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Photos show the beginning of the Christmas day swim in Devon before two people went missing(Image: Donald Oldham / SWNS)

Dramatic new pictures show the moment dozens of people rushed out on a chilly Christmas Day dip before two swimmers went missing.

Emergency services rushed to the beach at Budleigh Salterton, Devon at 10.25am yesterday after the alarm was raised over the welfare of participants in the annual wild swimming event, with a number of people pulled back to shore. Several were checked by paramedics or taken to hospital as a precaution.

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Two people were later reported missing – and last night, Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that coastguard and RNLI searches had been called off in the area amid difficult weather conditions. The men, aged in their 40s and 60s, remain missing this morning.

Their families have been informed of developments, a force spokeswoman said.

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The annual swim at Budleigh Salterton was attended by hundreds of locals and visitors(Image: Sonia Mullineux / SWNS)

‘We saw 10 foot waves’

One regular swimmer who decided not to enter the water said the waves were “almost 10ft”.

A neighbour in a house overlooking the sea said they “could see the helicopter and boat out there looking for them”, while another added: “Thinking of all the crews and families involved with today’s incident, and sending love.”

Warnings over Boxing Day swimming

A Met Office yellow weather warning for wind was in place across parts of the South West yesterday, leading many organised swims in the region to be cancelled.

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The Budleigh Salterton, or ‘Bude’ Christmas swim, was previously run as an organised charity event, but has in recent years operated as more of an unofficial gathering kept going by local residents and visitors.

No weather warnings have been issued for Boxing Day – but police have urged people not to go swimming in the sea.

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A search was called off late last night as two people remained missing(Image: Sonia Mullineux / SWNS)

Detective Superintendent Hayley Costar, of Devon and Cornwall Police, 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 unofficial 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.”

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People have been urged not to take part in Boxing Day swims amid challenging weather conditions(Image: Sonia Mullineux / SWNS)

Helicopters used in huge coastal search

HM Coastguard said it had responded to reports of “people in difficulty” in the water in the Budleigh Salterton area.

Coastguard rescue teams from Exmouth and Beer attended, along with RNLI lifeboats from Exmouth, Teignmouth and Torbay.

They were assisted by coastguard search and rescue helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft from Humberside, along with police and ambulance personnel.

“Searches have continued throughout the day to find two men believed to still be in the water. After extensive shoreline and offshore searches, the coastguard part of the search was stood down at 5pm,” a spokeswoman said.

A spokesperson for the RNLI said yesterday: “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.”

A spokeswoman for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said it was called at 10.10am to “reports of people in difficulty in the sea”, adding that one person was taken by ambulance to the NHS Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, with another two people treated and discharged at the scene.