”
Eliana Nunes
Coastguard rescue teams at scene
A coastguard spokesperson said: “Exmouth and Beer Coastguard Rescue Teams, RNLI lifeboats from Exmouth, Teignmouth and Torbay and coastguard search and rescue helicopters have been sent to the scene to assist, alongside police and ambulance service.”
Coastguard and RNLI crews searching the waters (
Image:
UKNIP)
KEY EVENT
Map shows area where swimmers feared missing
Devon and Cornwall Police received reports at 10.25am on Christmas Day that a number of people were in trouble in the water in the Budleigh Salterton area of Devon.
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