Kate Bush ‘heartbroken’ over loss of friend who went missing in Christmas Day swim

“Matthew was one of my very dearest friends”

The singer’s friend went missing during a Christmas Day swim off the East Devon coast.

The whereabouts of Matthew Upham, a 63-year-old antique dealer, are still not known, after a rescue operation off Budleigh Salterton beach which was carried out on Thursday, the morning of Christmas Day.

A group of swimmers had got into difficulty in windy conditions and a number of people were rescued by emergency services.

However, according to reports, Matthew and another man in his 40s are still unaccounted for.

Kate Bush said that Matthew was “a very strong swimmer who understood that the sea should be respected”, as she paid tribute to her friend.

“Matthew was one of my very dearest friends. I’d known him for 30 years”, she said in a post on her website.

“He was one of those people who touched everyone he met. He was extraordinarily kind, thoughtful and lived life to the full”, she said.

“He was also a great deal of fun. His family are heartbroken and along with many of his friends, so am I.

“Matthew was a very strong swimmer. He had a great love for kayaking. He understood that the sea should be respected.

“The world has lost someone incredibly special. Thank you, Matthew, for being one of the best friends anyone could have.”

He was described as a “deeply loved” man by his family, who have also paid tributes.

HM Coastguard stood down its response to the incident at 5pm on Christmas Day, following extensive shoreline and offshore searches.

People were urged by East Devon District Council to “think twice before taking the plunge this festive season”.

“Cold water shock, strong currents and unpredictable weather conditions can turn a quick dip into a serious emergency”, it added in a Facebook post.

Due to a yellow weather warning for wind which covered parts of the South West and Wales, a number of Christmas and Boxing Day in swims in Devon and Cornwall were cancelled this year.