Police in Devon have warned against sea swimming after two men went missing in the water.

Devon and Cornwall Police have urged people to avoid coastal swimming after two men, aged in their 40s and 60s, went missing in the water off a beach in Devon on Christmas morning.

The search for them was called off on Thursday evening.

Police were called at 10.25am following concerns for people in the water.

“Today, emergency services have been responding to a truly tragic incident in Budleigh Salterton,” said Detective Superintendent Hayley Costar from Devon and Cornwall Police on Thursday evening.

“There have been weather warnings in place this week and a number of official and unofficial swims have already been cancelled,” she added.

“We urge anyone with plans to go swimming in the sea on Boxing Day not to.”

HM Coastguard had responded to reports of “people in difficulty” in the water in the Budleigh Salterton area on Christmas Day.

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Coastguard battle waves to find missing swimmers

Coastguard rescue teams from Exmouth and Beer attended, along with RNLI lifeboats from Exmouth, Teignmouth and Torbay.

RNLI Torbay and RNLI Teignmouth described the conditions at sea as ‘punishing’.

They urged swimmers to take account of weather conditions before going out to sea, and to know the limits of their abilities.

A number of swims on Christmas and Boxing Day in Devon and Cornwall were cancelled this year due to a yellow weather warning for wind that covered parts of the south west.