RESCUE crews from Burnham joined the search for two swimmers who disappeared in the Bristol Channel off Weston.

Both of the town's RNLI lifeboats were paged shortly before midnight on Tuesday last week to assist in a search for Dave Ellams, and Lee Tomkins, both in their 30s, who were swept away at 9.30pm.

Mr Ellams, a chef, and Mr Tomkins, a hotel worker, had been on a night out with their girlfriends and were thought to have been drinking before deciding to go for a swim.

But they got into difficulties in the high tide and called for help as they were swept away.

Two bodies have since been recovered from the Bristol Channel.

Barry lifeboat recovered one off the South Wales coast hours after the Portishead lifeboat found a body – believed to be that of Mr Ellams – off Clevedon.

The two Burnham vessels had joined the search, along with a helicopter from RAF Chivenor and Weston lifeboat. The search was scaled back at 3am on the Wednesday.

The two Burnham Area Rescue Boat hovercrafts scoured the mudflats and seven miles of shoreline between Burnham and Brean Down.

The search was called off later in the afternoon after the Coastguard said "all chances of survival had past".

Liam McDermott, of Weston RNLI, said: "It's a very treacherous area of water."