One of swimmers who vanished in sea on Christmas morning named as family pay tribute
Police launched the search after two men, aged in their 40s and 60s, went missing off a beach in Devon on Christmas morning
Matthew Upham is one of two men feared dead.
Picture:
Social media
One of the swimmers feared dead after vanishing in the sea during a Christmas Day swim has been revealed as an antique dealer as his family paid tribute to him.
Matthew Upham, an antique dealer, was one of two men who went missing following an annual Christmas Day swim in Devon, his family annoucned on social media.His family said that they are "heartbroken by the loss of our beloved family member. who was lost on Christmas morning."They added: "Matthew is deeply loved and will be forever missed."Mr Upham is feared dead after he vanished following the annual Christmas Day swim off a beach in Devon.Read more: Sea swimmers warned off Boxing Day after two men vanish in Devon Christmas tragedyRead more: Man, 20, fighting for life after Christmas Day shooting as four arrested on suspicion of attempted murder
Mr Upham is one of two men feared dead following the disappearance on Christmas Day.
Picture:
X
Mr Upham runs the Matthew Upham Antiques business in Budleigh Salterton, the Daily Mail report.A friend told the newspaper: "Matthew is an exceptionally kind man and very well liked in the town.""He goes swimming practically every day, he's very fit and knows the waters locally well. Lots of people went yesterday because of the Christmas Day swim, but Matthew would have been there regardless."Emergency services were called to Budleigh Salterton around 10.25am following reports that several people had gotten into difficulty in the water amid cold weather warnings across south west of England.
Budleigh Salterton, Jurassic Coast, Devon, England, where the search was called off on Thursday evening.
Picture:
Alamy
Police confirmed two men, aged in their 40s and 60s, have not been found and the search for them was ended on Thursday night.A spokesman for the coastguard said: "After extensive shoreline and offshore searches, the HM Coastguard part of the search was stood down at 5pm."The family expressed their "heartfelt thanks" to the emergency services who responded. Devon and Cornwall Police said the families of the men were being kept informed.Detective Superintendent Hayley Costar, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said on Thursday: "Emergency services have been responding to a truly tragic incident in Budleigh Salterton.""There have been weather warnings in place this week and a number of official and unofficial swims have already been cancelled," she added."We urge anyone with plans to go swimming in the sea on Boxing Day not to."
