Body of Missing Swimmer Recovered in Devon Swim Incident

A body believed to be that of a 47-year-old man who disappeared during a Christmas Day swim in Devon has been recovered from the shoreline, while a second swimmer remains missing. The discovery occurred at Sandy Bay in Exmouth on Tuesday, January 20, more than three weeks after the incident at Budleigh Salterton Beach.

Emergency services responded to reports of swimmers in distress at Budleigh Salterton around 10:25 a.m. on December 25 amid stormy conditions and large waves along the coastline. Dozens of participants had gathered for the annual festive dip, a local tradition, when several encountered difficulties in the rough sea. Rescuers, including police, HM Coastguard teams, and lifeboat crews, pulled multiple people from the water. Those brought to shore were assessed by paramedics, with some taken to hospitals for precautionary checks. However, two men, one in his 40s and the other in his 60s, could not be located at the time.

The older man has been locally identified as Matthew Upham, a 63-year-old antiques dealer from East Devon known for his regular sea swims. According to a friend, Upham had entered the water to assist a woman struggling nearby. "He swam back out to...