Police force warns sea swimmers as two still missing and cold weather health alert stays for Boxing Day

Police in Devon have warned against sea swimming after two men went missing in the water and as a cold health alert remains in place for parts of the UK.

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.

Police were called at 10.25am following concerns for people in the water, and an extensive search for the pair was called off in the evening.

“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.”

It come as the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) yellow alert for the south west of England, issued from 6pm on 25 December, will continue until midday on 27 December.

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The alert warns of a “greater risk to life of vulnerable people”, as well as an “increased use of healthcare services” among that group.

Boxing Day set to be milder than Christmas

While there were yellow weather warnings in place for strong winds on Christmas Day, the Met Office said Boxing Day would ultimately be milder, albeit frosty in the morning and continuing to be chilly.

“Boxing Day we’re going to see some good spells of sunshine, we will see a little in the way of cloud for the South and North West, some light rain, but for the vast majority it’s going to be dry,” Met Office meteorologist Zoe Hutin said.

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“While it will still be breezy, it won’t be as windy as Christmas Day.

“It’s still going to feel chilly, top temperatures between 6-7C, in the south it’s going to feel closer to 4-5C.

“A low chance of snow, it’s not expected at all.”

She said to expect similar conditions over the weekend, with temperatures at between 6-7C.

There could be drizzle where the cloud is thicker, and it will stay quite breezy, Ms Hutin added.