Antiques dealer missing after Christmas Day swim ‘is deeply loved’
Matthew Upham, 63, is unaccounted for after a rescue operation was launched in the Devon seaside town of Budleigh Salterton
The family of an antiques dealer who is one of two people missing after a stormy Christmas Day swim said he will be “forever missed”.
Matthew Upham, 63, is unaccounted for after a rescue operation was launched in the Devon seaside town of Budleigh Salterton on Christmas Day morning after reports that people got into difficulty during the swim.
During Thursday’s incident, a number of people were rescued from the stormy water and checked by paramedics or taken to hospital as a precaution but two men, aged in their 40s and 60s, were not located.
The Daily Mail reported that it is feared a younger man has drowned trying to save Mr Upham.
A statement posted to his business’s Instagram account said his family is “heartbroken by the loss” of Mr Upham, who was reported missing on Christmas morning.
“Matthew is deeply loved and will be forever missed,” the statement said.
“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.”
Commenting on the post, a friend of the antiques dealer described Mr Upham as “the kindest person”.
They wrote: “The world will miss such a shining star.”
Another commenter described him as “a beautiful man with the sweetest soul and only had kind words to say about everyone”, while another said he was “a bringer of joy and an inspiration”.
According to his website which linked to the Instagram account, Mr Upham ran the appointment-only Matthew Upham Antiques on the town’s High Street offering “a captivating assortment of chandeliers sourced from various regions across Europe”.
The website said the chandeliers “beautifully complement our collection of 18th-century furniture, creating a harmonious blend of timeless elegance”.
The business traded for four decades in London before moving to the seaside town.
In a Facebook post shared on Thursday afternoon, East Devon District Council urged locals to “think twice before taking the plunge this festive season”.
The local authority said that cold water shock, strong current and unpredictable weather conditions can turn a “quick dip into a serious emergency”.
Mike Brown, 60, who does the Christmas Day swim in Budleigh Salterton most years, told the BBC that the conditions on Thursday were the “worst” he had ever seen.
The local resident said that he was “unable to get out” after entering the sea and was helped by “two very brave men”.
The Coastguard said that after “extensive shoreline and offshore searches” its search was stood down at 5pm on Christmas Day.
Devon and Cornwall Police have previously said the families of the men were being kept informed of developments.
On Boxing Day, a police spokesman said “both men remain missing” following the incident.
A number of Christmas and Boxing Day swims in Devon and Cornwall were cancelled this year because of a yellow weather warning for wind which covered parts of the South West and Wales.
