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Two wild swimmers were missing last night after an annual Christmas Day dip turned to disaster.

Several other swimmers had to be dragged to safety from the choppy waters at Budleigh Salterton as high winds created huge swells.

The two men – one in his 40s and the other in his 60s – had been taking part in a traditional swim off the coast of Devon when the alarm was raised at around 10.25am yesterday.

Images show dozens of people in swimwear and Santa hats screaming and laughing as they run into the crashing waves. But moments later, emergency services were called following reports of concern for several swimmers in the stormy waters.

Exmouth and Beer Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats and a search and rescue helicopter were deployed.

Devon and Cornwall Police said several swimmers were helped back to shore and taken to hospital as a precaution, but added: ‘Two men remain missing at this time and searches and enquiries are ongoing in efforts to locate them.’

Swimmers were asked not to take part in nearby Exmouth’s Christmas Day swim while the incident was dealt with. ‘We ask that people do not enter the water for public safety reasons. Due to the current weather warnings, we ask that this is the case today and for any Boxing Day swims,’ a police spokesman said.

The two men – one in his 40s and the other in his 60s – had been taking part in a traditional swim off the coast of Devon when the alarm was raised at around 10.25am yesterday

Exmouth and Beer Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats and a search and rescue helicopter were deployed

Police said one of the missing men’s next of kin had been spoken to but enquiries to reach the family of the second man were ongoing. They added that a local friend had been informed.

Several Christmas and Boxing Day swims in Devon and Cornwall were cancelled on Wednesday after a yellow weather warning was issued.

The Met Office warned of ‘strong and gusty east to north-easterly winds’ on Christmas Day in parts of the south-west of England and Wales. It said peak gusts could reach 55 to 65mph along exposed coasts, warning: ‘Large waves will be an additional hazard on some coasts.’

Despite the poor weather, hundreds of revellers entered the sea in east Devon. The alarm was raised soon afterwards, and a major rescue effort was launched.

The search for the two men was called off for the day at 5pm.

BBC journalist Phillip Stoneman, who has been a visitor to Budleigh for the swim for the past few years, said: ‘As soon as we arrived, you could tell that the sea was the roughest it’s been and that anyone going in would need to be a lot more cautious than usual.

‘The waves swept some people exiting the sea off their feet and other swimmers were helping them out.’

He said the RNLI boat was out in the water at the time and hundreds of people were either on the beach or in the water.

Melissa Hill, who was visiting the town for Christmas, said: ‘The coastguards have cordoned off part of the path where the swimmers set off from. They are overlooking the area where this happened. It is such an awful thing to have happened. There is no good time to die, but Christmas Day is so terrible.

‘The conditions are dreadful. The sea is cold, the wind is strong, and the waves are crashing in. I can’t believe anyone went into the water when it was like this.’

Emergency services were called at 10.25am to the beach at Budleigh Salterton following concern for swimmers in the water

Emergency services at Budleigh Salterton beach in Devon on Christmas Day after a festive swim went ahead but quickly turned into a major incident due to dangerous sea conditions

A local pensioner, who did not want to be named, said as many as four people were initially believed to be missing.

‘We went to the scene and we were told four people were missing. I don’t know if that figure is still correct.

‘But the conditions have been treacherous all day. There is nothing to protect swimmers from the elements here today.’

A coastguard worker at the scene said: ‘This was a major response. We have had multi helicopters, lifeboats and coastguards on scene.’ It came as wild swimmers were warned after shipping containers of bananas fell overboard from a cargo ship off the Isle of Wight.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said 16 containers had fallen into the sea from the Baltic Klipper off Bembridge on December 6. Some containers had washed up at Selsey, West Sussex, it added. Now Arun District Council has warned that metal fragments may be in the water. The council posted on Facebook: ‘If you are planning a festive swim this year, please take extra care along our beaches.

‘Following the recent shipping container incident, there may still be metal fragments in the sea along our coastline. Please stay safe and if you see anyone in difficulty in the water, please call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.’