A father-of-two has been named as the second victim of a Christmas Day swim tragedy in Devon.
PE teacher Tom Johnson died heroically trying to save 63-year-old antiques dealer Matthew Upham in the sea at Budleigh Salterton in east Devon.
The pair were among dozens of others – some with Santa hats – who had taken the cold plunge into the sea only to get into serious difficulties within seconds due to huge swells caused by high winds.
Mr Upham himself had swam back out to sea to rescue a woman in distress, before getting caught himself in the swell.
Witnesses believed Mr Johnson then died in a brave attempt to rescue the antiques dealer.
Hundreds of people were gathered on the beach and watched the tragedy unfold from the pebble beach.
Witnesses described how swimmers were knocked over by massive waves, while others were unable to get out of the foam.
Some swimmers were reportedly taken to the hospital after being helped back to shore due to rough conditions.
Devon coroner Deborah Archer today opened an inquest into the death of the 47-year-old father-of-two.
Tom Johnson died after taking a cold plunge into the sea only to get into serious difficulties within seconds due to huge swells caused by high winds
Antiques dealer Matthew Upham, 63, also died in the sea on Christmas Day off the coast of Budleigh Salterton in Devon
Miss Archer told the Exeter hearing: ‘Thomas entered the water with other members of the public for a swim at Budleigh Salterton on December 25th.
‘While in the water, those watching from the beach lost sight of him and he was not seen to emerge from the water.’
The body of the married teacher was discovered at Sandy Bay in Exmouth on January 20, nearly a month after the tragedy, Miss Archer said.
She added that the precise cause of his death is not yet known.
Mr Johnson taught at the award-winning New Hall School in the village of Boreham.
The independent boarding school charges annual fees of up to £46,000.
A fundraiser has been launched for his grieving family and has so far raised £30,000.
A message on the fundraising page read: ‘It was with very great sadness that we learned that Tom Johnson, much -loved teacher of PE at New Hall School, died unexpectedly over the Christmas period.
‘Tom was a valued and cherished member of our New Hall community for over 17 years.
‘During that time, he made an outstanding contribution to the Sport Department… where he inspired countless pupils with his enthusiasm, dedication and love of sport.
‘Tom was an inspirational teacher and a deeply respected colleague. His passion for sport, commitment to young people, and his warm, generous spirit left a lasting impression on students, parents and staff.
He brought energy, kindness, and humour to everything he did and he will be greatly missed by the New Hall community.’
Moments after this photograph was taken on Christmas Day swimmers ran into difficulty and two men disappeared into the waves at Budleigh Salterton in Devon
Exmouth and Beer Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats and a search and rescue helicopter were deployed to search for the men, who remain missing
The second victim, Matthew Upham, had faced difficulty in the water and had nearly made it back to shore when he spotted a woman in difficulty beyond the surf line and swam back out to rescue her.
Mr Upham ran his antique business in Fulham for many years before relocating to Devon and specialising in chandeliers. He also appeared in several YouTube videos about antiques.
A friend of 30 years previously told the Daily Mail: ‘Matthew swam back out to reach her but as he did so a huge wave crashed into him and dragged him under. He hasn’t been seen since.
‘He was an exceptionally fit man and someone who swam those waters practically every day but more than that he was an incredibly selfless person.
‘So when he saw that woman in distress, there was only going to be one outcome and that was him swimming straight out to reach her rather than save himself.
‘From what I’ve been told, he’d actually made it out of danger initially and was about to reach the beach but turned back when he saw the woman struggling.
‘His friends who were with him watched him go out to her but when the wave came it was so strong, it just dragged him along, he really didn’t have a chance.
‘The woman eventually made it back to shore but Matthew is still missing and hopes of finding alive are fading fast.
‘I think it’s important that people know that the reason he’s missing is because he went back out to save someone – he was a very strong a swimmer who knew that stretch of coast like the back of his hand and not someone who would recklessly put himself at risk.’
Flowers left at the beach where Mr Upham had gone to the beach with friends on Christmas Day morning for the annual swim
Mr Upham ran his antique business in Fulham for many years before relocating to Devon and specialising in chandeliers
Singer Kate Bush was also a close friend of Mr Upham and paid tribute to the ‘very strong swimmer’ who understood the sea.
The Running Up That Hill singer wrote 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. 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. It’s so tragic that he lost his life this way.
‘The world has lost someone incredibly special. Thank you, Matthew, for being one of the best friends anyone could have.’
His family took to social media on Boxing Day to pay tribute to him, and to thank the emergency services for their efforts.
Kate Bush, 67, who has lived in Devon since 2005, shared a tribute to her friend of 30 years – saying he ‘lived life to the full’
In a statement posted to the Instagram account of his antique shop in Budleigh Salterton, his nephew Major Harley Upham wrote: ‘Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved family member Matthew Upham, who was reported missing on Christmas morning.
‘Matthew is deeply loved and will be forever missed.
‘We would like to express our sincere and heartfelt thanks to the emergency services who responded, particularly the RNLI and coastguard, for their dedication, professionalism, and tireless efforts during this extremely difficult time.
‘We are profoundly grateful for their compassion and support.
‘As we grieve and support one another, we kindly ask that our family’s privacy is respected.
‘We thank everyone for their understanding, kindness, and condolences.’
The inquest into Mr Upham’s death has yet to be opened, but the hearing into Mr Johnson, who was born in Boston, Lincs, has been adjourned.
