Kate Bush reveals missing Christmas Day swimmer Matthew Upham was ‘dearest friend’
Kate Bush has revealed that one of the swimmers who disappeared in the sea on Christmas Day is a close friend.
Matthew Upham, a 63-year-old antiques dealer, remains unaccounted for after swimmers got into trouble in stormy waters at Budleigh Salterton in Devon.
Emergency services launched a rescue operation on Christmas morning after reports of people in difficulty.
Several swimmers were pulled from the sea and treated by paramedics or taken to hospital as a precaution.
However, two men – one in his 40s and another in his 60s – could not be found.
Mr Upham is said to have attempted to rescue a woman in distress before being swept away.
And now, the legendary signer, 67, has shared a tribute to her “dear friend”.
Bush wrote on Sunday: “Matthew was one of my very dearest friends. I’d known him for 30 years.”
She described him as “one of those people who touched everyone he met.”
“He was extraordinarily kind, thoughtful and lived life to the full,” she added.
“He was also a great deal of fun.
“Matthew was a very strong swimmer. He had a great love for kayaking. He understood that the sea should be respected,” she said.
‘The world has lost someone incredibly special,’ Kate Bush said
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Bush concluded her tribute: “The world has lost someone incredibly special. Thank you Matthew, for being one of the best friends anyone could have.”
Mr Upham’s family released a statement through his business saying they were “heartbroken by the loss.”
“Matthew is deeply loved and will be forever missed,” the statement read.
The family thanked emergency responders, particularly the RNLI and coastguard, for their “dedication, professionalism, and tireless efforts.”
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Matthew Upham, a 63-year-old antiques dealer, remains unaccounted for after swimmers got into trouble in stormy waters on Christmas morning
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Friends left tributes describing Mr Upham as “the kindest person” and “a shining star.”
One wrote that he was “a beautiful man with the sweetest soul.”
Another called him “a bringer of joy and an inspiration.”
Mr Upham ran Matthew Upham Antiques, an appointment-only shop on Budleigh Salterton’s High Street specialising in European chandeliers and 18th-century furniture.
The business had been based in London for 40 years before relocating to the Devon seaside town.
The Coastguard conducted extensive searches along the shore and offshore before standing down at 5pm on Christmas Day.
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed on Boxing Day that both men remain missing and enquiries continue.
Several Christmas and Boxing Day swims across Devon and Cornwall were cancelled due to a yellow weather warning for wind covering parts of the South West and Wales.
