MUSIC legend Kate Bush has revealed a man feared dead after a Christmas sea swim was a close friend.
The Running Up That Hill star, 67, said she had known Matthew Upham for 30 years.
Antiques shop owner Mr Upham, 63, is one of two men who went missing from Budleigh Salterton beach in Devon on Christmas Day.
Several others who got into difficulty were pulled to safety from the sea.
Last night, Kate said: “Matthew was one of my dearest friends.
“He was extraordinarily kind, thoughtful and lived life to the full.
“He was also a great deal of fun.
“His family are heartbroken and with many of his friends, so am I.”
Kate added: “Matthew was a very strong swimmer.
“He understood that the sea should be respected.
“It’s so tragic he lost his life this way.”
A massive rescue operation was launched and several swimmers had to be pulled from the water after getting into serious difficulty amid terrible conditions.
Mr Upham and a group of pals had gone to the coast on Christmas morning, some wearing Santa hats, to take part in the traditional swim.
Strong winds and huge swells left several swimmers, including Matthew, struggling.
The 63-year-old had almost managed to get back to shore when he spotted a woman in trouble and dived back beyond the surf line to rescue her, a friend said.
Reports suggest that the other missing man, a 40-year-old, had in turn gone to save Mr Upham after his brave attempt to assist the struggling woman saw him get into difficulty himself.
In an Instagram statement, the family of Matthew Upham identified their loved one as one of the missing swimmers.
Mr Upham’s family said they were: “heartbroken by the loss of our beloved family member… who was lost on Christmas morning.”
“Matthew is deeply loved and will be forever missed,” the statement adds.
A yellow rose has been left on the doorstep of the 63-year-old’s antiques store on the High Street of Budleigh Salterton.
Fellow swimmer Mike Brown previously told how it was a “mistake” to enter the water.
He was rescued from the 6ft waves by two other men who selflessly dived in to save him from the choppy seas fully clothed.
“These two men without any concern for their own safety waded in to help me,” he said.
Mike added: “They took an arm each and dragged me to safety and as quick as it had started, it was over, I was on the beach and I was safe.”
After entering the sea, Mike was “unable to get out” and feared the worse.
“After successive waves crashing me into the stones, I managed to get into relatively shallow water, but I was spent,” he said.
“I had no energy left to stand and I’d taken a number of blows to the head.”
Mike said the Christmas Day conditions were some of the worst he had ever tried to swim in.
