The family of Matthew Upham, one of two men missing after a Christmas Day swim off Budleigh Salterton in Devon, has paid tribute to him, describing him as “deeply loved and forever missed”. Emergency services were called at 10.25am on Christmas Day after concerns were raised for people in the water. A number of swimmers were brought safely to shore, but two men – Upham, in his 40s, and another man in his 60s – could not be found.
In a statement posted on Upham’s antiques business Instagram account, his family said: “Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved family member Matthew Upham, who was reported missing on Christmas morning. 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.” They asked for privacy as they grieve.
The coastguard stood down its search at 5pm on Christmas Day after extensive shoreline and offshore searches. Police said on Boxing Day that both men remained missing and inquiries were ongoing, with a police presence remaining at the scene. Onshore searches continued into the evening.
Detective Superintendent Hayley Costar of Devon and Cornwall Police described the incident as “truly tragic” and urged people not to swim on Boxing Day due to dangerous conditions. Julia Robb, a local resident, said the sea was “very cold and windy” with waves of at least 6ft. She added: “It was a sad thing to happen on what had been such a positive morning. I think it will be shocking for the whole community.”
