Christmas Day swim survivor says ‘it was a mistake to get in’ after he was rescued from ‘worst ever conditions’ in festive event believed to have killed two

A survivor of a Christmas Day swim thought to have killed two people has described going into the sea as a ‘mistake’ after being rescued from the ‘worst ever’ water conditions.

Mike Brown, one of the swimmers pulled from the water by brave rescuers, said he regretted going into the water, describing the conditions as among the worst he had ever encountered.

Two people are believed to have died following the disaster during the annual event on the Budleigh Salterton coast in Devon on Thursday.

Antiques dealer Matthew Upham, 63, is feared dead after going festive diving with a man in his 40s. Both are currently missing.

Mr Brown, who survived, told the BBC this morning: ‘It was much worse conditions than normal and some of the worst conditions I have ever attempted to swim in. Looking back, it’s clear that trying to get in was a mistake.’

Mr Brown said two local men saw him struggling in the six-foot waves and risked themselves to get him out.

One of the men said they went into the sea before being overturned by the force of the wave. They tried a second time and managed to reach Mr. Brown, who was struggling to stand.

Mr Brown added: ‘They each grabbed an arm and dragged me to safety and it was over as quickly as it started, I was on the beach and safe.’

Two men are missing following the tragedy off the coast at Budleigh Salterton, Devon, on Christmas Day morning.

Matthew Upham, 63, went missing with a young man in his 40s, whose name has not been released.

While the swimmer now hopes to find and thank the two men who saved him, the small town is still dealing with the effects of the tragedy after the coast guard halted efforts to find two missing swimmers.

It is thought that the man in his 40s, whose name has not yet been released, may have gone into the sea to come to the aid of Mr Upham, who was seen being dragged on the beach by the waves.

Video footage shows how challenging conditions were at Budleigh Salterton on Christmas Day morning; The local coastguard describes these conditions as ‘disgusting’.

It was stated that the waves were constantly 1.5 to 1.5 meters high, with some large waves reaching up to 10 meters.

Mr Upham’s family posted on social media last night to remember him and thank emergency services for their efforts.

In a statement posted on the antique dealer’s Instagram account, they wrote: ‘Our family is deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved family member, Matthew Upham, who was reported missing on Christmas morning.

‘Matthew is much loved and will be missed forever.

‘We would like to express our sincere and heartfelt thanks to the emergency services who responded, particularly the RNLI and the coastguard, for their dedication, professionalism and tireless efforts during this extremely difficult time.

A second man, in his 40s, is feared to have drowned while trying to save Mr Upham, who was swept out to sea on Christmas Day.

A tribute message was posted on Matthew Upham’s Instagram page by his family last night.

‘We are so grateful to them for their compassion and support.

‘We ask that our family’s privacy be respected as we grieve and support each other. We thank everyone for their understanding, kindness and condolences.’

Mr Upham’s friends and countless customers of his former shop in London also took to social media to pay touching tributes to him.

Mr Upham currently runs Matthew Upham Antiques in Budleigh Salterton. A single yellow rose was left at the door of the store.

Friends described him as a ‘very fit’ man who swam almost every day and knew the local waters. They added that he was ‘one of a kind’ and ‘a very nice, cheerful man’.

Meanwhile, it was revealed yesterday that sea swimmers mistakenly believed the RNLI was ‘on standby’ before the two men went missing.

An RNLI shuttle boat was spotted off Budleigh Salterton beach and could be seen in video footage taken by participants.

Some participants are said to have believed it was there to support the Christmas Day swim race and felt safe going into the water.

Exmouth and Beer Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats and a search and rescue helicopter were deployed to search for missing persons.

Moments after this photo was taken on Christmas Day, swimmers ran into difficulty and two men disappeared into the waves at Budleigh Salterton in Devon.

Emergency services arrived at Budleigh Salterton beach in Devon on Christmas Day but the coastguard search was called off after 5pm.

But it is understood the RNLI lifeboat was about to conduct a drill and was not there to protect swimmers taking part in the Christmas Day swimming event, which has no central organiser.

The lifeboat and crew responded immediately when people got into trouble and the alarm was raised at around 10.25am.

In addition to the emergency service and coast guard, other teams also rushed to the scene. Exmouth and Beer Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats and a search and rescue helicopter were deployed.

In a statement, Exmouth Coastguard Rescue Team described sea conditions as ‘horrible’ and praised crews’ quick response to prevent a bigger tragedy.

The letter said: ‘The incident reflected the dedication and commitment across organizations, particularly our friends and colleagues RNLI Exmouth, who went to sea without hesitation in a dire sea situation.

‘Coast Guard rescue Officers were deployed between 1015 and 1700 and repeatedly searched the coastline, at times in the face of large waves and wind.

‘While searching we also had to deal with getting people off the beach safely and in a timely manner, liaising with helicopters if necessary to secure the landing zone and ensuring assets were deployed appropriately.’

The statement added: ‘We are aware that there have been many comments elsewhere about the rights and wrongs of Christmas Day swims and we do not intend to comment on this.’

During the intervention of emergency services, eyewitnesses described how swimmers were knocked over by huge waves, while others were unable to get out of the foam.

Some swimmers were reportedly taken to hospital after being helped to shore due to difficult conditions.

Festive swimmers have been asked not to travel to other local beaches to take part in traditional Christmas Day activities due to concerns about weather conditions. Locals and visitors to Devon and Cornwall were also advised by police not to enter the water the following day following the incident.

In the aftermath, distraught residents questioned why Budleigh Salterton’s traditional swim was ‘permitted’ despite stormy conditions. However, as with similar celebratory events across the country, it is not believed that there is a responsible person or organization that can cancel this event.

Businesses in the town organized collections for the RNLI amid the Christmas Day tragedy and floral gifts were left on the beach for two missing men.

A tribute read: ‘To two special souls tragically lost at sea yesterday. Someone we know and love very well. Prayers and love’.

Citizens living in communities near the tragedy expressed concern for the families of the missing people but also questioned why public officials could not stop the event if conditions were considered too dangerous for swimming.

Others highlighted the risks posed to emergency services sent to assist in the search. An RNLI crew abandoned their ship due to ‘extremely difficult’ conditions on Christmas Day and it was only rescued yesterday.