Antiques dealer Matthew Upham, 63, is missing along with another man after they went into the water at the Devon seaside town of Budleigh Salterton on Christmas Day
Matthew Upham has not been found
A missing swimmer had gone to try and rescue a woman in trouble before a “huge wave crashed into him and dragged him under”, says a friend.
Matthew Upham, 63, is still unaccounted for after a rescue operation was launched in the Devon seaside town of Budleigh Salterton on Christmas Day morning where people got into difficulty during a swim. Many were rescued from the stormy water and checked by paramedics or taken to hospital as a precaution but Mr Upham and another man aged in his 40s have still not been found.
It is now understood that Mr Upham had nearly got to the safety of the shore when he went to try and help a woman who was in trouble.
People looking on at the start of the Christmas Day swim in Budleigh Salterton(Image: Sonia Mullineux / SWNS)READ MORE: Budleigh Salterton Christmas Day swimmer ALIVE after being saved by brave bystandersREAD MORE: Family of swimmer Matthew Upham feared dead in Christmas Day tragedy pay tribute
A friend who has known Mr Upham for 30 years said he was “exceptionally fit” and swam in the sea most days. He also told how he would have gone to help the woman as he was “incredibly selfless”.
“Matthew swam back out to reach her but as he did so a huge wave crashed into him and dragged him under. He hasn’t been seen since,” the friend told the Mail on Sunday. “He was an exceptionally fit man and someone who swam those waters practically every day but more than that he was an incredibly selfless person.
Matthew Upham has been described as “selfless”
“So when he saw that woman in distress, there was only going to be one outcome and that was him swimming straight out to reach her rather than save himself. From what I’ve been told, he’d actually made it out of danger initially and was about to reach the beach but turned back when he saw the woman struggling.
“His friends who were with him watched him go out to her but when the wave came it was so strong, it just dragged him along, he really didn’t have a chance. The woman eventually made it back to shore but Matthew is still missing and hopes of finding alive are fading fast.
“I think it’s important that people know that the reason he’s missing is because he went back out to save someone – he was a very strong swimmer who knew that stretch of coast like the back of his hand and not someone who would recklessly put himself at risk.”
A tribute left after the swimmers went missing(Image: William Dax / SWNS)
A statement posted to his business’ Instagram account by his nephew Major Harley Upham read: “Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved family member Matthew Upham, who was reported missing on Christmas morning. Matthew is deeply loved and will be forever missed.
“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.
“As we grieve and support one another, we kindly ask that our family’s privacy is respected. We thank everyone for their understanding, kindness, and condolences.”
Mr Upham swam in the sea most days at Budleigh Salterton(Image: William Dax / SWNS)
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 person described him as “a beautiful man with the sweetest soul and only had kind words to say about everyone”, while a further 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.
